Crazy Sale at Walmart - ESL Worksheet

Good Morning & Happy Monday!

Today's article is about Walmart's crazy sale this past week. I've included a table and questions about some of the world's largest corporations. The table could be used as an IELTS Writing Task 1 as well.

If you're interested in improving your IELTS Reading score in the next few weeks, visit my blog this Tuesday (September 30, 2014)  to register for a free online course! Space is limited to 20 students.

Thank you for visiting and have a great week!

Crazy Sale at Walmart

 Did you ever wish you had more money to spend? At Walmart last week, people did not need much money to buy some expensive things. 

Computer monitors sold for $9 and treadmills cost $33! 

Treadmills often cost more than $500. People wrote about the crazy sale on Facebook and Twitter. Others told their friends. When people heard about these prices, they rushed to Walmart. They tried to buy whatever they could. A man bought a $2000 television for only $300. Another man bought a digital projector for about $10. 

Walmart also has an online store. They sell things online for the same price that you find at the store. Many people bought things for low prices at Walmart's online store.

All of this was only for a short time. Walmart had an error in their computers, so many prices were wrong. When Walmart saw their mistake, they stopped the sales. Then they cancelled online sales. They told everyone who bought things online that they could not buy these items for such a low price. They promised everyone a $10 gift card to use at Walmart. Some people were happy about the gift card. 

Others were angry that Walmart did not honor their prices.

They said, "If Walmart lists the price at $10, then they must give it to us for that price!"

Walmart is the largest corporation in the world. It is a family-owned company with 2 million employees. Walmart earns about $470 billion dollars a year in sales.

Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this article, please click below.

Using Bar Graphs - Cancer Rates in the US

Good Morning & Happy Monday!

Today's activity uses bar graphs to help students build vocabulary and writing skills. Bar graphs are common in newspapers and magazines. They also feature on the IELTS Writing Task 1 more often than not.

Below is a double bar graph depicting cancer rates in the United States from 1999 to 2008, by demographic group, courtesy of the National Cancer Institute. Students answer questions about the graph and then construct their own with a partner.

If you're interested in improving your IELTS Reading score in the next few weeks, visit my blog this Tuesday (September 30, 2014)  to register for a free online course! Space is limited to 20 students.

Breast cancer has been in the news lately, perhaps due to Angelina Jolie's recent decision to get a double mastectomy. I wish her well and agree that a woman's femininity is in no way diminished by such a decision.  Discussing Angelina's story would probably raise students' interest in the topic before they start the activity.

Thank you for visiting and have a great week!
Faiza Raintree

QUESTIONS

1.      What is the title of this graph?

2.      What time period is covered in the graph?

3.      What do the numbers mean, on the left side of the graph?

4.      How many deaths per 100,000 were there, of Hispanic women in 2004-2008?

5.      How many white men per 100,000 died of cancer in 1999-2003?

6.      Which group had the greatest number of deaths per 100,000, in this graph?

7.      Which group had the least number of deaths?

8.      About how many Asian/Pacific Islander people died of cancer during 1999-2003?

9.      Which groups went down in this period? Which group went up? Which stayed the same?

10.   Design and draw your own bar graph below. Do this alone, or with a partner. Explain your bar graph to a partner.

 Download the worksheet for this activity below.