The Reading / Listening - Hygiene Poverty - Level 6

With the spiralling cost of living, many people are making drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can no longer afford essential hygiene products. This has been termed "hygiene poverty". A report from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are affected by this. Britons are foregoing basic goods such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving products, toilet paper and sanitary products. They are facing the harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as a "hidden crisis". It said the situation is "much more widespread than we feared. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable".

Hygiene poverty is having a devastating impact on people's daily lives. Many people feel too ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty or smelling bad. Hygiene Bank's chief executive Ruth Brock warned of the terrible repercussions of being unable to maintain basic hygiene standards. She said many people cannot "access their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us…that they want to be last on the nursery drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see other parents." Many people with acne are worsening their condition because they cannot afford soap. Others are avoiding all social contact by not answering their phone.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Hygiene Poverty - Level 4  or  Hygiene Poverty - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a41788064/hygiene-poverty-people-shame-cost-of-living/
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63403823
  • https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hygiene-poverty-affecting-3-2-151108759.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. HYGIENE POVERTY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about hygiene poverty. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       cost of living / cutbacks / hygiene / poverty / charity / soap / deodorant / crisis /
       impact / daily lives / looking dirty / smelling bad / life chances / nursery / acne
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. FREE SOAP: Students A strongly believe all governments should make soap freely available for poorer people; Students B strongly disagree. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HYGIENE PRODUCTS: How important are these hygiene products? What could we use instead of them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Importance / Why?

Possible substitutes

Soap

 

 

Toothpaste

 

 

Toilet paper

 

 

Shampoo

 

 

Deodorant

 

 

Mouthwash

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. SOAP: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "soap". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. ESSENTIAL ITEMS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most essential items at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Soap
  • Coffee
  • Toilet paper
  • Wifi
  • Medicine
  • Toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Bicycles

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. spiralling a. Of a person in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect.
      2. drastic b. The act of reducing the amount of money you spend on something.
      3. cutback c. A spray, liquid or hard gel that removes or hides unpleasant smells, especially bodily odours.
      4. foregoing d. Of costs, wages, prices, etc. continuously rising.
      5. deodorant e. Very, very distressing.
      6. harrowing f. Likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect.
      7. vulnerable g. Going without something you usually have or need.

    Paragraph 2

      8. devastating h. Cause or enable a condition or situation to continue.
      9. ashamed i. A skin problem characterized by red pimples on the skin, especially on the face.
      10. repercussions j. Keeping away from or stop oneself from doing something.
      11. maintain k. Embarrassed or guilty because of one's actions.
      12. acne l. An illness or other medical problem.
      13. condition m. Unintended consequences of an event or action, especially unwelcome ones.
      14. avoiding n. Causing severe shock, distress, or grief.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Everyone in the U.K. is making drastic cutbacks.     T / F
  2. As many as 3.2 million Britons are experiencing hygiene poverty.     T / F
  3. Some people in the U.K. have to choose between food and toilet paper.   T / F
  4. A charity said hygiene poverty was "a crisis in full view".     T / F
  5. Some people do not leave their house because they might smell bad.     T / F
  6. Mums in hygiene poverty want to be first in the nursery school drop-off.  T / F
  7. Hygiene poverty worsens the condition of acne sufferers.     T / F
  8. People don't answer their phone because they worry they are dirty.    T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. spiralling
  2. drastic
  3. harrowing
  4. crisis
  5. impacting
  6. devastating
  7. repercussions
  8. standards
  9. condition
  10. afford
  1. disastrous
  2. affecting
  3. pay for
  4. distressing
  5. levels
  6. escalating
  7. extreme
  8. disorder
  9. emergency
  10. consequences

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. the spiralling
  2. Britons are foregoing basic
  3. a hidden
  4. the situation is much more widespread
  5. it's disproportionately impacting
  6. Hygiene poverty is having a devastating
  7. Many people feel too ashamed
  8. chief executive Ruth Brock warned of
  9. Many people
  10. Others are avoiding
  1. to leave their house
  2. the most vulnerable
  3. with acne
  4. impact on people's daily lives
  5. crisis
  6. the terrible repercussions
  7. cost of living
  8. all social contact
  9. than we feared
  10. goods such as soap

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
products
afford
affected
impacting
spiralling
crisis
deodorant
termed

