7.

Young people and consumerism

Listening test 1

Name No. Class Date

Topic: Protecting European Consumers

1. The following video is about the laws and rights that protect you as a consumer. 15x10p=150p.

1.1. While listening to / watching the video, fill in the blanks with the missing
information. Audio 24

a The Consumers Rights Act 2015 protects you when you buy ___________________________
b. The purchases which fall into the category of digital content are: ____________, _________ and
_____________________.
c. The law says everything that you buy must be of satisfactory__________, fit for________ and
match the____________.
d. If the goods you buy don't comply with the aforementioned conditions, you may be entitled to a
_________________, ____________________ or _______________________.
e. According to the new law you now have ___________________ days to reject a faulty item.
f. When you notice a problem with an item you shouldn't _____________, __________,
__________ or try to repair it.
g. If you complain after the due time you may not get _____________________________.
h. If the first repair or replacement doesn't work, you can get a _____________________.
i. If it is reasonable to expect the goods to last long, you have up to _________________ to
complain..
j. Concerning downloads you may be entitled to a repair or compensation if they cause a fault or
__________________________.
k. Concerning services you pay for, the law says they must be carried out with reasonable
_________ and _________, at a reasonable ____________ and within reasonable ________ .
l. If there is a failure in the service, it's up to the trader to _______________________.
m. The trader can do it by ____________________________ or giving you a ______________.
n. If the service is preformed again, it has to be done ________________________
o. Most traders what consumers to _______________________________________.

1.2. Find out if the following sentences are True or False while listening to / watching 5x10p=50p.
the 2nd video. Audio 25

a. When your new toaster blows up or your new washing machine floods your kitchen, there is
nothing you can do.

_____
b. When you buy a product that turns out to be faulty, you are entitled by law to a repair,
replacement or refund.
 7. Young people and consumerism
Listening test 2

Name No. Class _____

Date
c. When you buy a product and it doesn’t fit the purpose intended, you have to keep it.

_____
d. The National Consumer Agency informs shoppers about their rights.

_____
e. When buying something online, consumers have 2 days after delivery to change their minds
about the purchase.

_____

Topic: How Subliminal Advertising Tries To Make You Fat (in the USA)

1. The following video is about the tricks advertisers use to make consumers buy 15x10p=150p.
certain products. Audio 26 – Part 1 (till 2:41)

1.1 Listen to the first part of the text/video and fill in the audio script with the
missing words.

I want to talk about ‘The Hidden _a._’. Now, when I use the word enemy, I’m being very specific. If
you look in the _b._ you will see that the definition of enemy is a person or thing that _c._ or acts
against someone or something. And I can’t think of a group that does more to _d._ the health of the
American people more than advertisers. And so, they operate in the shadows and you don’t really
recognize the _e._ they have. But if you look at this number, it’s $ 11, 260,000 and that is what was
spent on food advertising in 2005. Now, if you compare that number - 11 billion - $9,055,000 that’s the
amount spent on _f._ education in 2005. And so you start to wonder why as a culture we’re having such
_g._ with overweight and obesity and you start to realize it’s this omnipresent influence.
Now, how does it work?
We watch _h._ and some of them are stupid. They don’t make any sense. But you need to understand
that behaviors are based on _i._ , ok. Not on logic! So, you know this, because you know what to eat,
you know what you should do, but sometimes there is a feeling pulling you, kind of a _j._with your
mind, that makes you do the things you don’t want to do against what you know you should do.
So, how does this happen?
And that’s what I want to talk about here. What they do is that they take images and ideas, something as
_k._ as a clown for example, and something that has all pure, positive emotions to it. When you were a
kid, you went to the _l._ and clowns were funny, they made you laugh, they were enjoyable and
completely benign. And what ends up happening is that they take this _m._ image, this image that has
all this emotional connection to it, and they start to introduce something to it that has nothing to do with
it. Something like, let’s say… I don’t know… maybe a cheeseburger, ok? And so, all the sudden they
link these two things that have nothing to do together, alright?
Now, there is a study _n._ at the University of Liverpool and they studied advertising effects on
children. What they found out is that the advertising _o._ the kids’ food consumption by 84 to 134%.
So, on average it doubled what the kids ate. And this is the same statistics that translates into adulthood.

