Students sell bodies and gamble to survive

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

It's hard for British university students to make ends meet. They are gambling, taking out high-interest loans and selling their body to cover their living costs. A website questioned 1,900 students about their finances. It found that the average student got a $750 a month student loan. However, average living expenses were $1,170. Students do many things to make up the $420 difference. Their parents would worry if they knew.

Around 71% of students got extra money from parents, while 65% worked part-time. Around 46% had a bank overdraft. Others said they had "sold their body," took part in medical trials or gambled to get extra income. Three per cent of students took out loans with very high interest rates. One student said: "It's frustrating when you're already paying off multiple credit cards at 19." Students said the government was "out of touch" with their needs.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/students-sell-body-and-gamble-make-ends-meet
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/06/30/students-gambling-selling-bodies-meet-university-costs_n_7694292.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/personal-finance/skint-students-forced-use-rip-off-5976499

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	make ends	a.	about their finances
2.	cover their living	b.	were $1,170
3.	A website questioned 1,900 students	c.	$420 difference
4.	the average	d.	meet
5.	average living expenses	e.	if they knew
6.	Students do	f.	student
7.	make up the	g.	costs
8.	Their parents would worry	h.	many things

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	65% worked	a.	trials
2.	Around 46% had a bank	b.	rates
3.	took part in medical	c.	out loans
4.	gambled to get	d.	touch
5.	Three per cent of students took	e.	part-time
6.	very high interest	f.	extra income
7.	paying off multiple	g.	overdraft
8.	out of	h.	credit cards

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

It's hard for British university students to (1) ___________________. They are gambling, (2) ___________________-interest loans and selling their body to (3) ___________________ costs. A website questioned 1,900 students about their finances. It found that (4) ___________________ got a $750 a month student loan. However, (5) ___________________ were $1,170. Students do many things to make up the $420 difference. Their parents would (6) ___________________.

Around 71% of students (7) ___________________ from parents, while 65% worked part-time. Around 46% had a (8) ___________________. Others said they had "sold their body," took (9) ___________________ or gambled to get extra income. Three per cent of students (10) ___________________ very high interest rates. One student said: "It's frustrating when you're already (11) ___________________ credit cards at 19." Students said the government was "(12) ___________________" with their needs.

STUDENTS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about students in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about students for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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