English B2.

LESSON 1

Vocabulary & Listening

I am a thrifty I am a big
person. spender.

I live within I live beyond

my means. my means.

I don't know
I keep track of
where the
my expenses.
money goes.

I save money I live paycheck

regularly. to paycheck.

I always pay
I'm drowning
my credit card
in debt.
bills in full.

A. Complete each statement about money management, using the vocabulary.

Use each expressions only ONCE.
0. Some people say Mr. and Mrs. Strong are thrifty. They don’t spend much, and they
always have money in the bank for a rainy day.
 Mr. and Mrs. Strong save regularly.
1. Andrew earns a small salary, but he’s a big spender, so he’s always out of cash.
 ………………………………………………………………………………………

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2. The Wilsons spend everything they earn and have almost no savings in the bank.
 The Wilsons ………………………………………………………………………...
3. When Katherine s credit card statement comes each month, she writes a check for
the full balance.
 Katherine ……………………………………………………………………………
4. Sam acts as if he thinks money grows on trees. He can t remember where he spent
this week s allowance.
 Sam………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Every month, Melanie pays a lot of interest and a late fee on her credit card bill.
She can’t sleep at night because of all that debt.
 Melanie……………………………………………………………………………...
6. Martha and Bill have everything they need and never spend more than they earn.
 Martha and Bill……………………………………………………………………...
7. Sally always knows where her money goes. Every day she writes down everything
she has bought.
 Sally………………………………………………………………………………….
B. Answer the questions. You can use sentences in the activity A for reference.
1. Would you describe yourself as a big spender or a thrifty person? Why?
2. On the scale from 1 to 10, how good are your money management skills? Why?
3. Describe a time when you faced challenges in managing your money. What
was the situation, and how did you handle it?
C. Listen to three calls to a radio financial adviser. Check one or more
suggestions the host gives each caller.

Caller 1 Caller 2 Caller 3

 Save all your loose change  Avoid impulse items  Use only 1 or 2 cards
 Take money out of the ATM  Talk to your parents  Pay the bills in full
 Put money in the bank  Save some money  Stop using credit cards
 Stick to a budget  Don’t complain  Stick to a budget

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LESSON 2

Listening, Grammar, & Speaking

A. Answer the questions with your own situations.

1. Have you ever regretted buying any item? If yes, what did you buy?
2. Why did you regret buying it?
B. Listen to conversations in which people are talking about the items they
bought and the reasons they regretted buying them.

TASK ONE TASK TWO

For questions (1-5), choose from the list For questions (6-10), choose from the list (i-
(A-G)for the item in each conversation. vii) for the reasons they regretted

A. a couch 1. Con. 1 _____ i. It costs so much to use. 6. Con. 1 _____

B. a car 2. Con. 2 _____ ii. It takes up large space. 7. Con. 2 _____
C. a treadmill 3. Con. 3 _____ iii. It’s so hard to use. 8. Con. 3 _____
D. a sound system 4. Con. 4 _____ iv. It’s cheaper later. 9. Con. 4 _____
E. a vacuum cleaner 5. Con. 5 _____ v. Its instruction isn’t clear. 10.Con. 5 _____
F. an exercise bike vi. It’s just gathering dust.
G. a camera vii. It’s easily out of order.

C. Rewrite the statements and questions, changing wish/if only + the past perfect
to should + have V3/ed .
1. She wishes she had bought a new car.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….

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2. Do you wish you had read the owner's manual before you tried to use the
espresso maker?
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We wish we had gone to a discount store instead of this fancy department store.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
4. If only I hadn't been in such a hurry to sell my house.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Doesn't he wish he had taken the tutorial for his new computer?
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I wish I hadn't bought these gimmicky basketball shoes.
 ……………………………………………………………………………………….

If only + S +

S + wish + S +

S + should +

D. Read the task. Brainstorm the ideas for all questions. Use the grammar that
you have learned. Practice your answer with a partner.

