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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Shoplifting
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Shoplifting Increases in British Recession (6th January, 2010)

Latest crime figures in Britain show shoplifting jumped 30 per cent in the past year. Researchers believe this large increase is because of Britain’s economic recession. Shop owners believe this figure is much higher. Stephen Robertson, head of a stores association, said: “A fifth of retailers…don't report crime because they have no confidence in the police, and two-thirds of shop thefts go unreported.” Professor Martin Gill, a security expert, said: “What drives people to keep shoplifting is the belief that it's easy and they can get away with it.”

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Shoplifting is a big crime in many countries around the world. It is very difficult to stop. Stealing from stores is perhaps one of the easiest crimes to commit. Many shoplifters never get caught. There are many reasons why shoplifting is increasing in Britain. Rising unemployment and a squeeze on credit are two causes. Shoplifting affects everyone. We all have to pay higher prices because stores pass on the costs of stolen goods. We also spend longer at checkouts when staff remove security tags. The saddest cost is when shoplifters attack sales staff.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	Latest crime	a.	thirds of shop thefts
2	economic	b.	a stores association
3.	head of	c.	with it
4.	report	d.	figures in Britain
5.	two-	e.	crime
6.	get away	f.	recession

Paragraph 2

1.	very difficult	a.	sales staff
2	the easiest crimes to	b.	of stolen goods
3.	Many shoplifters	c.	commit
4.	rising	d.	to stop
5.	pass on the costs	e.	never get caught
6.	shoplifters attack	f.	unemployment

LISTENING GAP FILL

___________________ in Britain show shoplifting jumped 30 per cent in the past year. Researchers believe this large increase is because of Britain’s economic recession. Shop ___________________ figure is much higher. Stephen Robertson, head of a stores association, said: “___________________ …don't report crime because they have no confidence in the police, and ___________________ thefts go unreported.” Professor Martin Gill, a security expert, said: “What drives people to keep shoplifting is ___________________ easy and they can ___________________.”

Shoplifting is ___________________ countries around the world. It is very difficult to stop. Stealing from stores is perhaps one of the easiest ___________________. Many shoplifters never get caught. There are many reasons why shoplifting is increasing in Britain. Rising unemployment and a ___________________ are two causes. Shoplifting affects everyone. We all have to pay higher prices because stores ___________________ of stolen goods. We also ___________________ checkouts when staff remove security tags. The ___________________ when shoplifters attack sales staff.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Latest crime (1) ____ in Britain show shoplifting jumped 30 per cent in the past year. Researchers (2) ____ this large increase is because of Britain’s economic recession. Shop owners believe this figure is much higher. Stephen Robertson, head of a stores association, said: “A (3) ____ of retailers…don't report crime because they have no confidence in the police, and two-thirds of shop thefts (4) ____ unreported.” Professor Martin Gill, a security expert, said: “What drives people to keep shoplifting is the belief that it's easy and they can get (5) ____ with it.”

Shoplifting is a big (6) ____ in many countries around the world. It is very difficult to stop. Stealing from stores is perhaps one of the easiest crimes to commit. Many shoplifters never get (7) ____. There are many reasons why shoplifting is increasing in Britain. Rising unemployment and a squeeze (8) ____ credit are two causes. Shoplifting affects everyone. We all have to pay higher prices because stores (9) ____ on the costs of stolen goods. We also spend longer at checkouts when staff remove security tags. The saddest cost is when shoplifters attack (10) ____ staff.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	figure	(b)	figured	(c)	figures
2.	(a)	believe	(b)	believes	(c)	belief
3.	(a)	five	(b)	fifth	(c)	fifths
4.	(a)	go	(b)	come	(c)	be
5.	(a)	around	(b)	about	(c)	away
6.	(a)	crime	(b)	criminal	(c)	crimes
7.	(a)	catch	(b)	catching	(c)	caught
8.	(a)	in	(b)	on	(c)	an
9.	(a)	past	(b)	pass	(c)	passed
10.	(a)	selling	(b)	sold	(c)	sales

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	crime sfuegir
2.	large cseaeinr
3.	have no fdnceinceo
4.	two-tsdhri of shop thefts
5.	a security reextp
6.	get yawa with it
Paragraph 2
7.	many costeinru
8.	shoplifters never get uhtagc
9.	a euezqes on credit
10.	pay hhgrei prices
11.	remove security satg
12.	lesas staff

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	higher. Stephen Robertson, head of a stores association, said: “A fifth of retailers…don't report crime because they
( 1 )	Latest crime figures in Britain show shoplifting jumped 30 per cent in the past year. Researchers believe this large
( )	expert, said: “What drives people to keep shoplifting is the belief that it's easy and they can get away with it.”
( )	perhaps one of the easiest crimes to commit. Many shoplifters never get caught. There are many reasons why
( )	increase is because of Britain’s economic recession. Shop owners believe this figure is much
( )	spend longer at checkouts when staff remove security tags. The saddest cost is when shoplifters attack sales staff.
( )	affects everyone. We all have to pay higher prices because stores pass on the costs of stolen goods. We also
( )	have no confidence in the police, and two-thirds of shop thefts go unreported.” Professor Martin Gill, a security
( )	Shoplifting is a big crime in many countries around the world. It is very difficult to stop. Stealing from stores is
( )	shoplifting is increasing in Britain. Rising unemployment and a squeeze on credit are two causes. Shoplifting

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	figures crime Latest Britain in.
2.	owners much believe higher this figure Shop is.
3.	report don't retailers of fifth A crime.
4.	thirds unreported of shop Two thefts - go.
5.	people keep drives to shoplifting What.
6.	crime Shoplifting in is many a countries big.
7.	commit crimes the One to easiest of.
8.	shoplifters get Many never caught.
9.	have all We prices higher pay to.
10.	spend We checkouts longer also at.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about shoplifting for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about shoplifting. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about shoplifting. Include imaginary interviews with a shoplifter who is really poor and a very rich shopping mall owner. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a shoplifter. Ask him/her three questions about shoplifting. Give him/her three of your opinions on shoplifting. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Shoplifting (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)