The Reading / Listening - Auto Insurance - Level 6

Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary pressures in the USA. Costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent in March alone, which means costs are a whopping 22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The increases contributed to inflation rising by 0.4 per cent last month. No other category of spending has soared as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US has surpassed $2,300 per year, which amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are impacting the lowest paid most. Insurance is becoming more of a financial burden for those struggling to make ends meet in the cost of living crisis.

Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is behind the rising prices. He said: "I think the biggest factor is a combination of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if you [wreck] your car, the replacement cost is really high, and a fender bender is very expensive right now." He attributed the sophistication of technology, gadgetry and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and replacement costs. The cost of replacing the battery in an electric car can range from $6,500 to well over $20,000. A simple fender bender is likely to damage costly embedded sensors, cameras and sonar. One factor driving up labour costs is a shortage of car mechanics.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Auto Insurance - Level 4  or  Auto Insurance - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/auto-insurance-premiums-are-Skyrocketing-whats-blame
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/11/why-car-insurance-costs-are-Skyrocketing-leading-to-higher-inflation.html
  • https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-12/cheap-auto-insurance-is-a-thing-of-the-past-here-are-5-reasons


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. INSURANCE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about insurance. 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?
       insurance premiums / inflationary pressures / costs / this time last year / struggling /
       rising prices / cars / gadgetry / safety equipment / battery / fender bender / labour
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BICYCLE: Students A strongly believe we should all switch from cars to bicycles; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. COST OF LIVING: How has the cost of living crisis affected you and these things? What can you do about this? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How You Are Affected

What You Can Do

Studying

 

 

Food

 

 

Gas/Electricity

 

 

Transport

 

 

Going out

 

 

Savings

 

 
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. INFLATION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "inflation". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CARS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best cars at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Sports cars
  • Hatchbacks
  • Station wagons
  • SUVs
  • Sedans
  • Pickup trucks
  • Limousines
  • Compact

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. skyrocketing a. Having a big or strong effect on something.
      2. premium b. Giving energy or power to something.
      3. fuelling c. An amount to be paid for a contract of insurance.
      4. whopping d. Having enough money to pay for basic needs day by day or week by week.
      5. impacting e. Rapidly going up.
      6. burden (noun) f. Very large or huge.
      7. make ends meet g. Something that is heavy to carry or deal with.

    Paragraph 2

      8. analyst h. Saying that something is caused by something else.
      9. wreck (verb) i. All the devices and tools, especially new and exciting ones.
      10. fender bender j. High level of complexity or quality.
      11. attributed k. To severely damage or destroy something.
      12. sophistication l. Something firmly fixed or attached within something else.
      13. gadgetry m. Someone who studies and understands things carefully.
      14. embedded n. A small (not serious) car crash.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says the cost of fuel is increasing inflation in the USA.     T / F
  2. The price of car insurance in the USA rose by 22.2 per cent last month.   T / F
  3. The average cost of car insurance in the USA is over $190 a month.     T / F
  4. Higher-paid workers are most affected by higher car insurance costs.     T / F
  5. Expensive new cars is one reason why insurance is more expensive.     T / F
  6. Repairing a fender bender is relatively cheap.     T / F
  7. A battery for an electric car can cost over $20,000.     T / F
  8. There aren't enough car mechanics in the USA.     T / F

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

  1. fuelling
  2. jumped
  3. whopping
  4. surpassed
  5. burden
  6. factor
  7. combination
  8. sophistication
  9. fender bender
  10. shortage
  1. point
  2. exceeded
  3. strain
  4. finesse
  5. leapt
  6. mix
  7. car accident
  8. boosting
  9. dearth
  10. huge

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

  1. auto insurance premiums are fuelling
  2. Costs have been rising at their
  3. costs are a whopping
  4. Insurance is becoming more of a financial
  5. those struggling to make
  6. explain what is
  7. if you wreck
  8. gadgetry and
  9. embedded sensors, cameras
  10. a shortage
  1. of car mechanics
  2. 22.2 per cent higher
  3. ends meet
  4. safety equipment
  5. inflationary pressures
  6. your car
  7. and sonar
  8. fastest ever rates
  9. behind the rising prices
  10. burden

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
soared
impacting
alone
contributed
surpassed
premiums
burden
whopping

