A man named Tom left his job to play a computer game all day. He makes videos about the game and puts them on the internet. Now, he gets more money than before. Tom plays the game in his mom and dad’s house. He likes being the boss of his work.

Tom plays a game called Football Manager. Lots of people like this game. He makes money when people watch his videos. Tom works many hours every week on his videos. His family and friends think he is doing a good job.

Original news source: I left my job to play Football Manager full time’ (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades: Video Game Edition
Instructions: Write down different actions related to playing video games on slips of paper (like “playing a game,” “scoring a goal,” “making a video,” “watching a screen”). Students take turns acting out these actions without speaking while the rest of the class guesses the action. This activity will help students learn and practice new vocabulary related to the article.

– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Split the class into pairs. One student is a news reporter and the other is Tom. The reporter interviews Tom about his decision to play video games for a living, using simple present tense questions. Provide students with a list of basic question words to help them form their questions. Students switch roles after a few minutes.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Use vocabulary from the article (e.g., “videos,” “computer game,” “money,” “boss,” “hours,” “family,” “friends”). Students take turns drawing these words on the board without speaking or writing words or letters. The rest of the class tries to guess the word being drawn. This is a fun way to review vocabulary words from the reading.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask the class a series of yes/no or agree/disagree questions related to the content of the article, such as “Do you think playing games all day is a good job?” or “Would you like to work from home?” Students raise their hands to vote. Then, discuss the results in pairs or small groups, encouraging students to use simple English phrases to explain their opinions.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to think about what might happen to Tom in the future if he continues to play video games and make videos. Will he become more famous? Will he get tired of playing games? Have the students write one or two simple sentences using the future tense (will + verb) to describe their predictions. Share the predictions with the class and discuss which ones seem most likely.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Tom leave his job to do?
2. What does Tom make about the game?
3. Where does Tom put his videos?
4. Where does Tom play his game?
5. What is the name of the game Tom plays?
6. How does Tom make money from his videos?
7. What do Tom’s family and friends think about his work?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man named Tom left his job to play a computer (1)______ all day. He makes (2)______ about the game and puts them on the internet. Now, he (3)______ more money than before. Tom plays the game in his mom and dad’s house. He (4)______ being the boss of his (5)______.

Tom plays a game called Football Manager. Lots of (6)______ like this game. He makes money when people watch his videos. Tom works many hours every week on his videos. His family and friends (7)______ he is (8)______ a good job.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a job?
2. Do you like to play computer games? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you could play games all day?
4. What is your favorite game?
5. Do you like to watch videos on the internet? Why?
6. Would you like to make videos for other people? Why or why not?
7. Do you think playing games for work is a good job? Why?
8. How do you feel when you are the boss?
9. Do you like to help your mom and dad at home? Why?
10. Do you think it is important to work many hours? Why or why not?
11. What do you think about making money from playing games?
12. Do you think Tom’s family is happy? Why do you think that?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Tom
2. job
3. computer game
4. videos
5. money
6. house
7. boss
8. work

Meanings:
(a) A game you play on a computer
(b) Something you use to buy things
(c) A man’s name
(d) Something you do to make money
(e) Something you do to make money
(f) Movies you put on the internet
(g) The person in charge
(h) The place where you live
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Tom do all day?
(a) Play a computer game
(b) Go to work
(c) Watch videos
(d) Play outside

2. What does Tom do with the videos he makes?
(a) Deletes them
(b) Gives them to his friends
(c) Sells them
(d) Puts them on the internet

3. How does Tom make money?
(a) When he plays the game
(b) When he goes to work
(c) When people watch his videos
(d) When he sleeps

4. Where does Tom play the game?
(a) His friend’s house
(b) His own house
(c) His mom and dad’s house
(d) The park

5. What game does Tom play?
(a) Minecraft
(b) Football Manager
(c) Candy Crush
(d) Angry Birds

6. Who thinks Tom is doing a good job?
(a) His family and friends
(b) His teachers
(c) Strangers on the internet
(d) Nobody

7. How many hours does Tom work every week?
(a) No hours
(b) A few hours
(c) All day
(d) Many hours

8. What does Tom like about his work?
(a) Making money
(b) Being the boss
(c) Playing the game
(d) Making videos

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Tom earns money when people watch his videos.
2. Tom now earns more money than he did before.
3. Tom plays the game at his mom and dad’s house.
4. Tom only spends a few minutes every week working on his videos.
5. There is a woman named Tom who quit her job to play a computer game all day.
6. Tom’s family and friends think he is doing a terrible job.
7. The game that Tom plays is called Tennis Manager.
8. Tom makes videos about the game and puts them on the internet.
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 did Tom do before he started playing games?
2. Where does Tom play his computer game?
3. What is the name of the game Tom plays?
4. How does Tom get money from playing the game?
5. Who thinks Tom is doing a good job?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Tom leave his job to do?
Tom left his job to play a computer game all day.

2. What does Tom make about the game?
Tom makes videos about the game.

3. Where does Tom put his videos?
Tom puts his videos on the internet.

4. Where does Tom play his game?
Tom plays his game in his mom and dad’s house.

5. What is the name of the game Tom plays?
The game Tom plays is called Football Manager.

6. How does Tom make money from his videos?
Tom makes money when people watch his videos.

7. What do Tom’s family and friends think about his work?
Tom’s family and friends think he is doing a good job.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) game
(2) videos
(3) gets
(4) likes
(5) work
(6) people
(7) think
(8) doing
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Tom
Answer: (c) A man’s name

2. job
Answer: (d) Something you do to make money

3. computer game
Answer: (a) A game you play on a computer

4. videos
Answer: (f) Movies you put on the internet

5. money
Answer: (b) Something you use to buy things

6. house
Answer: (h) The place where you live

7. boss
Answer: (g) The person in charge

8. work
Answer: (d) Something you do to make money
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Tom do all day?
Answer: (a) Play a computer game

2. What does Tom do with the videos he makes?
Answer: (d) Puts them on the internet

3. How does Tom make money?
Answer: (c) When people watch his videos

4. Where does Tom play the game?
Answer: (c) His mom and dad’s house

5. What game does Tom play?
Answer: (b) Football Manager

6. Who thinks Tom is doing a good job?
Answer: (a) His family and friends

7. How many hours does Tom work every week?
Answer: (d) Many hours

8. What does Tom like about his work?
Answer: (b) Being the boss
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Tom earns money when people watch his videos. (Answer: True)
2. Tom now earns more money than he did before. (Answer: True)
3. Tom plays the game at his mom and dad’s house. (Answer: True)
4. Tom only spends a few minutes every week working on his videos. (Answer: False)
5. There is a woman named Tom who quit her job to play a computer game all day. (Answer: False)
6. Tom’s family and friends think he is doing a terrible job. (Answer: False)
7. The game that Tom plays is called Tennis Manager. (Answer: False)
8. Tom makes videos about the game and puts them on the internet. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