A newspaper made a list of people who give a lot of money to the government. These people are very rich and they help pay for things like schools and hospitals. The newspaper says these people gave more than 5 billion pounds last year. The list looks at money from work, selling things, and buying houses. Some people gave less money this year than last year.

The person who gave the most money is Alex Gerko. He is very rich because he has a company that works with money. Some other people who gave a lot of money are JK Rowling, who writes books, and Ed Sheeran, who sings songs. There are also some women who gave a lot of money. The newspaper says there might be some people they don’t know about who gave money too.

Original news source: JK Rowling and Ed Sheeran estimated to be among UK’s highest tax payers (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 set of cards with different occupations written on them (e.g. doctor, teacher, musician). One student from each group acts out the occupation on their card without speaking, while the others try to guess what it is. Encourage the students to use gestures and body language to communicate.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the words “rich” and “money” on the board. Ask the students to think of as many words as they can that are related to these topics. Encourage them to share their ideas with the class and create a word web on the board.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. newspaper, rich, money, company). One student from each pair chooses a word and tries to draw it while their partner guesses what it is. Encourage the students to use their English vocabulary to describe the word they are drawing or guessing.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Have the students work in pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for 2 minutes and ask the students to read the article quickly. Then, one student starts summarizing the article to their partner, trying to include as much information as possible in 1 minute. After 1 minute, the other student takes a turn summarizing the article. Encourage the students to use their own words and avoid reading directly from the article.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask the students to think about the following question: “Why do you think it is important for rich people to give money to the government?” Give them a few minutes to think about their answer. Then, have them pair up with a partner and share their thoughts. After discussing with their partner, ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the whole class. Encourage the students to use complete sentences and practice expressing their opinions in English.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who made a list of people who give a lot of money to the government?
2. Why do these people give money to the government?
3. How much money did these people give last year?
4. Who gave the most money?
5. Why is Alex Gerko very rich?
6. Who are some other people who gave a lot of money?
7. Are there any people that the newspaper doesn’t know about who gave money?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A newspaper made a list of people who (1)______ a lot of money to the government. These people are very rich and they (2)______ pay for things like schools and hospitals. The newspaper says these people gave more than 5 billion pounds last (3)______. The list looks at (4)______ from work, selling things, and buying houses. Some people gave less money this year than last year.

The (5)______ who gave the most money is Alex Gerko. He is very rich because he has a (6)______ that works with money. Some other people who gave a lot of money are JK Rowling, who writes books, and Ed (7)______, who sings songs. There are also some women who gave a lot of money. The newspaper says there might be some people they don’t (8)______ about who gave money too.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a newspaper?
2. How would you feel if you had a lot of money to give to the government?
3. Do you like books? Why or why not?
4. What is a hospital?
5. How would you feel if you were very rich like Alex Gerko?
6. What is a company?
7. Do you like singing songs? Why or why not?
8. What are some things that money can be used for?
9. How would you feel if you were on the list of people who give a lot of money?
10. What is a list?
11. Do you think it’s important to give money to help schools and hospitals? Why or why not?
12. What are some ways people can make money?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. newspaper
2. government
3. rich
4. schools
5. hospitals
6. company
7. selling
8. buying
9. women
10. songs

Meanings:
(A) Having a lot of money or toys
(B) Music that you can sing and dance to
(C) A group of people who work together to make or sell things
(D) Getting something new because you give money for it
(E) A bunch of papers with stories about what is happening in the world
(F) Big houses where doctors take care of sick people
(G) Giving something you have to someone else and they give you money
(H) Grown-up girls
(I) Places where kids go to learn things like reading and math
(J) The group of people who make the rules for a place
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who gave the most money to the government?
(a) JK Rowling
(b) Ed Sheeran
(c) Alex Gerko
(d) The newspaper

2. What do these people help pay for?
(a) Cars and toys
(b) Restaurants and parks
(c) Schools and hospitals
(d) Clothes and shoes

3. How much money did these people give last year?
(a) More than 5 billion pounds
(b) More than 1 million pounds
(c) More than 100 pounds
(d) More than 10 pounds