Skyrocketing auto insurance (1) _____________________ are fuelling inflationary pressures in the USA. Costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent in March (2) _____________________, which means costs are a (3) _____________________ 22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The increases (4) _____________________ to inflation rising by 0.4 per cent last month. No other category of spending has (5) _____________________ as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US has (6) _____________________ $2,300 per year, which amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are (7) _____________________ the lowest paid most. Insurance is becoming more of a financial (8) _____________________ for those struggling to make ends meet in the cost of living crisis.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
wreck
gadgetry
simple
behind
shortage
combination
attributed
replacing

Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is (9) _____________________ the rising prices. He said: "I think the biggest factor is a (10) _____________________ of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if you (11) _____________________ your car, the replacement cost is really high, and a fender bender is very expensive right now." He (12) _____________________ the sophistication of technology, (13) _____________________ and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and replacement costs. The cost of (14) _____________________ the battery in an electric car can range from $6,500 to well over $20,000. A (15) _____________________ fender bender is likely to damage costly embedded sensors, cameras and sonar. One factor driving up labour costs is a (16) _____________________ of car mechanics.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are ______
     a.  fuelling inflationary pressured
     b.  fuelling inflationary pressurise
     c.  fuelling inflationary precious
     d.  fuelling inflationary pressures
2)  No other category of spending has ______
     a.  soared as such
     b.  soared has much
     c.  soared as much
     d.  seared as much
3)  Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US ______
     a.  has sir passed $2,300
     b.  has soup passed $2,300
     c.  has surpassed $2,300
     d.  has sure passed $2,300
4)  The rising prices are impacting ______
     a.  the lowest paid
     b.  the lowest plaid
     c.  the lowest prayed
     d.  the lowest pad
5)  Insurance is becoming more of ______
     a.  a financial boarding
     b.  a financial bidding
     c.  a financial biding
     d.  a financial burden

6)  a combination of new cars and them being more expensive, so if you ______
     a.  wreak your car
     b.  wreck your car
     c.  wrack your car
     d.  reek your car
7)  He attributed the sophistication ______…
     a.  of technology, gadget tree
     b.  off technology, gadgetry
     c.  of technology, gadget try
     d.  of technology, gadgetry
8)  the battery in an electric car can range from $6,500 to ______
     a.  well never $20,000
     b.  well after $20,000
     c.  well over $20,000
     d.  well hover $20,000
9)  A simple fender bender is likely to damage ______
     a.  costly embedded senses
     b.  costly embedded sense soars
     c.  costly embedded sensors
     d.  costly embedded sensei
10)  One factor driving up labour costs is a shortage ______
     a.  off car mechanics
     b.  of car mechanics
     c.  of cart mechanics
     d.  of car mechanic

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums (1) ____________________ pressures in the USA. Costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent (2) ____________________, which means costs are a whopping 22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The (3) ____________________ inflation rising by 0.4 per cent last month. No other category of (4) ____________________ as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US has surpassed $2,300 per year, which amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are impacting the lowest paid most. Insurance is becoming more of (5) ____________________ for those struggling to make ends meet in the cost (6) ____________________.

Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is (7) ____________________ prices. He said: "I think the biggest factor is a combination of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if (8) ____________________ car, the replacement cost is really high, and a fender bender is very expensive right now." He attributed the sophistication of technology, (9) ____________________ equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and replacement costs. The cost of replacing the battery in an electric car (10) ____________________ $6,500 to well over $20,000. A (11) ____________________ is likely to damage costly embedded sensors, cameras and sonar. One factor driving up labour costs is a (12) ____________________ mechanics.

Comprehension questions

  1. What are higher car insurance prices fuelling in the USA?
  2. By how much has the cost of car insurance risen since last year?
  3. Roughly how much is the average monthly cost of car insurance?
  4. Who is most affected by the rising prices of insurance?
  5. What are some people struggling to do?
  6. What is Sean Tucker's job?
  7. What did Sean Tucker say was expensive right now?
  8. What is more sophisticated, besides technology and gadgetry?
  9. What is the cost of the cheapest electric car battery?
  10. What is there a shortage of in the USA?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What are higher car insurance prices fuelling in the USA?
a) higher prices of cars
b) inflationary pressures
c) anxiety
d) people switching to bicycles
2) By how much has the cost of car insurance risen since last year?
a) 22.5%
b) 22.4%
c) 22.3%
d) 22.2%
3) Roughly how much is the average monthly cost of car insurance?
a) $190
b) $191
c) $192
d) $193
4) Who is most affected by the rising prices of insurance?
a) the lowest paid
b) taxi drivers
c) truck drivers
d) insurance company CEOs
5) What are some people struggling to do?
a) drive long distances
b) make ends meet
c) buy a new car
d) get new insurance

