Warm-up questions:
- What is the lowest amount of money that people can legally earn in your country?
- Which types of jobs offer minimum wage?
- Do you agree with the concept of minimum wage? Why or why not?
B. Vocabulary preview
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right:
| 1. get by | a) not likely to happen |
| 2. merely | b) to hire temporary workers outside of a company |
| 3. outsource | c) to have just enough money to pay the bills and live off of |
| 4. desperate | d) in great need of resources |
| 5. think twice | e) to consider the consequences of one’s actions |
| 6. get a foot in the door | f) just barely |
| 7. overqualified | g) to have more than the necessary skills or education for a job |
| 8. disposable income | h) to get an entry-level position or opportunity that could lead to something better |
| 9. within one’s grasp | i) money that is not already designated to pay for living expenses and bills |
| 10. unrealistic | j) possible, achievable |
C. Reading:
MINIMUM WAGE: Is it enough to make life worth living?
Minimum wage is the lowest amount of money an employer is legally allowed to pay an employee. The hourly rate or yearly salary differs in every country. In some countries, minimum wage is enough for people to get by. In other nations, minimum wage allows people to merely survive.
Some people argue that increasing the rate of minimum wage can actually lead to job loss. If forced to pay more, employers may choose to maintain a smaller workforce. They may also outsource work from countries where people are more desperate and will accept lower wages.
Businesses aren’t the only ones to blame. Our purchasing habits help keep minimum wage low. Most people don’t think twice about where cheap clothing and goods are manufactured. Would you be willing to pay more for products if you knew workers were being paid a fair wage to make them?
Many students and teens take minimum wage jobs in order to get a foot in the door. After they graduate, many students are overqualified for these jobs, but they have to start at the bottom. Young people can’t contribute much to the economy if they have no disposable income. Is spending more really the answer, though? What would happen if everyone in the world had a bit more spending money?
Minimum wage in some countries is so low that it traps people in poverty. Some people think putting an end to world poverty is within our grasp. Would an “international minimum wage” help us reach this goal? Many economists argue that this is an unrealistic idea. Anything that is “universal” is very difficult to enforce. Would you bother getting an education if a minimum wage job let you live comfortably?
- Provide a definition for “minimum wage.” Use your own words.
- How could increasing the rate of minimum wage also increase unemployment?
- What does the reading say about consumer habits?
- Why is it difficult for young people to help grow the economy?
- Why might an international minimum wage not be ideal?
E. Vocabulary review
1. Create five words or expressions by pairing the words that are commonly found together in English. Make a sentence for each example.
put an - reach a - end to - grasp - income - get one’s - disposable -
within our - goal - foot in the door
2. Complete the following sentences:
- I wasn’t trying to start a fight. I was _____ telling you how I felt.
- The newlyweds are barely _____by. They only have enough money for groceries and rent.
- A peaceful community is _____. It would help if we all got to know each other.
- The big banks _____ work from India. This leaves local people unemployed.
- You should _____ before you hire that painter. She has a criminal record.
F. Discussion questions
- Does minimum wage give employers the right to pay people less than they deserve?
- Do you agree with the practice of having different minimum wage rates in a single country (based on age, type of job, etc.)?
- Does raising the price of low-skilled labor reduce the demand for it?
- Should postsecondary students who are investing in their education receive a higher minimum wage than adults who do not enroll in school?
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Useful expressions for discussions:
Opinions and preferences
I think..., In my opinion..., I'd like to..., I'd rather..., I'd prefer..., The way I see it..., As far as I'm concerned..., If it were up to me..., I suppose..., I suspect that..., I'm pretty sure that..., It is fairly certain that..., I'm convinced that..., I honestly feel that, I strongly believe that..., Without a doubt,...,
Disagreeing
I don't think that..., Don't you think it would be better..., I don't agree, I'd prefer..., Shouldn't we consider..., But what about..., I'm afraid I don't agree..., Frankly, I doubt if..., Let's face it, The truth of the matter is..., The problem with your point of view is that…
Giving reasons and offering explanations
To start with, The reason why..., That's why..., For this reason..., That's the reason why..., Many people think...., Considering..., Allowing for the fact that..., When you consider that...
