A newspaper made a list of people in the UK who give a lot of money to the government. These people gave more than £5 billion last year. The money comes from different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses. But this year, most of the people gave less money than before.

The person who gave the most money is Alex Gerko. He used to be from Russia but now he is British. Some other people who gave a lot of money are Bernie Ecclestone, who used to run car races, and Denise Coates, who runs a betting company. There are 18 women on the list, like Denise Coates and two others who started their own businesses.

The list shows that many rich people gave less money this year. This might be because they didn’t make as much money. The newspaper says they might have missed some people. For example, a very rich family that was on another list for being wealthy isn’t on this list because their money comes from businesses in other countries. You can see the whole list on the newspaper’s website.

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:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs, students will create a catchy headline for the article. They should try to capture the main idea and key points of the article in a concise and interesting way. Afterward, students can share their headlines with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Students will work in pairs or small groups and discuss their opinions on the topic of wealthy individuals giving money to the government. They should take turns sharing their views and providing reasons to support their opinions. Afterward, one person from each group can share their group’s overall opinion with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: The teacher will write down key vocabulary words from the article on small cards or pieces of paper. Students will work in pairs or small groups and take turns drawing pictures to represent each word. The other students in the group must try to guess the word based on the drawing. This activity will help reinforce vocabulary from the article.

– Charades
Instructions: The teacher will write down actions or key phrases from the article on small cards or pieces of paper. Students will take turns acting out the actions or phrases without speaking. The other students in the class must try to guess what is being acted out. This activity will encourage students to use their body language and gestures to communicate.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Students will work in pairs or small groups and take turns summarizing the main points of the article in one minute or less. The goal is to convey the key information in a concise and clear manner. Afterward, one person from each group can share their group’s summary with the class. This activity will help students practice their speaking skills and summarizing abilities.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who made a list of people in the UK who give a lot of money to the government?
2. How much money did these people give last year?
3. Where does the money come from?
4. Who gave the most money?
5. Who are some other people on the list?
6. Why did many rich people give less money this year?
7. Why isn’t a very rich family on the list?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A newspaper made a list of people in the UK who give a lot of (1)______ to the government. These people gave more than £5 billion (2)______ year. The money comes from different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying (3)______. But this year, most of the people gave less money than before.

The (4)______ who gave the most money is Alex Gerko. He (5)______ to be from Russia but now he is British. Some other people who gave a lot of money are (6)______ Ecclestone, who used to run car races, and Denise Coates, who runs a betting company. There are 18 women on the list, like Denise Coates and two others who (7)______ their own businesses.

The list shows that (8)______ rich people gave less money this year. This might be because they didn’t (9)______ as much money. The newspaper says they might have missed some people. For example, a very (10)______ family that was on another list for being wealthy isn’t on this list because their money (11)______ from (12)______ in other countries. You can see the whole list on the newspaper’s website.
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 and could give some to the government?
3. Do you like giving money to charity? Why or why not?
4. How do you think rich people make a lot of money?
5. What is a betting company? Have you ever heard of one before?
6. Do you think it’s fair for rich people to give less money this year? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think the newspaper might have missed some people on the list?
8. Have you ever looked at a list on a website before? What kind of list was it?
9. How do you think the rich people on the list feel about giving money to the government?
10. What do you think the rich people on the list do with their money besides giving it to the government?
11. Do you think it’s important for rich people to give money to charity? Why or why not?
12. Why do you think some rich people gave less money this year compared to before?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. newspaper
2. government
3. billion
4. jobs
5. selling
6. houses
7. British
8. company
9. businesses
10. wealthy
11. missed
12. website

Meanings:
(A) Giving something to someone else for money
(B) An organization that sells things or services
(C) A place on the internet where you can find information
(D) Didn’t see or include something
(E) A bunch of papers with news stories that you can read
(F) Having a lot of money
(G) Coming from the United Kingdom
(H) The work that people do to earn money
(I) Buildings where people live
(J) The group of people who run a country
(K) A number that is a thousand times a million
(L) Places where people work to make or sell things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How much money did the people on the list give to the government last year?
(a) Less than £5 billion
(b) Exactly £5 billion
(c) More than £10 billion
(d) More than £5 billion

