Nigeria becomes Africa's biggest economy

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Nigeria changed how it measures gross domestic product (GDP) and is now Africa's largest economy, for the first time. Nigeria "rebased" its GDP data to include newer industries not under the old measuring rules. Telecommunications, information technology, movie production and online commerce helped Nigeria overtake the old economic powerhouse, South Africa. Nigeria's GDP for 2013 totalled $510 billion, bigger than South Africa's GDP of $370 billion.

Most countries rebase GDP every three years to account for economic changes. Nigeria hadn't done it for 20 years. It has many new industries. The new figures do not mean Nigerians are suddenly richer. A statistician said it was better measuring. A Nigerian newspaper said that despite pockets of great wealth, most Nigerians live on $2 a day. It added that, "key services such as water and electricity provision are poor".

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26913497
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/top-stories/item/2894-nigeria-now-africa-s-largest-economy
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-04-06/nigerian-economy-overtakes-south-africa-s-after-gdp-data-rebased

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	data to include newer	a.	totalled $510 billion
2.	information	b.	industries
3.	online	c.	GDP of $370 billion
4.	economic	d.	technology
5.	Nigeria's GDP for 2013	e.	powerhouse
6.	bigger than South Africa's	f.	commerce

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	account for	a.	great wealth
2.	new figures do not mean Nigerians	b.	economic changes
3.	it was better	c.	services
4.	pockets of	d.	are suddenly richer
5.	key	e.	are poor
6.	water and electricity provision	f.	measuring

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Nigeria changed (1) ___________________ gross domestic product (GDP) and is now Africa's largest economy, (2) ___________________. Nigeria "rebased" its GDP data (3) ___________________ industries not under the old measuring rules. Telecommunications, information technology, movie production and (4) ___________________ helped Nigeria overtake the old (5) ___________________, South Africa. Nigeria's GDP for 2013 totalled $510 billion, bigger than South Africa's (6) ___________________ billion.

Most countries rebase GDP every three (7) ___________________ economic changes. Nigeria hadn't done it for 20 years. It has many new industries. The new (8) ___________________ Nigerians are suddenly richer. A statistician said it was (9) ___________________. A Nigerian newspaper said that (10) ___________________ great wealth, most Nigerians (11) ___________________. It added that, "key services such as water and electricity (12) ___________________ ".

ECONOMICS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about economics 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about economics for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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