The Reading / Listening - Level 2

The English pop group the Beatles told us that money can't buy us love. Many people believe that money cannot buy happiness and that it is the root of all evil. However, a new study from Cambridge University says that money can buy happiness. Researchers did a study that compared the spending habits of customers of a bank with their personality. They compared the personalities of 625 people with a list of what the people spent their money on. The conclusion of the study was that buying the right things can lead to happiness.

The researchers said the study may change the way people think about money and happiness. They said: "Spending can increase our happiness when it is spent on goods and services that fit our personalities". Internet companies could use information about people's happiness to recommend things that increase happiness. Spending money could be more important in our lives than we thought. The researchers said: "Spending money on products that help us express who we are could…be as important to our well-being as finding the right job…or even the right friends."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/New-Cambridge-study-suggest-money-reall-buy/story-29071289-detail/story.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/money-can-buy-happiness---if-you-spend-in-the-right-way-accordin/
  • https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160407155550.htm


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.

pop

a.

spent their money on

2.

the root of

b.

group

3.

money can

c.

of the study

4.

spending

d.

all evil

5.

customers

e.

buy happiness

6.

a list of what the people

f.

can lead to happiness

7.

The conclusion

g.

of a bank

8.

buying the right things

h.

habits



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.

change the way people think

a.

we are

2.

Spending can increase

b.

services

3.

goods and

c.

increase happiness

4.

recommend things that

d.

about money

5.

be more important in our lives

e.

well-being

6.

help us express who

f.

our happiness

7.

important to our

g.

right job

8.

finding the

h.

than we thought

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The English pop group the Beatles (1) ___________________ money can't buy us love. Many people believe that money cannot buy happiness and (2) ___________________ root of all evil. However, a new study from Cambridge University says that money can buy happiness. Researchers (3) ___________________ compared the (4) ___________________ of customers of a bank with their personality. They compared the personalities of 625 people (5) ___________________ what the people spent their money on. The conclusion of the study was that buying the right  (6) ___________________ happiness.

The researchers said the study may (7) ___________________ people think about money and happiness. They said: "Spending can increase our happiness (8) ___________________ on goods and services (9) ___________________ personalities". Internet companies could use information about people's happiness to (10) ___________________ that increase happiness. Spending money could be more important (11) ___________________ we thought. The researchers said: "Spending money on products that help us express who we are could…be as important to our well-being as finding the right job…(12) ___________________ right friends."

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheEnglishpopgrouptheBeatlestoldusthatmoneycan'tbuyuslove.Ma
nypeoplebelievethatmoneycannotbuyhappinessandthatitistherooto
fallevil.However,anewstudyfromCambridgeUniversitysaysthatmon
eycanbuyhappiness.Researchersdidastudythatcomparedthespendi
nghabitsofcustomersofabankwiththeirpersonality.Theycomparedth
epersonalitiesof625peoplewithalistofwhatthepeoplespenttheirmon
eyon.Theconclusionofthestudywasthatbuyingtherightthingscanlea
dtohappiness.Theresearcherssaidthestudymaychangethewaypeopl
ethinkaboutmoneyandhappiness.Theysaid:"Spendingcanincreaseo
urhappinesswhenitisspentongoodsandservicesthatfitourpersonaliti
es".Internetcompaniescoulduseinformationaboutpeople'shappines
storecommendthingsthatincreasehappiness.Spendingmoneycould
bemoreimportantinourlivesthanwethought.Theresearcherssaid:"S
pendingmoneyonproductsthathelpusexpresswhowearecould…beasi
mportanttoourwell-beingasfindingtherightjob…oreventh
erightfriends."

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 money and happiness for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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