Students from the below groups will receive PIN numbers via email weekly to access activities on my iDoceo Connect platform and submit their exercises for correction.
The solutions to exercises in this session will be published when the above groups have submitted them.
STRUCTURE
Session 3: contents
Reading comprehension: ILO warns of youth unemployment "crisis"
Comprehension questions
Technical vocabulary
Describing trends toolbox
Describing trends
TEAM WORK
Writing a professional email
MAKE UP YOUR TEAMS!!
- Four/five students per team.
- Email your teacher to say who you are working with.
- If you do not have a team, email your teacher and s/he will assign you one.
I. READING COMPREHENSION
ILO warns of youth unemployment "crisis"
BBC News, 22 May 2012
Almost 13% of young people worldwide are out of work, and their situation is unlikely to improve for four years, a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) says.
[The report] warns of a “crisis” with more than six million people so disillusioned they have given up looking for work.
The ILO wants governments to make job creation a priority. It wants more training schemes, and also tax breaks for employers.
“The youth unemployment crisis can be beaten but only if job creation for young people becomes a key priority in policymaking and private sector investment picks up significantly,” said Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, executive director of the ILO's employment sector.
Since 2007, the number of young people without jobs has risen by four million —up from less than 12%, the Global Employment Trends for Youth report says.
Almost 13% of people aged between 15 and 24 —or almost 75 million— have no work, although this is slightly down on its peak in 2009.
In the European Union, one in five young people are looking for work, the report claims.
Some 27.9% of youths were unemployed in North Africa last year following the Arab Spring uprisings —a rise of five percentage points on 2010.
In the Middle East, the figure stood at 26.5% in the report's regional breakdown.
“Even in East Asia, perhaps the most economically dynamic region, the unemployment rate was 2.8 times higher for young people than for adults,” the report said.
Detached from society
But, the ILO report reveals, the true picture of youth unemployment is even more pessimistic.
Many young people are extending their time in higher education because they cannot find jobs.
Others are taking part-time unskilled work because they cannot find work in the fields they trained for.
Source: radlightprod.com
The ILO says that more than six million young people worldwide have given up looking for work and are becoming increasingly detached from society.
By not using their skills they are losing them, the report says, and if there is no improvement in the jobs market soon, they may be not only unemployed, but unemployable.
The ILO suggests offering tax breaks and other incentives to businesses hiring young people and offering more entrepreneurship programmes to help kick-start careers.
NOTE Hover over words in blue for additional information
CURRENTLY
Unemployment rates for under-25s in some of the biggest economies in European Union (4th quarter 2020)
Country
Percentage
Germany
6.0
Netherlands
10.7
France
20.7
Sweden
25.5
Italy
30.3
Spain
40.4
A. Comprehesion questions
1. Are the following sentences true or false?
a. The unemployment figure for young people in the UK is almost 13%.
b. The situation is definitely going to improve in 4 years.
c. The ILO thinks that the situation can be reversed.
d. The unemployment figure for young people was worse in 2009.
e. The situation is worse in East Asia than in North Africa
2. Answer the following questions about the text.
a. Why is "the true picture of youth unemployment even more pessimistic"?
b. What does the ILO recommend governments do to help young people find jobs?
IN-CLASS
Do this exercise and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).
B. Vocabulary
Find the words in the text that correspond to the following definitions.
Line
Word from the text
Definition
Unemployed, jobless
A plan developed by a government or large organization in order to provide a particular service for people
A reduction in the tax that you must pay
To improve
The moment when something is at its highest level
Information that has been separated into different groups or categories
Something that makes you want to do something because you know you will benefit by doing it
To make something improve or become more active after it has stopped or slowed down
Do this exercise and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).
II. DESCRIBING TRENDS: TOOL BOX
C. Words and phrases used to describe trends.
VOCABULARY TIP
Memorize a few technical words from the toolbox and use them when you do your oral presentation.
You will get extra points!!
D. Choose the correct words in blue to complete the report.
1. Sales began this year at 30,000 units in January and increased slight / slightly to 32,000 units in February.
2. There was a sharp / sharply rise to / by 38,000 in March due / led to the introduction of a new price discounting scheme.
3. This was followed by a slight / slightly fall in April when sales dropped in / to 36,000 units.
4. Our competitors launched a rival product in the spring and this resulted in / from a dramatic / dramatically fall to 25,000 in May.
5. But we ran a summer advertising campaign and sales increased steady / steadily to / by 2,000 units a month throughout June, July and August until they stood in / at 33,000 in September.
6. The dramatic / dramatically rise to 45,000 in October resulted in / from the launch of our new autumn range.
7. But then we experienced problems meeting demand and sales fell sharp / sharply in November and remained steady / steadily at / by 39,000 in December.
Do this exercise and then discuss your answers with your nearest classmate.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Send your guesses to your teacher, using the dedicated iDoceo Connect platform (only for groups specified above).
TEAM ACTIVITY
E. Writing
Choose one situation and write an email in about 150 words
Situation #1:
You are the new manager for the French branch of a global pharmaceutical company. You need to explain the poor results of your sales aimed at students to your American boss and develop strategies for the future.
Situation #2:
You are part of the University Health Commission and you have just finished a survey about food consumption among students. Write an email to all students explaining your findings and giving your views and advice on the matter.
Situation #3:
You are part of the Student Council and have carried out a study among your fellow students to determine their motivation in class throughout the day. Write an email to explain your views to the Dean of the University in order to reorganise teaching schedules. Suggest concrete solutions.
ATTENTION!!
This is the first exercise you will do as a team, so you need to find 3-4 colleagues to decide what situation you will write about, and then send me your email.
Address
2 Rue de la Houssinière
Building 2 - Office 109
Nantes 44322 cedex 3
