The people who watch over fair business in the UK found that some food companies have been charging too much for things like baby food, beans, and pet food. These companies have been making more money than they should when the costs to make their products haven’t gone up that much. Because of this, many people are buying cheaper store brands instead of the famous brands, and the famous brands are not selling as well.
The people watching over fair business are really worried about how much the price of baby food has gone up. It’s gone up by a lot in two years. There are two big companies that sell most of the baby food, and parents aren’t buying cheaper kinds very much. The people watching over things think parents might not know enough to choose cheaper baby food and that the big companies don’t really try to make their prices better. They also said that parents could save money if they looked around for better prices.
Next, these fair business watchers are going to look more at how baby food is sold and also at special cards from grocery stores that give some customers lower prices. They’re going to check this out in 2024. They want to make sure that everyone has a chance to get discounts on important things they need for their homes and that grocery stores are using people’s personal information the right way.
Original news source: Shoppers hit by escalating prices of branded goods (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. baby food, beans, pet food, store brands). One member from each team will come to the front of the class and act out the word without speaking. The team members will try to guess the word within a time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. They should try to include key details and important information. After each summary, the partner can ask questions for clarification. Switch roles and repeat the activity.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss their opinions on the topic of companies charging too much for certain products. They should discuss whether they think it is fair or unfair, and why. Each group will then choose a spokesperson to share their group’s opinions with the class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words from the article. One student will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other student tries to guess the word. They can switch roles after each word. The pair with the most correct guesses wins.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns making predictions about what might happen in the future based on the information in the article. They should use modal verbs (e.g. might, could, will) to express uncertainty. After each prediction, the partner can ask follow-up questions. Switch roles and repeat the activity.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What did the people who watch over fair business in the UK find out about some food companies?
2. Why are many people buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands?
3. Why are the people watching over fair business worried about the price of baby food?
4. How much has the price of baby food gone up in two years?
5. What do the people watching over fair business think about parents choosing cheaper baby food?
6. What are the fair business watchers going to look at in 2024?
7. What do the fair business watchers want to make sure about grocery stores and people’s personal information?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
The people who watch over fair business in the UK found that some food companies have been charging too (1)______ for things like baby food, (2)______, and pet food. These companies have been making more (3)______ than they should when the costs to make their products haven’t gone up that much. Because of this, many people are buying cheaper store brands instead of the famous brands, and the famous brands are not selling as well.
The people watching over fair business are really worried about how much the (4)______ of baby food has (5)______ up. It’s gone up by a lot in two years. There are two big companies that sell (6)______ of the baby food, and parents aren’t buying cheaper kinds very much. The people (7)______ over things think parents might not know enough to choose cheaper (8)______ food and that the big companies don’t really try to make their prices better. They also said that parents could save money if they looked around for better prices.
Next, these fair (9)______ watchers are going to look more at how baby food is sold and also at special cards from grocery stores that give some customers lower (10)______. They’re (11)______ to (12)______ this out in 2024. They want to make sure that everyone has a chance to get discounts on important things they need for their homes and that grocery stores are using people’s personal information the right way.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is baby food?
2. How would you feel if the price of baby food went up a lot?
3. Do you think it’s fair for some companies to charge too much for things like baby food?
4. Why do you think some people are buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands?
5. Do you like beans? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if you found out that grocery stores were using your personal information the wrong way?
7. What do you think about the idea of special cards from grocery stores that give customers lower prices?
8. How do you think parents can save money on baby food?
9. What are some other important things people need for their homes?
10. Do you think it’s important for everyone to have a chance to get discounts on things they need? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if you found out that the big companies don’t try to make their prices better?
12. What do you think the people watching over fair business should do to make sure everyone is treated fairly?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. fair
2. companies
3. prices
4. cheaper
5. parents
6. discounts
7. grocery
8. personal
Meanings:
(a) The amount of money something costs
(b) Businesses that sell products or services
(c) Information about a person’s private life
(d) Not as expensive as something else
(e) People who have children
(f) Lowered prices on items
(g) Something that is just and equal for everyone
(h) Stores that sell food and household items
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What did the people who watch over fair business find out about some food companies in the UK?
(a) They have been charging too little for products like baby food, beans, and pet food.
(b) They have been giving away products like baby food, beans, and pet food for free.
(c) They have been selling products like baby food, beans, and pet food at the right price.
(d) They have been charging too much for products like baby food, beans, and pet food.
2. Why are many people buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands?
(a) The famous brands have been giving away their products for free.
(b) The famous brands have been selling their products at the right price.
(c) The famous brands have been charging too little for their products.
(d) The famous brands have been charging too much for their products.
3. What are the people watching over fair business worried about?
(a) The price of pet food going up by a lot in two years.
(b) The price of baby food going up by a lot in two years.
(c) The price of beans going up by a lot in two years.
(d) The price of all food going up by a lot in two years.
