Some people who make food are asking for more money than it costs to make the food. This means things like baby milk, beans, and pet food cost more. The people who check on this found that many brands are making more money than before. Now, people are buying the store’s own food because it costs less. The brands are not selling as much as they used to.
Baby milk has gotten a lot more expensive, and two big companies make most of it. The people who check on this are worried that moms and dads might not know they can buy cheaper milk. They want to make sure that the big companies are not asking for too much money. They also said that if moms and dads look around, they can save money on baby milk. They are going to look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices.
Original news source: Shoppers hit by escalating prices of branded goods (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Choose words or phrases related to the article, such as “food,” “baby milk,” or “pet food.” One person from each team will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while their team members try to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly earns a point.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write key words from the article on the board, such as “food,” “expensive,” or “brands.” Ask students to think of other words or phrases that are related to each key word. For example, for “food,” they might say “restaurant,” “cooking,” or “grocery store.” Encourage students to share their ideas and create a web of related words on the board.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a list of vocabulary words from the article, such as “baby milk,” “beans,” or “pet food.” One person in each pair will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while their partner tries to guess what it is. After a set time, switch roles and choose a new word.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of the article. Set a timer for a short amount of time (e.g. 3 minutes) and ask students to read the article quickly and summarize the main points to their group members. After the timer goes off, each group can share their summary with the whole class.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about their opinions on the topic of the article: whether they think it’s fair for some food brands to cost more than it costs to make the food. Then, have them pair up with a partner and share their thoughts. Finally, bring the class back together and ask a few volunteers to share their opinions with the whole group.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Why are some foods getting more expensive?
2. What kind of foods are getting more expensive?
3. Are people buying the store’s own food more now? Why?
4. What is happening to the brands that used to sell a lot?
5. Why are the people who check on this worried about baby milk?
6. How can moms and dads save money on baby milk?
7. What are the people going to look at to see how much baby milk costs?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Some people who make (1)______ are asking for more money than it (2)______s to make the food. This means things like baby milk, beans, and pet food cost more. The people who check on this found that many brands are (3)______ (4)______ money than before. Now, people are buying the store’s own food because it costs less. The brands are not selling as much as they used to.
Baby milk has gotten a lot more expensive, and two big (5)______ make most of it. The people who check on this are worried that moms and (6)______ might not know they can buy cheaper milk. They want to make sure that the big companies are not asking for too much money. They also said that if moms and dads look around, they can save money on baby (7)______. They are going to look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people (8)______ prices.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is baby milk?
2. How would you feel if the food you wanted to buy became more expensive?
3. Do you like beans? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about brands making more money than before?
5. Do you think it’s important for moms and dads to know they can buy cheaper milk? Why or why not?
6. How do you think people can save money on baby milk?
7. What are special prices?
8. How would you feel if you found out the big companies were asking for too much money for baby milk?
9. Do you think it’s a good idea for the people who check on this to look at how much baby milk costs? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever bought store-brand food? How did it compare to the more expensive brands?
11. What other types of food do you think are more expensive now?
12. How do you think the stores use cards to give people special prices?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. food
2. money
3. milk
4. beans
5. pet
6. brands
7. store
8. companies
Meanings:
(a) Different kinds of food with a special name
(b) Small, round things you can eat
(c) A place where you can buy things
(d) Big groups of people who make things to sell
(e) Something you eat
(f) Animals that people keep as pets
(g) Something you drink that comes from cows
(h) Something you use to buy things
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What are some examples of food that have become more expensive?