2. Where is Alex Gerko originally from?
(a) Russia
(b) UK
(c) Germany
(d) France

3. Who used to run car races?
(a) Denise Coates
(b) Bernie Ecclestone
(c) Alex Gerko
(d) None of the above

4. How many women are on the list?
(a) 10
(b) 5
(c) 2
(d) 18

5. Why did many rich people give less money this year?
(a) They forgot to give money
(b) They didn’t want to give money
(c) They didn’t make as much money
(d) They lost their money

6. Why is a very rich family not on the list?
(a) They didn’t want to be on the list
(b) They didn’t give any money
(c) Their money comes from businesses in other countries
(d) They are not British

7. Where can you find the whole list?
(a) On the newspaper’s website
(b) In a book
(c) On the radio
(d) On TV

8. How did the people on the list make their money?
(a) From the government
(b) From different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses
(c) From their families
(d) From winning the lottery

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The money comes from different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses.
2. These people gave less than £5 billion last year.
3. The newspaper says that some very rich families might not be on the list because their money comes from businesses in other countries.
4. Bernie Ecclestone, who used to run car races, and Denise Coates, who runs a betting company, didn’t give a lot of money.
5. A newspaper in the UK made a list of people who didn’t give a lot of money to the government.
6. Most of the people on the list gave less money this year compared to before.
7. There are 18 women on the list, including Denise Coates and two others who started their own businesses.
8. The person who gave the most money is Alex Gerko, who used to be from Russia but is now not British.
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 made a list of people in the UK who give a lot of money to the government?
2. How much money did the people on the list give last year?
3. Who gave the most money on the list?
4. Why do you think many rich people gave less money this year?
5. Where can you see the whole list of people who gave money on the newspaper’s website?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

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

2. How much money did these people give last year?
These people gave more than £5 billion last year.

3. Where does the money come from?
The money comes from different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses.

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

5. Who are some other people on the list?
Some other people on the list are Bernie Ecclestone and Denise Coates.

6. Why did many rich people give less money this year?
Many rich people gave less money this year because they didn’t make as much money.

7. Why isn’t a very rich family on the list?
A very rich family isn’t on the list because their money comes from businesses in other countries.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) money
(2) last
(3) houses
(4) person
(5) used
(6) Bernie
(7) started
(8) many
(9) make
(10) rich
(11) comes
(12) businesses
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. newspaper
Answer: (E) A bunch of papers with news stories that you can read

2. government
Answer: (J) The group of people who run a country

3. billion
Answer: (K) A number that is a thousand times a million

4. jobs
Answer: (H) The work that people do to earn money

5. selling
Answer: (A) Giving something to someone else for money

6. houses
Answer: (I) Buildings where people live

7. British
Answer: (G) Coming from the United Kingdom

8. company
Answer: (B) An organization that sells things or services

9. businesses
Answer: (L) Places where people work to make or sell things

10. wealthy
Answer: (F) Having a lot of money

11. missed
Answer: (D) Didn’t see or include something

12. website
Answer: (C) A place on the internet where you can find information
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How much money did the people on the list give to the government last year?
Answer: (d) More than £5 billion

2. Where is Alex Gerko originally from?
Answer: (a) Russia

3. Who used to run car races?
Answer: (b) Bernie Ecclestone

4. How many women are on the list?
Answer: (d) 18

5. Why did many rich people give less money this year?
Answer: (c) They didn’t make as much money

6. Why is a very rich family not on the list?
Answer: (c) Their money comes from businesses in other countries

7. Where can you find the whole list?
Answer: (a) On the newspaper’s website

8. How did the people on the list make their money?
Answer: (b) From different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The money comes from different places like their jobs, selling things, and buying houses. (Answer: True)
2. These people gave less than £5 billion last year. (Answer: False)
3. The newspaper says that some very rich families might not be on the list because their money comes from businesses in other countries. (Answer: True)
4. Bernie Ecclestone, who used to run car races, and Denise Coates, who runs a betting company, didn’t give a lot of money. (Answer: False)
5. A newspaper in the UK made a list of people who didn’t give a lot of money to the government. (Answer: False)
6. Most of the people on the list gave less money this year compared to before. (Answer: True)
7. There are 18 women on the list, including Denise Coates and two others who started their own businesses. (Answer: True)
8. The person who gave the most money is Alex Gerko, who used to be from Russia but is now not British. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