The Reading / Listening - Level 3

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's second largest bank, helped rich people to hide money so they would not have to pay tax. A BBC documentary programme got access to the details of thousands of private bank accounts, worth $128 billion, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information was leaked by a whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its wealthy clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a computer expert working for HSBC in Geneva. He stole the details of more than 100,000 clients worldwide. A French banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013. It concluded that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were probably evading tax.

HSBC said the bank has changed a lot since 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] numerous initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or launder money." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told its reporters that the bank understood that it failed to follow the law properly. One woman who complained when the bank did not make changes lost her job. Sue Shelley was responsible for making sure HSBC followed the law. The BBC said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change, the bank fired her. Panorama said HSBC is now facing criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/business-31248913
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/hsbc-helped-rich-customers-dodge-tax-with-secret-swiss-bank-accounts-reports-says-10032594.html
  • http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/feb/08/hsbc-files-expose-swiss-bank-clients-dodge-taxes-hide-millions


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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. BANKS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about banks. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

 

BBC / bank / pay tax / documentary / whistleblower / wealthy / clients / evading tax /changed / 2007 / banking services / follow the law / responsible / complained / fired

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. WEALTHY: How would life be different if you were very, very wealthy? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good things

Bad things

Friends

 

 

Stress

 

 

Job

 

 

Travel

 

 

Hobbies

 

 

Happiness

 

 

4. POORER PEOPLE: Students A strongly believe poorer people should not have to pay tax; Students B strongly believe everyone must pay tax.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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5. BANKING SERVICES: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • mortgages (housing loans)

  • credit cards

  • ATMs

  • pensions

  • savings accounts

  • car loans

  • financial advice

  • cheque books

6. RICH: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "rich". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

HSBC is the world's third largest bank.

T / F

b.

The article reports on a documentary made by CNN.

T / F

c.

Someone stole private data about HSBC's rich clients in 2007.

T / F

d.

A team said many of HSBC's wealthy French customers evaded tax.

T / F

e.

HSBC has done very little to change since 2007.

T / F

f.

HSBC told a British newspaper that it had done wrong.

T / F

g.

An HSBC worker complained about the bank so the bank fired her.

T / F

h.

HSBC is facing an investigation in the UK.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.

rich

a.

globally

2.

got

b.

specialist

3.

shows

c.

certain

4.

expert

d.

gained

5.

worldwide

e.

many

6.

numerous

f.

correctly

7.

prevent

g.

wealthy

8.

properly

h.

questioning

9.

sure

i.

stop

10.

investigations

j.

reveals

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

the world's second

a.

investigations

2.

A BBC

b.

tax

3.

The information was leaked

c.

initiatives

4.

more than 100,000 clients

d.

largest bank

5.

probably evading

e.

worldwide

6.

numerous

f.

the law properly

7.

launder

g.

documentary

8.

it failed to follow

h.

her

9.

the bank fired

i.

money

10.

HSBC is now facing criminal

j.

by a whistleblower

GAP FILL

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's second (1) ____________ bank, helped rich people to hide money so they would not have to pay tax. A BBC (2) ____________ programme got (3) ____________ to the details of thousands of private bank accounts, worth $128 billion, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information was (4) ____________ by a whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its wealthy clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a computer (5) ____________ working for HSBC in Geneva. He (6) ____________ the details of more than 100,000 clients (7) ____________. A French banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013. It concluded that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were (8) ____________ evading tax.

 

 

access
stole
largest
leaked
expert
probably
documentary
worldwide

HSBC said the bank has changed a lot (9) ____________ 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] (10) ____________ initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or (11) ____________ money." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told its reporters that the bank understood that it (12) ____________ to follow the law (13) ____________. One woman who complained when the bank did not make changes lost her job. Sue Shelley was (14) ____________ for making sure HSBC followed the law. The BBC said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping its (15) ____________ to change, the bank fired her. The BBC said HSBC is now (16) ____________ criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

 

numerous
responsible
failed
facing
launder
since
promise
properly

 

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

A BBC documentary programme got ______ details

 

a.  excess to the
b.  access to the
c.  recess to the
d.  axes to the

2)

