Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a food bank
    • ex. Many people go to the food bank to get free food when they need help.
  2. gratitude
    • ex. He showed his gratitude to his friends by giving them gifts.
  3. grapple with (something)
    • ex. The company had to grapple with significant losses after the economy failed.
  4. food insecurity
    • ex. Many families in the town face food insecurity and do not have enough food to eat.
  5. meaningful
    • ex. They had a meaningful conversation about their dreams and goals.

Article

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

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Before her July concert in Denver, Taylor Swift showed her support for the Food Bank of the Rockies. Swift’s staff called Aditi Desai, chief marketing officer of the organization, and expressed that she wanted to give tens of thousands of meals. According to Desai, this action is Swift’s way to show her gratitude for the work of the food bank.

Since March, Swift has quietly given hundreds of thousands of meals in the U.S. while on her Eras Tour. She did this to help Americans grappling with rising food and housing costs. Food bank managers appreciate Swift’s help. But they said such donations can only provide temporary relief as food insecurity is increasing and government support for COVID-19 has ended.

Swift’s support is meaningful since it brings attention to the importance of food banks. Food banks need a lot of money each year to help people. These organizations usually get support from people, companies, local farmers, and the government. However, they still face big funding problems. According to Feeding America, food banks still need about $33 billion (about ¥4.8 trillion) of support every year despite the funding coming from the government.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Celebrities Supporting Charity Groups

  • Since March, Taylor Swift has been giving meals in the U.S. to help Americans grappling with rising food and housing costs. What do you think of her action (ex. it makes me admire her, it makes me want to volunteer)? Discuss.
  • According to the article, Swift has been quietly giving hundreds of thousands of meals. Why do you think she is doing this quietly? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how can celebrities support charity groups? Discuss.

Food Banks

  • In your community, do you think food banks are highly necessary? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, should the government increase its support for food banks? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you think food banks should do to ensure more sustainable and long-term funding? Discuss.