Money in some places in Africa is not worth as much as it used to be. This means things cost more money to buy, like food and rides in cars or buses. People there have to spend more money to get the things they need. This is hard for people who sell things because they have to pay more to make or get their stuff. The people who decide what to do with money in these places are trying to help by using different rules.

When money is not worth much, it is hard for everyone. People who make things have to spend more money to get what they need. This means that when we go to the store, we have to pay more money too. Some people who want to give money to help these places can’t get their money back. But the people in charge are trying to make things better by trading more with other places in Africa.

Original news source: Weak currencies force up cost of living in Sub-Saharan Africa (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Draw a picture on the board representing a word or concept from the article, such as “money,” “cost,” “transportation,” or “trade.” Students must guess the word in English. This can be played in teams, and each correct guess earns a point.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide students into small groups. Each group must summarize a part of the article in their own words, focusing on the key points: money value, the cost of goods, and efforts to improve the situation. They then share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Conduct a simple opinion poll in the classroom by asking students whether they think the situation with money in Africa will improve. Give them options like ‘Yes’, ‘No’, and ‘Not sure’. Students can raise their hands to vote for their choice, and then discuss their reasons in small groups or with a partner.

– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Write down several keywords from the article such as “hard,” “pay,” “more,” and “rules.” Have students work in pairs to come up with synonyms for these words. This activity will help expand their vocabulary and understanding of the concepts in the article.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to think about what might happen in the future based on the article. They can work in pairs or small groups to discuss questions like “What will happen if the money continues to lose value?” or “How can the situation get better?” They can then share their predictions with the class, using simple future tense.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What happens to the cost of things like food and rides when money is not worth as much?
2. What do people have to do when things cost more money?
3. Why is it hard for people who sell things?
4. What are the people who decide what to do with money trying to do to help?
5. What do people who make things have to spend more money on?
6. If you go to the store, what happens to the amount of money you have to pay?
7. What are the people in charge trying to do to make things better?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Money in some places in Africa is not worth as much as it used to be. This means things cost more (1)______ to buy, like food and rides in cars or buses. People there (2)______ to spend more money to get the things they (3)______. This is hard for people who sell things because they have to pay (4)______ to make or get their stuff. The people who decide what to do with money in these places are trying to help by using different (5)______.

When money is not (6)______ much, it is hard for everyone. People who make things have to spend more money to get what they need. This means that when we go to the store, we have to pay more money too. Some people who want to give money to help these (7)______ can’t get their money back. But the people in charge are trying to make things better by trading more with (8)______ places in Africa.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is money?
2. How do you feel when things at the store cost more money?
3. Do you like to buy things? What do you like to buy?
4. What do you do when you want something but it costs too much money?
5. How do you think people feel when they have to spend more money for food?
6. Have you ever been on a bus or a car? Do you like it?
7. What would you do if a ride in a car or bus cost a lot of money?
8. Do you think it is hard for people who sell things when they have to pay more money?
9. Why do you think it is important for people to help each other?
10. What is something you can do to help someone who does not have enough money?
11. Do you think it is good to trade things with friends? Why or why not?
12. If you were in charge, what would you do to make things better for people who do not have much money?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. money
2. Africa
3. worth
4. cost
5. buy
6. food
7. rules
8. help

Meanings:
(a) How much money we have to give for something
(b) Things we have to follow
(c) To get something by giving money
(d) To make things better for someone
(e) How much something is valuable
(f) A place far away with lots of animals
(g) Something we eat to make us strong
(h) Something we use to buy things
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why are things more expensive in some places in Africa?
(a) Money is not worth as much as it used to be.
(b) People don’t want to sell things anymore.
(c) The stores are closed.
(d) People don’t have any money.

2. Who has to spend more money to get what they need?
(a) People who make things.
(b) People who don’t have any money.
(c) People who live in other countries.
(d) People who don’t want to buy anything.

3. What are some things that cost more money to buy?
(a) Toys and games.
(b) Books and pencils.
(c) Food and rides in cars or buses.
(d) Clothes and shoes.

