Wells Fargo, a big bank in the US, fired some workers for pretending to work when they were not. These workers used tricks to make it look like they were busy on their computers. The bank found out and let these workers go. Some workers quit after being caught.

This problem shows how hard it is for companies to check if people are really working from home. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people worked from home, and companies used special tools to watch their work. But some people used gadgets called “mouse jigglers” to fool these tools. These gadgets are easy to buy online.

Even though working from home is still popular, fewer people are doing it now compared to the pandemic. Research shows that less than 27% of workdays in the US are from home, down from over 60% during the pandemic. Many companies want their workers back in the office. Wells Fargo lets workers split their time between home and the office.

Original news source: Mouse jigglers’ pretending to work fired by bank (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. bank, computer, work from home, pandemic, office, etc.). One student from each group will act out a word without using any words or sounds, while the other group members try to guess the word. The group that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. Ask them to write a summary of the article using their own words. Afterward, have them share their summaries with a partner and compare their answers. Finally, discuss the main points of the article as a class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article (e.g. “Working from home is more productive than working in the office”). Have the students individually rate each statement on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. Afterward, have them discuss their ratings in small groups and try to come to a consensus. Finally, have a class discussion where students share their opinions and reasons behind their ratings.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Create a list of vocabulary words from the article. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. One student will choose a word and try to draw it on the board while the other students try to guess the word. The student who guesses correctly gets a point. After several rounds, the student or group with the most points wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students discuss and make predictions about the future of remote work. How will it change after the pandemic? Will more companies allow their employees to work from home? Will there be more tools to prevent “pretending to work”? Each group should write down their predictions and present them to the class. Afterwards, discuss the different predictions and reasons behind them as a class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did Wells Fargo fire some workers?
2. What did the workers do to make it look like they were working?
3. What are “mouse jigglers” and how did people use them?
4. Why is it hard for companies to check if people are really working from home?
5. Did more or fewer people work from home during the pandemic?
6. Why do many companies want their workers back in the office?
7. Can Wells Fargo workers split their time between home and the office?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Wells Fargo, a big bank in the US, fired some (1)______ers for pretending to work when they were not. These workers (2)______ tricks to make it look like they were busy on their (3)______. The bank found out and let these workers go. Some workers quit after being (4)______.

This (5)______ shows how hard it is for companies to check if people are really working from home. During the (6)______ pandemic, many people worked from home, and companies used special tools to watch their work. But some people used gadgets called “mouse jigglers” to (7)______ these (8)______. These gadgets are easy to buy online.

Even though working from home is still (9)______, fewer people are doing it now compared to the pandemic. Research shows that less than 27% of workdays in the US are from (10)______, down from over 60% during the pandemic. Many (11)______ want their workers back in the office. Wells (12)______ lets workers split their time between home and the office.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a “mouse jiggler” and what is it used for?
2. How do you think the workers felt when they were caught pretending to work?
3. Do you think it’s fair for companies to use special tools to watch their employees when they work from home? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you were allowed to work from home sometimes?
5. Do you think it’s easier to work from home or work in an office? Why?
6. What do you think are some advantages of working from home?
7. Do you think it’s important for companies to have their workers back in the office? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the workers who quit their jobs felt after being caught pretending to work?
9. Have you ever worked from home? If so, how did you like it? If not, would you like to try it? Why or why not?
10. Do you think it’s harder for companies to check if people are really working from home or in the office? Why or why not?
11. What do you think are some disadvantages of working from home?
12. Would you prefer to work from home or in an office? Why?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pretending
2. tricks
3. gadgets
4. pandemic
5. research
6. popular
7. fewer
8. compared
9. split
10. tools
11. workers
12. office

Meanings:
(A) To divide into parts
(B) A smaller number
(C) Small machines or devices that do special things
(D) Acting like something is true when it is not
(E) People who do a job
(F) A time when a disease spreads to many people
(G) A place where people work at desks
(H) To look at two or more things to see how they are different or the same
(I) Liked by many people
(J) Careful study to find out new information
(K) Clever actions to fool someone
(L) Things used to do a job
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did Wells Fargo fire some workers?
(a) They were working from home.
(b) They used mouse jigglers.
(c) They were pretending to work.
(d) They quit their jobs.

2. What did the workers use to make it look like they were busy?
(a) Special tools.
(b) Mouse jigglers.
(c) Gadgets they bought online.
(d) Tricks on their computers.

3. Why is it hard for companies to check if people are really working from home?
(a) Some people use mouse jigglers.
(b) Companies don’t have special tools.
(c) Workers quit their jobs.
(d) Working from home is not popular.

4. What percentage of workdays in the US are from home now?
(a) Over 60%.
(b) Less than 27%.
(c) Exactly 50%.
(d) None of the above.

