Reading: The teen pound

1What do you think the title The teen pound means? Read the text and choose the correct answer. 

A new type of money for teenagers.The money people give to teenagers.The money teenagers have and how they spend it.

• 

  Like teenagers everywhere, British teenagers like to spend money on things they want and the things big companies want to sell them!

  _____

  Girls are usually more interested in their appearance than boys, so they often buy clothes and make-up, such as lipstick and mascara. Boys usually spend their money on home entertainment (such as the most popular computer game) and gadgets. All teens spend money on their social lives. This isn't only the money they use on activities like going to the cinema. It's also the money they spend on the latest smartphones, so they can keep in touch with friends. It's probably cheaper than going out and it's important to know what everybody's doing!

• _____

  Teenagers can have many different ways of getting money. Some teenagers' parents give them an allowance, often every week or month. Their family sometimes give them money on their birthdays or on special occasions like Christmas. Some British teens also have weekend jobs in cafés or shops. Banks encourage teenagers to open an account and save money, and many teenagers do.

  _____

  Big brand names spend millions on advertising to teenagers. Many companies give away things for 'free', such as texts, downloads, drinks, food, or even clothes. Others invite teenagers to follow them on a social-networking site.

  _____

  Not really. Most teenagers use cash. They're too young to have a credit card (and when they are the right age, they often don't want one). So teenagers don't have problems with debt like some adults. But, like most people, teenagers can sometimes waste money on things they don't really need or spend too much. However, when that happens, they usually go to The Bank of Mum and Dad – they ask their parents for more money!

2Match headings A–F to paragraphs 1–4. There are two headings that you do not need. 

• AHow do businesses attract teenagers?

  BDo teenagers have problems with debt?

  CDo teenagers spend more time shopping than studying?

  DWhat do teenagers spend their money on?

  EWhy do people like free things?

  FWhere does the money come from?

• 

  Like teenagers everywhere, British teenagers like to spend money on things they want and the things big companies want to sell them!

  Girls are usually more interested in their appearance than boys, so they often buy clothes and make-up, such as lipstick and mascara. Boys usually spend their money on home entertainment (such as the most popular computer game) and gadgets. All teens spend money on their social lives. This isn't only the money they use on activities like going to the cinema. It's also the money they spend on the latest smartphones, so they can keep in touch with friends. It's probably cheaper than going out and it's important to know what everybody's doing!

• Teenagers can have many different ways of getting money. Some teenagers' parents give them an allowance, often every week or month. Their family sometimes give them money on their birthdays or on special occasions like Christmas. Some British teens also have weekend jobs in cafés or shops. Banks encourage teenagers to open an account and save money, and many teenagers do.

  Big brand names spend millions on advertising to teenagers. Many companies give away things for 'free', such as texts, downloads, drinks, food, or even clothes. Others invite teenagers to follow them on a social-networking site.

  Not really. Most teenagers use cash. They're too young to have a credit card (and when they are the right age, they often don't want one). So teenagers don't have problems with debt like some adults. But, like most people, teenagers can sometimes waste money on things they don't really need or spend too much. However, when that happens, they usually go to The Bank of Mum and Dad – they ask their parents for more money!

3Are the sentences True or False? Correct the false sentences. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task. You also need to use correct punctuation.

• 

  Like teenagers everywhere, British teenagers like to spend money on things they want and the things big companies want to sell them!

  _____

  Girls are usually more interested in their appearance than boys, so they often buy clothes and make-up, such as lipstick and mascara. Boys usually spend their money on home entertainment (such as the most popular computer game) and gadgets. All teens spend money on their social lives. This isn't only the money they use on activities like going to the cinema. It's also the money they spend on the latest smartphones, so they can keep in touch with friends. It's probably cheaper than going out and it's important to know what everybody's doing!

• _____

  Teenagers can have many different ways of getting money. Some teenagers' parents give them an allowance, often every week or month. Their family sometimes give them money on their birthdays or on special occasions like Christmas. Some British teens also have weekend jobs in cafés or shops. Banks encourage teenagers to open an account and save money, and many teenagers do.

  _____

  Big brand names spend millions on advertising to teenagers. Many companies give away things for 'free', such as texts, downloads, drinks, food, or even clothes. Others invite teenagers to follow them on a social-networking site.

