ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Buy Nothing Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Buy Nothing Day is a great way of reminding yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most of us buy too much, too often. There is really no need for us to buy half the stuff we purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or even nine-tenths. Shopping has become an addiction for many people. Companies are experts at making us buy stuff. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really want. There is a well-known bumper sticker that says: “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.” I would say only foolish people go shopping to reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic way to avoid crowded stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely.

Lots of ideas on how to spend this day are on the www.buynothingday.org website. Here, you learn that you actually help save our planet by not going shopping. You consume less and this means we use fewer of Earth’s resources. We easily run out of money when we go shopping, but we can also run out of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website suggests you lock your credit card away for the day and keep your cash under the bed. You will not be alone. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] against consumerism. People around the world will make a pact to take a break from shopping as a personal experiment or public statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	a great way of	a.	an addiction
2	most of us	b.	sticker
3.	Shopping has become	c.	us buy stuff
4.	experts at making	d.	reminding yourself
5.	bumper	e.	wisely
6.	spend time	f.	buy too much

Paragraph 2

1.	Lots of ideas on	a.	resources
2	help save	b.	under the bed
3.	use fewer of Earth’s	c.	statement
4.	keep your cash	d.	how to spend
5.	take a break	e.	our planet
6.	public	f.	from shopping

LISTENING GAP FILL

Buy Nothing Day ________________ reminding yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most of ________________, too often. There is really no need for us to buy half the stuff we purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or ________________. Shopping has become an addiction for many people. Companies are experts at making ________________. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really want. There is a well-known bumper sticker that says: “When the ________________, the tough go shopping.” I would say only foolish people go shopping to reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic ________________ crowded stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely.

Lots __________________ to spend this day are on the www.buynothingday.org website. Here, you learn that you actually ________________ planet by not going shopping. You consume less and this means we use fewer of Earth’s resources. We ________________ money when we go shopping, but we can also run out of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website suggests you lock your credit card __________________ and keep your cash under the bed. You will not be alone. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] ________________. People around the world will make a pact ________________ from shopping as a personal experiment or public statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Buy Nothing Day is a great way of ____________ yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most of us buy too much, too often. There is really no need for us to buy half the ____________ we purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or even nine-tenths. Shopping has become an ____________ for many people. Companies are ____________ at making us buy stuff. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really want. There is a well-____________ bumper sticker that says: “When the ____________ gets tough, the tough go shopping.” I would say only ____________ people go shopping to reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic way to avoid ____________ stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely.

known
foolish
stuff
experts
reminding
crowded
addiction
going

Lots of ideas on how to ____________ this day are on the www.buynothingday.org website. Here, you learn that you actually help ____________ our planet by not going shopping. You consume less and this means we use ____________ of Earth’s resources. We easily run out of money when we go shopping, but we can also ____________ of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website suggests you ____________ your credit card away for the day and keep your cash under the bed. You will not be ____________. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] against consumerism. People around the world will make a ____________ to take a break from shopping as a personal experiment or ____________ statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."

fewer
public
spend
lock
alone
save
pact
run out

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

Buy Nothing Day is a great way of remainder / reminding yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most of us buy too much, too often. There is really no need for us to buy halve / half the stuff we purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or even nine-tenths. Shopping has become an addiction / addition for many people. Companies are experts / expertise at making us buy stuff. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really want. There is a well-known bumper sticker that says: “When the doing / going gets tough, the tough go shopping.” I would say only foolish people go shopping to low / reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic way to void / avoid crowded stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely / wisdom.

Lots of ideas / ideal on how to spend this day are on the www.buynothingday.org website. Here, you learn what / that you actually help save our planet by not going shopping. You consume less and this means we abusing / use fewer of Earth’s resources. We easily run out of money when we go shopping, but we can also run in / out of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website suggests you lock your credit card away for the day and give / keep your cash under the bed. You will not be / do alone. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] against consumerism. People around the world will make a packed / pact to take a break from shopping as a personal / personalize experiment or public statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Buy Nothing Day is a great way of (1) ____ yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most of us buy too much, too often. There is really no need for us to buy (2) ____ the stuff we purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or even nine-(3) ____. Shopping has become an addiction for many people. Companies are (4) ____ at making us buy stuff. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really want. There is a well-known bumper sticker that says: “When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.” I would say only (5) ____ people go shopping to reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic way to avoid (6) ____ stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely.