With the (1) _____________________ cost of living, many people are making drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can no longer (2) _____________________ essential hygiene products. This has been (3) _____________________ "hygiene poverty". A report from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are (4) _____________________ by this. Britons are foregoing basic goods such as soap, (5) _____________________, toothpaste, shaving products, toilet paper and sanitary (6) _____________________. They are facing the harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as a "hidden (7) _____________________". It said the situation is "much more widespread than we feared. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately (8) _____________________ the most vulnerable".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
nursery
looking
impact
contact
ashamed
acne
access
repercussions

Hygiene poverty is having a devastating (9) _____________________ on people's daily lives. Many people feel too (10) _____________________ to leave their house because they are worried about (11) _____________________ dirty or smelling bad. Hygiene Bank's chief executive Ruth Brock warned of the terrible (12) _____________________ of being unable to maintain basic hygiene standards. She said many people cannot "(13) _____________________ their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us...that they want to be last on the (14) _____________________ drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see other parents." Many people with (15) _____________________ are worsening their condition because they cannot afford soap. Others are avoiding all social (16) _____________________ by not answering their phone.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  With the spiralling cost of living, many people are ______
     a.  making drastic cutback
     b.  making caustic cutbacks
     c.  making plastic cutback
     d.  making drastic cutbacks
2)  In the UK, millions of people can no longer afford ______
     a.  essential hygiene produce
     b.  essential high gene product
     c.  essential hygiene products
     d.  essential hi gene products
3)  the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are ______
     a.  effected by this
     b.  affected by this
     c.  infected by this
     d.  afflicted by this
4)  Hygiene Bank described the problem as ______
     a.  a "hid den crisis"
     b.  a "hiding crisis"
     c.  a "hidden crisis"
     d.  a "hidden crises"
5)  It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting ______
     a.  the must vulnerable
     b.  the mist vulnerable
     c.  the mast vulnerable
     d.  the most vulnerable

6)  Hygiene poverty is having a devastating impact on ______
     a.  people's day lives
     b.  people's daily live
     c.  people's daily lives
     d.  peoples daily lives
7) ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty ______
     a.  or smell in bad
     b.  or smelling bad
     c.  or smelling badly
     d.  or smell imbed
8)  the terrible repercussions of being unable to maintain ______
     a.  basic hygiene standards
     b.  basics hygiene standards
     c.  basic hygienic standards
     d.  basic hygiene standard
9)  She said we have mums telling us...that they want to be last on the ______
     a.  nursery drops off
     b.  nursery drop of
     c.  nursery drops of
     d.  nursery drop-off
10)  Many people with acne are worsening their condition because they ______
     a.  cannot cost soap
     b.  cannot afford soap
     c.  cannot effort soap
     d.  cannot affront soap

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

With the spiralling (1) ____________________, many people are making drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can (2) ____________________ essential hygiene products. This has been termed "hygiene poverty". A report from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults (3) ____________________ this. Britons are foregoing basic goods such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving products, toilet paper (4) ____________________. They are facing the harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as (5) ____________________. It said the situation is "much more widespread than we feared. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting (6) ____________________".

Hygiene poverty is having a (7) ____________________ people's daily lives. Many people feel too ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking (8) ____________________ bad. Hygiene Bank's chief executive Ruth Brock warned of the terrible repercussions of being unable to (9) ____________________ standards. She said many people cannot "access their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us...that they want to (10) ____________________ the nursery drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see other parents." Many people with (11) ____________________ their condition because they cannot afford soap. Others are (12) ____________________ contact by not answering their phone.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say is spiralling?
  2. What's the name of the charity mentioned in the article?
  3. How many adults in the U.K. are affected by hygiene poverty?
  4. What did the charity describe this problem as being?
  5. Who does the article say hygiene poverty impacts the most?
  6. What are people in hygiene poverty too ashamed to leave?
  7. What is the job of Ruth Brock?
  8. What does Ms Brock say people in hygiene poverty cannot access?
  9. What skin condition is mentioned in the article?
  10. How do people avoid all social contact?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What does the article say is spiralling?
a) springs
b) the cost of living
c) toilet paper
d) cutbacks
2) What's the name of the charity mentioned in the article?
a) Toilet Paper Bank
b) Product Bank
c) Poverty Bank
d) Hygiene Bank
3) How many adults in the U.K. are affected by hygiene poverty?
a) just over 3.2 million
b) exactly 3.2 million
c) up to 3.2 million
d) around 3.2 million
4) What did the charity describe this problem as being?
a) a hidden crisis
b) a catastrophe
c) unacceptable
d) poverty
5) Who does the article say hygiene poverty impacts the most?
a) woman
b) the most vulnerable
c) the aged
d) teenage boys

