. Wealth - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Wealth - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Wealth - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Wealth

The world's richest people saw their wealth skyrocket in 2025. According to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth amassed an additional $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their collective net worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires topped the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter of the gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "bolstered" by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals".

Many organizations were less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity in wealth. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if the monstrous political-economic system that is tearing our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will be".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

  • https://fortune.com/2025/12/31/worlds-richest-wealth-added-record-increase-american-dream-europe/
  • https://www.commondreams.org/news/billionaire-list-2025
  • https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/dec/31/billionaires-added-record-wealth-2025

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

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

$US 9.99

News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Warm-ups

1. RICH PEOPLE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about rich people. 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? rich people / investment / earnings / billionaire / newspaper / cryptocurrencies /metal impressed / wealth / charity / inequality / debt / opportunities / poverty / humanity Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently. 3. SHARE: Students A strongly believe rich people should share all of their wealth; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. BECOMING WEALTHY: What are pros of these ways to become wealthy? What are the risks? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Pros

Risks

Build a business

Equity investments

Win the lottery

Gambling

Become CEO

Property

MY e-BOOK See a sample
  • The poor
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Climate change
  • Property
  • Building hospitals
  • Friends and family
  • Medical research
  • WWIII survival
Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1. skyrocket a. Go up very quickly. 2. amassed b. Made stronger or better. 3. stratospheric c. Collected a lot of something. 4. net d. Money or value that increases. 5. gains e. Extremely high. 6. bolstered f. The final amount after taking away costs. 7. equities g. Company shares people can buy and sell.

Paragraph 2

8. accumulation h. Causing something to start. 9. disparity i. Money that must be paid back. 10. stagnating j. The act of getting more and more over time. 11. debt k. A feeling of anger because something is unfair. 12. sparking l. A big difference between things. 13. resentment m. Very bad or very cruel. 14. monstrous n. Not growing, developing or changing. Before reading / listening 1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).
  1. The article says many billionaires bought a skyrocket in 2025. T / F
  2. The 500 richest people in the world are worth almost $12 trillion. T / F
  3. The eight richest people accounted for about 25% of the annual gains. T / F
  4. Donald Trump's election victory is one reason for the huge gains. T / F
  5. A charity said wealth should be in fewer people's hands. T / F
  6. The charity said life opportunities are taken away by inequality. T / F
  7. A climate scientist said billionaires were bad for the environment. T / F
  8. The climate scientist said humanity needed to get on its knees. T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
  1. imbalance
  2. boosted
  3. accumulated
  4. bitterness
  5. wealthiest
  6. doing nothing
  7. made up
  8. intentional
  9. the human race
  10. income
3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
  1. The world's richest people saw
  2. stratospheric earnings increased their
  3. eight multi-billionaires topped the
  4. accounted for a quarter of
  5. booming markets
  6. Many organizations were less
  7. the growing
  8. rights from the majority of
  9. sparking
  10. brought to its
  1. the gains
  2. citizens
  3. in cryptocurrencies
  4. than impressed
  5. knees
  6. their wealth skyrocket
  7. collective net worth
  8. poverty
  9. mega-rich list
  10. disparity in wealth
Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. gains skyrocket topped additional net equities bolstered earnings

The world's richest people saw their wealth (1) _________________________________ in 2025. According to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth amassed an (2) _________________________________ $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric (3) _________________________________ increased their collective (4) _________________________________ worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires (5) _________________________________ the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter of the (6) _________________________________. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "(7) _________________________________ " by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, (8) _________________________________ and metals".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

stagnating impressed system majority humanity few instability deliberate

Many organizations were less than (9) _________________________________ at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so (10) _________________________________ hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity in wealth. It said: "Inequality is a (11) _________________________________ policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is (12) _________________________________, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the (13) _________________________________ of citizens, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and (14) _________________________________." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if the monstrous political-economic (15) _________________________________ that is tearing our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then (16) _________________________________ will be".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The world's richest people saw their wealth ______ a. skyrocket on 2025 b. skyrocket tin 2025 c. skyrocket in 2025 d. skyrocketing 2025 2) Their stratospheric earnings increased their ______ a. collective met worth b. collective net worth c. collective net worthy d. collect if net worth 3) eight multi-billionaires topped the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter ______ a. offer gains b. of the grains c. of a gains d. of the gains 4) . newspaper said the gains were "bolstered" by Donald Trump's ______ a. 2024 election victory b. 2024 elective victory c. 2024 elect shun victory d. 2024 election victorious 5) booming markets in cryptocurrencies, ______ a. inequities and metals b. equities and metallic c. equities and metals d. equities end metals