Lots of (7) ____ on how to spend this day are on the www.buynothingday.org website. Here, you learn that you actually help save our planet by not going shopping. You (8) ____ less and this means we use fewer of Earth’s resources. We easily run out of money when we go shopping, but we can also run out of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website (9) ____ you lock your credit card away for the day and keep your cash under the bed. You will not be alone. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] (10) ____ consumerism. People around the world will make a pact to take a break (11) ____ shopping as a personal experiment or (12) ____ statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	remind	(b)	remainder	(c)	reminds	(d)	reminding
2.	(a)	half	(b)	halve	(c)	halves	(d)	halved
3.	(a)	tens	(b)	tents	(c)	tenths	(d)	tenth
4.	(a)	expertise	(b)	experts	(c)	expertly	(d)	expert
5.	(a)	fools	(b)	fool	(c)	foolishly	(d)	foolish
6.	(a)	crowded	(b)	crowds	(c)	crowd	(d)	crowding
7.	(a)	ideas	(b)	idea	(c)	ideal	(d)	ideally
8.	(a)	presume	(b)	resume	(c)	consume	(d)	consommé
9.	(a)	suggested	(b)	suggestion	(c)	suggestive	(d)	suggests
10.	(a)	anti	(b)	back	(c)	against	(d)	into
11.	(a)	at	(b)	from	(c)	to	(d)	over
12.	(a)	publically	(b)	public	(c)	publicize	(d)	publicity

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	ingrdeimn yourself
2.	the stuff we eahscrup
3.	become an tdndiioa
4.	bumper esitcrk
5.	sfihloo people
6.	spend time slyewi
Paragraph 2
7.	Lots of eiads
8.	eucsmno less
9.	Earth’s eosurercs
10.	riectd card
11.	take a ebkar
12.	uclpbi statement

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	purchase. In fact, make that three-quarters, or even nine-tenths. Shopping has become an addiction for many
( 1 )	Buy Nothing Day is a great way of reminding yourself you don’t need to go shopping. In today’s world, most
( )	website. Here, you learn that you actually help save our planet by not going shopping. You consume less and this means
( )	people. Companies are experts at making us buy stuff. TV and Internet ads can even make us buy things we don’t really
( )	or public statement. And the best thing is, it’s free."
( )	alone. The website says: “Buy Nothing Day is the biggest 24-hour [campaign] against consumerism. People around
( )	shopping.” I would say only foolish people go shopping to reduce their stress. Anyway, Buy Nothing Day is a fantastic
( )	you lock your credit card away for the day and keep your cash under the bed. You will not be
( )	way to avoid crowded stores, save some money (for once) and spend time wisely.
( )	we use fewer of Earth’s resources. We easily run out of money when we go shopping, but we can also run out of our planet’s animals, forests, water and a lot more. The website suggests
( )	want. There is a well-known bumper sticker that says: “When the going gets tough, the tough go
( )	of us buy too much, too often. There is really no need for us to buy half the stuff we
( )	the world will make a pact to take a break from shopping as a personal experiment
( )	Lots of ideas on how to spend this day are on the www.buynothingday.org

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	need go don’t to shopping You.
2.	often of too too Most buy , us much.
3.	people an addiction Shopping for has many become.
4.	we Make don’t us really buy want things.
5.	stress foolish shopping their Only go reduce people to.
6.	on spend ideas to day of how this Lots.
7.	by Help not save going our shopping planet.
8.	money when we go shopping We easily run out of.
9.	credit suggests your away website lock card The you.
10.	break as experiment a shopping personal Take from a.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE BUY NOTHING DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about Buy Nothing Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Buy Nothing Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 Buy Nothing Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Buy Nothing 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 Buy Nothing Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.