Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. socialize
    • ex. Joining a club is a great way to socialize and meet new people.
  2. a barista
    • ex. This coffee shop has great baristas. They make the best coffee in town.
  3. a mortgage
    • ex. Jerry applied for a mortgage to buy his dream house.
  4. earnings
    • ex. The business owner received high earnings when she started selling her products online.
  5. alter
    • ex. The man altered his lifestyle. He stopped drinking and started to focus on his career.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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A simple coffee van is helping homeless people in Perth, Australia. This coffee van is called Grow and Grind. It has become a community service that trains homeless people. Grow and Grind’s training allows people to socialize with others and helps them get jobs. The van needs some help, and those joining it get trained as baristas. Some even get paid. And now, the van has already helped more than 50 people. Five of them are now working regularly.

According to Grow and Grind, more people are becoming homeless because of the increasing rent prices. Interest rates of mortgages also increase because of inflation. Coffee cups may not seem to be a solution to being homeless. However, people behind Grow and Grind say that the job, the earnings, and the skills that come with coffee alter the lives of homeless people.

Groups like Grow and Grind say that the services they offer need more money and support to help more people. Grow and Grind is now looking for a space to turn into a café. This will also let them start giving jobs to more people than the van allows.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

The Problem of Homeless People

  • According to the article, more people are becoming homeless because of increasing rent prices. In your country, do you think this is a serious problem? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Grow and Grind helps homeless people by training them. Why do you think this is important? Discuss.
  • What do you think you can do to help alter the lives of homeless people (ex. give them advice, give them work)? Discuss.

Community Service

  • Why do you think people do community service? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, what issue needs more help and support from the community (ex. environmental protection, animal rights)? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, can community service completely alter the lives of homeless people? Why do you say so? Discuss.