6) What is Sean Tucker's job?
a) He's an automotive analyst.
b) He's a trucker.
c) He's a car mechanic.
d) He's an accident assessor.
7) What did Sean Tucker say was expensive right now?
a) gasoline
b) second-hand cars
c) a fender bender
d) sonar
8) What is more sophisticated, besides technology and gadgetry?
a) safety equipment
b) road systems
c) insurance policies
d) traffic safety
9) What is the cost of the cheapest electric car battery?
a) $5,000
b) $5,500
c) $6,000
d) $6,500
10) What is there a shortage of in the USA?
a) insurance sales people
b) new cars
c) car mechanics
d) sonar equipment

Role play

Role  A – Sports Cars
You think sports cars are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cars. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): SUVs, limousines or compact cars.

Role  B – SUVs
You think SUVs are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cars. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): sports cars, limousines or compact cars.

Role  C – Limousines
You think limousines are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cars. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): SUVs, sports cars or compact cars.

Role  D – Compact Cars
You think compact cars are best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cars. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): SUVs, limousines or sports cars.

After reading / listening

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

'auto'

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

    • and 'insurance'.

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

    • • 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:

    • fuelling
    • ever
    • last
    • average
    • lowest
    • meet
    • behind
    • wreck
    • attributed
    • range
    • simple
    • shortage

    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 - Auto Insurance

    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 'auto'?
    3. What do you think of car insurance?
    4. Why is insurance important?
    5. What kinds of insurance do you have?
    6. What do you think of insurance companies?
    7. How is inflation affecting you?
    8. Is it better for us to give up our cars?
    9. What's the biggest financial burden for you?
    10. How are you doing in the cost of living crisis?

    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 'insurance'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of cars?
    5. What's your dream car?
    6. Have you ever been involved in a fender bender?
    7. What do you think of the gadgetry in modern cars?
    8. What things do you get repaired?
    9. What do you think of the job of car mechanic?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the insurance companies?

    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)

    Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary (1) ____ in the USA. Costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent in March (2) ____, which means costs are a whopping 22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The increases contributed to inflation rising by 0.4 percent last month. No other category of spending has (3) ____ as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US has surpassed $2,300 per year, (4) ____ amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are impacting the (5) ____ paid most. Insurance is becoming more of a financial burden for those struggling to (6) ____ ends meet in the cost of living crisis.

    Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is (7) ____ the rising prices. He said: "I think the biggest factor is a combination of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if you (8) ____ your car, the replacement cost is really high, and a fender bender is very expensive right now." He attributed the sophistication        (9) ____ technology, gadgetry and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and replacement costs. The cost of replacing the battery in an electric car can range from $6,500 to (10) ____ over $20,000. A simple fender bender is (11) ____ to damage costly embedded sensors, cameras and sonar. Another factor (12) ____ up labour costs is a shortage of car mechanics.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     pressures     (b)     pressurise     (c)     pleasures     (d)     precious    
    (a)     lone     (b)     loner     (c)     alone     (d)     lonely    
    (a)     scored     (b)     seared     (c)     soared     (d)     scared    
    (a)     what     (b)     thus     (c)     when     (d)     which    
    (a)     least     (b)     lowliest     (c)     lowest     (d)     lest    
    (a)     bake     (b)     make     (c)     fake     (d)     take    
    (a)     beyond     (b)     behind     (c)     behest     (d)     beneath    
    (a)     wreak     (b)     wreck     (c)     wretch     (d)     rack    
    (a)     to     (b)     by     (c)     of     (d)     at    
    (a)     best     (b)     better     (c)     good     (d)     well    
    (a)     liking     (b)     likelihood     (c)     liked     (d)     likely    
    (a)     operating     (b)     chauffeuring     (c)     motoring     (d)     driving

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. auto insurance erpmismu
    2. costs are a gniwhopp 22.2 per cent higher
    3. No other oyategcr of spending
    4. insurance in the US has sdseupras $2,300
    5. ltsignggru to make ends meet
    6. Insurance is becoming more of a financial unrebd

    Paragraph 2

    1. tomateuovi analyst
    2. the snotticsaihopi of technology
    3. replacing the tryebat
    4. costly deddbmee sensors
    5. One factor driving up labour costs is a grhostea
    6. car anisemhcc

