People who want to rent a home are having a hard time because they have to pay a lot of money. In a big city like London, people sometimes pay more money than the home costs to get it. Even when they pay a lot, their homes can have big problems. Many people can’t find a place to live because others give more money for the same home.

Some people are working to stop these problems. They don’t want people to have to pay too much money to rent a home. Some people even borrow money to pay for a home. One big group says we should not let people pay extra money to get a home. They want to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live.

Original news source: Renting: Bidding wars driving up prices for tenants (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team takes turns choosing a word or phrase related to the article. One student from the team acts out the word or phrase without speaking, while the rest of the team tries to guess what it is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Have students pair up and discuss their opinions on the topic of high rental costs. After a few minutes, have each pair share their opinions with the class. Then, conduct a class-wide poll by asking students to raise their hands if they agree or disagree with certain statements related to the topic.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate index cards. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of cards. One student from each group picks a card and has to draw a picture representing the word or phrase, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. One student in each pair reads the article silently and then has 1 minute to summarize the main points to their partner. After 1 minute, the roles switch and the other student has to summarize the article. Encourage students to use their own words and try to capture the main ideas.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group has to come up with reasons why high rental costs are a problem, while the other group has to come up with reasons why high rental costs are not a problem. Each group takes turns sharing their reasons with the class. After both groups have shared, encourage a class discussion on the topic.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Why are people having a hard time renting a home?
2. What happens when people pay a lot of money for a home?
3. Why can’t many people find a place to live?
4. What are some people doing to stop these problems?
5. What does one big group want to do to make it fair for everyone?
6. Why do some people borrow money to pay for a home?
7. Can you think of any other ways to help people find affordable homes?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

People who want to rent a home are having a (1)______ time because they have to pay a lot of money. In a big city like London, (2)______ sometimes pay more money than the home (3)______ to get it. Even when they pay a lot, their homes can have big problems. Many people can’t find a place to live because (4)______ give more money for the same (5)______.

Some people are (6)______ to stop these problems. They don’t want people to have to pay too much money to rent a home. Some people even borrow money to pay for a home. One big group says we should not let people pay (7)______ (8)______ to get a home. They want to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live.
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Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a home?
2. How would you feel if you had to pay a lot of money for a home?
3. Do you think it’s fair for people to pay more money than the home costs?
4. Why or why not?
5. What problems can homes have?
6. Do you think it’s difficult to find a place to live in a big city?
7. Why or why not?
8. Do you like the idea of borrowing money to pay for a home?
9. Why or why not?
10. What do you think about the idea of not letting people pay extra money to get a home?
11. How would it make you feel if you couldn’t find a place to live?
12. What do you think we can do to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. expensive
2. problems
3. rent
4. borrow
5. fair
6. home
7. group
8. extra
9. stop
10. need

Meanings:
(A) A place where you live with your family
(B) Difficulties or troubles
(C) More than what is necessary or expected
(D) Costs a lot of money
(E) Treating everyone the same and not giving special treatment
(F) Making something not happen anymore
(G) Something that you must have or want
(H) A bunch of people who work together for the same reason
(I) Paying money to live in a place that is not yours
(J) Taking money from someone and promising to give it back later
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why are people having a hard time renting a home?
(a) They have to pay a lot of money.
(b) They can’t find a place to live.
(c) They don’t want to rent a home.
(d) They don’t have enough money.

2. How much money do some people pay for a home in London?
(a) Less money than the home costs.
(b) The same amount of money as the home costs.
(c) More money than the home costs.
(d) No money at all.

3. What can happen to homes that people pay a lot of money for?
(a) They can be very small.
(b) They can be very expensive.
(c) They can have big problems.
(d) They can be very far away.

4. Why can’t many people find a place to live?
(a) Others give more money for the same home.
(b) They don’t want to live in a home.
(c) They don’t have any money.
(d) They don’t know where to look.

5. What are some people doing to stop these problems?
(a) They are borrowing money to pay for a home.
(b) They are paying extra money for a home.
(c) They are moving to a different city.
(d) They are working to make it fair for everyone.