1.2. Listen to the 2nd part of the text/video and find out if the statements are True 5x10p=50p.
or False. Audio 26 – Part 2 (from 2:41)

a. Most people believe that ads don’t have any effects on them.

_____
b. Advertisers use images and ideas to trick, distract and misdirect consumers.

_____
c. Consumers need to put up some defences while watching fast food ads.

_____
d. Healthy foods are not fun and they don’t give us the energy we need.

_____
e. Consumers need to see through the advertising message and notice what is actually being sold.

_____
 Test 1
Module 7.1 Consumption habits

Name No. Class Date

1. Read the following text attentively.

Men suffer from compulsive shopping too

A recent survey has found that one in 20 American adults buy things they may not even want or
never need or use. In today’s world of consumerism, where we are constantly bombarded by ads,
this is perhaps not surprising. What may raise an eyebrow or two is a further finding in the study
that men are just as likely as women to suffer from «compulsive buying».
5 Gone seem to be the days when women dragged their bored and fed-up-looking men around
shopping malls. The new research from Stanford University has revealed that men are now just as
avid and compulsive shoppers as their female counterparts. Researcher Dr Lorrin Koram said that
the numbers of men who indulge in unnecessary shopping sprees has rocketed: «That's the biggest
surprise - men engage in this behaviour almost as commonly as women, » he said.
10 This finding runs counter to the conventional and rather stereotyped view that compulsive buying
is very much a «woman's disease.» Dr. Koram said trends and figures may have been unfairly
skewed as male obsessive shoppers used to be more reluctant than women to recognise that they
have a problem and then come forward and admit it. He pointed out that: «Generally, in psychiatry,
men seek care less often than women…It's not 'manly' to seek help.» And help seems to be exactly
15 what the doctor ordered for any compulsive shopper, who is usually not made any happier by his or
her relentless buying. Dr Koram warned: «It's always important to encourage people who have
these types of disorders to seek treatment.» Many find themselves laden with debt and filled with
shame and suicidal tendencies as they attempt to hide their addiction.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0610/061011-shopping.htm
(Accessed in May 2013)

2. Decide whether the sentences are True or False. 5x6p=30p.

a. We live in a consumer society nowadays.

_____
b. We are rarely attacked by ads.

_____
c. Unlike women, men tend not to turn into shopping addicts.

_____
d. The studies prove that compulsive shopping is only a «woman’s disease».

_____
e. Men are less reluctant to admit they have a problem than women.
 _____

3. What or who do these words refer to? 4x5p=20p.

a. we (line 2)
b. their (line 7)
c. This (line 10)
d. who (line 16)
4. Match each word on the left with its equivalent or definition on the right. 8x3p=24p.

a. constantly (line 2) 1. obsessive

b. compulsive (line 4) 2. look for
c. malls (line 6) 3. major
d. shoppers (line 7) 4. continually
e. biggest (line 8) 5. large enclosed shopping areas
f. seek (line 14) 6. buyers
g. types (line 17) 7. dependency
h. addiction (line 18) 8. kinds

5. Answer the following questions according to the ideas/ topic expressed in the text. 3x12p=36p.

a. In your opinion, why do so many people buy things they may not want, need nor use?
b. What does Dr. Koram advise people who are compulsive buyers to do?
c. Are the findings about male addiction to shopping a surprise for you? Justify your answer.

6. Underline the correct quantifier.

5x6p=30p.

a. Most shopaholics haven’t got much / many patience. They can’t wait to go shopping during sales.
b. Some teens can’t afford branded clothing. They only have few / little pocket money.
c. That shopping centre is a popular destination. There are much / many people there on Sunday
afternoons.
d. Compulsive shoppers find several / plenty of time to stroll in shopping centres.
e. Some men have an urge to buy lots of / much newly released gadgets.

