Speaking club by Zarina Idrisova

Fake or Real?

pansyparsley — 2025-06-04 14:37:15 UTC

In small groups, you receive 2 short posts/articles (real/fake examples).
You must identify red flags (clickbait, bias, missing source, over-edited visuals).
Bonus: create your own real or fake post to try and fool another team!

Team 1

pansyparsley — 2025-06-04 14:45:32 UTC

1) Renewable energy sources are rapidly transforming the global energy landscape, offering a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Recent reports indicate a significant increase in the adoption of solar and wind power worldwide, contributing to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions.

Experts agree that investing in renewables is crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy security. Solar panels are becoming more efficient and affordable, making clean energy accessible to more households than ever before. Wind farms are expanding, harnessing natural power to meet growing electricity demands without polluting our atmosphere.

This shift towards green energy is not just environmentally beneficial; it's also creating new jobs and fostering innovation. The future of energy is undeniably clean and bright!

2) Proclaiming that he had “done enough,” billionaire Elon Musk confirmed Thursday that he would be taking a step back from fatherhood. “I’ve accomplished all I really intended to accomplish as a father—spreading my seed, preserving my bloodline—and now I can spend more time focusing on other things,” said Musk, who told reporters that after pouring millions of dollars and sperm cells into the project, he was ready to scale that number back to zero. “I need to get my priorities in line. Fatherhood distracted me from what really matters, which is running Tesla. If I see a reason to do it in the future, I’ll do it, but currently, I don’t see a reason.” At press time, sources revealed that Musk’s decision may have been motivated by falling popularity among his children.

Team 2

pansyparsley — 2025-06-04 14:52:11 UTC

1) Shocked by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids affecting her very own community, local 43-year-old Jillian Beamer told reporters Monday she had assumed President Donald Trump would only deport people on the list she mailed to the White House. “With all of these deportations going on, I can’t help but feel like he’s breaking his campaign promise,” said Beamer, a three-time Trump voter who expressed utter disbelief that the administration would act beyond the half dozen names of personal enemies she had jotted down on a piece of stationery under the heading “Deport!” “These are our friends and neighbors they’re rounding up, not my rival at the PTA or the deli guy who always gets my order wrong. It seems like Homeland Security is deviating from other people’s lists too. I don’t get it at all.” Beamer added that neither she nor the other MAGA supporters she knew had ever imagined that Trump might go after immigrants.

2) Fifteen-year-old Kanyeyachukwu "Kanye" Tagbo-Okeke from Nigeria, who has non-verbal autism, has broken the Guinness World Record for the largest art canvas. His painting, titled "Impossibility is a Myth," measures over 12,380 square meters (133,267 square feet) and features a large infinity sign surrounded by faces depicting various emotions.

Kanye's achievement surpasses the previous record of 9,652 square meters set by Emad Salehi. His father, Tagbo Okeke, notes Kanye's intense focus and unique expression through his abstract art. This accomplishment highlights the "boundless potential" of individuals with autism, as recognized by the British High Commission in Nigeria and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who praised Kanye's "brave, audacious and tenacious" spirit.

Team 3

pansyparsley — 2025-06-04 14:54:44 UTC

1) Admitting that it was finally time to grow up and start making healthy life choices, local man Russell McGrath told reporters Monday that he was cutting back from drinking six normal beers a day and would now just drink three huge ones. “While it may have been fine back in my 20s, drinking a whole six-pack just isn’t sustainable anymore, and honestly, three stovepipe cans is more than enough,” said McGrath, adding that on nights when he brings home beer from the craft brewery near his home, he has reduced his consumption to a single growler. “It’s about learning some self-control and actually caring about what I put in my body. Pounding a six-pack is fun, but now I enjoy a nice relaxing evening with just a few tall boys, and I feel a whole lot better the next morning. It was actually a real wake-up call when my doctor told me to cut back, and I was nervous, but swapping out all those cans of Miller High Life for a couple bombers of imperial stout has been way easier than I expected. It’s the best decision I could have made for my future. I’ve even convinced some of my buddies who were making fun of me to swap their six-packs for some 1.5-liter Belgian magnums, and they say they feel fucking incredible.” At press time, McGrath had reportedly realized he could be healthy without even having to track his drinking if he just switched from beer to wine.

2) n Halifax, Nova Scotia, a rare wood turtle named Root, who is missing a front foot, is getting around his habitat with the help of a custom-built Lego platform with wheels.

A naturalist interpreter at the Museum of Natural History, Tessa Biesterfeld, came up with the idea after seeing a Lego exhibit. Root is attached to the platform with a small dog harness, allowing him to move more easily and get exercise without his shell scraping the ground. Museum staff note that Root appears to enjoy his new mobility, moving a bit faster than an average wood turtle. As wood turtles are an at-risk species, Root's presence at the museum is particularly significant.