The information was leaked by a ______

 

a.  with all blower in 2007
b.  wish all blower in 2007
c.  with tall blower in 2007
d.  whistleblower in 2007

3)

He stole the details of more than 100,000 ______

 

a.  clientele worldwide
b.  client worldwide
c.  clients worldwide
d.  claimants worldwide

4)

A French banking team looked at the stolen ______

 

a.  day tar in 2013
b.  data in 2013
c.  date are in 2013
d.  they tar in 2013

5)

It concluded that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were ______

 

a.  probably evading tax
b.  probably evade in tax
c.  probably invading tax
d.  probably invade in tax

6)

prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes ______

 

a.  or lawn the money
b.  or loan the money
c.  or launder money
d.  or law the money

7)

the bank understood that it failed to follow ______

 

a.  the laws properly
b.  the law properly
c.  the lawyer properly
d.  the lore properly

8)

One woman who complained when the bank did not make ______

 

a.  changes cost her job
b.  changes host her job
c.  changes most her job
d.  changes lost her job

9)

Sue Shelley was responsible for making sure HSBC ______

 

a.  follow the law
b.  followed the law
c.  follows the law
d.  following the law

10)

when she complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change, ______

 

a.  the bank filed her
b.  the bank fried her
c.  the bank fired her
d.  the bank flied her

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's (1) ___________________, helped rich people to hide money so they would not (2) ___________________. A BBC documentary programme got access to the details of thousands of private bank accounts, (3) ___________________, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information (4) ___________________ whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its wealthy clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a computer (5) ___________________ HSBC in Geneva. He stole the details of more than 100,000 clients worldwide. A French banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013. It concluded that 99.8% of French (6) ___________________ were probably evading tax.

HSBC said the bank (7) ___________________ lot since 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] numerous initiatives (8) ___________________ its banking services being used to evade taxes (9) ___________________." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told its reporters that the bank understood that it (10) ___________________ the law properly. One woman who complained when the bank did not make changes lost her job. Sue Shelley was responsible for making sure HSBC (11) ___________________. The BBC said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change, (12) ___________________. The BBC said HSBC is now facing criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

How big is HSBC among the world's banks?

2.

What TV channel made a documentary about this story?

3.

When did the whistleblower steal the information?

4.

From how many clients did the whistleblower steal data?

5.

What percentage of French clients on a list probably evaded tax?

6.

From when did HSBC start making changes?

7.

What did the bank not wants its services being used to launder?

8.

What happened to an HSBC worker who complained?

9.

What did the worker say HSBC did not keep?

10.

What is HSBC now facing in Argentina and other countries?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

How big is HSBC among the world's banks?

6.

From when did HSBC start making changes?

 

a) the second biggest
b) the biggest
c) the third biggest
d) the joint-biggest

 

a) 2004
b) 2005
c) 2006
d) 2007

2.

What TV channel made a documentary about this story?

7.

What did the bank not wants its services being used to launder?

 

a) CNN
b) Banking Today
c) BBC
d) Al Jazeera

 

a) socks
b) money
c) dirty washing
d) data

3.

When did the whistleblower steal the information?

8.

What happened to an HSBC worker who complained?

 

a) 2002
b) 2007
c) 2010
d) 2014

 

a) she won a prize
b) she became a whistleblower
c) she was promoted
d) she was fired

4.

From how many clients did the whistleblower steal money?

9.

What did the worker say HSBC did not keep?

 

a) 400,000
b) 300,000
c) 200,000
d) 100,000

 

a) secrets
b) money
c) its promises
d) to the rules

5.

What percentage of French clients on a list probably evaded tax?

10.

What is HSBC now facing in Argentina and other countries?

 

a) 99.8%
b) 98.9%
c) 99.9%
d) 89.9%

 

a) the light
b) criminal investigations
c) shareholders
d) competition

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Housing loans

You think housing loans are the most important services that banks offer. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their services aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): credit cards, ATMs or financial advice.

Role  B – Credit cards

You think credit cards are the most important services that banks offer. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their services aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): housing loans, ATMs or financial advice.

Role  C – ATMs

You think ATMs are the most important services that banks offer. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their services aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): credit cards, housing loans or financial advice.