    Put the text back together

    (...)   their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent in March alone, which means costs are a whopping
    (...)   Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is behind the rising prices. He said: "I think the biggest
    (...)   22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The increases contributed
    (...)   as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of car insurance in the US has surpassed
    (...)   to inflation rising by 0.4 per cent last month. No other category of spending has soared
    (...)   cameras and sonar. One factor driving up labour costs is a shortage of car mechanics.
    (...)   paid most. Insurance is becoming more of a financial burden for those struggling to make ends meet in the cost of living crisis.
    (...)   cost is really high, and a fender bender is very expensive right now." He attributed the sophistication
    (...)   replacement costs. The cost of replacing the battery in an electric car can range from $6,500 to well
    (..1..) Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary pressures in the USA. Costs have been rising at
    (...)   of technology, gadgetry and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and
    (...)   $2,300 per year, which amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are impacting the lowest
    (...)   factor is a combination of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if you [wreck] your car, the replacement
    (...)   over $20,000. A simple fender bender is likely to damage costly embedded sensors,

    Put the words in the right order

    1. pressures   .   Auto   inflationary   premiums   fuelling   insurance   are
    2. soared   .   other   No   spending   category   of   has
    3. in   car   insurance   The   cost   of   America   .   average
    4. the   lowest   prices   Rising   impacting   most   .   paid   are
    5. of   for   burden   financial   a   struggling   .   More   those
    6. behind   prices   .   rising   the   what   is   Explain
    7. right   now   .   fender   A   very   is   bender   expensive
    8. equipment   and   cars   .   in   modern   safety   Gadgetry
    9. the   car   .   battery   Replacing   in   electric   an
    10. damage   sensors   .   to   likely   It's   costly   embedded

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary pleasures / pressures in the USA. Costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates. Premiums jumped 2.6 per cent in March lonely / alone, which means costs are a hopping / whopping 22.2 per cent higher than this time last year. The increases contributed to inflation rising / risen by 0.4 per cent last month. No other category of spending / spend has soared as much as auto insurance. Foxbusiness.com said the average cost of cart / car insurance in the US has trespassed / surpassed $2,300 per year, which amounts to about $192 a month. The rising prices are impacting the lowest / lowliest paid most. Insurance is becoming more at / of a financial burden for those struggling to make fenders / ends meet in the cost of living crisis.

    Automotive analyst Sean Tucker tried to explain what is / be behind the rising prices. He said: "I think the biggest factor is a combination / combine of new cars and [them being] more expensive, so if you wreck / wrack your car, the replacement cost is really high / height, and a fender bender is very expensive right now / know." He attributed the sophistication of technology, gadgetry and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive prepare / repair and replacement costs. The cost of replacing the battery on / in an electric car can arrange / range from $6,500 to well over $20,000. A simple fender bender is likely / liked to damage costly embedded sensors, cameras and sonar. One factor driving up labour costs is a shortage / surge of car mechanics.

    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)

    Skyr_ck_t_ng  __t_  _ns_r_nc_  pr_m__ms  _r_  f__ll_ng  _nfl_t__n_ry  pr_ss_r_s  _n  th_  _S_.  C_sts  h_v_  b__n  r_s_ng  _t  th__r  f_st_st  _v_r  r_t_s.  Pr_m__ms  j_mp_d  2.6  p_r  c_nt  _n  M_rch  _l_n_,  wh_ch  m__ns  c_sts  _r_  _  wh_pp_ng  22.2  p_r  c_nt  h_gh_r  th_n  th_s  t_m_  l_st  y__r.  Th_  _ncr__s_s  c_ntr_b_t_d  t_  _nfl_t__n  r_s_ng  by  0.4  p_r  c_nt  l_st  m_nth.  N_  _th_r  c_t_g_ry  _f  sp_nd_ng  h_s  s__r_d  _s  m_ch  _s  __t_  _ns_r_nc_.  F_xb_s_n_ss.c_m  s__d  th_  _v_r_g_  c_st  _f  c_r  _ns_r_nc_  _n  th_  _S  h_s  s_rp_ss_d  $2,300  p_r  y__r,  wh_ch  _m__nts  t_  _b__t  $192  _  m_nth.  Th_  r_s_ng  pr_c_s  _r_  _mp_ct_ng  th_  l_w_st  p__d  m_st.  _ns_r_nc_  _s  b_c_m_ng  m_r_  _f  _  f_n_nc__l  b_rd_n  f_r  th_s_  str_ggl_ng  t_  m_k_  _nds  m__t  _n  th_  c_st  _f  l_v_ng  cr_s_s.