6) less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in ______ a. so phew hands b. so few hand c. so few hands d. Sophie hands 7) The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing ______ a. disparity on wealth b. this parity in wealth c. disparity in wealth d. disparity in wealthy 8) public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt ______ a. distress is grown b. distress is growing c. distress is grow in d. distresses growing 9) Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the ______ a. majority off citizens b. majority of citizen c. major it of citizens d. majority of citizens 10) Bill McGuire warned that if the monstrous political-economic system that is ______ a. tearing your planet b. tear in our planet c. tear ring our planet d. tearing our planet

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The world's richest people saw (1) _______________________________________________ in 2025. According to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth (2) _______________________________________________ $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their (3) _______________________________________________ to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires topped the mega-rich (4) _______________________________________________ for a quarter of the gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains (5) _______________________________________________ Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, (6) _______________________________________________".

Many organizations were less (7) _______________________________________________ the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing (8) _______________________________________________. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, (9) _______________________________________________ is growing. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the (10) _______________________________________________, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if (11) _______________________________________________-economic system that is tearing our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then (12) _______________________________________________".

Comprehension questions
  1. What did the article say happened to the wealth of the richest people?
  2. Which bank said the richest people's riches grew by $2.2 trillion in 2025?
  3. How much are the world's 500 richest people worth?
  4. How many billionaires accounted for a quarter of the increased wealth?
  5. What were there booming markets in besides equities and metals?
  6. What did the charity Oxfam highlight a disparity in?
  7. What did Oxfam say was growing?
  8. What did Oxfam say inequality sparked?
  9. Who is Bill McGuire?
  10. What did Mr McGuire say could bring humanity to its knees?
Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article say happened to the wealth of the richest people? a) It broke all records. b) It plateaued. c) It skyrocketed. d) It fired. 2) Which bank said the richest people's riches grew by $2.2 trillion in 2025? a) UBS b) SUB c) BUS d) USB 3) How much are the world's 500 richest people worth? a) $11.8 trillion b) $11.9 trillion c) $11.2 trillion d) $11.5 trillion 4) How many billionaires accounted for a quarter of the increased wealth? a) 5 b) 6 c) 7 d) 8 5) What were there booming markets in besides equities and metals? a) copper b) futures c) cryptocurrencies d) rare Earths

6) What did the charity Oxfam highlight a disparity in? a) investments b) wealth c) bonds d) education 7) What did Oxfam say was growing? a) despair b) homelessness c) the number of poor d) debt distress 8) What did Oxfam say inequality sparked? a) riots b) poverty c) misogyny d) fires 9) Who is Bill McGuire? a) a poverty economist b) a climate scientist c) a market analyst d) a charity boss 10) What did Mr McGuire say could bring humanity to its knees? a) the monstrous political-economic system b) the global elite c) a pandemic d) greed

Role play

Role A – The Poor You think it is best to spend billions of dollars on the poor. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of these (and why): property, medical research or family.

Role B – Property You think property is the best thing to spend billions of dollars on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of these (and why): the poor, medical research or family.

Role C – Medical Research You think medical research is the best thing to spend billions of dollars on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of these (and why): property, the poor or family.

Role D – Family You think family is the best thing to spend billions of dollars on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least worthy of these (and why): property, medical research or the poor.

After reading / listening

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

• 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:

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Wealth

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

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'rich'?
  3. What do you think of super-rich people?
  4. What would you do with $1 trillion?
  5. How often do you dream about being rich?
  6. How might money make you happy?
  7. What do you think of the billionaires mentioned in the article?
  8. What do you know about cryptocurrencies?
  9. What's the best way to become super-rich?
  10. What advice do you have for multi-billionaires?

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

  1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
  2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'wealth'?
  3. What do you think about what you read?
  4. What is wrong with so much wealth being in so few hands?
  5. What problems does a great disparity in wealth create?
  6. Why don't billionaires give away their fortunes to end world poverty?
  7. How dangerous is poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust and instability?
  8. What do you think wealth distribution will be like in the future?
  9. How is 'the monstrous political-economic system' hurting people?
  10. What questions would you like to ask a multi-billionaire?
Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

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

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The world's richest people saw their (1) ____ skyrocket in 2025. According to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth (2) ____ an additional $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their collective (3) ____ worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires (4) ____ the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter of the gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "(5) ____" by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, (6) ____ and metals".