Role  D – Financial advice

You think financial advice is the most important services that banks offer. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their services aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why):  credit cards, ATMs or housing loans.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'whistle' and 'blower'.

whistle

blower

 

 

 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • second
  • access
  • leaked
  • wealthy
  • 100,000
  • 99.8%
  • lot
  • place
  • understood
  • lost
  • promise
  • facing

BANKS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about banks 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.

BANKS DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1)

What did you think when you read the headline?

2)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'bank'?

3)

What do you think about what you read?

4)

Is it easier for rich people to break the law?

5)

Why do these very rich people try to hide their money?

6)

What do you think of rich people not paying tax?

7)

What do you think of the idea of tax?

8)

What do you think of whistleblowers?

9)

Should poorer people pay no tax?

10)

What should the punishment be for people who evade tax?

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

12)

Do you trust banks?

13)

Banks say customers are more important than profits. What do you think?

14)

What is laundering money and how do people do it?

15)

What is the best bank and why?

16)

What should happen to HSBC for breaking the law?

17)

What should the woman who lost her job do?

18)

What do you think of a career in banking?

19)

What do you think will happen to HSBC in the court cases?

20)

What questions would you like to ask the boss of HSBC?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's (1) ____ largest bank, helped rich people to hide money so they would not have to (2) ____ tax. A BBC documentary programme got (3) ____ to the details of thousands of private bank accounts, worth $128 billion, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information was leaked by a whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its (4) ____ clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a computer expert working for HSBC in Geneva. He    (5) ____ the details of more than 100,000 clients worldwide. A French banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013. It (6) ____ that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were probably evading tax.

HSBC said the bank has changed a lot (7) ____ 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] numerous initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or (8) ____ money." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told its reporters that the bank understood that it failed to follow the law (9) ____. One woman who complained when the bank did not make changes (10) ____ her job. Sue Shelley was responsible for (11) ____ sure HSBC followed the law. The BBC said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change, the bank (12) ____ her. The BBC said HSBC is now facing criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

seconded

(b)

secondary

(c)

second

(d)

seconds

2.

(a)

pay

(b)

paid

(c)

payee

(d)

payment

3.

(a)

access

(b)

excess

(c)

recess

(d)

success

4.

(a)

wealthy

(b)

wealth

(c)

healthy

(d)

health

5.

(a)

steals

(b)

stole

(c)

stealing

(d)

steal

6.

(a)

conclude

(b)

conclusion

(c)

concluding

(d)

concluded

7.

(a)

for

(b)

by

(c)

since

(d)

to

8.

(a)

soak

(b)

wash

(c)

rinse

(d)

launder

9.

(a)

properly

(b)

prosper

(c)

property

(d)

profitably

10.

(a)

mislaid

(b)

lost

(c)

dropped

(d)

forgot

11.

(a)

make

(b)

making

(c)

made

(d)

makes

12.

(a)

fire

(b)

fires

(c)

fired

(d)

firing

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

A BBC noytaeudcrm programme

2.

HSBC helped its yalthwe clients

3.

a computer eerpxt

4.

more than 100,000 ltnseci worldwide

5.

French sntiiecz

6.

bylorabp evading tax

Paragraph 2

7.

umosrneu initiatives

8.

rndeula money

9.

follow the law rproeylp

10.

One woman who caimodlnpe

11.

not keeping its mspiroe to change

12.

facing aircmnli investigations in the USA

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change, the bank fired her. The BBC said HSBC is now

(    )

clients worldwide. A French banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013. It concluded

(    )

to follow the law properly. One woman who complained when the bank did not make changes lost

(    )

facing criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

(    )

that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were probably evading tax.

(    )

money." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told its reporters that the bank understood that it failed

(    )

her job. Sue Shelley was responsible for making sure HSBC followed the law. The BBC said that when she

(    )

computer expert working for HSBC in Geneva. He stole the details of more than 100,000

(    )

leaked by a whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its wealthy clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a

1  )

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's second largest bank, helped rich people to hide

(    )

money so they would not have to pay tax. A BBC documentary programme got access to the details

(    )

initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or launder

(    )

HSBC said the bank has changed a lot since 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] numerous

(    )

of thousands of private bank accounts, worth $128 billion, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information was

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

so    they    would    not    have    to    pay    tax    Hide    money  .   

