The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Zimbabwe's central bank scrapped the country's currency on Friday and started using the U.S. dollar. The Zimbabwean dollar has become more and more worthless because of hyperinflation, which peaked at an incredible 500 billion per cent in 2008. Since then, Zimbabweans liked the financial security of the U.S. dollar. Economists say that 90 per cent of the economy uses the U.S. dollar. People have until September to change their local currency for the U.S. dollar. The exchange rate is one U.S. dollar to 35 quadrillion Zimbabwean dollars. That's 35 followed by 15 zeroes.

The old Zimbabwean dollar will not disappear. The large number of zeroes on the bills is making them a collector's item online. On the auction site eBay, a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note is selling for US$35. This is nearly one hundred times more than the 40 U.S. cents the bill is worth. One hundred trillion is one plus 14 zeroes. The 100 trillion dollar bill used to buy a weekly bus ticket. One Zimbabwean is making money from the old currency by selling it to tourists. He said it was a waste of time to cash it in because tourists will buy the notes for US$20.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0OT0AS20150613?sp=true
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/zimbabwe-ditches-worthless-currency-dollar-article-1.2256966
  • http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/06/13/count-zeroes-zimbabwe-central-bank-allows-banknote-exchange/


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.

Zimbabwe's central bank scrapped

a.

security

2.

started using the

b.

worthless

3.

become more and more

c.

rate

4.

peaked at an incredible

d.

the country's currency

5.

financial

e.

September

6.

People have until

f.

U.S. dollar

7.

exchange

g.

by 15 zeroes

8.

That's 35 followed

h.

500 billion per cent



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The large number of zeroes

a.

plus 14 zeroes

2.

making them a collector's

b.

times more

3.

This is nearly one hundred

c.

of time

4.

One hundred trillion is one

d.

money

5.

a weekly

e.

buy the notes

6.

making

f.

bus ticket

7.

a waste

g.

on the bills

8.

tourists will

h.

item

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Zimbabwe's central (1) ___________________ country's currency on Friday and started using the U.S. dollar. The Zimbabwean dollar has become more and more (2) ___________________ hyperinflation, which peaked at an incredible 500 billion per cent in 2008. Since then, Zimbabweans liked the (3) ___________________ the U.S. dollar. Economists say that 90 per cent of (4) ___________________ U.S. dollar. People have until September to change (5) ___________________ for the U.S. dollar. The exchange rate is one U.S. dollar to 35 quadrillion Zimbabwean dollars. (6) ___________________ 15 zeroes.

The old Zimbabwean dollar (7) ___________________. The large number of zeroes on the bills is making them (8) ___________________ online. On the auction site eBay, a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar (9) ___________________ US$35. This is nearly one hundred times more than the 40 U.S. cents (10) ___________________. One hundred trillion is one plus 14 zeroes. The 100 trillion dollar bill used                                   (11) ___________________ bus ticket. One Zimbabwean is making money from the old currency by selling it to tourists. He said it (12) ___________________ to cash it in because tourists will buy the notes for US$20.

CURRENCY SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about currency 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.

 

 

 

 

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)

________________________________________________________

 

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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