The Reading / Listening - Level 2

A new report says there is a "wave of micro crime" in Great Britain. Researchers from a research organisation were shocked by their findings. Matthew Smith, a data analyst, said: "You probably wouldn't expect that three in every four people you see are [hiding] a criminal past. Yet that's exactly what is happening….As many as 74 per cent of British people are 'micro-criminals' – having [done] at least one very minor or 'micro' crime." The most common crime the British public say they have done is paying someone cash when they know that the person will not pay tax on it.

The researchers say men and middle-class people were the most likely to commit micro crimes. About 80 per cent of middle-class people admitted to micro crimes, while the figure was closer to 70 per cent for working-class people. The second-most common micro crime was illegally downloading or streaming TV shows, movies or music. Slightly fewer than 30 per cent of people said they did this. Other micro crimes include not paying for bags in supermarkets, lying about your age to get a better deal, and eating things in a supermarket without paying.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/three-four-brits-admit-commiting-petty-crimes-claim-pollsters-1587803
  • http://news.sky.com/story/three-out-of-four-britons-are-micro-criminals-poll-10629227
  • http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/you-micro-criminal-see-how-12071441


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. shocked
  2. a data
  3. three in
  4. hiding a criminal
  5. at
  6. very minor
  7. paying someone
  8. pay
  1. every four people
  2. or 'micro' crime
  3. past
  4. cash
  5. tax on it
  6. by their findings
  7. least one
  8. analyst

Paragraph 2

  1. middle-
  2. the most likely
  3. the figure
  4. illegally downloading or
  5. Slightly fewer than 30% of people
  6. lying about
  7. get a better
  8. eating things in a supermarket
  1. said they did this
  2. your age
  3. class people
  4. without paying
  5. was closer to 70 per cent
  6. deal
  7. to commit micro crimes
  8. streaming TV shows

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new report says there (1) ___________________ micro-crime" in Great Britain. Researchers from a research organisation were (2) ___________________ findings. Matthew Smith, a data analyst, said: "You probably wouldn't expect that (3) ___________________ four people you see are [hiding] (4) ___________________. Yet that's exactly what is happening….As many as 74 per cent of British people are 'micro-criminals' – having [done] at least one very minor or 'micro' crime." The (5) ___________________ the British public say they have done is paying someone cash when they know that the person will (6) ___________________ it.

The researchers say (7) ___________________-class people were the most likely to commit micro crimes. About 80 per cent of middle-class (8) ___________________ micro crimes, while the (9) ___________________ 70 per cent for working-class people. The second-most common micro (10) ___________________ downloading or streaming TV shows, movies or music. Slightly fewer than 30 per cent of people said they did this. Other micro crimes include not (11) ___________________ in supermarkets, lying about your age to get a better deal, and (12) ___________________ supermarket without paying.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewreportsaysthereisa"waveofmicrocrime"inGreatBritain.Re
searchersfromaresearchorganisationwereshockedbytheirfindings.
MatthewSmith,adataanalyst,said:"Youprobablywouldn'texpectthat
threeineveryfourpeopleyouseeare[hiding]acriminalpast.Yetthat'se
xactlywhatishappening….Asmanyas74percentofBritishpeopleare'm
icro-criminals'–having[done]atleastoneveryminoror'micro'crim
e."ThemostcommoncrimetheBritishpublicsaytheyhavedoneispayin
gsomeonecashwhentheyknowthatthepersonwillnotpaytaxonit.Ther
esearcherssaymenandmiddle-classpeoplewerethemostlikelytocom
mitmicrocrimes.About80percentofmiddle-classpeopleadmittedtomi
cro-crimes,whilethefigurewascloserto70percentforworking-clas
speople.Thesecond-mostcommonmicrocrimewasillegallydownloadi
ngorstreamingTVshows,moviesormusic.Slightlyfewerthan30perce
ntofpeoplesaidtheydidthis.Othermicrocrimesincludenotpayingfor
bagsinsupermarkets,lyingaboutyouragetogetabetterdeal,andeatin
gthingsinasupermarketwithoutpaying.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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