  _____

  Not really. Most teenagers use cash. They're too young to have a credit card (and when they are the right age, they often don't want one). So teenagers don't have problems with debt like some adults. But, like most people, teenagers can sometimes waste money on things they don't really need or spend too much. However, when that happens, they usually go to The Bank of Mum and Dad – they ask their parents for more money!

• 1Big businesses are interested in teenager consumers.

  TrueFalse 

• 2Girls spend more money on their looks than boys.

  TrueFalse 

• 3Boys usually buy the most expensive computer games.

  TrueFalse 

• 4Girls and boys are into spending money on socializing.

  TrueFalse 

• 5All British teenagers work at the weekends.

  TrueFalse 

• 6Companies advertise by giving away free gifts to teenagers.

  TrueFalse 

• 7A lot of teenagers have credit cards.

  TrueFalse 

• 8A lot of teenagers have parents who work in a bank.

  TrueFalse 

4Match the highlighted words in the text to definitions 1–9. 

• 

  Like teenagers everywhere, British teenagers like to spend money on things they want and the things big companies want to sell them!

  _____

  Girls are usually more interested in their appearance than boys, so they often buy clothes and make-up, such as lipstick and mascara. Boys usually spend their money on home entertainment (such as the most popular computer game) and gadgets. All teens spend money on their social lives. This isn't only the money they use on activities like going to the cinema. It's also the money they spend on the latest smartphones, so they can keep in touch with friends. It's probably cheaper than going out and it's important to know what everybody's doing!

• _____

  Teenagers can have many different ways of getting money. Some teenagers' parents give them an allowance, often every week or month. Their family sometimes give them money on their birthdays or on special occasions like Christmas. Some British teens also have weekend jobs in cafés or shops. Banks encourage teenagers to open an account and save money, and many teenagers do.

  _____

  Big brand names spend millions on advertising to teenagers. Many companies give away things for 'free', such as texts, downloads, drinks, food, or even clothes. Others invite teenagers to follow them on a social-networking site.

  _____

  Not really. Most teenagers use cash. They're too young to have a credit card (and when they are the right age, they often don't want one). So teenagers don't have problems with debt like some adults. But, like most people, teenagers can sometimes waste money on things they don't really need or spend too much. However, when that happens, they usually go to The Bank of Mum and Dad – they ask their parents for more money!

• 1(verb) to keep money so it can be used later

• 2(verb) communicate

• 3(noun) an amount of money to buy what you want

• 4(noun) famous names or labels that are linked to certain products

• 5(noun) where your money is kept in a bank

• 6(verb) ask someone to an event or to do something with you

• 7(noun) products you put on your face

• 8(noun) groups of people in business who sell things

• 9(verb) to use something more than you need to

5Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in the box. 

MOVE
• companies
• make-up
• keep in touch
• allowance
• account
• save
• brand name
• invite
• waste

• 1My sister doesn't use much . She prefers to look natural.

• 2Let's  everybody in our class to the party!

• 3I've got a bank  because I don't want to keep all my money at home.

• 4Jason's parents give him an  of £10 a week.

• 5I want a new bike, so I need to  some money. I'm not spending money on things I don't need at the moment.

• 6Mum works for a small  that makes and sells accessories.

• 7Alex doesn't spend his money in a clever way. He  all his money on gadgets and games that he doesn't need.

• 8My cousin lives in the USA, so we  by email.

• 9Famous  usually cost a lot of money. I don't buy them because most of the money pays for the name, not the product.

6  Answer the questions. Speak for no longer than one minute. Do you think teenagers spend too much money on unimportant things? Why / why not? What do teenagers in your country spend most of their money on? What type of adverts do you like and dislike? Why? Do you think adverts are useful? Why / why not?

1.  Select Record Audio to record yourself.
2.  If you want to add a note to your teacher, write it in the Comments box.
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7  Write a paragraph about your attitude to money and advertising. Use your answers in exercise 6 to help you plan your paragraph.

1.  Write your task in another program (e.g. Word).
2.  Save the file to your computer.
3.  Upload your file.
4.  If you want to add a note to your teacher, write it in the Comments box.
5.  Select Submit to Dropbox to send your work to your teacher.