The Reading / Listening - Basic Income - Level 0

The UN has a plan for COVID-19. It said poor people should get a basic income. The money would let 2.7 billion people in 132 countries stay at home. This would cut the risk of the virus spreading. It would cost $199 billion per month. The world must take special action because we have not had COVID-19 before.

A basic income would go to people and not big businesses. The UN said the money would help people in lockdown and small businesses. It would also slow down COVID-19. Many people do not have insurance or a contract. There are also many low-paid people. The UN said refugees and disabled people also need help.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Basic Income - Level 1,  Basic Income - Level 2   or  Basic Income - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/news/2020/Temporary_Basic_Income_to_protect_the_worlds_poorest_people_slow_COVID19.html
  • https://japantoday.com/category/world/u.n.-report-suggests-temporary-basic-income-to-help-world%27s-poorest-amid-pandemic
  • https://time.com/5870438/basic-income-payments-coronavirus-u-n/


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. The UN has a plan
  2. poor people should get
  3. 2.7 billion people
  4. stay at
  5. This would cut
  6. It would cost $199
  7. The world must take
  8. we have not had COVID-19
  1. in 132 countries
  2. before
  3. the risk
  4. a basic income
  5. special action
  6. for COVID-19
  7. home
  8. billion per month

Paragraph 2

  1. A basic income would go
  2. not big
  3. the money would
  4. people in
  5. It would also slow
  6. Many people do not
  7. There are also many low-
  8. disabled people
  1. help
  2. down COVID-19
  3. also need help
  4. have insurance
  5. to people
  6. paid people
  7. businesses
  8. lockdown

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The UN (1) ___________________ for COVID-19. It said poor people should get (2) ___________________. The money would let 2.7 (3) ___________________ 132 countries stay at home. This would (4) ___________________ of the virus spreading. It would cost $199 (5) ___________________. The world must take (6) ___________________ we have not had COVID-19 before.

A basic (7) ___________________ to people and not big businesses. The UN said the (8) ___________________ people in lockdown and small businesses. It would (9) ___________________ COVID-19. Many people do not have insurance (10) ___________________. There are also many low-paid people. The UN (11) ___________________ disabled people (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUNhasaplanforCOVID-19.Itsaidpoorpeopleshouldgetabasicinc
ome.Themoneywouldlet2.7billionpeoplein132countriesstayathome
.Thiswouldcuttheriskofthevirusspreading.Itwouldcost$199billionpe
rmonth.TheworldmusttakespecialactionbecausewehavenothadCOV
ID-19before.Abasicincomewouldgotopeopleandnotbigbusinesses.T
heUNsaidthemoneywouldhelppeopleinlockdownandsmallbusinesse
s.ItwouldalsoslowdownCOVID-19.Manypeopledonothaveinsurance
oracontract.Therearealsomanylow-paidpeople.TheUNsaidrefuge
esanddisabledpeoplealsoneedhelp.

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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