Many organizations were less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few (7) ____. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity (8) ____ wealth. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is (9) ____. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens, (10) ____ poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if the (11) ____ political-economic system that is tearing our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will (12) ____".

Which of these words go in the above text?

  1. (a) wealthy (b) wealthier (c) wealth (d) wealthiest
  2. (a) amassed (b) aghast (c) attaches (d) abashed
  3. (a) net (b) cloth (c) final (d) trap
  4. (a) topped (b) tapped (c) tipped (d) trumped
  5. (a) blistered (b) cloistered (c) holstered (d) bolstered
  6. (a) inequities (b) antiques (c) antiquities (d) equities
  7. (a) hands (b) fingers (c) palms (d) knuckles
  8. (a) by (b) on (c) at (d) in
  9. (a) growing (b) grown (c) glowing (d) glowering
  10. (a) sparkling (b) sparking (c) stoking (d) spanking
  11. (a) demon (b) monstrous (c) ghostly (d) ogre
  12. (a) be (b) have (c) do (d) live
Spelling Paragraph 1
  1. people saw their wealth esokcrkyt
  2. emsdaas an additional $2.2 trillion
  3. pracittssohre earnings
  4. releodstb by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory
  5. booming markets in ctucrprsoiyceren
  6. uqetiesi and metals
Paragraph 2
  1. the cumiulntaaoc of the world's wealth
  2. the growing asriitydp in wealth
  3. Inequality is a liabereted policy choice
  4. public wealth is gaaingtnts
  5. nmtnetsree, distrust, and instability
  6. the msonrsuot political-economic system
Put the text back together

( ) $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their collective net ( ) and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if the monstrous political-economic system that is ( ) bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth amassed an additional ( ) by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals". ( ) Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "bolstered" ( ) hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity in ( ) Many organizations were less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few ( ) opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, ( ) stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality rips away life ( ) tearing our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will be". ( ) the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter of the gains. These included ( 1 ) The world's richest people saw their wealth skyrocket in 2025. According to the investment ( ) wealth. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is ( ) worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires topped

Put the words in the right order
  1. world's The people richest their saw skyrocket wealth .
  2. The richest 500 amassed people additional an $2.2 trillion .
  3. Their earnings stratospheric their increased net collective worth .
  4. accounted They a for of quarter gains the .
  5. The were gains by bolstered election Trump's victory .
  6. were Organizations than less at impressed accumulation the .
  7. Oxfam the highlighted disparity growing wealth in .
  8. It inequality said a is policy deliberate choice .
  9. destroys Inequality from rights majority the citizens of .
  10. The system political-economic is that our tearing planet .
Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The world's richest people saw their wealth skylight / skyrocket in 2025. According of / to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people / peoples on Earth amassed an additional $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings / earrings increased their collective net / nets worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires tapped / topped the mega-rich list and accounted for the / a quarter of the grains / gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "bolstered" of / by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming / blooming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals".

Many organizations were lesser / less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few hand / hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity on / in wealth. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy chosen / choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is staggering / stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality lips / rips away life opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens, sparking / sparkling poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that / what "if the monstrous political-economic system that is tearing / steering our planet. and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will been / be".

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

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ w_rld's r_ch_st p__pl_ s_w th__r w__lth skyr_ck_t _n 2025. _cc_rd_ng t_ th_ _nv_stm_nt b_nk _BS, th_ 500 r_ch_st _p__pl_ _n __rth _m_ss_d _n _dd_t__n_l $2.2 tr_ll__n l_st y__r. Th__r str_t_sph_r_c __rn_ngs _ncr__s_d th__r c_ll_ct_v_ n_t w_rth t_ $11.9 tr_ll__n. Th_ Bl__mb_rg B_ll__n__r_s _nd_x r_p_rts th_t __ght m_lt_-b_ll__n__r_s t_pp_d th_ m_g_-r_ch l_st _nd _cc__nt_d f_r _ q__rt_r _f th_ g__ns. Th_s_ _ncl_d_d _l_n M_sk, J_ff B_z_s, L_rry _ll_s_n, _nd L_rry P_g_. Th_ G__rd__n n_wsp_p_r s__d th_ g__ns w_r_ "b_lst_r_d" by D_n_ld Tr_mp's 2024 _l_ct__n v_ct_ry, "_nd b__m_ng m_rk_ts _n crypt_c_rr_nc__s, _q__t__s _nd m_t_ls".