7. Order the words to build meaningful sentences. Use double comparatives. 6x10p=60p.

a. saving / better / and / at / money / you / getting /are / better

b. clothes / becoming / more / expensive / are / more / and
c. less / and / TV commercials / interesting / are / less
d. saving / more / difficult / money / is / more / and
e. will save / we / money / spend / the less / the more / we
f. she / will pay / she /the fewer / debts / has / the less / interest
 Test 2
Module 7.2 Advertising and marketing

Name No. Class Date

1. Read the following text attentively.

Photoshop: The effect on teen girls and why it needs to be banned

by Vanessa Van Petten

The advertising industry plays a big role in today’s society. It informs us about all of the new
products that are on the market. Although ads are very informative, they can also have a negative
effect on society, especially on teens. Their struggles of body image issues, self-esteem, and
acceptance is brought out the most when they look at how perfect and flawless models look in
5 magazines, advertisements, commercials, posters, and billboards. All of the perfection they see in
ads is photoshopped, a method that gives teens a perception of what one has to look like to be
categorized as being beautiful in today’s society.
When teens look at photoshopped women and men, they feel that the characteristics they see are
the only things that categorize women or men as being beautiful. They tend to feel ugly and bad
10 about themselves, because they feel that they don’t match up to their beauty and perfection and
they don’t look as perfect and flawless as they.
With all of the negativities that photoshop brings to teens it needs to be banned. Airbrushed photos
trick teens into thinking that the people they see are what is considered beautiful. It promotes
perfection, something that is non-existent and it brainwashes teens into thinking that being skinny
15 and looking perfect is what beautiful is.
These reasons make it reasonable to ban photoshop in ads, etc. Photoshop exploits perfection,
something that is non-existent. There really is no point of exploiting perfection if it doesn’t exist.
No matter how many photoshopped models there are, all people are beautiful in all shapes, sizes,
and forms. To embrace what true beauty is, companies need to stop using photoshop and promote
20 women and men for who they really are without modifying any feature.

http://www.radicalparenting.com/2012/05/30/photoshop-the-effect-on-teen-girls-and-why-it-needs-to-be-banned/
(Adapted and shortened. Accessed in May 2013)

2. Complete the sentences with the correct ending according to the ideas expressed in 5x7p=35p.
the text.

a. Ads are useful and informative, however _____

1. they tell lies about the products.
2. they can also have a negative effect on teens.
3. they influence people to spend money on unnecessary products.

b. All models _____

1. seem perfect in ads.
2. suffer from eating disorders.
3. are naturally beautiful.
 c. Most teens feel _____ about their appearance, because the beauty standard set in ads is too high.
1. happy
2. satisfied
3. frustrated

d. Photoshop should be banned, because it _____

1. is setting unrealistic expectations and beauty standards.
2. gives a real image of people’s appearance.
3. tricks people into buying certain products.

e. All people are beautiful _____

1. and don’t need be airbrushed.
2. even when they aren’t models.
3. no matter what size, form or shape they are.

3. Reread the 1st paragraph and find synonyms for the words below. 5x6p=30p.

a. result c. approval b. immaculate d. outdoors e. technique

4. Answer the questions according to the text. ???x???p=???p.

a. Why can ads have a negative effect on teenagers?

b. What reasons are given by the author of the text to ban photoshop?
c. Do you think that this technique used in ads should be banned as well? Justify your answer.

5. Gerund or to-infinitive? Choose the correct option. 4x10p=40p.

a. Most teens appreciate to watch / watching ads on TV.

b. The US anti-Photoshop law seeks to ban / banning this technique.
c. Mary enjoys to listen / listening to debates on the issue of photoshopping.
d. The Self Esteem Act claims to protect / protecting children and teenagers from unrealistic ideals when
it comes to body image.

6. Complete the sentences by adding a prefix or suffix to the words in bracket. 5x10p=50p.

a. Most models are __________ (natural) beautiful. They don’t need to be enhanced or airbrushed.
b. Digital retouching of models in magazines and __________ (advertise) should be prohibited.
c. Parents demand anti-Photoshop law in U.S. to protect teens from __________ (realistic) body image
ideals.
d. Most teens feel they are not pretty enough, thin enough, __________ (style) enough or trendy
enough as the models they see in the ads.
e. Generations of women compare themselves to images, ideals and standards that are __________
(attainable).
 Test 3
Module 7.3 Consumers’ rights

