LiVING

sTANDA
RDS
 WARM
UP
List as many signs as you can think of
that show a person is wealthy. Then,
list as many signs as you can think of
that a person is poor.
 factors that are used to determine a country's standard of living

Household income General health of a population

generally is defined as the total gross income before is the health of all people living in a given place,
taxes, received within a 12-month period by all such as New York City, Kansas, or Bangladesh. It
members of a household also refers to differences in health – for example,
between the rich and the poor
 factors that are used to determine a country's standard of living

Life expectancy
of the members of a population
refers to the number of years a person can expect to
live. By definition, life expectancy is based on an
estimate of the average age that members of a
particular population group will be when they die
Availability and quality of housing
refers to the physical condition of a person's
home as well as the quality of the social and
physical environment in which the home is
` located
 factors that are used to determine a country's standard of living

Level of crime Access to education

describes the number of crimes reported to law is the ability of all people to have equal opportunity
enforcement agencies in education, regardless of their social class, race,
gender, sexuality, ethnic background or physical and
mental disabilities
factors that are used to determine a country's standard of living

Access to health care

having "the timely use of personal health services to achieve
the best health outcomes“. Facilitates entry into the health care
system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care
and more likely to have poor health status
 factors that are used to determine a country's standard of living

Access to social services

are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups,
which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and
independent organizations, or administered by a government agency. Social services include the benefits
and facilities such as education, food subsidies, health care, job training and subsidized housing,
adoption, community management, policy research etc
 READING
Standard of living is something very important to all of us. We all want a better
standard of living. We all do our best for most of our lives to improve it. I’m
quite happy with my standard of living. I’m not rich, I don’t have expensive
furniture (in fact I have cheap used furniture) and I don’t have luxury holidays
overseas. I don’t think you need a lot of money to have a good standard of
living. As long as you are comfortable in your home and you can buy food and
go out a few times a week, your standard of living should be fine. Mine is
much better than 90 per cent of the world’s population. This is probably true
for you, if you are reading or listening to this. We all need to think how lucky
we are.
 Correct the spelling
Standard of living is something very mtpirntoa to all of us. We all want a better
standard of living. We all do our best for most of our lives to pivmoer it. I’m
quite happy with my standard of living. I’m not rich, I don’t
have evxeisepn furniture (in fact I have cheap used furniture) and I don’t
have uulyxr holidays oeersvsa. I don’t think you need a lot of omnye to have a
good standard of living. As long as you are ltocobemfar in your home and you
can buy food and go out a few times a week, your standard of living should be
fine. Mine is much better than 90 per cent of the world’s tnpupooail. This is
probably true for you, if you are rgednai or listening to this. We all need to
think how ulkyc we are.
 1. Which of the following items do you consider are key factors in measuring a country's
standard of living?

• Salary/wages • Public services: police, fire • Political and religious freedom

• Access to health care brigades, civil protection, etc. • Economics (inflation rate,
(private/public) • Human rights GDP)
• Social services • National levels of corruption • Infrastructure (road/railway
• Poverty rate • Employment (working hours, networks, airports, etc.)
• Life expectancy flexibility, paid holidays, etc.) • Environmental quality/climate
• Transport (private/public) • Culture • Cleanliness
• Access to education • Housing • Others (which?)
(private/public) • Political (form of government,
• Taxes etc.)
2. Which of the above items do you think could be improved in your country?
3. Has your standard of living changed over the years? For the better/worse? In what ways?
4. Has it been due to a change in your own, personal standard of living or has there been a
nationwide change?
Talk about the cost of these things in your town
Rent
Transportation
Food
English lessons
Telephone bills
Clothes
Water
Entertainment

give a score for the
items below - what is
most important to you
about city life?
10 = a must; 1 = no need for
it/them. Explain shortly.
_____ safety
_____ good public transportation
_____ affordable accommodation
_____ parks and trees
_____ no car zones
_____ good refuse collection
_____ near an airport
_____ sports facilities
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
1. What’s your standard of living like?
2. Has your standard of living gone up or down over the
years?
3. What is the standard of living like in your country
compared to its neighbours?
4. Do you think standard of living is more important
than quality of life?
5. Bhutan measures Gross Domestic Happiness, pretty
much all other countries measure standard of living.
Which is best?
6. What do we measure to find the standard of living?
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
1. Would you include issues like the climate and crime
in measuring the standard of living?
2. What do you think your standard of living will be like
when you retire?
3. Do you think the standard of living is a cultural or
economic measurement?
4. How do countries increase the standard of living for
citizens?
5. Is it possible for all countries to enjoy the same
standard of living?
6. Why don’t countries copy the economic policies of
the countries with the highest standard of living?
 DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
1. Would you like to move to the country with the highest standard of living?
2. Is the standard of living related to the cost of living?
3. Do you think your town has a high standard of living?
4. Is the standard of living or the standard of loving most important?
5. What part does the Internet play in the standard of living?
6. Could you cope with the standard of living in the developing world?
7. An Indian spiritual leader said: "It is not the standard of living that is
important, but the manner of living." Do you agree?