English Story 1: The Coronavirus Outbreak (Advanced)

This is a short story about the recent coronavirus outbreak and some of the consequences it has brought about. The vocabulary used is advanced, and the speaking pace is also advanced. Below is the full text: "With the whole coronavirus pandemic, Ben’s professors have dismissed all face-to-face classes and have asked students to attend online lectures. Ben has been given a new assignment that is quite topical with the current situation: He has been asked to write an assessment on how the coronavirus pandemic may negatively affect the world economy. Some of the implications that Ben has thought of included the impact on the aviation industry and the consequences of panic buying. In relation to the aviation industry, many flights have been cancelled, and as a result, many airlines are on the brink of collapse. This has been reason for concern for many countries which rely heavily on tourism, such as the UAE. Additionally, panic buying is also a hot topic today. There are many videos showing supermarkets with empty shelves, and consequently, this has worried some of the more vulnerable groups such as the elderly, who may not yet have stocked up on the necessary resources they need. As such, many governments are placing restrictions on purchasing groceries, prioritizing the elderly and other vulnerable groups." Key words and phrases: Pandemic Dismiss Face-to-face Topical Implications Vulnerable Groups Aviation Industry Panic buying