4. What does Alex Gerko do for work?
(a) Works with money
(b) Writes books
(c) Sings songs
(d) Buys houses

5. Who is JK Rowling?
(a) Someone who sings songs
(b) Someone who writes books
(c) Someone who buys houses
(d) Someone who works with money

6. Who is Ed Sheeran?
(a) Someone who writes books
(b) Someone who buys houses
(c) Someone who works with money
(d) Someone who sings songs

7. Are there any women who gave a lot of money?
(a) No
(b) Yes
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

8. Did some people give less money this year?
(a) No
(b) Maybe
(c) I don’t know
(d) Yes

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Some women also gave a lot of money, according to the newspaper.
2. A newspaper made a list of people who give a lot of money to help schools and hospitals.
3. These people are not very rich and gave less than 5 billion pounds last year.
4. The newspaper thinks there might be more people who gave money that they don’t know about.
5. The person who gave the least money is Alex Gerko, who has a company that doesn’t work with money.
6. Some people gave more money this year compared to last year.
7. The list includes people who didn’t earn money from work, selling things, or buying houses.
8. JK Rowling, who writes books, and Ed Sheeran, who sings songs, also gave a lot of money.
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. Who are the people on the list that give a lot of money to the government?
2. How much money did these people give last year?
3. Who gave the most money out of all the people on the list?
4. What does Alex Gerko do for a living?
5. Are there any other people who gave money that the newspaper doesn’t know about?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who made a list of people who give a lot of money to the government?
The newspaper made the list.

2. Why do these people give money to the government?
They give money to help pay for things like schools and hospitals.

3. How much money did these people give last year?
They gave more than 5 billion pounds last year.

4. Who gave the most money?
Alex Gerko gave the most money.

5. Why is Alex Gerko very rich?
He is very rich because he has a company that works with money.

6. Who are some other people who gave a lot of money?
JK Rowling, who writes books, and Ed Sheeran, who sings songs, gave a lot of money.

7. Are there any people that the newspaper doesn’t know about who gave money?
The newspaper says there might be some people they don’t know about who gave money too.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) give
(2) help
(3) year
(4) money
(5) person
(6) company
(7) Sheeran
(8) know
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. newspaper
Answer: (E) A bunch of papers with stories about what is happening in the world

2. government
Answer: (J) The group of people who make the rules for a place

3. rich
Answer: (A) Having a lot of money or toys

4. schools
Answer: (I) Places where kids go to learn things like reading and math

5. hospitals
Answer: (F) Big houses where doctors take care of sick people

6. company
Answer: (C) A group of people who work together to make or sell things

7. selling
Answer: (G) Giving something you have to someone else and they give you money

8. buying
Answer: (D) Getting something new because you give money for it

9. women
Answer: (H) Grown-up girls

10. songs
Answer: (B) Music that you can sing and dance to
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who gave the most money to the government?
Answer: (c) Alex Gerko

2. What do these people help pay for?
Answer: (c) Schools and hospitals

3. How much money did these people give last year?
Answer: (a) More than 5 billion pounds

4. What does Alex Gerko do for work?
Answer: (a) Works with money

5. Who is JK Rowling?
Answer: (b) Someone who writes books

6. Who is Ed Sheeran?
Answer: (d) Someone who sings songs

7. Are there any women who gave a lot of money?
Answer: (b) Yes

8. Did some people give less money this year?
Answer: (d) Yes
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Some women also gave a lot of money, according to the newspaper. (Answer: True)
2. A newspaper made a list of people who give a lot of money to help schools and hospitals. (Answer: True)
3. These people are not very rich and gave less than 5 billion pounds last year. (Answer: False)
4. The newspaper thinks there might be more people who gave money that they don’t know about. (Answer: True)
5. The person who gave the least money is Alex Gerko, who has a company that doesn’t work with money. (Answer: False)
6. Some people gave more money this year compared to last year. (Answer: False)
7. The list includes people who didn’t earn money from work, selling things, or buying houses. (Answer: False)
8. JK Rowling, who writes books, and Ed Sheeran, who sings songs, also gave a lot of money. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