B1 – Intermediate
Many believe that having children is probably the best thing that could ever happen to anyone. While this could be true, it is also not always easy.
As salaries remain the same and the cost of living keep increasing, it gets more and more expensive to raise a child.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript about how costly child-rearing is now.
https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/children-cost-a-lot-of-money-level-2/
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “stagnant” mean? “Raising children in the United States has become increasingly expensive, with the cost of living rising while wages remain stagnant.” Give a synonym and use “stagnant” in your own sentence.
- What does “rear” mean, “A recent report has revealed the variations in child-rearing costs across different metro areas.” Give another meaning of ‘rear’ and use the word in that context.
- What does “household” mean, “By comparing the living costs of a household with one child to that of a childless household, the study found that the average annual cost to raise a child is approximately 20,813 dollars.”? Use this word in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you agree or disagree that raising children has become increasingly expensive? Is it also the case in your own country? Talk about it.
- Why does child-rearing cost a lot of money?
- What do you think will be the effect of this on people’s opinion about having children?
- Is it true that the cost to raise a child depends on the location? Explain your opinion.
- Is it a good idea to raise children in smaller cities where the cost of living is lower? Explain your thoughts.