2.

details    bank    of    accounts    thousands    of    The    private  .   

3.

computer    whistleblower    a    expert    The    was  .   

4.

French    the    banking    stolen    team    data    looked    A    at

5.

were    tax    citizens    list    evading    French    the    probably    on  .   

6.

bank    has    changed    a    lot    since    2007    HSBC    said    the  .   

7.

place    in    put    has    HSBC    initiatives    numerous  .   

8.

to    follow    the    law    The    bank    understood    that    it    failed  .   

9.

the    not    promise    that    was    its   Complained   bank    keeping  .   

10.

USA    is    criminal    the    HSBC    facing    in    now   investigations  .   

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

The BBC says that HSBC, the world's second / two largest bank, helped rich people to hide money so they would not have to paid / pay tax. A BBC documentary programme got access / excess to the details of thousands of private bank accounts, worthy / worth $128 billion, from an HSBC bank in Switzerland. The information was leaked / leaks by a whistleblower in 2007. It shows that HSBC helped its wealthy / wealth clients to evade tax. The whistleblower was a computer expert / expertise working for HSBC in Geneva. He stole / stolen the details of more than 100,000 clients worldwide. A French banking team looked to / at the stolen data in 2013. It concluded that 99.8% of French citizens on the list were probably evading / evasion tax.

HSBC said the bank has changed a lot / lots since 2007. It said: "HSBC has [put in place] numerous / numeral initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or laundry / launder money." The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. said HSBC told / tell its reporters that the bank understood that it failed to follow the law proper / properly. One woman who complained when the bank did not make change / changes lost her job. Sue Shelley was responsible for making sure / surely HSBC followed the law. The BBC said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping  / doing its promise to change, the bank fired / fried her. The BBC said HSBC is now facing crime / criminal investigations in the USA, France, Belgium and Argentina.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ BBC s_ys th_t HSBC, th_ w_rld's s_c_nd l_rg_st b_nk, h_lp_d r_ch p__pl_ t_ h_d_ m_n_y s_ th_y w__ld n_t h_v_ t_ p_y t_x. _ BBC d_c_m_nt_ry pr_gr_mm_ g_t _cc_ss t_ th_ d_t__ls _f th__s_nds _f pr_v_t_ b_nk _cc__nts, w_rth $128 b_ll__n, fr_m _n HSBC b_nk _n Sw_tz_rl_nd. Th_ _nf_rm_t__n w_s l__k_d by _ wh_stl_bl_w_r _n 2007. _t sh_ws th_t HSBC h_lp_d _ts w__lthy cl__nts t_ _v_d_ t_x. Th_ wh_stl_bl_w_r w_s _ c_mp_t_r _xp_rt w_rk_ng f_r HSBC _n G_n_v_. H_ st_l_ th_ d_t__ls _f m_r_ th_n 100,000 cl__nts w_rldw_d_. _ Fr_nch b_nk_ng t__m l__k_d _t th_ st_l_n d_t_ _n 2013. _t c_ncl_d_d th_t 99.8% _f Fr_nch c_t_z_ns _n th_ l_st w_r_ pr_b_bly _v_d_ng t_x.

HSBC s__d th_ b_nk h_s ch_ng_d _ l_t s_nc_ 2007. _t s__d: "HSBC h_s [p_t _n pl_c_] n_m_r__s _n_t__t_v_s d_s_gn_d t_ pr_v_nt _ts b_nk_ng s_rv_c_s b__ng _s_d t_ _v_d_ t_x_s _r l__nd_r m_n_y." Th_ G__rd__n n_wsp_p_r _n th_ _.K. s__d HSBC t_ld _ts r_p_rt_rs th_t th_ b_nk _nd_rst__d th_t _t f__l_d t_ f_ll_w th_ l_w pr_p_rly. _n_ w_m_n wh_ c_mpl__n_d wh_n th_ b_nk d_d n_t m_k_ ch_ng_s l_st h_r j_b. S__ Sh_ll_y w_s r_sp_ns_bl_ f_r m_k_ng s_r_ HSBC f_ll_w_d th_ l_w. Th_ BBC s__d th_t wh_n sh_ c_mpl__n_d th_t th_ b_nk w_s n_t k__p_ng _ts pr_m_s_ t_ ch_ng_, th_ b_nk f_r_d h_r. Th_ BBC s__d HSBC _s n_w f_c_ng cr_m_n_l _nv_st_g_t__ns _n th_ _S_, Fr_nc_, B_lg__m _nd _rg_nt_n_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the bbc says that hsbc the world's second largest bank helped rich people to hide money so they would not have to pay tax a bbc documentary programme got access to the details of thousands of private bank accounts worth $128 billion from an hsbc bank in switzerland the information was leaked by a whistleblower in 2007 it shows that hsbc helped its wealthy clients to evade tax the whistleblower was a computer expert working for hsbc in geneva he stole the details of more than 100000 clients worldwide a french banking team looked at the stolen data in 2013 it concluded that 998% of french citizens on the list were probably evading tax

