| Level |
Topic |
Speakers |
Length |
| Difficult |
Money |
Man – Woman |
02:39 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are common monthly expenses for a student living on their own, including student or car loans? How about a family of four? Write a list of your expenses, figure out how much money you spend on each area, and what percentage of your income pays for each.
Agree or Disagree? Let’s Spark Some Conversation!
These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, exploring ideas, and sharing opinions.
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In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way?
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In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms.
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For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate.
- Every family should create a monthly budget and stick to it.
- It’s better to save money than to spend it on entertainment.
- Children should learn about budgeting and money from an early age.
- Making a budget causes stress instead of helping.
- Unexpected expenses are the biggest challenge in family budgeting.
- One person in the family should be in charge of all the finances.
- Eating out regularly makes it harder to manage a budget.
- Using credit cards can be part of a smart family budget.
- Budgeting is easier when everyone in the family agrees on the priorities.
- Families should save for fun activities, not just for emergencies.
Idioms
“lie through one’s teeth” = lie so you don’t get in trouble
“The man lied through his teeth even though he was guilty of the crime.”
“rip someone off” = cheat someone
“I decided to hire a lawyer because the salesman ripped me off.”
Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
Why would keeping a budget be important in managing your money? Do you know of a family member or friend who got into debt? Use the vocabulary and idioms in this conversation to discuss your own financial situation, with suggestions on how to avoid debt. Search for the top five ways to manage your money better.
Online Investigation
Complete these tasks:
- Getting a loan can be a complex process in trying to figure out the terms of the agreement. Imagine that you need a loan to pay for a car or college tuition. Find a website that offers the type of loan you need and analyze the information. What does the actual cost of the loan include?
- Search for an online budget planner tool to plan out your monthly expenses. How much does this service cost? What are its features?