5. What do many companies want their workers to do?
(a) Keep working from home.
(b) Quit their jobs.
(c) Come back to the office.
(d) Use mouse jigglers.

6. Can workers at Wells Fargo split their time between home and the office?
(a) No.
(b) Yes.
(c) Only during the pandemic.
(d) Only if they use mouse jigglers.

7. What did some workers do after being caught pretending to work?
(a) They bought mouse jigglers.
(b) They used special tools.
(c) They worked harder.
(d) They quit their jobs.

8. What did workers use to fool the special tools that watch their work?
(a) Mouse jigglers.
(b) Tricks on their computers.
(c) Gadgets they bought online.
(d) None of the above.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Although working from home is still popular, fewer people are doing it now compared to during the pandemic.
2. During the pandemic, many people worked from home and companies used special tools to monitor their work.
3. Some workers chose to quit after they were caught.
4. Companies find it easy to verify if people are truly working from home.
5. Wells Fargo fired some workers for pretending to work when they weren’t.
6. The bank discovered the tricks and decided to keep the workers.
7. The workers utilized tricks to pretend they were idle on their computers.
8. Certain individuals employed devices named “mouse wobblers” to deceive the monitoring tools.
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 did some workers at Wells Fargo do to make it look like they were working when they weren’t?
2. What happened to the workers who were caught pretending to work?
3. Why is it difficult for companies to check if people are really working from home?
4. What are “mouse jigglers” and how did people use them to trick their companies?
5. Are more or fewer people working from home now compared to during the pandemic?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why did Wells Fargo fire some workers?
Wells Fargo fired some workers because they were pretending to work when they were not.

2. What did the workers do to make it look like they were working?
The workers used tricks on their computers to make it look like they were busy.

3. What are “mouse jigglers” and how did people use them?
“Mouse jigglers” are gadgets that people can buy online. They move the computer mouse automatically so it looks like the person is using the computer even when they are not.

4. Why is it hard for companies to check if people are really working from home?
It is hard for companies to check if people are really working from home because they can use tricks or gadgets to make it look like they are working when they are not.

5. Did more or fewer people work from home during the pandemic?
More people worked from home during the pandemic.

6. Why do many companies want their workers back in the office?
Many companies want their workers back in the office because they can keep a better eye on them and make sure they are working.

7. Can Wells Fargo workers split their time between home and the office?
Yes, Wells Fargo workers can split their time between home and the office.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) work
(2) used
(3) computers
(4) caught
(5) problem
(6) Covid-19
(7) fool
(8) tools
(9) popular
(10) home
(11) companies
(12) Fargo
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pretending
Answer: (D) Acting like something is true when it is not

2. tricks
Answer: (K) Clever actions to fool someone

3. gadgets
Answer: (C) Small machines or devices that do special things

4. pandemic
Answer: (F) A time when a disease spreads to many people

5. research
Answer: (J) Careful study to find out new information

6. popular
Answer: (I) Liked by many people

7. fewer
Answer: (B) A smaller number

8. compared
Answer: (H) To look at two or more things to see how they are different or the same

9. split
Answer: (A) To divide into parts

10. tools
Answer: (L) Things used to do a job

11. workers
Answer: (E) People who do a job

12. office
Answer: (G) A place where people work at desks
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did Wells Fargo fire some workers?
Answer: (c) They were pretending to work.

2. What did the workers use to make it look like they were busy?
Answer: (d) Tricks on their computers.

3. Why is it hard for companies to check if people are really working from home?
Answer: (a) Some people use mouse jigglers.

4. What percentage of workdays in the US are from home now?
Answer: (b) Less than 27%.

5. What do many companies want their workers to do?
Answer: (c) Come back to the office.

6. Can workers at Wells Fargo split their time between home and the office?
Answer: (b) Yes.

7. What did some workers do after being caught pretending to work?
Answer: (d) They quit their jobs.

8. What did workers use to fool the special tools that watch their work?
Answer: (a) Mouse jigglers.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Although working from home is still popular, fewer people are doing it now compared to during the pandemic. (Answer: True)
2. During the pandemic, many people worked from home and companies used special tools to monitor their work. (Answer: True)
3. Some workers chose to quit after they were caught. (Answer: True)
4. Companies find it easy to verify if people are truly working from home. (Answer: False)
5. Wells Fargo fired some workers for pretending to work when they weren’t. (Answer: True)
6. The bank discovered the tricks and decided to keep the workers. (Answer: False)
7. The workers utilized tricks to pretend they were idle on their computers. (Answer: False)
8. Certain individuals employed devices named “mouse wobblers” to deceive the monitoring tools. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