The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Women pay more than men in shops. The Times newspaper found that many products for women cost twice as much as those for men. Researchers looked at women's clothes and beauty products. They said they were 36 per cent more expensive than those for men. One store charged $7 more for a pink scooter, while another charged double the price for pink razors. Women's Levi 501 jeans were 46 per cent more expensive than Levi's for men.

The Times called this "sexist" pricing. Others said it was a "gender tax". The head of the British government's women and equalities committee called it a "rip-off". The Financial Times (FT) said women could be busier and have less time to shop around, or they cared more than men about quality. However, the FT said men did pay more for some things. It said journalists did not look at price differences for things men like.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/money/consumeraffairs/article4668903.ece
  • http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b89e16da-b96c-11e5-b151-8e15c9a029fb.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/12066820/New-Gender-Tax-study-shows-women-are-charged-more-for-being-woman.html


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.

Women pay more than

a.

at women's clothes

2.

products for women cost

b.

razors

3.

Researchers looked

c.

for a pink scooter

4.

beauty

d.

than Levi's for men

5.

One store charged $7 more

e.

men in shops

6.

charged double

f.

twice as much

7.

pink

g.

the price

8.

46 per cent more expensive

h.

products



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.

Others said it was

a.

for some things

2.

women and equalities

b.

a "gender tax"

3.

women could be

c.

like

4.

have less time to shop

d.

busier

5.

they cared more than men about

e.

differences

6.

men did pay more

f.

quality

7.

journalists did not look at price

g.

committee

8.

things men

h.

around

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Women pay more (1) ___________________ shops. The Times newspaper found that many products for women (2) ___________________ much as those for men. Researchers looked at women's clothes and (3) ___________________. They said they were 36 per cent more expensive than (4) ___________________. One store charged $7 more for a pink scooter, while another (5) ___________________ the price for pink razors. Women's Levi 501 jeans were 46 per cent more (6) ___________________ Levi's for men.

The Times (7) ___________________ pricing. Others said it was a "gender tax". The (8) ___________________ British government's women and equalities committee called (9) ___________________. The Financial Times (FT) said women could be busier and have (10) ___________________ around, or they cared more than (11) ___________________. However, the FT said men did pay more for some things. It said journalists did not look at (12) ___________________ for things men like.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Womenpaymorethanmeninshops.TheTimesnewspaperfoundthatm
anyproductsforwomencosttwiceasmuchasthoseformen.Researcher
slookedatwomen'sclothesandbeautyproducts.Theysaidtheywere36
percentmoreexpensivethanthoseformen.Onestorecharged$7moref
orapinkscooter,whileanotherchargeddoublethepriceforpinkrazors.
Women'sLevi501jeanswere46percentmoreexpensivethanLevi'sfor
men.TheTimescalledthis"sexist"pricing.Otherssaiditwasa"genderta
x".TheheadoftheBritishgovernment'swomenandequalitiescommitte
ecalledita"rip-off".TheFinancialTimes(FT)saidwomencouldbebusie
randhavelesstimetoshoparound,ortheycaredmorethanmenaboutqu
ality.However,theFTsaidmendidpaymoreforsomethings.Itsaidjourn
alistsdidnotlookatpricedifferencesforthingsmenlike.

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 women shopping for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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