The Reading / Listening - Money Worries - Level 2

The saying, "Money can't buy happiness" may be true. The U.S. financial planning experts Edelman Financial Engines conducted a survey on money. They found that almost six in ten people said they needed more than $100,000 a year to stop worrying about money. Around 50 per cent of the people in the survey said they needed an annual salary of $200,000 to feel happy and safe. The report stated that only 12 per cent of Americans think they are wealthy. It also reported that just 33 per cent of millionaires in the USA said they felt financially secure.

The report is called "Everyday Wealth in America". More than 3,000 adults answered questions about money worries. Half of the people said they were "rich". They had wealth between $500,000 and $3 million. An Edelman spokesperson said: "Many Americans, even those who are affluent, aren't feeling very confident about their financial situation." She added: "It was a dream to say you could make $100,000". However, such a salary today simply means a stable lifestyle. A salary of $100,000 is no longer a sign of financial success and happiness.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Money Worries - Level 0 Money Worries - Level 1   or  Money Worries - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/23/only-33percent-of-millionaires-consider-themselves-wealthy-report-finds.html
  • https://www.cbsnews.com/news/income-salary-you-need-to-stop-worrying-money-edelman/
  • https://www.aol.com/heres-much-money-americans-think-130017383.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Money can't
  2. financial planning
  3. conducted a survey
  4. almost six
  5. stop worrying
  6. they needed an annual
  7. feel happy
  8. they felt financially
  1. salary
  2. in ten people
  3. secure
  4. experts
  5. and safe
  6. on money
  7. about money
  8. buy happiness

Paragraph 2

  1. 3,000 adults answered
  2. Half of the people said
  3. even those who
  4. confident about their
  5. you could make
  6. a stable
  7. $100,000 is no
  8. financial
  1. financial situation
  2. longer a sign
  3. they were rich
  4. success
  5. questions
  6. $100,000
  7. lifestyle
  8. are affluent

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The saying, "Money can't buy happiness" (1) ___________________. The U.S. financial planning experts Edelman Financial Engines conducted (2) ___________________ money. They found that almost (3) ___________________ people said they needed more than $100,000 a year to stop worrying about money. Around 50 per cent of the people (4) ___________________ said they needed an annual salary of $200,000 to feel happy and safe. The report (5) ___________________ 12 per cent of Americans think they are wealthy. It also reported that just 33 per cent of millionaires in the USA said (6) ___________________ secure.

The (7) ___________________ "Everyday Wealth in America". More than 3,000 adults answered questions (8) ___________________. Half of the people said they were "rich". They had wealth between $500,000 and $3 million. An Edelman spokesperson said: "Many Americans, even those (9) ___________________, aren't feeling (10) ___________________ their financial situation." She added: "It was a dream to say you could make $100,000". However, such a salary today (11) ___________________ stable lifestyle. A salary of $100,000 is no (12) ___________________ of financial success and happiness.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thesaying,"Moneycan'tbuyhappiness"maybetrue.TheU.S.financial
planningexpertsEdelmanFinancialEnginesconductedasurveyonmon
ey.Theyfoundthatalmostsixintenpeoplesaidtheyneededmorethan$
100,000ayeartostopworryingaboutmoney.Around50percentofthep
eopleinthesurveysaidtheyneededanannualsalaryof$200,000tofeelh
appyandsafe.Thereportstatedthatonly12percentofAmericansthinkt
heyarewealthy.Italsoreportedthatjust33percentofmillionairesinthe
USAsaidtheyfeltfinanciallysecure.Thereportiscalled"EverydayWealt
hinAmerica".Morethan3,000adultsansweredquestionsaboutmoney
worries.Halfofthepeoplesaidtheywere"rich".Theyhadwealthbetwee
n$500,000and$3million.AnEdelmanspokespersonsaid:"ManyAmeri
cans,eventhosewhoareaffluent,aren'tfeelingveryconfidentaboutthe
irfinancialsituation."Sheadded:"Itwasadreamtosayyoucouldmake$
100,000".However,suchasalarytodaysimplymeansastablelifestyle.
Asalaryof$100,000isnolongerasignoffinancialsuccessandhappiness
.

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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