(a) baby milk, beans, and pet food
(b) apples, oranges, and bananas
(c) pizza, hamburgers, and french fries
(d) cake, cookies, and ice cream
2. Why are people buying the store’s own food?
(a) because it tastes better
(b) because it is healthier
(c) because it costs less
(d) because it is more popular
3. Who makes most of the baby milk?
(a) moms and dads
(b) the government
(c) two big companies
(d) the grocery stores
4. Why are the people who check on this worried?
(a) because the big companies are asking for too much money
(b) because moms and dads might not know they can buy cheaper milk
(c) because the brands are not selling as much as they used to
(d) because baby milk has gotten a lot more expensive
5. What are the people who check on this going to do?
(a) stop buying baby milk altogether
(b) make their own baby milk at home
(c) ask the big companies to lower their prices
(d) look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices
6. What can moms and dads do to save money on baby milk?
(a) buy the most expensive baby milk
(b) buy baby milk from the big companies
(c) stop buying baby milk altogether
(d) look around and compare prices
7. What are some examples of food that have become cheaper?
(a) the store’s own food
(b) baby milk and pet food
(c) apples and oranges
(d) pizza and hamburgers
8. What are the people who check on this worried about?
(a) that moms and dads might not know they can buy cheaper milk
(b) that the big companies are asking for too much money
(c) that the brands are not selling as much as they used to
(d) that baby milk has gotten a lot more expensive
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. They are not going to look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices.
2. The people who check on this said that if moms and dads look around, they can save money on baby milk.
3. They want to make sure that the big companies are not asking for too much money for baby milk.
4. Baby milk, beans, and pet food are now more expensive because some food makers are charging more.
5. The people who check on this are confident that moms and dads will know they can buy cheaper milk.
6. Two small companies make most of the baby milk, and it has become a lot cheaper.
7. Many brands are struggling to make money now, and they are selling much less than before.
8. Some people who make food are asking for more money than it costs to make the food.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What are some examples of food that are getting more expensive?
2. Why are people buying the store’s own food instead of the brands?
3. What are two big companies that make baby milk?
4. Why are the people who check on this worried about moms and dads?
5. How can moms and dads save money on baby milk?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Why are some foods getting more expensive?
Because the people who make the food want more money.
2. What kind of foods are getting more expensive?
Baby milk, beans, and pet food.
3. Are people buying the store’s own food more now? Why?
Yes, because it costs less than the other brands.
4. What is happening to the brands that used to sell a lot?
They are not selling as much as before.
5. Why are the people who check on this worried about baby milk?
They are worried that moms and dads might not know they can buy cheaper milk.
6. How can moms and dads save money on baby milk?
They can look around and find cheaper milk.
7. What are the people going to look at to see how much baby milk costs?
They are going to look at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) food
(2) cost
(3) making
(4) more
(5) companies
(6) dads
(7) milk
(8) special
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. food
Answer: (e) Something you eat
2. money
Answer: (h) Something you use to buy things
3. milk
Answer: (g) Something you drink that comes from cows
4. beans
Answer: (b) Small, round things you can eat
5. pet
Answer: (f) Animals that people keep as pets
6. brands
Answer: (a) Different kinds of food with a special name
7. store
Answer: (c) A place where you can buy things
8. companies
Answer: (d) Big groups of people who make things to sell
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What are some examples of food that have become more expensive?
Answer: (a) baby milk, beans, and pet food
2. Why are people buying the store’s own food?
Answer: (c) because it costs less
3. Who makes most of the baby milk?
Answer: (c) two big companies
4. Why are the people who check on this worried?
Answer: (b) because moms and dads might not know they can buy cheaper milk
5. What are the people who check on this going to do?
Answer: (d) look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices
6. What can moms and dads do to save money on baby milk?
Answer: (d) look around and compare prices
7. What are some examples of food that have become cheaper?
Answer: (a) the store’s own food
8. What are the people who check on this worried about?
Answer: (b) that the big companies are asking for too much money
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. They are not going to look more at how much baby milk costs and how stores use cards that give people special prices. (Answer: False)
2. The people who check on this said that if moms and dads look around, they can save money on baby milk. (Answer: True)
3. They want to make sure that the big companies are not asking for too much money for baby milk. (Answer: True)
4. Baby milk, beans, and pet food are now more expensive because some food makers are charging more. (Answer: True)
5. The people who check on this are confident that moms and dads will know they can buy cheaper milk. (Answer: False)
6. Two small companies make most of the baby milk, and it has become a lot cheaper. (Answer: False)
7. Many brands are struggling to make money now, and they are selling much less than before. (Answer: False)
8. Some people who make food are asking for more money than it costs to make the food. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
