Lesson
B2ENThe Dilemma Room: What Should You Do?
Face impossible ethical choices where every option has consequences. Explore moral dilemmas through debate, hidden roles, and unexpected twists that force you to rethink your decisions. Watch a TED-Ed video on the ethics of lying and build your own dilemma. A practical B2 English lesson on modal verbs for obligation and advice, ethical vocabulary, and persuasive argumentation. Ideal for adult learners, English tutors, and language schools.
What Would You Do? — Instant Choices: Talk Time
Talk Time
- Your best friend asks if you like their new haircut. You hate it. Should you tell the truth or lie?
- You find a wallet with €500 inside and no ID. There are no cameras around. What do you do?
- You see your colleague stealing office supplies. They are a single parent struggling with money. Do you report them?
- A stranger on the street collapses. Other people are walking past without stopping. What should you do? What would you actually do?
- Your neighbour plays loud music every night. You have asked them politely twice. What should your next step be?
Ethics and Decision-Making Vocabulary: Swipe Battle
Swipe Battle
Dilemma
A situation where you must choose between two equally difficult options
Consequence
The result or effect of an action or decision
Integrity
The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
Whistleblower
An employee who receives a bonus for reporting positive company news
Empathy
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person
Accountability
Being responsible for your actions and their outcomes
Compromise
A situation where one side wins everything and the other side loses
Bias
A tendency to favour one side unfairly over another
Moral compass
An inner sense that helps a person judge what is right and wrong
Bystander
A person who watches something happen without getting involved
Transparency
Hiding information from the public to protect a company's reputation
Confession
A formal statement admitting that you have done something wrong
Justification
A feeling of deep regret about something you have done wrong
Hypocrisy
The practice of claiming to have higher standards than you actually follow
Is It Ever Okay to Lie?: Content Block
Content Block
Discussion questions
- Do you agree that lying to help someone can sometimes be the right thing to do?
- Is there a difference between a small lie to protect someone's feelings and a big lie to avoid consequences?
- The video mentions "paternalistic lying" — have you ever lied to someone because you thought you knew what was best for them?
- The dilemma in the video is about whether to lie to a friend about the time of a dinner reservation.True
- Utilitarian ethics says lying is always wrong, no matter what the consequences are.False
- Kantian ethics argues that lying is wrong because it disrespects the other person's ability to make their own decisions.True
- The video concludes that there is one clear right answer to the dilemma.False
- Paternalistic lying means lying to someone for what you believe is their own benefit.True
Lesson Board: Modals for Advice, Obligation, and Moral Judgement
Lesson Board
Ethics in Action — Choose the Right Modal: Word Choice
Word Choice
- She knew she shouldmight tell her friend the truth, but she was afraid of hurting her feelings.
- You really shouldn't havewouldn't read your partner's messages without permission.
- He couldmust report the problem anonymously, but he decided to speak directly to his manager.
- If I were in your situation, I shouldwould probably stay quiet and mind my own business.
- You mightmust always tell the truth in a court of law — it's a legal requirement.
- They mustmight lose their friendship if she finds out about the lie.
- He would haveshould have apologised immediately instead of waiting three weeks.
- You don't have tomustn't get involved if you don't want to — it's not your responsibility.
- She ought tomight consider the consequences before making her decision.
- We shouldcould have helped them, but we chose to walk away. I still feel guilty.
The Boardroom Dilemma: Hidden Role
Hidden Role
Scenario
A pharmaceutical company has developed a new medicine that could save thousands of lives. During final testing, a junior scientist discovers the drug has a rare but serious side effect that affects 1 in 10,000 patients. Reporting the problem will delay the launch by two years. The board must decide: launch now or delay? But someone at the table is not who they seem. Discuss, decide — and figure out who is hiding their real agenda before the vote.
The CEO
You want to launch the drug as soon as possible. Every month of delay costs lives and money. You believe the risk is acceptably small.
Secret goal: Convince the board to launch. The company is almost bankrupt and cannot survive a two-year delay — do not reveal this unless directly challenged.
Must use: Use modals of obligation: must, have to, need to
The Chief Medical Officer
You believe in patient safety above everything. You think the company should delay the launch and fix the side effect first.
Secret goal: Block the launch. You once approved a risky drug that harmed patients and carry deep guilt. You will never let that happen again.
Must use: Use modals of advice: should, ought to, shouldn't
The Junior Scientist
You discovered the side effect and reported it internally. You are nervous about speaking up but you believe in honesty.
Secret goal: Present the facts clearly and help the board make the right decision. You want to keep your job but you also want to do the right thing.
Must use: Use modals of uncertainty: might, could, I'm not sure if we should
The Patient Advocate
SpyYou represent patients waiting for this medicine. You seem desperate for the drug to launch as fast as possible.
Secret goal: You are secretly hired by a competing pharmaceutical company. Your real job is to make the board DELAY the launch so the competitor releases their version first. Pretend you want a fast launch but subtly raise doubts and problems. Do not get caught.
Must use: Use emotional language: these patients could die, we might be making a terrible mistake, should we really risk...
Drama Event: The Leak
Drama Event
Scenario
You have just arrived in London for the most important client presentation of your career. The meeting is tomorrow at 9 AM. You are standing at the airport with your suitcase, feeling confident. But over the next few hours, everything will go wrong. Your goal: react to each crisis as it happens, make decisions, and do everything you can to make it to that presentation. After each event, explain what you would do and why — use modal verbs (should, must, could, might, have to, don't have to).
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Crisis
Your airline has lost your suitcase. Your laptop with the presentation is inside. The airline says it might arrive in 24 hours — or it might not. What should you do?
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Pressure
Your boss calls and says the client has moved the meeting to 7 AM tomorrow. You still don't have your laptop or your business clothes.
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Twist
A colleague texts you: she has a copy of the presentation on her laptop, but she is in Paris and could only send it if she can find WiFi. She might be on the metro for the next two hours.
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Constraint
Your company credit card has been blocked for suspicious activity. You have £40 in cash. You must find a hotel, buy clothes, and get to the meeting point by 6:30 AM.
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Revelation
You check your email and discover the client has sent a list of new questions they want covered in the presentation. Half of them are about topics you haven't prepared for.
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Opportunity
You meet another traveller at the airport who works in the same industry. They offer to lend you their laptop for the evening if you buy them dinner. Should you trust a stranger?
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Decision
It's 11 PM. You have a basic version of the presentation on a borrowed laptop. You could stay up all night to improve it, or you could sleep and hope your energy carries you through. What should you do?
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The Mysterious Suitcase: Story Builder
Story Builder
Story prompt
Together, build a story about a group of friends who find a mysterious suitcase in an airport. It is full of cash and a note that says "DO NOT OPEN. Deliver to Room 412, Grand Hotel, by midnight." Use the words from the word bank. What should they do? What could go wrong? What happens next?