4. How many big companies sell most of the baby food?
(a) Three
(b) Two
(c) Four
(d) Five
5. Why do the people watching over fair business think parents might not choose cheaper baby food?
(a) They might not know enough about it.
(b) They might not like the taste of it.
(c) They might not be able to find it in stores.
(d) They might not trust the quality of it.
6. What do the people watching over fair business want to make sure of in 2024?
(a) That everyone has to pay more for important things they need for their homes.
(b) That everyone has to buy expensive brands of baby food.
(c) That everyone has a chance to get discounts on important things they need for their homes.
(d) That everyone has to buy expensive brands of pet food.
7. What are the fair business watchers going to look more at regarding baby food?
(a) How it is sold
(b) How it is made
(c) How it is packaged
(d) How it is advertised
8. What are the fair business watchers going to check out in 2024 regarding grocery stores?
(a) Special cards that give all customers lower prices
(b) Special cards that give some customers higher prices
(c) Special cards that give some customers lower prices
(d) Special cards that give all customers higher prices
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. The fair business watchers will investigate how baby food is sold and grocery store discount cards in 2024 to ensure everyone has a chance to get discounts and that personal information is used correctly.
2. Two big companies sell most of the baby food, and parents are not buying cheaper options very often.
3. Some food companies in the UK have been charging too little for baby food, beans, and pet food.
4. The people watching over fair business do not think parents might not know enough about cheaper baby food options, and the big companies are trying to make their prices better.
5. The price of baby food has increased a lot in just two years.
6. Many people are buying expensive store brands instead of famous brands because of the low prices.
7. These companies have been making more money than they should, even though the costs to make their products haven’t increased much.
8. The people who watch over fair business in the UK are not worried about the rising price of baby food.
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 are some examples of food products that some companies have been charging too much for?
2. Why are many people buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands?
3. Why are the people watching over fair business worried about the price of baby food?
4. How many big companies sell most of the baby food?
5. What are the fair business watchers going to look at in 2024?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. The people who watch over fair business in the UK found out that some food companies have been charging too much for things like baby food, beans, and pet food.
2. Many people are buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands because the famous brands have been charging too much for their products.
3. The people watching over fair business are worried about the price of baby food because it has gone up a lot in two years.
4. The price of baby food has gone up a lot in two years.
5. The people watching over fair business think that parents might not know enough to choose cheaper baby food and that the big companies don’t really try to make their prices better.
6. The fair business watchers are going to look at how baby food is sold and also at special cards from grocery stores that give some customers lower prices in 2024.
7. The fair business watchers want to make sure that everyone has a chance to get discounts on important things they need for their homes and that grocery stores are using people’s personal information the right way.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) much
(2) beans
(3) money
(4) price
(5) gone
(6) most
(7) watching
(8) baby
(9) business
(10) prices
(11) going
(12) check
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. fair
Answer: (g) Something that is just and equal for everyone
2. companies
Answer: (b) Businesses that sell products or services
3. prices
Answer: (a) The amount of money something costs
4. cheaper
Answer: (d) Not as expensive as something else
5. parents
Answer: (e) People who have children
6. discounts
Answer: (f) Lowered prices on items
7. grocery
Answer: (h) Stores that sell food and household items
8. personal
Answer: (c) Information about a person’s private life
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What did the people who watch over fair business find out about some food companies in the UK?
Answer: (d) They have been charging too much for products like baby food, beans, and pet food.
2. Why are many people buying cheaper store brands instead of famous brands?
Answer: (d) The famous brands have been charging too much for their products.
3. What are the people watching over fair business worried about?
Answer: (b) The price of baby food going up by a lot in two years.
4. How many big companies sell most of the baby food?
Answer: (b) Two
5. Why do the people watching over fair business think parents might not choose cheaper baby food?
Answer: (a) They might not know enough about it.
6. What do the people watching over fair business want to make sure of in 2024?
Answer: (c) That everyone has a chance to get discounts on important things they need for their homes.
7. What are the fair business watchers going to look more at regarding baby food?
Answer: (a) How it is sold
8. What are the fair business watchers going to check out in 2024 regarding grocery stores?
Answer: (c) Special cards that give some customers lower prices
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The fair business watchers will investigate how baby food is sold and grocery store discount cards in 2024 to ensure everyone has a chance to get discounts and that personal information is used correctly. (Answer: True)
2. Two big companies sell most of the baby food, and parents are not buying cheaper options very often. (Answer: True)
3. Some food companies in the UK have been charging too little for baby food, beans, and pet food. (Answer: False)
4. The people watching over fair business do not think parents might not know enough about cheaper baby food options, and the big companies are trying to make their prices better. (Answer: False)
5. The price of baby food has increased a lot in just two years. (Answer: True)
6. Many people are buying expensive store brands instead of famous brands because of the low prices. (Answer: False)
7. These companies have been making more money than they should, even though the costs to make their products haven’t increased much. (Answer: True)
8. The people who watch over fair business in the UK are not worried about the rising price of baby food. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