6) What are people in hygiene poverty too ashamed to leave?
a) their house
b) their jobs
c) their cars
d) supermarkets
7) What is the job of Ruth Brock?
a) president
b) a reporter
c) chief executive
d) designer
8) What does Ms Brock say people in hygiene poverty cannot access?
a) their life chances
b) their computer
c) the job market
d) online stores
9) What skin condition is mentioned in the article?
a) sunburn
b) shingles
c) eczema
d) acne

10) How do people avoid all social contact?
a) stay at home
b) move to the countryside
c) by not answering their phone
d) not open their front door

Role play

Role  A – Soap
You think soap is the most essential item. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their items aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): wifi, toilet paper or a bicycle.

Role  B – Wifi
You think wifi is the most essential item. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their items aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): soap, toilet paper or a bicycle.

Role  C – Toilet Paper
You think toilet paper is the most essential item. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their items aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): wifi, soap or a bicycle.

Role  D – A Bicycle
You think a bicycle is the most essential item. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their items aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): wifi, toilet paper or soap.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'hygiene'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'poverty'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • cost
    • termed
    • 3.2
    • facing
    • hidden
    • most
    • impact
    • dirty
    • maintain
    • mums
    • acne
    • social

    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 - Hygiene Poverty

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'hygiene'?
    3. Why is there hygiene poverty?
    4. What other kinds of poverty are there?
    5. What hygiene products are essential?
    6. What would you do without hygiene products?
    7. Should governments make things like soap available for free?
    8. Have you ever had to make cutbacks?
    9. What do you think of the prices of things like deodorant?
    10. What do you think of the term 'hygiene poverty'?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'poverty'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What advice do you have for people in hygiene poverty?
    5. Have you ever worried about looking dirty or smelling bad?
    6. How high are your hygiene standards?
    7. Would you tell a friend if they had poor hygiene standards?
    8. How can governments help with hygiene poverty?
    9. Would you avoid people if you smelled?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the head of the charity?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    With the spiralling cost of (1) ____, many people are making drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can no (2) ____ afford essential hygiene products. This has been (3) ____ "hygiene poverty". A report from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are affected by this. Britons are foregoing basic goods such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving products, toilet paper and sanitary (4) ____. They are facing the (5) ____ decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as a "hidden crisis". It said the situation is "much more widespread than we (6) ____. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable".

    Hygiene poverty is (7) ____ a devastating impact on people's daily lives. Many people feel too ashamed (8) ____ leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty or smelling bad. Hygiene Bank's chief executive Ruth Brock warned of the terrible repercussions of being unable to (9) ____ basic hygiene standards. She said many people cannot "access their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us...that they want to be last (10) ____ the nursery drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see other parents." Many people with (11) ____ are worsening their condition because they cannot afford soap. Others are avoiding all social contact (12) ____ not answering their phone.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     live     (b)     living     (c)     livelihood     (d)     lives    
    2. (a)     longing     (b)     lengthen     (c)     longer     (d)     longest    
    3. (a)     tamed     (b)     trimmed     (c)     termed     (d)     turned    
    4. (a)     production     (b)     product     (c)     produce     (d)     products    
    5. (a)     narrowing     (b)     cowering     (c)     harrowing     (d)     lowering    
    6. (a)     afraid     (b)     feared     (c)     scary     (d)     frighten    
    7. (a)     having     (b)     has     (c)     had     (d)     have    
    8. (a)     for     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     on    
    9. (a)     stain     (b)     curtain     (c)     abstain     (d)     maintain    
    10. (a)     on     (b)     at     (c)     as     (d)     by    
    11. (a)     acne     (b)     acme     (c)     ache     (d)     acre    
    12. (a)     by     (b)     as     (c)     on     (d)     of

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. people are making adircst cutbacks
    2. no longer afford iasetlens hygiene products
    3. Britons are ggrefiono basic goods such as soap
    4. ddaoetonr, toothpaste, shaving products
    5. They are facing the nhwrragio decision
    6. impacting the most avlreuelnb

    Paragraph 2

    1. having a vaetindtsag impact
    2. Hygiene Bank's chief vciutexee
    3. warned of the terrible pnrscesesruio
    4. people cannot aseccs their life chances
    5. be last on the rnruyse drop-off
    6. people with ecan

