154 MODULE 1 – TEENS & CONSUMERISM

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PROGRESS TEST 2
Name: _______________________________________________ No. _____ Class: _______
Date: ____/____/____ Mark: ____________________ Teacher: ________________________

Date: ____/____/____ Mark: ____________________ Teacher: ______________________

The final task you are expected to complete is
to write a comment on a quotation about consumerism.
Activities A and B will provide you with input for Activity C.

ACTIVITY A
20 1 Choose from the list below (A to D) two aspects of practising sports you find important. Justify
your two choices in a total of 30-40 words.
a) less debt
b) less environmental impact
c) less pressure to impress with material possessions
d) less desire to upscale lifestyle norms

2 Complete the following text with six words from the box.
20
Use each word only once.

• ownership • traded • underprivileged • material

• minimalist • purchase

Model simplicity. The first (and most important) step in raising a) ___________
teenagers is to model for them the joys and benefits of intentionally living with less.
Volunteer as a family. Be active offering your time in the community through a local
soup kitchen or community organization that serves the b) ___________ in your area.
Watch less television. It’s not as hard as you think … and has immediate results.
Make teenagers pay for expensive items themselves. Asking teenagers to
c) ____________ expensive items with their own money will create a stronger sense of
d) ___________ and a better understanding of the relationship between work and
consumerism.
Teach them what matters most is not what they own, but who they are. A man or
woman of noble character holds a far greater asset than those who have e) __________
it for f) ___________ possessions. Remind the teenagers in your life of it as often as
possible.

http://zenhabits.net/minimalist-teenagers/ (abridged)
 PROGRESS TESTS 155

ACTIVITY B
Read the following text.

Four years ago, we sold, donated, or discarded most of our material possessions. It
was a decision based on discontent with our current lives. We were tired of living
pay-check to pay-check — never able to get ahead with our finances. And we were
growing weary of all the time, energy, and effort that our possessions were draining
5 from us. We realized we had far too few resources left over for the things most
5
important to us.
Since embarking on this life-giving journey, we have found this lifestyle resonates
effectively with young adults, parents, and older generations.
There are, of course, significant challenges in reaching teenagers with the message of
simplicity:
10 • The world around them grows increasingly materialistic.
• Teenagers value acceptance and conformity with their peers.
• Advertisers target their message to the young adult demographic.
• Teenagers are beginning to explore their own decision-making. As a result,
they are less likely to value input from others… particularly parents.
15 The challenges are certainly formidable. But we find great motivation by
also recognizing he benefits of rneachig teenagers with this message:
• Many of their significant decisions are still ahead of them. The message of
simplicity helps equip them to make wise ones.
• They are not in debt… yet. As a result, they are not held captive under the
20 weight of creditors (especially housing, cars, student loans).
• Their spending habits are not yet formed. They are definitely being shaped,
but are not fully determined.
We must recognize the challenges before us. But we also understand the importance
of sparing our teenagers from decades of financial burden and empty promises of
25 fulfilment. We recognize an important opportunity to inspire our teenagers to pursue
lives of greater value.
As parents, mentors, and community members, it is our duty to model simplicity,
encourage idealism and teach teenagers what matters most is not what they own, but
who they are. Finding an accompanying voice in the community that subscribes to
30 these values and providing opportunities for him/her to contribute to your
teenager’s life may also be beneficial.
Our world has chased happiness, joy and fulfilment in the pursuit of riches and
possessions for far too long. It is time we intentionally seek to raise a generation that
values greater things.
http://zenhabits.net/minimalist-teenagers/
(abridged)

10 1 According to what you have read, what changed four years ago? Write 20-30 words on the
separate sheet.

2 Explain the sentence “Teenagers value acceptance and conformity with their peers”. Write 20-
10
30 words.

10
3 Complete the following sentences using information from the text.
 PROGRESS 157
TESTS

b) Most of their biggest decisions ___________________________________________.

c) Creditors don’t yet ___________________________________________________.

10 4 Explain the meaning of the following expressions in the text.

a) it (l. 1) __________________________________________________________________
b) this (l. 6) ________________________________________________________________
c) them (l. 10) ______________________________________________________________

10 5 Find synonyms for these words in the text.

a) boarding, stenting ______________________
b) tests, demands ________________________
c) saving, relieving _______________________

15 6 Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
In 2008, a 34-year-old security guard a) _______________ (kill) in New York, by what local
papers b) _______________ (describe) as an “out-of-control” mob of 2,000 “frenzied” shoppers
who c) _______________ (queue) overnight in the promise of a slashprice sale. With the crowd
outside chanting, “Push the doors in”, staff d) ______________ (climb) on to vending machines
to escape the resulting stampede. Even when police later e) ____________ (declare) that the
shop was closed because it was now a crime scene, angry shoppers
f) ______________________ (remonstrate) with officers.
A costumer said: “I g) _____________ (queue) there when the incident h) _____________
(happen). I should be entitled to my television!”
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/jun/14/collaborative-
consumption (abridged and
adapted)

15 7 Rewrite the sentences below using the words given in brackets and without
changing their meaning. Make the necessary changes.

a) My cousins have got new part-time jobs. They refused to let me pay for their
clothes. (who)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

b) Monica is volunteering to work for a soup kitchen every Friday evening. This
makes her family very proud of her. (which)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

c) At the soup kitchen she sees a homeless man. She knows his family. (whose)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY C
80 Comment on this famous quotation on by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe “Less is
more”. Write between 150 and 200 words.