The Reading / Listening - Living Space - Level 2

A new study shows there are poor people in Hong Kong who live in tiny homes. A housing group found that 204 families in one area live in homes that are smaller than prison cells. The average space per person was 4.6 square meters. This is about the size of three toilet cubicles, or half the size of a car parking space. The average size of a cell for Hong Kong's maximum security prisoners is 50 per cent bigger than the size of the homes in the study. A 2016 report stated that over 65 per cent of Hong Kong families live in homes that are between 7 and 14 square meters.

Hong Kong has some of the world's most expensive homes. An average person has to save for 18 years to buy a tiny home. A member of the housing group told reporters how unhappy people are about living in such small homes. He said: "It is completely unacceptable and inhumane that the living area for people is the same as for prisoners in such a prosperous city like Hong Kong." Another resident said the tiny room for her husband and six-year-old son only has a bed, a closet and a small table. She said: "The bathroom is so small we have to sit sideways to go to the toilet."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Living Space - Level 0 Living Space - Level 1   or  Living Space - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/prison-cells-larger-living-spaces-hong-kong-poor-article-1.3604376
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/01/hong-kongs-poor-live-in-homes-smaller-than-prison-cells-study
  • http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2117810/average-living-space-hong-kongs-poorest-residents-same


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. 204 families in one
  2. The average space
  3. toilet
  4. half the size of a car
  5. The average size of a
  6. maximum security
  7. bigger than the size
  8. between 7 and 14 square
  1. of the homes
  2. area
  3. meters
  4. per person
  5. prisoners
  6. parking space
  7. cell
  8. cubicles

Paragraph 2

  1. some of the world's most
  2. An average person has to
  3. A member of the housing
  4. completely unacceptable and
  5. a prosperous
  6. the tiny room for
  7. a closet and a
  8. we have to sit
  1. her husband
  2. sideways
  3. inhumane
  4. save for 18 years
  5. expensive homes
  6. small table
  7. group
  8. city like Hong Kong

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new study shows there are (1) ___________________ Hong Kong who live in tiny homes. A housing group found that 204 families in one area live in homes that are smaller (2) ___________________. The average space per person was 4.6 square meters. This is about the (3) ___________________ toilet cubicles, or half the size of a car parking space. The (4) ___________________ a cell for Hong Kong's maximum security prisoners is 50 per cent bigger than the size of the homes (5) ___________________. A 2016 report stated that over 65 per cent of Hong Kong families live in homes that are between 7 and (6) ___________________.

Hong Kong has some of (7) ___________________ expensive homes. An (8) ___________________ to save for 18 years to buy a tiny home. A member of the housing group told reporters how unhappy people are (9) ___________________ such small homes. He said: "It is completely unacceptable and inhumane that the living area for people is the same (10) ___________________ in such a prosperous city like Hong Kong." Another resident said the tiny room for her husband and six-year-old (11) ___________________ a bed, a closet and a small table. She said: "The bathroom is so small we have to sit (12) ___________________ to the toilet."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnewstudyshowstherearepoorpeopleinHongKongwholiveintinyhom
es.Ahousinggroupfoundthat204familiesinonearealiveinhomesthata
resmallerthanprisoncells.Theaveragespaceperpersonwas4.6square
meters.Thisisaboutthesizeofthreetoiletcubicles,orhalfthesizeofacar
parkingspace.TheaveragesizeofacellforHongKong'smaximumsecuri
typrisonersis50percentbiggerthanthesizeofthehomesinthestudy.A2
016reportstatedthatover65percentofHongKongfamiliesliveinhomes
thatarebetween7and14squaremeters.HongKonghassomeoftheworl
d'smostexpensivehomes.Anaveragepersonhastosavefor18yearsto
buyatinyhome.Amemberofthehousinggrouptoldreportershowunha
ppypeopleareaboutlivinginsuchsmallhomes.Hesaid:"Itiscompletely
unacceptableandinhumanethatthelivingareaforpeopleisthesameasf
orprisonersinsuchaprosperouscitylikeHongKong."Anotherresidents
aidthetinyroomforherhusbandandsix-year-oldsononlyhasabed,ac
losetandasmalltable.Shesaid:"Thebathroomissosmallwehavetositsi
dewaystogotothetoilet."

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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