    Put the text back together

    (...)  cannot afford soap. Others are avoiding all social contact by not answering their phone.
    (...)  be last on the nursery drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see
    (...)  other parents." Many people with acne are worsening their condition because they
    (...)  foregoing basic goods such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving products, toilet paper and sanitary
    (  1  ) With the spiralling cost of living, many people are making drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can no
    (...)  Hygiene poverty is having a devastating impact on people's daily lives. Many people feel too
    (...)  executive Ruth Brock warned of the terrible repercussions of being unable to maintain basic hygiene
    (...)  products. They are facing the harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and
    (...)  standards. She said many people cannot "access their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us...that they want to
    (...)  ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty or smelling bad. Hygiene Bank's chief
    (...)  more widespread than we feared. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable".
    (...)  from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are affected by this. Britons are
    (...)  longer afford essential hygiene products. This has been termed "hygiene poverty". A report
    (...)  not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as a "hidden crisis". It said the situation is "much

    Put the words in the right order

    1. can   no   People   afford   essential   products   .   longer   hygiene
    2. 3.2 million   by   affected      are   adults   to   Up   this   .
    3. basic   such   are   as   soap   .   Britons   foregoing   goods
    4. products   .   homes   Heating   not   and   their   hygiene   buying
    5. is   than   widespread   more   situation   we   feared   .   The
    6. a   devastating   daily   lives   .   Having   impact   on   people's
    7. too   house   .   to   their   leave   feel   People   ashamed
    8. hygiene   maintain   to   unable   Being   standards   .   basic
    9. their   acne   are   Many   worsening   with   condition   .   people
    10. their   not   social   Avoiding   by   answering   phone   .   contact

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    With the spiral / spiralling cost of living, many people are making caustic / drastic cutbacks. In the UK, millions of people can no longer afford essential hygiene products. This has been termed / trimmed "hygiene poverty". A report from the charity Hygiene Bank states that up to 3.2 million adults are affected / effected by this. Britons are foregoing / foregone basic goods such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaved / shaving products, toilet paper and sanitary products. They are facing the narrowing / harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products. Hygiene Bank described the problem as / was a "hidden crisis". It said the situation is "much more widespread / spread-eagle than we feared. It's increasing, and it's disproportionately impacting the most vulnerability / vulnerable".

    Hygiene poverty is having a devastated / devastating impact on people's daily lives. Many people feel too shame / ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty or smelling bad. Hygiene Bank's chief executive Ruth Brock warned of / on the terrible repercussions of being / been unable to maintain basic hygiene standards. She said many people cannot "access / excess their life chances". She said: "We have mums telling us...that they want to be list / last on the nursery drop-off because they're too embarrassed and ashamed to see other / another parents." Many people with acne are worsening / worsened their condition because they cannot afford soap. Others are avoiding all / whole social contact as / by not answering their phone.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    W_th  th_  sp_r_ll_ng  c_st  _f  l_v_ng,  m_ny  p__pl_  _r_  m_k_ng  dr_st_c  c_tb_cks.  _n  th_  _K,  m_ll__ns  _f  p__pl_  c_n  n_  l_ng_r  _ff_rd  _ss_nt__l  hyg__n_  pr_d_cts.  Th_s  h_s  b__n  t_rm_d  "hyg__n_  p_v_rty".  _  r_p_rt  fr_m  th_  ch_r_ty  Hyg__n_  B_nk  st_t_s  th_t  _p  t_  3.2  m_ll__n  _d_lts  _r_  _ff_ct_d  by  th_s.  Br_t_ns  _r_  f_r_g__ng  b_s_c  g__ds  s_ch  _s  s__p,  d__d_r_nt,  t__thp_st_,  sh_v_ng  pr_d_cts,  t__l_t  p_p_r  _nd  s_n_t_ry  pr_d_cts.  Th_y  _r_  f_c_ng  th_  h_rr_w_ng  d_c_s__n  _f  __t_ng  _nd  h__t_ng  th__r  h_m_s  _nd  n_t  b_y_ng  hyg__n_  pr_d_cts.  Hyg__n_  B_nk  d_scr_b_d  th_  pr_bl_m  _s  _  "h_dd_n  cr_s_s".  _t  s__d  th_  s_t__t__n  _s  "m_ch  m_r_  w_d_spr__d  th_n  w_  f__r_d.  _t's  _ncr__s_ng,  _nd  _t's  d_spr_p_rt__n_t_ly  _mp_ct_ng  th_  m_st  v_ln_r_bl_".