4. Why is it hard for people who sell things?
(a) They don’t have any money.
(b) They don’t want to sell things anymore.
(c) They don’t know how to sell things.
(d) They have to pay more to make or get their stuff.

5. What are the people in charge trying to do to make things better?
(a) Close all the stores.
(b) Give money to people who don’t have any.
(c) Stop people from selling things.
(d) Trade more with other places in Africa.

6. What happens when money is not worth much?
(a) People can’t buy anything.
(b) People get their money back.
(c) People have to pay more money at the store.
(d) People don’t have any money.

7. Who wants to give money to help these places?
(a) No one.
(b) Some people.
(c) Everyone.
(d) People who live in other countries.

8. What are the people in charge using to help these places?
(a) No rules.
(b) Different rules.
(c) The same rules as before.
(d) More money.

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. People who make things have to spend more money to get what they need.
2. When money is worth much, it is easy for everyone.
3. This means that things like food and rides in cars or buses cost less money.
4. In some places in Africa, money is not worth as much as before.
5. The people in charge are trying to help by using different rules with money.
6. The people in charge are trying to make things worse by trading less with other places in Africa.
7. It is easy for people who sell things because they have to pay less to make or get their stuff.
8. People have to spend more money to get the things they need.
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. Why do things cost more money now in some places in Africa?
2. Is it easy or hard for people to buy what they need?
3. What happens to the people who sell things?
4. What are the people in charge doing to help?
5. Can everyone give money to help these places?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What happens to the cost of things like food and rides when money is not worth as much?
The cost goes up. This means you need more money to buy food and rides.

2. What do people have to do when things cost more money?
They have to spend more money to get what they need.

3. Why is it hard for people who sell things?
It’s hard because they need to pay more money to make or buy their stuff to sell.

4. What are the people who decide what to do with money trying to do to help?
They are trying to use different rules to make things better.

5. What do people who make things have to spend more money on?
They have to spend more money on the things they need to make stuff.

6. If you go to the store, what happens to the amount of money you have to pay?
You have to pay more money when you go to the store.

7. What are the people in charge trying to do to make things better?
They are trying to trade more with other places in Africa to make things better.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) money
(2) have
(3) need
(4) more
(5) rules
(6) worth
(7) places
(8) other
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. money
Answer: (h) Something we use to buy things

2. Africa
Answer: (f) A place far away with lots of animals

3. worth
Answer: (e) How much something is valuable

4. cost
Answer: (a) How much money we have to give for something

5. buy
Answer: (c) To get something by giving money

6. food
Answer: (g) Something we eat to make us strong

7. rules
Answer: (b) Things we have to follow

8. help
Answer: (d) To make things better for someone
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why are things more expensive in some places in Africa?
Answer: (a) Money is not worth as much as it used to be.

2. Who has to spend more money to get what they need?
Answer: (a) People who make things.

3. What are some things that cost more money to buy?
Answer: (c) Food and rides in cars or buses.

4. Why is it hard for people who sell things?
Answer: (d) They have to pay more to make or get their stuff.

5. What are the people in charge trying to do to make things better?
Answer: (d) Trade more with other places in Africa.

6. What happens when money is not worth much?
Answer: (c) People have to pay more money at the store.

7. Who wants to give money to help these places?
Answer: (b) Some people.

8. What are the people in charge using to help these places?
Answer: (b) Different rules.
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. People who make things have to spend more money to get what they need. (Answer: True)
2. When money is worth much, it is easy for everyone. (Answer: False)
3. This means that things like food and rides in cars or buses cost less money. (Answer: False)
4. In some places in Africa, money is not worth as much as before. (Answer: True)
5. The people in charge are trying to help by using different rules with money. (Answer: True)
6. The people in charge are trying to make things worse by trading less with other places in Africa. (Answer: False)
7. It is easy for people who sell things because they have to pay less to make or get their stuff. (Answer: False)
8. People have to spend more money to get the things they need. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