My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book

Breaking News English

HOME  |  HELP MY SITE  |  000s MORE FREE LESSONS
 
My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book
 
 
 LEVEL 4  LISTEN  READ  MATCH  SPELL  WORDS

 See also...

   Level 5
   Level 6

 * MP3

* Speed Reading
    (4 speeds)

*  PRINT / GET
    the handout

* Text jumble 1

* Text jumble 2

* Sentence match

* Consonants

* Vowels

* Missing letters

* Initials only

* No letters

* Missing words

* No spaces

* Gap-fill

U.S. city of Detroit goes bankrupt (21st July, 2013)

Detroit was once an engine of American industry. However, it is now the biggest U.S. city to go bust and bankrupt. Its emergency financial manager said the city couldn't pay its bills, and was $20 billion in debt. He asked for financial help so it could continue to function. It owes money to big pension funds and 10,000 workers. City pensions are $3.5 billion short of money. Police, firefighters and public service workers are worried about their future.


 
 

Fifty years ago, Detroit's car industry was an example of business success. It had the nickname "Motor City". It was middle-class but is now full of poor areas with empty houses and unemployment. Its busy factories have almost gone. Although important public services are continuing, street lights have been switched off. The city mayor said Detroit was not sustainable. It borrowed too much money and was late to pay pensions and bills. This led to its financial collapse.


 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/19/detroit-files-thousands-pages-bankruptcy/2568393/
http://www.voanews.com/content/how-detroit-fell-into-bankruptcy/1705123.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/us/detroit-files-for-bankruptcy.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Try Level 5 (one level higher) or Level 6 (two levels higher)

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

once an engine

a.

short of money

2.

go bust

b.

help

3.

$20 billion

c.

about their future

4.

He asked for financial

d.

in debt

5.

$3.5 billion

e.

of American industry

6.

public service workers are worried

f.

and bankrupt



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.

It had the nickname

a.

services

2.

poor areas with

b.

too much money

3.

important public

c.

collapse

4.

It borrowed

d.

"Motor City"

5.

pay pensions

e.

empty houses

6.

This led to its financial

f.

and bills

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Detroit (1) ___________________ of American industry. However, it is now the biggest U.S. (2) ___________________ and bankrupt. Its emergency financial manager said the city (3) ___________________, and was $20 billion in debt. He asked (4) ___________________ it could continue to function. (5) ___________________ pension funds and 10,000 workers. City pensions are $3.5 billion short of money. Police, firefighters and public service (6) ___________________ about their future.

Fifty years ago, Detroit's car industry (7) ___________________ business success. It had the nickname "Motor City". It (8) ___________________ is now (9) ___________________ with empty houses and unemployment. Its busy factories (10) ___________________. Although important public services are continuing, street lights have been switched off. The city mayor said Detroit (11) ___________________. It borrowed too much money and was late to pay pensions and bills. (12) ___________________ financial collapse.

BANKRUPTCY SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about bankruptcy in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about bankruptcy for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You

Copyright © 2004-2023 by Sean Banville | Links | About | Privacy Policy