    Hyg__n_  p_v_rty  _s  h_v_ng  _  d_v_st_t_ng  _mp_ct  _n  p__pl_'s  d__ly  l_v_s.  M_ny  p__pl_  f__l  t__  _sh_m_d  t_  l__v_  th__r  h__s_  b_c__s_  th_y  _r_  w_rr__d  _b__t  l__k_ng  d_rty  _r  sm_ll_ng  b_d.  Hyg__n_  B_nk's  ch__f  _x_c_t_v_  R_th  Br_ck  w_rn_d  _f  th_  t_rr_bl_  r_p_rc_ss__ns  _f  b__ng  _n_bl_  t_  m__nt__n  b_s_c  hyg__n_  st_nd_rds.  Sh_  s__d  m_ny  p__pl_  c_nn_t  "_cc_ss  th__r  l_f_  ch_nc_s".  Sh_  s__d:  "W_  h_v_  m_ms  t_ll_ng  _s...th_t  th_y  w_nt  t_  b_  l_st  _n  th_  n_rs_ry  dr_p-_ff  b_c__s_  th_y'r_  t__  _mb_rr_ss_d  _nd  _sh_m_d  t_  s__  _th_r  p_r_nts."  M_ny  p__pl_  w_th  _cn_  _r_  w_rs_n_ng  th__r  c_nd_t__n  b_c__s_  th_y  c_nn_t  _ff_rd  s__p.  _th_rs  _r_  _v__d_ng  _ll  s_c__l  c_nt_ct  by  n_t  _nsw_r_ng  th__r  ph_n_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    with the spiralling cost of living many people are making drastic cutbacks in the uk millions of people can no longer afford essential hygiene products this has been termed hygiene poverty a report from the charity hygiene bank states that up to 32 million adults are affected by this britons are foregoing basic goods such as soap deodorant toothpaste shaving products toilet paper and sanitary products they are facing the harrowing decision of eating and heating their homes and not buying hygiene products hygiene bank described the problem as a hidden crisis it said the situation is much more widespread than we feared its increasing and its disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable

    hygiene poverty is having a devastating impact on peoples daily lives many people feel too ashamed to leave their house because they are worried about looking dirty or smelling bad hygiene banks chief executive ruth brock warned of the terrible repercussions of being unable to maintain basic hygiene standards she said many people cannot access their life chances she said we have mums telling usthat they want to be last on the nursery drop-off because theyre too embarrassed and ashamed to see other parents many people with acne are worsening their condition because they cannot afford soap others are avoiding all social contact by not answering their phone

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Withthespirallingcostofliving,manypeoplearemakingdrasticcutback
    s.IntheUK,millionsofpeoplecannolongeraffordessentialhygieneprod
    ucts.Thishasbeentermed"hygienepoverty".AreportfromthecharityH
    ygieneBankstatesthatupto3.2millionadultsareaffectedbythis.Briton
    sareforegoingbasicgoodssuchassoap,deodorant,toothpaste,shavin
    gproducts,toiletpaperandsanitaryproducts.Theyarefacingtheharro
    wingdecisionofeatingandheatingtheirhomesandnotbuyinghygienep
    roducts.HygieneBankdescribedtheproblemasa"hiddencrisis".Itsaidt
    hesituationis"muchmorewidespreadthanwefeared.It'sincreasing,an
    dit'sdisproportionatelyimpactingthemostvulnerable".Hygienepover
    tyishavingadevastatingimpactonpeople'sdailylives.Manypeoplefeel
    tooashamedtoleavetheirhousebecausetheyareworriedaboutlooking
    dirtyorsmellingbad.HygieneBank'schiefexecutiveRuthBrockwarned
    oftheterriblerepercussionsofbeingunabletomaintainbasichygienest
    andards.Shesaidmanypeoplecannot"accesstheirlifechances".Shesa
    id:"Wehavemumstellingus...thattheywanttobelastonthenurserydro
    p-offbecausethey'retooembarrassedandashamedtoseeotherparen
    ts."Manypeoplewithacneareworseningtheirconditionbecausetheyca
    nnotaffordsoap.Othersareavoidingallsocialcontactbynotansweringt
    heirphone.

    Free writing

    Write about hygiene poverty for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Soap should be provided for free by all governments.  Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. HYGIENE POVERTY: Make a poster about hygiene poverty. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. FREE SOAP: Write a magazine article about governments providing soap for free to reduce the impact of hygiene poverty. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on hygiene poverty. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to alleviate it. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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