Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Equal Pay Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Equal Pay Day is an American day of awareness to highlight the fact that American men earn more than women for doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how far into a new year that a woman must work to earn what a man earned in the previous year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women earned on average 77.8 percent of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women did a little better than this. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was lower. This is happening in America today, even though equal pay was passed into law in 1963. Many women see the equality as doubly unfair because statistics also show that American women are better educated than men.
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and hundreds of civil rights and labour organizations take part in fair pay campaigns. They hold events across America demanding a fair wage. A lot of the campaigning is coordinated by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women says equal pay is not just a woman’s issue: “If women are only paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their family suffers....Working families lose about $200 billion in income every year because of this pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually wear red ribbons on this day as a symbol of how women and minorities are “in the red” with their pay.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
American men earn
a.
average 77.8 percent
2
women earned on
b.
doubly unfair
3.
Asian American women did a
c.
educated than men
4.
equal pay was passed
d.
more than women
5.
Many women see the equality as
e.
into law in 1963
6.
American women are better
f.
little better than this
Paragraph 2
1.
take part in fair
a.
fair wage
2
demanding a
b.
discrimination
3.
equal pay is not just
c.
with their pay
4.
Working families lose
d.
a woman’s issue
5.
pay
e.
pay campaigns
6.
minorities are “in the red”
f.
about $200 billion
LISTENING GAP FILL
Equal Pay Day is an American day of awareness to __________________________ American men earn more than women for doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how far into a new year that a woman __________________________ a man earned in the previous year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women __________________________ percent of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women did a little better than this. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was lower. This is happening in America today, __________________________ was passed into law in 1963. Many women see the equality as __________________________ also show that American women are better educated than men.
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and __________________________ and labour organizations take part in fair pay campaigns. They hold events across America demanding a fair wage. A lot of the __________________________ by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women says equal pay __________________________ issue: “If women are only paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their family suffers....Working families lose about $200 billion in income every year because of this pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually wear red ribbons on this day as __________________________ women and __________________________ with their pay.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Equal Pay Day is an American day of awareness to highlight the __________ that American men earn more than women for doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how __________ into a new year that a woman must work to earn what a man earned in the __________ year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women earned on __________ 77.8 percent of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women __________ a little better than this. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was __________. This is happening in America today, even though equal pay was passed into __________ in 1963. Many women see the equality as __________ unfair because statistics also show that American women are better educated than men.
law previous did fact doubly far average lower
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and hundreds of __________ rights and labour organizations take part in fair pay __________. They hold events across America demanding a fair wage. A lot of the campaigning is __________ by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women says equal pay is not just a woman’s __________: “If women are only paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their family __________....Working families lose about $200 billion in __________ every year because of this pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually wear red ribbons on this day as a __________ of how women and minorities are “in the __________” with their pay.
coordinated suffers civil symbol red issue campaigns income
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Equal Pay Day is an American day of / from awareness to highlight the fact that American men earning / earn more than women for doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how far / farther into a new year that a woman must work to earn what a man earned in the previous / before year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women earned on average 77.8 percent for / of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women did a little better/ well than this. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was lower. This is happening / happen in America today, even though equal pay was passed into law in 1963. Many women see the equality as doubly unfair because statistics also show that American women are better education / educated than men.
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and hundreds of civilized / civil rights and labour organizations take part in fair pay campaigns. They holding / hold events across America demanding a fair wage. A lot of the campaigning is / are coordinated by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women says / talks equal pay is not just a woman’s issue: “If women are only paying / paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their / her family suffers....Working families lose about $200 billion in income every year because of this paid / pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually wear red ribbons on this day as a symbol of how women and minorities are “in the red / purple” with their pay.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Equal Pay Day is an American day of awareness to highlight the (1) ____ that American men earn more than women for doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how (2) ____ into a new year that a woman must work to earn what a man earned in the previous year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women (3) ____ on average 77.8 percent of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women did a little better than (4) ____. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was lower. This is happening in America today, even though equal pay was (5) ____ into law in 1963. Many women see the equality as doubly unfair because statistics also show that American women are better (6) ____ than men.
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and hundreds of civil (7) ____ and labour organizations take part in fair pay campaigns. They hold events across America demanding a (8) ____ wage. A lot of the campaigning is coordinated by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (9) ____ equal pay is not just a woman’s issue: “If women are only paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their family suffers....Working families (10) ____ about $200 billion in income every year because of this pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually wear red ribbons on this day as a (11) ____ of how women and minorities are “in the (12) ____” with their pay.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
matter of fact
(b)
in fact
(c)
factual
(d)
fact
2.
(a)
far
(b)
by far
(c)
farthest
(d)
as far as
3.
(a)
earnings
(b)
earned
(c)
earner
(d)
earns
4.
(a)
these
(b)
them
(c)
this
(d)
they
5.
(a)
parsed
(b)
past
(c)
psst
(d)
passed
6.
(a)
educational
(b)
educated
(c)
educating
(d)
education
7.
(a)
rights
(b)
right
(c)
right on
(d)
right away
8.
(a)
fare
(b)
fear
(c)
fair
(d)
fire
9.
(a)
tells
(b)
says
(c)
speaks
(d)
voices
10.
(a)
lose
(b)
losing
(c)
loser
(d)
losses
11.
(a)
symbolic
(b)
symbols
(c)
symbol
(d)
cymbal
12.
(a)
blue
(b)
orange
(c)
yellow
(d)
red
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
men arne more than women
2.
in the superoiv year
3.
on aeagver
4.
male leuagleocs
5.
sspeda into law
6.
women are better dauceedt than men
Paragraph 2
7.
ebsnsisu and professional women
8.
civil rtshgi
9.
demanding a fair gaew
10.
eulaq pay
11.
Working fsliaemi
12.
$200 billion in ecoinm
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
wear red ribbons on this day as a symbol of how women and minorities are “in the red” with their pay.
( )
unfair because statistics also show that American women are better educated than men.
( )
though equal pay was passed into law in 1963. Many women see the equality as doubly
( )
this. For African American and Hispanic women, the figure was lower. This is happening in America today, even
( )
what a man earned in the previous year. Statistics released in 2008 showed that women earned on average 77.8
( )
wage. A lot of the campaigning is coordinated by the National Committee on Pay Equity, which started
( )
issue: “If women are only paid 77 cents when they should get a dollar, their family suffers....Working families lose
( )
about $200 billion in income every year because of this pay discrimination,” she said. Campaigners usually
( )
On Equal Pay Day, thousands of business and professional women and hundreds of civil rights and labour
( )
organizations take part in fair pay campaigns. They hold events across America demanding a fair
( 1 )
Equal Pay Day is an American day of awareness to highlight the fact that American men earn more than women for
( )
percent of their male colleagues’ earnings. Asian American women did a little better than
( )
Equal Pay Day in 1996. Eula Tate of the Coalition of Labor Union Women says equal pay is not just a woman’s
( )
doing the same jobs. It is held on April 15 because this is how far into a new year that a woman must work to earn
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
women the men than doing jobs more for same earn
2.
American better women than did this a Asian little
3.
1963 in law into passed was pay equal
4.
women Many unfair doubly as equality the see
5.
educated men women better than American are
6.
take in pay organizations part fair campaigns
7.
fair across wage America They demanding hold a events
8.
issue woman’s a just not is pay equal
9.
in billion 200 $ about lose families income
10.
day this on ribbons red wear usually Campaigners
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Equal Pay Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Equal Pay Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Equal Pay Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
