The Reading / Listening - Level 2

British people are working to an older age. The number of working 70-74-year-olds has doubled in the past decade. Around 10 per cent of people in their early 70s now work. This is the highest figure on record. Just over a quarter of a million 70-74-year-olds now have jobs. In 2005, it was just 100,000. The government said people are deciding to retire later. A reason for people working in their old age is because retirement pensions in Britain are becoming more difficult to live on. Many older people have to work and not retire to be able to survive.

An employment spokesman said: "The last decade has seen [big] changes in the labour market, with far more people working beyond retirement age." He said many people needed to earn extra money because they couldn't afford to retire. He added that older people needed good jobs and pensions so they could make a genuine choice about whether they stay in work. A spokesman for small businesses said more older people were starting their own businesses. He said this was something they may have dreamed of doing for many years.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/one-in-10-70-74-year-olds-now-in-work-11364015197541
  • http://www.itv.com/news/2015-11-07/record-number-of-70-74-year-olds-now-in-work-dwp-figures-show/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

British people are working

a.

not retire

2.

doubled

b.

a million

3.

This is the highest

c.

to survive

4.

Just over a quarter of

d.

pensions

5.

people are

e.

to an older age

6.

retirement

f.

in the past decade

7.

people have to work and

g.

deciding to retire later

8.

be able

h.

figure on record



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

An employment

a.

afford to retire

2.

The last

b.

age

3.

big changes in

c.

spokesman

4.

working beyond retirement

d.

earn extra money

5.

many people needed to

e.

choice

6.

they couldn't

f.

decade

7.

make a genuine

g.

of doing

8.

something they may have dreamed

h.

the labour market

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

British people are working (1) ___________________. The number of working 70-74-year-olds (2) ___________________ the past decade. Around 10 per cent of people (3) ___________________ 70s now work. This is the highest figure on record. Just over a (4) ___________________ million 70-74-year-olds now have jobs. In 2005, it was just 100,000. The government said people are deciding (5) ___________________. A reason for people working in their old age is because retirement pensions in Britain are becoming more difficult to live on. Many older people have to work and not retire to (6) ___________________.

An employment spokesman said: "The (7) ___________________ seen [big] changes in the labour market, with far more people working (8) ___________________ age." He said many people needed to earn extra money because they (9) ___________________ retire. He added that older people needed good jobs and pensions so they could make (10) ___________________ about whether they stay in work. A spokesman for small businesses (11) ___________________ people were starting their own businesses. He said this was something they may have (12) ___________________ for many years.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Britishpeopleareworkingtoanolderage.Thenumberofworking70-74-
year-oldshasdoubledinthepastdecade.Around10percentofpeoplei
ntheirearly70snowwork.Thisisthehighestfigureonrecord.Justoveraq
uarterofamillion70-74-year-oldsnowhavejobs.In2005,itwasjus
t100,000.Thegovernmentsaidpeoplearedecidingtoretirelater.Areas
onforpeopleworkingintheiroldageisbecauseretirementpensionsinBri
tainarebecomingmoredifficulttoliveon.Manyolderpeoplehavetowork
andnotretiretobeabletosurvive.Anemploymentspokesmansaid:"Th
elastdecadehasseen[big]changesinthelabourmarket,withfarmorep
eopleworkingbeyondretirementage."Hesaidmanypeopleneededtoe
arnextramoneybecausetheycouldn'taffordtoretire.Headdedthatold
erpeopleneededgoodjobsandpensionssotheycouldmakeagenuinech
oiceaboutwhethertheystayinwork.Aspokesmanforsmallbusinessess
aidmoreolderpeoplewerestartingtheirownbusinesses.Hesaidthiswa
ssomethingtheymayhavedreamedofdoingformanyyears.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about working for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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