M_ny _rg_n_z_t__ns w_r_ l_ss th_n _mpr_ss_d _t th_ _cc_m_l_t__n _f th_ w_rld's w__lth _n s_ f_w h_nds. Th_ _nt_rn_t__n_l ch_r_ty _xf_m h_ghl_ght_d th_ gr_w_ng d_sp_r_ty _n w__lth. _t s__d: "_n_q__l_ty _s _ d_l_b_r_t_ p_l_cy ch__c_. D_sp_t_ r_c_rd w__lth _t th_ t_p, p_bl_c w__lth _s st_gn_t_ng, _v_n d_cl_n_ng, _nd d_bt d_str_ss _s gr_w_ng. _n_q__l_ty r_ps _w_y l_f_ _pp_rt_n_t__s _nd r_ghts fr_m th_ m_j_r_ty _f c_t_z_ns, sp_rk_ng p_v_rty, h_ng_r, r_s_ntm_nt, d_str_st, _nd _nst_b_l_ty." Br_t_sh cl_m_t_ sc__nt_st B_ll McG__r_ w_rn_d th_t "_f th_ m_nstr__s p_l_t_c_l-_c_n_m_c syst_m th_t _s t__r_ng __r pl_n_t. _nd _ts p__pl_ _p_rt _sn't br__ght t_ _ts kn__s, th_n h_m_n_ty w_ll b_".

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the worlds richest people saw their wealth skyrocket in 2025 according to the investment bank ubs the 500 richest people on earth amassed an additional 22 trillion last year their stratospheric earnings increased their collective net worth to 119 trillion the bloomberg billionaires index reports that eight multibillionaires topped the megarich list and accounted for a quarter of the gains these included elon musk jeff bezos larry ellison and larry page the guardian newspaper said the gains were bolstered by donald trumps 2024 election victory and booming markets in cryptocurrencies equities and metals

many organizations were less than impressed at the accumulation of the worlds wealth in so few hands the international charity oxfam highlighted the growing disparity in wealth it said inequality is a deliberate policy choice despite record wealth at the top public wealth is stagnating even declining and debt distress is growing inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens sparking poverty hunger resentment distrust and instability british climate scientist bill mcguire warned that if the monstrous politicaleconomic system that is tearing our planetand its people apart isnt brought to its knees then humanity will be

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Theworld'srichestpeoplesawtheirwealthskyrocketin2025.According totheinvestmentbankUBS,the500richestpeopleonEarthamassedan additional$2.2trillionlastyear.Theirstratosphericearningsincreasedt heircollectivenetworthto$11.9trillion.TheBloombergBillionairesInd exreportsthateightmulti-billionairestoppedthemega-richlistandac countedforaquarterofthegains.TheseincludedElonMusk,JeffBezos,L arryEllison,andLarryPage.TheGuardiannewspapersaidthegainswer e"bolstered"byDonaldTrump's2024electionvictory,"andboomingma rketsincryptocurrencies,equitiesandmetals".Manyorganizationswer elessthanimpressedattheaccumulationoftheworld'swealthinsofewh ands.TheinternationalcharityOxfamhighlightedthegrowingdisparity inwealth.Itsaid:"Inequalityisadeliberatepolicychoice.Despiterecord wealthatthetop,publicwealthisstagnating,evendeclining,anddebtdis tressisgrowing.Inequalityripsawaylifeopportunitiesandrightsfromth emajorityofcitizens,sparkingpoverty,hunger,resentment,distrust,a ndinstability."BritishclimatescientistBillMcGuirewarnedthat"ifthem onstrouspolitical-economicsystemthatistearingourplanet. anditsp eopleapartisn'tbroughttoitsknees,thenhumanitywillbe".

Free writing

Write about rich people for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

Academic writing

The world's rich should give most of their money to the poor. Discuss.

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 this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. RICH PEOPLE: Make a poster about rich people. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things? 4. SHARE THE WEALTH: Write a magazine article about rich people sharing all their wealth to end world poverty. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this. 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 rich people. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how the rich can help the world. 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

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Help Support This Web Site
  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com
Sean Banville's Book
  • Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".
📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