6. What does one big group want to do?
(a) They want to charge more money for homes.
(b) They want to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live.
(c) They want to stop people from renting homes.
(d) They want to buy homes for everyone.

7. Why do some people borrow money to pay for a home?
(a) Because they want to buy a car.
(b) Because they want to go on vacation.
(c) Because they want to buy new clothes.
(d) Because they don’t have enough money.

8. What is the main problem for people who want to rent a home?
(a) They can’t find a place to live.
(b) They have to pay too much money.
(c) They have to borrow money.
(d) They have to move to a different city.

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. This group wants to make sure that everyone who needs a place to live can find one at a fair price.
2. Some people can’t find a place to live because others offer more money for a different home.
3. One small group of people thinks it’s fair for others to pay extra money to get a home.
4. Sometimes people pay more money than the home actually costs to get it.
5. People in big cities like London have the option to pay a lot of money to rent a home.
6. There are people who are working to solve these problems and help people find affordable homes.
7. Some people choose to lend money to pay for a home.
8. Even when people pay a lot of money, their homes can still have big problems.
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 are people having a hard time renting a home?
2. Do people sometimes pay more money than the home costs?
3. Why can’t some people find a place to live?
4. What are some people doing to stop these problems?
5. What does one big group want to make it fair for?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why are people having a hard time renting a home?
Because they have to pay a lot of money and sometimes others pay more money for the same home.

2. What happens when people pay a lot of money for a home?
Sometimes their homes still have big problems even though they paid a lot of money.

3. Why can’t many people find a place to live?
Because others give more money for the same home, so they can’t find a home to rent.

4. What are some people doing to stop these problems?
Some people are working to stop these problems by trying to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live.

5. What does one big group want to do to make it fair for everyone?
They want to make it fair for everyone by not letting people pay extra money to get a home.

6. Why do some people borrow money to pay for a home?
Some people borrow money because they don’t have enough money to pay for a home.

7. Can you think of any other ways to help people find affordable homes?
Possible answers: Building more affordable homes, giving financial help to people who can’t afford a home, making rules to stop people from charging too much money for rent.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) hard
(2) people
(3) costs
(4) others
(5) home
(6) working
(7) extra
(8) money
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. expensive
Answer: (D) Costs a lot of money

2. problems
Answer: (B) Difficulties or troubles

3. rent
Answer: (I) Paying money to live in a place that is not yours

4. borrow
Answer: (J) Taking money from someone and promising to give it back later

5. fair
Answer: (E) Treating everyone the same and not giving special treatment

6. home
Answer: (A) A place where you live with your family

7. group
Answer: (H) A bunch of people who work together for the same reason

8. extra
Answer: (C) More than what is necessary or expected

9. stop
Answer: (F) Making something not happen anymore

10. need
Answer: (G) Something that you must have or want
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why are people having a hard time renting a home?
Answer: (a) They have to pay a lot of money.

2. How much money do some people pay for a home in London?
Answer: (c) More money than the home costs.

3. What can happen to homes that people pay a lot of money for?
Answer: (c) They can have big problems.

4. Why can’t many people find a place to live?
Answer: (a) Others give more money for the same home.

5. What are some people doing to stop these problems?
Answer: (d) They are working to make it fair for everyone.

6. What does one big group want to do?
Answer: (b) They want to make it fair for everyone who needs a place to live.

7. Why do some people borrow money to pay for a home?
Answer: (d) Because they don’t have enough money.

8. What is the main problem for people who want to rent a home?
Answer: (b) They have to pay too much money.
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. This group wants to make sure that everyone who needs a place to live can find one at a fair price. (Answer: True)
2. Some people can’t find a place to live because others offer more money for a different home. (Answer: False)
3. One small group of people thinks it’s fair for others to pay extra money to get a home. (Answer: False)
4. Sometimes people pay more money than the home actually costs to get it. (Answer: True)
5. People in big cities like London have the option to pay a lot of money to rent a home. (Answer: False)
6. There are people who are working to solve these problems and help people find affordable homes. (Answer: True)
7. Some people choose to lend money to pay for a home. (Answer: False)
8. Even when people pay a lot of money, their homes can still have big problems. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