Name No. Class Date

1. Read the following text attentively.

A shopper’s guide to consumer rights

What are our rights as consumers? Whether it is clothes, mobile phones or travel packages,
European law ensures that each of us gets the same fair deal and that we have the same rights and
same protection, no matter where we are in the European Union (EU).
Within the EU, you can ‘shop until you drop’ – you can buy what you want where you want,
5 without having to worry about paying customs duties or additional taxes when you return home.
Whether you go to another country to shop or whether you order something over the internet, by
post or telephone, you are protected by these basic consumer rights:
Transparency: EU law requires that sellers give you full details of who they are, what they are
selling, and how much it costs (including taxes and delivery charges).
10 Quality: If you buy something that turns out to be broken, you can return it and have it repaired or
replaced. If repair or replacement is not possible, you can ask for a price reduction or a complete
refund of your money.
Contract terms and conditions: Unfair contract terms are prohibited by EU law.
Safety: EU countries have among the highest product safety standards in the world.
15 Price comparison: Supermarkets must give you the ‘unit price’ of products – how much they cost
per kilo or per litre – to help you decide which is the best value for money.

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/europadiary/uk/rights/shoppers_guide_en.htm

2. Find the antonyms for the following words in the text. The number of paragraph is 5x4p=20p.
given.

a. ignores (line 1) b. biased (line 1) c. sell (line 2) d. essential (line 2) e. working (line 5)

3. Complete the sentences according to the ideas expressed in the text. 5x6p=30p.

a. Wherever you live within the European Union, your rights as a consumer should … .
b. All European Union consumers are protected by strict … .
c. All sellers must clarify who they are, what they sell and … .
d. When the products turn out to be faulty, EU consumers can return them, have then repaired or…
e. EU supermarkets must inform consumers about … .

4. Answer the questions according to the ideas/ topic expressed in the text. 3x12p=36p.

a. What is the purpose of the European consumer laws? Explain!

b. What can happen when consumers buy a faulty item?
c. Do you agree with the ‘unit price’ policy in supermarkets? Why / why not?
5. Rewrite the sentences using the given clauses of purpose. 3x14p=42p.

a. I went to the supermarket to buy some groceries.

_____________________________ so that ____________________________________.
_____________________________ in order to _________________________________.

b. I made a written complaint about a faulty product to have it replaced.

_____________________________ so that ____________________________________.
_____________________________ so as to ___________________________________.

c. I’ve recently read the EU shopper’s guide to consumer rights to know my rights as a consumer.
_____________________________ so that ____________________________________.
_____________________________ in order to _________________________________.

6. Complete the sentences using a suitable adverb. 3x8p=24p.

a. Most teens ________________ go to the shopping centre on Sunday afternoons. (frequency)

b. Recently, I’ve bought a large dressing table mirror. I had to carry it __________. (manner)
c. __________ you live, you are protected by consumer rights. (place)

7. Choose one of the following topics. Write about 100/120 words on it. 48p.

TOPIC 1
Imagine you’ve recently bought a faulty product. To return it to the manufacturer or seller, you
have to write a letter informing them about the faults. Write a letter of complaint describing the
problem, exposing your position as a consumer and asking for some compensation.

TOPIC 2
Advertising is all around us; it is an unavoidable part of everyone’s life. Some people say that
advertising is something good while others say it is bad. Where do you stand? Justify your opinion
by presenting the negative and positive aspects of advertising in today’s society.
 Global test

Name No. Class Date

PART 1 – Listening comprehension

1. Listen to / watch the short news story about banning junk food ads and decide 7x4p=28p.
whether the statements are True or False. Audio 27

a. Dr. Ali thinks we should ban ads on sugary foods for kids.

_____
b. According to Dr. Alli, advertising does not influence what they do or eat what they eat.

_____
c. These bans are being fostered by lobbies hostile to food industry.

_____
d. Parents should not be given the freedom to feed their children as they think fit because most are
uneducated.

_____
e. Nowadays there is strong evidence of the link between junk food ads and children eating habits

_____
f. 75% of children who leave school are overweight or obese

_____
g. The NHS is spending £1 billion a year on obesity problems.

_____

PART 2 – Reading comprehension

1. Read the text attentively.

The Self Esteem Act: Parents push for anti-Photoshop law in U.S. to protect teens
from unrealistic body image ideals
By Tamara Abraham

