Taxes!!

(B2)

A – Before you start

Answer the questions with a partner.
1. Do people complain about the tax system in your country?
2. If so, what do they say about it?
3. Do you there’s a lot of tax evasion?

B – Listen and answer

Listen to the main article (without reading) and write T (true) or F (false) beside these statements.
1. The article says a new generation of economic experts thinks inequality is being dealt with.
2. According to the author, a civilised society is dependent on taxation.
3. A study by an investment bank shows that a few rich people own 42% of the world’s wealth.
4. According to the article, the present economic system benefits the super-rich.
5. Around $7.6 billion are hidden from tax authorities.
6. In order to hide their wealth, the super-rich make use of illegal schemes in tax havens.

C – Read and answer

Read the main article and answer the questions.
1. What question is being asked by many economists across the world?
2. Why is it necessary for most countries to have a tax system?
3. What does the article say about the present gap between rich and poor?
4. How is tax avoidance different from tax evasion?
5. What effect does a high level of tax avoidance have on governments?
6. How does this affect the opinion people have of their country’s tax system?

D – Listen and answer

N.B. This interview is graded as C1, so don’t be discouraged if you find it difficult. Try to understand the main
points.
Read these statements. Then listen to the interview with Rutger Bregman and Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez, without reading, and write T (true) or F (false).
1. Rutger Bregman spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
2. He accused the people present of not discussing the need for justice and equality.
3. He said they should be talking about taxes, not philanthropy.
4. Bregman agreed that a top tax rate of 70% wasn’t practical.
5. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thinks those who earn over $1 million should be taxed up to 70%.
6. She is in favour of a progressive system in which low-earners would only pay tax at 10 – 15%.

E – Listen, read and check your answers

Listen to the interview while reading the text.(If you did Exercise D, check your answers while
reading.)

F – Learn it! Use it!

Complete these sentences with words from the glossary. (You may have to adapt the expression in
some way; e.g. change from plural to singular.)
1. Some players complained the rules weren’t ________ because they gave one team an advantage.
2. In most countries it’s ________ to wear seat belts in a car.
3. It took ________ over 18 hours to put out the blaze at the paint factory.
4. When my rich uncle died, he left most of his money to a _______ _______.
5. The discussions haven’t ended yet. They are still ________.
6. A _______ _______ is a place where people pay less tax than they would in their own country.
G – Ready for the FIRST Certificate in English? (Reading and Use of English, Part 4)
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. Use between 2 and 5 words including the word given.
Example: Should taxes on the rich be increased?
MORE Should the rich pay more taxes?

1. There is a debate about how much tax the wealthy should contribute.
BIG There is a debate about _____________________ of the wealthy should be.
2. There are nearly twice as many billionaires as there were during the financial crisis.
DOUBLED The number of billionaires _____________________ since the financial crisis.
3 They make use of legal loopholes.
TAKE They _____________________ legal loopholes.
4 States are losing a lot of revenue because of tax avoidance schemes.
LOST A lot of revenue _____________________ by states because of tax avoidance schemes.
5 Bregman didn’t find the setting or his audience at all intimidating.
WAY Bregman was in _____________________ by the setting or his audience.
6. Bregman isn’t the only one to be outspoken about tax.
ALONE Bregman isn’t _____________________ outspoken about tax.

H – Talk about it
In pairs or groups.
1. Do you think the tax system in your country is fair?
2. What is the punishment for tax evasion?
3. Do you think it should be harsher? Why? / Why not?
4. Do big corporations and billionaire’s pay enough tax, in your opinion?
5. What else can be done to reduce inequality?
Answers
B – Listen and answer
1. F – It says they think the economy needs to change in order to deal with inequality. 2. T 3. F
– It shows that 42 people own as much wealth as the poorest half of humanity. 4. T 5. F – The
figure is $7.6 trillion. 6. The schemes are not illegal. They are technically within the boundaries
of the law.
C – Read and answer
1. Whether the rich should pay higher rates of tax than other people. 2. To pay for public services
like education, healthcare, pensions, etc. 3. It says that the gap has reached alarming extremes.
4. Tax evasion is illegal. Tax avoidance is technically legal, though people consider it unjust and
unethical. 5. It deprives them of the money they need to provide public services. 6. It
undermines their confidence in the justice of the tax system.
E – Listen, read and check your answers
1. T 2. F – He accused them of not discussing tax avoidance. 3. T 4. F – He disagreed. He said
that in the United States there had been a top tax rate of 91% in the 50s. 5. F – She says this tax
should apply to people who earn over $10 million. 6. T
F – Learn it! Use it!
1. fair 2. compulsory 3. firefighters 4. charitable organisation 5. ongoing 6. tax haven
G – Ready for the FIRST Certificate in English?
1. how big the contribution 2. has nearly doubled 3. take advantage of 4. is being lost
5. no way intimidated 6. alone in being