hsbc said the bank has changed a lot since 2007 it said "hsbc has [put in place] numerous initiatives designed to prevent its banking services being used to evade taxes or launder money" the guardian newspaper in the uk said hsbc told its reporters that the bank understood that it failed to follow the law properly one woman who complained when the bank did not make changes lost her job sue shelley was responsible for making sure hsbc followed the law the bbc said that when she complained that the bank was not keeping its promise to change the bank fired her the bbc said hsbc is now facing criminal investigations in the usa france belgium and argentina

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheBBCsaysthatHSBC,theworld'ssecondlargestbank,helpedrichpeo
pletohidemoneysotheywouldnothavetopaytax.ABBCdocumentaryp
rogrammegotaccesstothedetailsofthousandsofprivatebankaccount
s,worth$128billion,fromanHSBCbankinSwitzerland.Theinformation
wasleakedbyawhistleblowerin2007.ItshowsthatHSBChelpeditsweal
thyclientstoevadetax.Thewhistleblowerwasacomputerexpertworkin
gforHSBCinGeneva.Hestolethedetailsofmorethan100,000clientswo
rldwide.AFrenchbankingteamlookedatthestolendatain2013.Itconcl
udedthat99.8%ofFrenchcitizensonthelistwereprobablyevadingtax.
HSBCsaidthebankhaschangedalotsince2007.Itsaid:"HSBChas[puti
nplace]numerousinitiativesdesignedtopreventitsbankingservicesbe
ingusedtoevadetaxesorlaundermoney."TheGuardiannewspaperint
heU.K.saidHSBCtolditsreportersthatthebankunderstoodthatitfailed
tofollowthelawproperly.Onewomanwhocomplainedwhenthebankdi
dnotmakechangeslostherjob.SueShelleywasresponsibleformakings
ureHSBCfollowedthelaw.TheBBCsaidthatwhenshecomplainedthatt
hebankwasnotkeepingitspromisetochange,thebankfiredher.TheBB
CsaidHSBCisnowfacingcriminalinvestigationsintheUSA,France,Belg
iumandArgentina.

FREE WRITING

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

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ACADEMIC WRITING

There is one law for the rich and one law for the poor. Discuss.

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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about banks. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. TAX: Make a poster about tax. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. TAX EVASION: Write a magazine article about HSBC helping rich people to hide their money from the taxman. Include imaginary interviews with HSBC, a poor person who pays tax, a rich HSBC customer who hides his money from the taxman.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on banks. Ask him/her three questions about banks. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

  • News
  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
  • Moving from text to speech
  • Post-reading / Post-listening
  • Discussions
  • Using opinions
  • Plans
  • Language
  • Using lists
  • Using quotes
  • Task-based activities
  • Role plays
  • Using the central characters in the article
  • Using themes from the news
  • Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

rich

a.

wealthy

2

got

b.

gained

3.

shows

c.

reveals

4.

expert

d.

specialist

5.

worldwide

e.

globally

6.

numerous

f.

many

7.

prevent

g.

stop

8.

properly

h.

correctly

9.

sure

i.

certain

10.

investigations

j.

questioning

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

The second biggest

2.

The BBC

3.

In 2007

4.

More than 100,000

5.

99.8%

6.

From 2007

7.

Money

8.

She lost her job (she was fired)

9.

Its promises

10.

Criminal investigations

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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