    __t_m_t_v_  _n_lyst  S__n  T_ck_r  tr__d  t_  _xpl__n  wh_t  _s  b_h_nd  th_  r_s_ng  pr_c_s.  H_  s__d:  "_  th_nk  th_  b_gg_st  f_ct_r  _s  _  c_mb_n_t__n  _f  n_w  c_rs  _nd  [th_m  b__ng]  m_r_  _xp_ns_v_,  s_  _f  y__  [wr_ck]  y__r  c_r,  th_  r_pl_c_m_nt  c_st  _s  r__lly  h_gh,  _nd  _  f_nd_r  b_nd_r  _s  v_ry  _xp_ns_v_  r_ght  n_w."  H_  _ttr_b_t_d  th_  s_ph_st_c_t__n  _f  t_chn_l_gy,  g_dg_try  _nd  s_f_ty  _q__pm_nt  _n  m_d_rn  c_rs  t_  m_r_  _xp_ns_v_  r_p__r  _nd  r_pl_c_m_nt  c_sts.  Th_  c_st  _f  r_pl_c_ng  th_  b_tt_ry  _n  _n  _l_ctr_c  c_r  c_n  r_ng_  fr_m  $6,500  t_  w_ll  _v_r  $20,000.  _  s_mpl_  f_nd_r  b_nd_r  _s  l_k_ly  t_  d_m_g_  c_stly  _mb_dd_d  s_ns_rs,  c_m_r_s  _nd  s_n_r.  _n_  f_ct_r  dr_v_ng  _p  l_b__r  c_sts  _s  _  sh_rt_g_  _f  c_r  m_ch_n_cs.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary pressures in the usa costs have been rising at their fastest ever rates premiums jumped 26 per cent in march alone which means costs are a whopping 222 per cent higher than this time last year the increases contributed to inflation rising by 04 per cent last month no other category of spending has soared as much as auto insurance foxbusinesscom said the average cost of car insurance in the us has surpassed 2300 per year which amounts to about 192 a month the rising prices are impacting the lowest paid most insurance is becoming more of a financial burden for those struggling to make ends meet in the cost of living crisis

    automotive analyst sean tucker tried to explain what is behind the rising prices he said i think the biggest factor is a combination of new cars and them being more expensive so if you wreck your car the replacement cost is really high and a fender bender is very expensive right now he attributed the sophistication of technology gadgetry and safety equipment in modern cars to more expensive repair and replacement costs the cost of replacing the battery in an electric car can range from 6500 to well over 20000 a simple fender bender is likely to damage costly embedded sensors cameras and sonar one factor driving up labour costs is a shortage of car mechanics

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Skyrocketingautoinsurancepremiumsarefuellinginflationarypressur
    esintheUSA.Costshavebeenrisingattheirfastesteverrates.Premiums
    jumped2.6percentinMarchalone,whichmeanscostsareawhopping22
    .2percenthigherthanthistimelastyear.Theincreasescontributedtoinf
    lationrisingby0.4percentlastmonth.Noothercategoryofspendinghas
    soaredasmuchasautoinsurance.Foxbusiness.comsaidtheaverageco
    stofcarinsuranceintheUShassurpassed$2,300peryear,whichamoun
    tstoabout$192amonth.Therisingpricesareimpactingthelowestpaid
    most.Insuranceisbecomingmoreofafinancialburdenforthosestruggli
    ngtomakeendsmeetinthecostoflivingcrisis.AutomotiveanalystSean
    Tuckertriedtoexplainwhatisbehindtherisingprices.Hesaid:"Ithinkth
    ebiggestfactorisacombinationofnewcarsand[thembeing]moreexpe
    nsive,soifyou[wreck]yourcar,thereplacementcostisreallyhigh,andaf
    enderbenderisveryexpensiverightnow."Heattributedthesophisticati
    onoftechnology,gadgetryandsafetyequipmentinmoderncarstomore
    expensiverepairandreplacementcosts.Thecostofreplacingthebatter
    yinanelectriccarcanrangefrom$6,500towellover$20,000.Asimplefe
    nderbenderislikelytodamagecostlyembeddedsensors,camerasands
    onar.Onefactordrivinguplabourcostsisashortageofcarmechanics.

    Free writing

    Write about auto insurance for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Buying a bicycle is better than buying a car. 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. AUTO INSURANCE: Make a poster about auto insurance. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BICYCLES: Write a magazine article about encouraging people to use bicycles instead of cars. 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 insurance. Ask him/her three questions about insurance. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

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

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