Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What images spring to your mind when you hear the country USA?
- What prices do you care about most and why?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- wage /weyj/
- industry /IN-duh-stree/
- expense /ik-SPENS/
- inflation /in-FLEY-shuhn/
- below par /bih-LOH-pahr/
[noun] – a fixed regular payment earned for work or services, typically paid on a daily or weekly basis
She works long hours to take home huge wages.
[noun] – the companies and activities involved in the process of producing goods for sale, especially in a factory or special area
The electricity industry consumes large amounts of fossil fuels.
[noun] – the use of money, time, or effort
We should avoid unnecessary expenses to save more.
[noun] – a general, continuous increase in prices
High inflation will make unemployment worse.
[adjective] – worse than usual, or below the expected standard
The company’s sales have been below par in recent years.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Americans’ wages continue to rise–but so do prices. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that paychecks for American workers increased by 4% between December 2020 and December 2021–the largest since the fourth quarter of 2001.
Workers from the private sector–particularly in the hospitality industry–did even better, with pay rising to 4.4% over the same period–the best rate since 2001. As employers struggled to find workers in 2021, labor expenses in the United States soared. However, it is no longer appealing when the income additions are adjusted for the high inflation due to the pandemic. For the year ending in December, inflation-adjusted wages and salaries declined by 1.9%. Based on a poll released by a news agency last month, three-quarters of Americans are concerned about their own neighborhood’s economic status, while 63% believe the country’s economy is below par. Poll respondents said that the rising prices of food, oil, and other basic needs are a serious problem. Other key economic challenges included are supply chain issues, rising housing rates, labor shortages, and government spending. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden is receiving much negative feedback for his handling of the economy, with only 30% of respondents believing in his policies and 45% saying they have worsened the economy.
Workers from the private sector–particularly in the hospitality industry–did even better, with pay rising to 4.4% over the same period–the best rate since 2001. As employers struggled to find workers in 2021, labor expenses in the United States soared. However, it is no longer appealing when the income additions are adjusted for the high inflation due to the pandemic. For the year ending in December, inflation-adjusted wages and salaries declined by 1.9%. Based on a poll released by a news agency last month, three-quarters of Americans are concerned about their own neighborhood’s economic status, while 63% believe the country’s economy is below par. Poll respondents said that the rising prices of food, oil, and other basic needs are a serious problem. Other key economic challenges included are supply chain issues, rising housing rates, labor shortages, and government spending. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden is receiving much negative feedback for his handling of the economy, with only 30% of respondents believing in his policies and 45% saying they have worsened the economy.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- By how much (in percentage) did American workers’ wages increase between December 2020 and December 2021?
- Which industry in the private sector did best in terms of pay increase over the same period?
- Based on a poll, how many of the Americans (in quarters) are concerned about their own neighborhood’s economic status?
- Kindly name at least two (2) other key economic problems included in the poll aside from the rising prices of food, oil, and other basic needs.
- How many Americans (in percentage) were not satisfied with President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Is the job market in your country growing? Please share more about it.
- Do prices usually increase in your country? Kindly tell me more about it.
- What job do you want to have in five years’ time and why?
- For you, is Japan one of the richest countries in the world?
- In your opinion, what is the world’s biggest economic problem? Please explain your answer.