There is a big list called the S&P 500 that shows how well lots of companies are doing. On Friday, the list said these companies are doing better than ever before. People who put money in these companies are very happy because they think the companies will keep doing well. Two years ago, people were worried about money and prices going up, but now they feel better because prices aren’t going up so fast anymore.

Another list called the Dow Jones also says companies are doing really well. On Friday, it said companies are worth more than the day before. A place where many computer companies share their information, called the Nasdaq, also did well, but not as good as before. People who put money in companies are very happy because they think they won’t have to pay as much to borrow money soon. Also, people are excited because things that computers can do are getting better and better.

Original news source: US stocks surge to record high as market rebounds (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. S&P 500, Dow Jones, computer companies). One person from each group will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the others try to guess what it is.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pen. Choose key vocabulary words from the article (e.g. S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq) and write each word on a small piece of paper. Fold the papers and put them in a hat. One student will pick a word from the hat and draw a picture representing that word, while the others try to guess what it is.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a headline related to the article (e.g. “Stock Market Soars to New Heights”, “Investors Optimistic about Future Trends”). Students will work together to create a short news article based on the headline. They should include information from the article and use their own ideas to expand on it.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns sharing their thoughts and opinions about the article. They should discuss questions such as: How do you think the companies on the S&P 500 are doing? Why do you think people are happy about the stock market? What do you think the future holds for these companies?

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, students will make predictions about the future based on the information in the article. They should discuss questions such as: What do you think will happen to the stock market in the next year? How do you think technology will continue to improve? Each group should share their predictions with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the S&P 500?
2. Why are people happy when the companies on the S&P 500 do well?
3. Why were people worried about money and prices two years ago?
4. What is the Dow Jones?
5. What happened to the value of companies on the Dow Jones on Friday?
6. What is the Nasdaq?
7. Why are people excited about what computers can do?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There is a big list (1)______ the S&P 500 that shows how well lots of companies are doing. On (2)______, the list said these companies are doing better than ever before. People who put money in these companies are very happy because they think the (3)______ will keep (4)______ well. Two years ago, people were worried about money and prices going up, but now they feel better because prices aren’t going up so fast anymore.

Another list called the Dow Jones also says companies are doing really well. On Friday, it said companies are (5)______ more than the day before. A place where (6)______ computer companies share their information, called the Nasdaq, also did well, but not as good as before. People who put money in companies are very happy because they think they won’t have to pay as (7)______ to (8)______ money soon. Also, people are excited because things that computers can do are getting better and better.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the S&P 500?
2. How would you feel if you put money in a company and it did really well?
3. Do you like when prices go up or down? Why or why not?
4. What is the Dow Jones?
5. How would you feel if a company you invested in was worth more than before?
6. Do you think it’s good if you don’t have to pay a lot of money to borrow money? Why or why not?
7. What is the Nasdaq?
8. How would you feel if things that computers can do kept getting better and better?
9. What is something you think computers can do really well?
10. Do you think it’s important for companies to do well? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if the S&P 500 said companies were doing worse than before?
12. Do you think it’s a good idea to put money in companies? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. companies
2. worried
3. prices
4. better
5. money
6. worth
7. borrow
8. excited
9. computers
10. information

Meanings:
(A) Groups of people who make or sell things
(B) When you take something from someone and you have to give it back later
(C) When something is nicer or does a good job
(D) Things we know or learn about
(E) Feeling scared or thinking something bad will happen
(F) Machines that help us do math, play games, and learn
(G) How much you need to give to get something
(H) What you use to buy things
(I) How much something can be traded for
(J) Feeling really happy about something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the list that shows how well companies are doing?
(a) Dow Jones
(b) Nasdaq
(c) S&P 500
(d) None of the above

2. Why are people who invest in these companies happy?
(a) They think the companies will do worse
(b) They think the companies will keep doing well
(c) They think the companies will close down
(d) None of the above

3. What were people worried about two years ago?
(a) Money and prices going down
(b) Money and prices staying the same
(c) None of the above
(d) Money and prices going up

4. What does the Dow Jones say about companies?
(a) They are worth more than before
(b) They are worth less than before
(c) They are worth the same as before
(d) None of the above