A couple has launched a campaign to pass a bill that would regulate the digital retouching of
models in magazines and advertisements.
Seth and Eva Matlins, founders of magazine and fashion label Off Our Chests, believe that the so-
 called Self Esteem Act will protect children and teenagers from unrealistic ideals when it comes to
5 body image. They want commercials and magazine spreads to be accompanied by disclaimers if
models have been significantly airbrushed or Photoshopped.
Mrs. Matlins explained: «We can't ignore that our beauty culture is having wildly negative effects
on girls and women. Real, serious, and enduring problems occur when we don't recognize that the
images and ideals of the human form being presented in the media are setting unrealistic
10 expectations and standards for our country's female population.»
Her husband said they were inspired to act after seeing the results of statistics from the Dove Self-
Esteem Fund. The study revealed that 80 per cent of women felt images of female stars and models
in the media made them feel insecure about themselves. Mr. Matlins said: “Images and ideals of
the human form presented in the media set unrealistic standards for the U.S. female population.”
15 It also showed that 71 per cent of girls with low self-esteem felt their appearance “doesn't measure
up, including not feeling pretty enough, thin enough or stylish enough or trendy enough”. Mr.
Matlins explained: “These numbers show that we've got a societal problem, the consequences of
which are having serious effects on individual happiness and well-being, economic productivity,
and an astounding number of eating disorder deaths each year. When generations of women
20 compare themselves to images, ideals and standards that are unattainable, when generations of
men are taught to believe that's what people should look like, the evidence for action and change is
morally incontrovertible.”
The issue is also a personal one for the couple; they are concerned about the future well-being of
their own children. Mrs. Matlins continued: “Our daughter is five and our son is four, and they're
25 going to start seeing these ads and depictions soon. We want them to be contextualized each and
every time they see one, just like a pack of cigarettes.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2048375/Self-Esteem-Act-US-parents-push-anti-Photoshop-laws-advertising.html(shortened,
(Accessed in May 2013)

2. Complete the sentences according to the text. Use your own words as much as 5x4p=20p.
possible.

a. The Matlins have launched a campaign to pass a bill that…

b. The Self Esteem Act serves to…
c. The media presents unrealistic images and ideals of beauty that…
d. In a recent study 80% of women said that…
e. Mr. and Mrs. Matlins want their children to…

3. Match the words on the left (from the text) with their corresponding synonyms on 6x2p=12p.
the right.

a. regulate (line 1) 1. creators

b. founders (line 3) 2. canons
c. enduring (line 8) 3. lasting
d. standards (line 10) 4. control
e. insecure (line 13) 5. undeniable
f. incontrovertible (line 22) 6. unconfident
4. Answer the questions according to the ideas / topic expressed in the text. 3x10p=30p.

4.1 Why are the media images having a negative effect on girls and women?
4.2 Are these images responsible for the increase in eating disorders?
4.3 Do you agree with this anti-Photoshop law? Why / why not?
PART 3 – Language function
1. Underline the correct quantifier. 4x5p=20p.

a. Most models wear too many / much make-up in advertisements.

b. A few / a little work needs to be done to set up realistic beauty standards in the media.
c. several / much people around the world are fighting against the use of airbrushed images in ads.
d. many / much advertisement companies use photoshopping as a marketing strategy.

2. Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Establish a cause/ effect 4x5p=20p.
relationship.

a. The more I understand the marketing strategies, ________ (dishonest) I find them.
b. The more airbrushed she looks in the ad, _____ (good) she will sell a product.
c. This a fashion model. She looks _____ (beautiful) without any make-up on.
d. The sooner photoshopped ads are banned, _____ (quick) people will feel happy about their body
image.

3. Gerund or to-infinitive? Choose the correct option. 4x5p=20p.

a. Most women admit to get / getting depressed after looking at beautiful ads.
b. The Self Esteem Act pretends to protect / protecting people from unrealistic ideals when it comes to
body image.
c. L’Oreal denied to have / having used photoshop techniques in their adverts.
d. The Matlins want to alert /alerting people about airbrushed images and their negative impact on
society.

PART 4 – Written production

Choose one of the following topics. Write about 100/120 words on it. 50p.

TOPIC 1
Imagine you are giving your best friend, who is a shopaholic, some good advice about things
he/she can do to overcome his/her problem. Make a list of tips that can help him/her.

TOPIC 2
Choose 2 commercials that you find particularly effective.
Describe them, identify the target market, the slogan and the persuasive strategy used and
state the reasons why you find them good examples of advertising.