7 Skills
Exercise 3: Reading
Read the article again. Then answer the questions.
How much money do American teenagers
spend in a year?
They spend around $200–300 billion.
1 What does Theo spend his money on?
He spends his money on clothes, apps, music,
and games.
2 What should Theo wait 24 hours for?
He should wait to see if he still wants to buy
something.
3 Why doesn’t Theo use plastic bags?
(Give three reasons.)
He knows that they aren’t recycled very easily,
they can pollute the environment, and he thinks
they look pretty lame.
4 Why is it a good idea to buy local products?
Because trucks and ships pollute the
environment, and some products are transported
for thousands of miles
5 How does one of Theo’s relatives help
the environment?
His mom grows a lot of the vegetables and herbs
they eat.
6 What else could Theo do for “greener” food habits?
He could make sure that all his used packaging is
recycled.
Level 3
How Green is Your Shopping Bag?
Every year, $200–300 billion is spent by around
30 million teenagers in the U.S. That’s a lot of money!
Almost everything we buy affects the environment,
from the energy that is used to make it, to what
happens when it’s thrown away.
What kind of shopper are you? We interviewed Theo,
15, and analysed his answers.
A Are you a “big spender”? What do you buy?
Theo I think I’m about average. I spend
nearly half my money on clothes. For
example, yesterday I bought two cotton
sweatshirts, although one was a mistake –
it’s bright pink, and I’m not sure I’m brave
enough to wear it! I also download a lot of
apps, music, and games – I love gaming. I
don’t really save money. I know I should, but
it’s hard!
Expert Try the “24 hour rule.” When you
see something you like, wait a day. If you
still want it, then go back and get it. But
you’ll probably spend less, saving money
and helping the planet! Tip two: could you
borrow games from friends?
B How green are your shopping habits?
Theo Well, I try not to use too many plastic
bags. I know that they aren’t recycled very
easily, and they can pollute the environment,
can’t they? Also, they look pretty lame*! I
use my backpack most of the time. Or I buy
stuff online. I order most stuff online!
Expert To be even more “green,” look
at labels to see where something was
made. Was it transported for thousands
of kilometers on polluting trucks and
ships? Look for “green” products, too. Buy
notebooks that are made from recycled
paper, for instance.
C How green are your food habits?
Theo OK, I think! I don’t actually like fast
food, so I don’t buy much food in plastic
packaging. Mom is OBSESSED with
gardening, so a lot of of the vegetables and
herbs we eat are grown in the garden, or
in pots by the windows. And food is hardly
ever thrown away. We love eating!
Expert Excellent! Make sure that all your
used packaging is recycled, too – don’t
forget to recycle glass bottles and jars,
metal cans, etc. But you’re
doing really well. Great job, Theo!
*Glossary lame = bad (slang, informal)
Printable © Oxford University Press 2015