The Reading / Listening - Train Drivers - Level 0

Some London train drivers get paid more than pilots. The highest-paid drivers on London's Underground got $130,000 last year. The basic salary is $70,000 a year. This is twice the salary of a nurse. London's police officers start at $28,000. London Underground train drivers also get eight weeks holiday a year.

Many people think the salaries are unfair because the job of a train driver is getting easier. Many drivers no longer have to drive trains. On automated trains, they only have to open and close the doors. A spokesman said their pay was for "professionalism". Thousands of passengers travel on the London Underground every day.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Train Drivers - Level 1,  Train Drivers - Level 2   or  Train Drivers - Level 3

Sources
  • https://metro.co.uk/2018/12/16/tube-drivers-paid-100000-year-8254829/
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6500923/Mind-pay-gap-London-Tube-drivers-100-000-year-salaries-pilots.html
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7991973/london-undergound-tube-drivers-paid-100k-jobs-easier/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Some London
  2. get paid more
  3. The highest-
  4. got $130,000 last
  5. The basic salary is $70,000
  6. twice the salary
  7. police officers start
  8. drivers also get eight weeks
  1. of a nurse
  2. year
  3. at $28,000
  4. train drivers
  5. holiday a year
  6. paid drivers
  7. a year
  8. than pilots

Paragraph 2

  1. people think the salaries
  2. the job of a train driver is
  3. drivers no longer have
  4. On automated
  5. open and close
  6. their pay was for
  7. Thousands of
  8. travel on the London Underground
  1. professionalism
  2. are unfair
  3. passengers
  4. the doors
  5. getting easier
  6. every day
  7. trains
  8. to drive trains

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Some London train drivers (1) ___________________ than pilots. The highest-(2) ___________________ London's Underground got $130,000 last year. The (3) ___________________ $70,000 a year. This is twice the (4) ___________________ nurse. London's police (5) ___________________ $28,000. London Underground train drivers (6) ___________________ weeks holiday a year.

Many people (7) ___________________ are unfair because the job of a train driver (8) ___________________. Many drivers no longer (9) ___________________ trains. On automated trains, they only have to (10) ___________________ the doors. A spokesman said their (11) ___________________ "professionalism". Thousands of passengers (12) ___________________ London Underground every day.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

SomeLondontraindriversgetpaidmorethanpilots.Thehighest-paidd
riversonLondon'sUndergroundgot$130,000lastyear.Thebasicsalary
is$70,000ayear.Thisistwicethesalaryofanurse.London'spoliceoffice
rsstartat$28,000.LondonUndergroundtraindriversalsogeteightwee
ksholidayayear.Manypeoplethinkthesalariesareunfairbecausethejo
bofatraindriverisgettingeasier.Manydriversnolongerhavetodrivetrai
ns.Onautomatedtrains,theyonlyhavetoopenandclosethedoors.Aspo
kesmansaidtheirpaywasfor"professionalism".Thousandsofpasseng
erstravelontheLondonUndergroundeveryday.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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