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 LEVEL 2  LISTEN  READ  MATCH  SPELL  WORDS

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U.S. fast-food workers stop working (1st September, 2013)

Fast-food workers in the USA did not go to work on Thursday. They went on strike for more money. The workers get paid the minimum wage of $7.25. This has not changed since 2009. The workers cannot live on that. The price of everything has gone up but their wages have stayed the same for five years. The workers want $15 an hour. This is double their current rate. Julio Wilson works at a pizza restaurant. He told the BBC he earns $9 an hour. It isn't enough for himself and his five-year-old daughter. He said: "I know I'm risking my job, but it's my right to fight for what I deserve."


 
 

McDonald's and Burger King spoke about the strike. Both said higher wages would mean more expensive burgers. They said they did not make decisions about workers' pay in most of their restaurants. The restaurants are independent franchises, so the manager decides about wages. McDonald's profits were over $5.5 billion in 2011. The National Restaurant Association say wages are low because the staff are young and have little work experience. It says only five per cent of workers get the minimum wage and most of those are part-timers. It adds that half are teenagers.

 


 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23886031 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-fast-food-strike-20130829,0,5180708.story?track=rss http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/08/28/low-wage-workers/2711379/

Try Level 0 or Level 1 (easier) or Level 3 (one level higher)

MATCHING


 
 
 

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

They went on strike

a.

rate

2.

The price of everything

b.

right

3.

their wages have stayed the

c.

has gone up

4.

This is double their current

d.

enough

5.

he earns

e.

I deserve

6.

It isn't

f.

for more money

7.

it's my

g.

$9 an hour

8.

fight for what

h.

same for five years

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

higher wages would mean

a.

about workers' pay

2.

make decisions

b.

wage

3.

The restaurants are independent

c.

those are part-timers

4.

McDonald's profits were

d.

franchises

5.

wages are

e.

experience

6.

have little work

f.

more expensive burgers

7.

five per cent of workers get the minimum

g.

low

8.

most of

h.

over $5.5 billion

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Fast-food workers in the USA did not go to work on Thursday. They went (1) ___________________ money. The workers get paid the minimum wage of $7.25. This (2) ___________________ since 2009. The workers cannot live on that. The price of everything has gone (3) ___________________ have stayed the same for five years. The workers want $15 an hour. (4) ___________________ current rate. Julio Wilson works at a pizza restaurant. He told the BBC he (5) ___________________. It isn't enough for himself and his five-year-old daughter. He said: "I know I'm risking my job, but it's my (6) ___________________ what I deserve."

McDonald's and Burger King spoke about the strike. Both said higher (7) ___________________ more expensive burgers. They said they did not make decisions about (8) ___________________ most of their restaurants. The restaurants are independent franchises, so (9) ___________________ about wages. McDonald's profits were over $5.5 billion in 2011. The National Restaurant Association (10) ___________________ low because the staff are young and have little work experience. It says only five per cent of workers (11) ___________________ and most of those are part-timers. It adds that (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Fast-foodworkersintheUSAdidnotgotoworkonThursday.They
wentonstrikeformoremoney.Theworkersgetpaidtheminimumwag
eof$7.25.Thishasnotchangedsince2009.Theworkerscannotliveon
that.Thepriceofeverythinghasgoneupbuttheirwageshavestayedth
esameforfiveyears.Theworkerswant$15anhour.Thisisdoubletheir
currentrate.JulioWilsonworksatapizzarestaurant.HetoldtheBBCh
eearns$9anhour.Itisn'tenoughforhimselfandhisfive-year-
olddaughter.Hesaid:"IknowI'mriskingmyjob,butit'smyrighttofigh
tforwhatIdeserve."McDonald'sandBurgerKingspokeaboutthestrik
e.Bothsaidhigherwageswouldmeanmoreexpensiveburgers.Theys
aidtheydidnotmakedecisionsaboutworkers'payinmostoftheirresta
urants.Therestaurantsareindependentfranchises,sothemanagerd
ecidesaboutwages.McDonald'sprofitswereover$5.5billionin2011.
TheNationalRestaurantAssociationsaywagesarelowbecausethest
affareyoungandhavelittleworkexperience.Itsaysonlyfivepercento
fworkersgettheminimumwageandmostofthosearepart-timers.I
taddsthathalfareteenagers.

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)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about wages / salary for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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