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President Obama Worth $7 Million (18th May, 2010)

U.S. President Barack Obama has let the world know how rich he is. Why did he do this? He has to give information about his income to a special government website. He is a public worker, so he has to give details of his wealth. The website values everything he owns to be around $7 million. He got most of his money from the sale of two books he wrote. His salary is just $400,000 a year. There are a few things on the list that were difficult to put a price on. One is his Nobel Peace Prize and another is his pet dog Bo, a gift that cost $1,600.

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It’s interesting that Barack Obama has to tell everyone about his finances. I suppose it’s important so we know he isn’t doing anything wrong. Many politicians try to hide money and cheat the public. In the USA, all public employees have to be open about where their money comes from. I don’t think people like doing that. How much you earn and how much cash you have is private. One surprise is how much the U.S. President earns. Many sports stars get more than President Obama gets in just one month. That’s wrong. The U.S. President’s job is very important.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

let the world

a.

two books

2

information about

b.

on the list

3.

he has to give details

c.

cost $1,600

4.

the sale of

d.

of his wealth

5.

There are a few things

e.

know

6.

a gift that

f.

his income

 

Paragraph 2

1.

tell everyone about

a.

is private

2

he isn’t doing anything

b.

cheat the public

3.

try to hide money and

c.

U.S. President earns

4.

be open about where their money

d.

his finances

5.

how much cash you have

e.

comes from

6.

how much the

f.

wrong


LISTENING GAP FILL

U.S. President Barack Obama ____________________ how rich he is. Why did he do this? He has to give information about his income to a special government website. ____________________, so _________________ details of his wealth. The website values everything he owns to be around $7 million. He got most of his money ____________________ books he wrote. His salary is just $400,000 a year. There are a ____________________ list that were difficult ____________________. One is his Nobel Peace Prize and another is his pet dog Bo, a gift that cost $1,600.

It’s interesting that Barack Obama ____________________ about his finances. I suppose it’s important so we know he isn’t doing anything wrong. Many politicians ____________________ and cheat the public. In the USA, all public employees have to be open about where ____________________. I don’t think people like doing that. How much you earn and ____________________ have is private. One ____________________ the U.S. President earns. Many sports ____________________ President Obama gets in just one month. That’s wrong. The U.S. President’s job is very important.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

U.S. President Barack Obama has (1) ____ the world know how rich he is. Why did he do this? He has to give information about his (2) ____ to a special government website. He is a public worker, so he has to give details of his (3) ____. The website values everything he (4) ____ to be around $7 million. He got most of his money from the sale of two books he wrote. His salary is just $400,000 a year. There are a few things on the list that were difficult to put a (5) ____ on. One is his Nobel Peace Prize and another is his pet dog Bo, a gift that cost $1,600.

It’s interesting that Barack Obama has to tell everyone (6) ____ his finances. I suppose it’s important so we know he isn’t doing anything wrong. Many politicians try to (7) ____ money and cheat the public. In the USA, all public employees have to be open about where their money (8) ____ from. I don’t think people like doing that. How much you earn and how much cash you have is private. One surprise is how much the U.S. President earns. Many sports stars (9) ____ more than President Obama gets in just one month. That’s (10) ____. The U.S. President’s job is very important.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

left

(b)

let

(c)

bet

2.

(a)

outcome

(b)

to come

(c)

income

3.

(a)

wealthy

(b)

wealthiest

(c)

wealth

4.

(a)

towns

(b)

owns

(c)

frowns

5.

(a)

price

(b)

sale

(c)

budget

6.

(a)

from

(b)

about

(c)

for

7.

(a)

hide

(b)

hiding

(c)

hidden

8.

(a)

goes

(b)

takes

(c)

comes

9.

(a)

do

(b)

get

(c)

salary

10.

(a)

wrong

(b)

correct

(c)

fair


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

let the dlrow know

2.

information about his mencio

3.

details of his altehw

4.

books he trowe

5.

difficult to put a ceirp on

6.

a tgif that cost $1,600

 

Paragraph 2

7.

tell ernveeyo

8.

he isn’t doing anything rngow

9.

cheat the upclbi

10.

How much you eran

11.

ssotpr stars

12.

in just one htmon


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

wealth. The website values everything he owns to be around $7 million. He got most of his money from the sale

(    )

he isn’t doing anything wrong. Many politicians try to hide money and cheat the public. In the USA, all public

(    )

put a price on. One is his Nobel Peace Prize and another is his pet dog Bo, a gift that cost $1,600.

1  )

U.S. President Barack Obama has let the world know how rich he is. Why did he do this? He has to give information

(    )

employees have to be open about where their money comes from. I don’t think people like doing that. How

(    )

It’s interesting that Barack Obama has to tell everyone about his finances. I suppose it’s important so we know

(    )

of two books he wrote. His salary is just $400,000 a year. There are a few things on the list that were difficult to

(    )

stars get more than President Obama gets in just one month. That’s wrong. The U.S. President’s job is very important.

(    )

about his income to a special government website. He is a public worker, so he has to give details of his

(    )

much you earn and how much cash you have is private. One surprise is how much the U.S. President earns. Many sports


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

how     Let     rich     the     he     world     is     know.    

2.

income     give     information     He     about     has     his     to.    

3.

to     wealth     give     details     He     of     has     his.    

4.

$400,000     a     year     His     salary     is     just.    

5.

.     to     on     put     price     a     Difficult

6.

to     finances     tell     everyone     Obama     about     has     his.    

7.

wrong     anything     doing     isn’t     he     know     We.    

8.

open     be     to     have     employees     public     All.    

9.

is     have     you     cash     much     How     private.    

10.

gets     more     than     Sports     President     stars     Obama     get.    


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.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about salaries for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


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. PRESIDENT OBAMA: Search the Internet and find more information about U.S. President Obama. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about salaries. Include imaginary an interview with someone who gets a really low salary and someone with a high one. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. 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.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to President Obama. Ask him three questions about being President. Give him three of your opinions on his salary. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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