The Reading / Listening - Pay Cuts - Level 4

Mexico's next president Andres Obrador is leading his country's austerity drive. His salary will be less than half of the current president's. He wants to improve Mexico's economy. He said: "What we want is for the budget to reach everybody." Mr Obrador's salary will be just 40 per cent of that of Mexico's president, Enrique Peña Nieto. Obrador also said no public official would earn more than him. His supporters greatly welcomed his new measures.

Mr Obrador wanted to cut his salary more. He thought a bigger cut would stop people joining his government. Many are coming from the private sector. Obrador said he would keep his campaign promise to cut the benefits that high-level government officials get. He will cut back on their chauffeurs, bodyguards and health insurance. He will also turn the official presidential residence into a cultural center and stop pension payments to former presidents.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Pay Cuts - Level 5 or  Pay Cuts - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-mexico-president-salary-20180716-story.html
  • http://thehill.com/latino/397153-mexican-president-elect-pledges-to-cut-his-own-salary
  • http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/07/15/mexican-president-elect-slashes-his-own-salary.html


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. Mexico's next
  2. leading his country's austerity
  3. His salary will be less
  4. He wants to improve
  5. reach
  6. Obrador's salary will be just
  7. no public official would
  8. welcomed his new
  1. measures
  2. than half
  3. everybody
  4. 40 per cent of that
  5. president
  6. earn more
  7. drive
  8. Mexico's economy

Paragraph 2

  1. Obrador wanted to cut his
  2. a bigger cut would stop
  3. Many are coming from
  4. he would keep his campaign
  5. high-level government
  6. He will cut back
  7. the official presidential
  8. pension
  1. payments
  2. the private sector
  3. officials
  4. people
  5. residence
  6. salary more
  7. on their chauffeurs
  8. promise

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Mexico's next president Andres Obrador (1) ___________________ country's austerity drive. His salary will (2) ___________________ half of the current president's. He (3) ___________________ Mexico's economy. He said: "What we want is (4) ___________________ to reach everybody." Mr Obrador's salary will be just 40 per cent of that of Mexico's president, Enrique Peña Nieto. Obrador also said (5) ___________________ would earn more than him. His supporters greatly welcomed (6) ___________________.

Mr Obrador wanted to (7) ___________________ more. He thought a bigger cut would stop people joining his government. (8) ___________________ from the private sector. Obrador said he (9) ___________________ campaign promise to (10) ___________________ that high-level government officials get. He will cut back on their chauffeurs, bodyguards and health insurance. He will also (11) ___________________ presidential residence into a cultural center and (12) ___________________ to former presidents.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Mexico'snextpresidentAndresObradorisleadinghiscountry'sausterit
ydrive.Hissalarywillbelessthanhalfofthecurrentpresident's.Hewants
toimproveMexico'seconomy.Hesaid:"Whatwewantisforthebudgetto
reacheverybody."MrObrador'ssalarywillbejust40percentofthatofMe
xico'spresident,EnriquePeñaNieto.Obradoralsosaidnopublicofficial
wouldearnmorethanhim.Hissupportersgreatlywelcomedhisnewmea
sures.MrObradorwantedtocuthissalarymore.Hethoughtabiggercut
wouldstoppeoplejoininghisgovernment.Manyarecomingfromthepri
vatesector.Obradorsaidhewouldkeephiscampaignpromisetocuttheb
enefitsthathigh-levelgovernmentofficialsget.Hewillcutbackontheir
chauffeurs,bodyguardsandhealthinsurance.Hewillalsoturntheofficia
lpresidentialresidenceintoaculturalcenterandstoppensionpayments
toformerpresidents.

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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