Describe an item that you regretted buying

You should say:
- what it was
- where you bought it
- what you bought it for
and why you regretted buying it

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LESSON 3

Reading

The following non-governmental, non-profit organizations have been among the

most popular charities supported by both philanthropists and other generous people over
the past year. Both of them have excellent reputations and both have been shown to use a
high percentage of their funds for their work rather than for administrative expenses.
They both seek contributions, and you can donate to each one through its website. If you
are interested in volunteering your time, information about that can be found on their
websites as well.

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS

This well-known charitable organization dates from 1971, when 300 doctors,
nurses, and other staff, including journalists, officially formed it. Originally named (in
French) Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), it became known internationally in English as
Doctors Without Borders. MSF's founding belief is that medical care should be available
to everyone, regardless of location. Every year MSF provides emergency care to millions
of people caught in crises in some 70 countries around the world. It offers assistance
when catastrophic events such as armed conflicts, epidemics, malnutrition, or natural
disasters overwhelm health resources. MSF also assists people who are neglected by their
local health systems or who are otherwise excluded from medical care.

CORAL REEF ALLIANCE

Pollution, overfishing, and rapid development are threatening coral reefs around
the world. The guiding belief of the Coral Reef Alliance is that since these problems are

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caused by humans, they can be solved by humans. Corals are resilient to change, but if
subjected to current levels of stress, they are in danger of extinction within a few decades.
Coral Reef Alliance volunteers work in partnership with the people and groups who
depend on reefs for their survival. They employ a three-pronged approach to reduce
threats such as overfishing and poor water quality; helping communities benefit socially,
culturally, and economically from conservation; and working directly with the tourism
industry to decrease its environmental footprint. If the Coral Reef Alliance is successful,
we will be able to enjoy beautiful coral reefs for a long time to come.

A. Find the meanings of the highlighted words in the passage.

B. Complete the statements about information with the words in the box.

A extinct E donation
B pollution F extinction
C assist G threats
D volunteers H assistance

0. Poor water quality is a ……G……. to healthy coral reefs.

1. …………… from the Coral Reef Alliance help communities conserve the
health of their coral reefs.
2. If we don’t improve the environment, coral reefs may face …………. within a
few years.
3. MSF provides emergency medical ………….. when there aren’t enough local
resources.
4. Tourism has contributed to the ………….. of the water around coral reefs.
5. The ………….. of philanthropists and others are welcomed by MSF and the
Coral Reef Alliance.

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LESSON 4

Writing

A. Read the provided writing task question. Analyze the question to determine
how many components it includes. Describe each part briefly.

Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

B. This is a sample introduction for the writing task. Review the introduction
and identify which parts of the writing task question it addresses. Explain
how the introduction relates to each identified part of the question.

It is believed that governments should invest more in constructing railway systems than in
building new roads (1). I strongly agree with this statement (2).

C. Write an introduction for the writing task questions below.

It is important for everyone, including young people, to save money for their future.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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D. Below is the remaining parts of the essay for the writing task. Explain how
the conclusion relates to the body paragraphs and the introduction in the
activity B.

Investing in railways can help reduce traffic congestions. First, trains can carry a
lot of people at once. Therefore, people will not have to confront with traffic jams,
especially during peak hours. Next, the government will not have to allocate funding to
road expansion and maintenance. It is because fewer people need to drive, which leads to
the reduction in wear and tear on the roads.

Another point of railway investment worth mentioning is environmental

sustainability. Electric trains may produce far fewer greenhouse gases than cars and buses.
This makes them a much greener option. Furthermore, railways can be powered by
renewable energy sources. As climate change becomes a more pressing global issue,
shifting to more sustainable means of transport like rail can be a significant step in
lowering country's carbon footprint.

In conclusion, I believe investing in railway systems over new roads offers

substantial benefits in terms of traffic congestion reduction and ecological sustainability.

E. Write a conclusion for the task in the activity C.

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F. Brainstorm the ideas for body paragraphs for the task in the activity C. Write
a complete essay with your previous introduction and conclusion.

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