5. How well did the Nasdaq do?
(a) Better than before
(b) The same as before
(c) Not as good as before
(d) None of the above

6. Why are people happy about borrowing money?
(a) They think they won’t have to pay as much soon
(b) They think they will have to pay more soon
(c) They think they won’t have to borrow money anymore
(d) None of the above

7. What are people excited about?
(a) Things that computers can do getting worse and worse
(b) Things that computers can do getting better and better
(c) Things that computers can do staying the same
(d) None of the above

8. Why do people feel better now?
(a) Prices are going up faster now
(b) Prices are staying the same
(c) None of the above
(d) Prices aren’t going up so fast anymore

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. On Friday, the companies on the Dow Jones list were worth more than the day before.
2. Another list called the Dow Jones also says companies are doing really poorly.
3. The companies on the list are doing better than ever before.
4. People who put money in these companies are very happy.
5. People are disappointed because things that computers can do are getting worse and worse.
6. Now, people feel better because prices aren’t going up so fast anymore.
7. There is a small list that shows how poorly companies are doing.
8. Two years ago, people were happy about money and prices going down.
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 is the big list called that shows how well companies are doing?
2. Why are people who put money in these companies happy?
3. What is another list called that says companies are doing well?
4. Why are people excited about things that computers can do?
5. Why do people think they won’t have to pay as much to borrow money soon?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the S&P 500?
The S&P 500 is a big list that shows how well lots of companies are doing.

2. Why are people happy when the companies on the S&P 500 do well?
People are happy because they think the companies will keep doing well and they have put money in these companies.

3. Why were people worried about money and prices two years ago?
People were worried because prices were going up very fast and they were not sure if they would have enough money.

4. What is the Dow Jones?
The Dow Jones is another list that shows how well companies are doing.

5. What happened to the value of companies on the Dow Jones on Friday?
On Friday, the value of companies on the Dow Jones went up and they were worth more than before.

6. What is the Nasdaq?
The Nasdaq is a place where many computer companies share their information.

7. Why are people excited about what computers can do?
People are excited because computers can do more and more things and it makes life easier and more fun.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) called
(2) Friday
(3) companies
(4) doing
(5) worth
(6) many
(7) much
(8) borrow
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. companies
Answer: (A) Groups of people who make or sell things

2. worried
Answer: (E) Feeling scared or thinking something bad will happen

3. prices
Answer: (G) How much you need to give to get something

4. better
Answer: (C) When something is nicer or does a good job

5. money
Answer: (H) What you use to buy things

6. worth
Answer: (I) How much something can be traded for

7. borrow
Answer: (B) When you take something from someone and you have to give it back later

8. excited
Answer: (J) Feeling really happy about something

9. computers
Answer: (F) Machines that help us do math, play games, and learn

10. information
Answer: (D) Things we know or learn about
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the list that shows how well companies are doing?
Answer: (c) S&P 500

2. Why are people who invest in these companies happy?
Answer: (b) They think the companies will keep doing well

3. What were people worried about two years ago?
Answer: (d) Money and prices going up

4. What does the Dow Jones say about companies?
Answer: (a) They are worth more than before

5. How well did the Nasdaq do?
Answer: (c) Not as good as before

6. Why are people happy about borrowing money?
Answer: (a) They think they won’t have to pay as much soon

7. What are people excited about?
Answer: (b) Things that computers can do getting better and better

8. Why do people feel better now?
Answer: (d) Prices aren’t going up so fast anymore
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. On Friday, the companies on the Dow Jones list were worth more than the day before. (Answer: True)
2. Another list called the Dow Jones also says companies are doing really poorly. (Answer: False)
3. The companies on the list are doing better than ever before. (Answer: True)
4. People who put money in these companies are very happy. (Answer: True)
5. People are disappointed because things that computers can do are getting worse and worse. (Answer: False)
6. Now, people feel better because prices aren’t going up so fast anymore. (Answer: True)
7. There is a small list that shows how poorly companies are doing. (Answer: False)
8. Two years ago, people were happy about money and prices going down. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