Read the text. Answer the questions. You can give short answers.Money

Read the text. Answer the questions. You can give short answers.

Money today

When I was young, I got 50p a week pocket money from my parents. Thats about fifty-eight cents

today. To get this money I had to help my parents in the house. I usually spent some of my money on

sweets but I also saved some. When I was sixteen, I got a part-time job. It was what you did in those

days. I worked 13.5 hours a week in a local shop and loved it.

Today, many of my friends give their children ten euros a week pocket money. This is not to spend on

big things like mobile phones but for new CDs, going out and daily life. Their children have TVs and

computers in their bedrooms and always want money to follow the latest fashion. Although their

parents wages might not go up much each year, pocket money always does.

As a society, are we spending more and why? Some people think we are richer now, others think the

products we buy are cheaper and we buy more of them. Im not sure. I never had a computer as a child,

but now, most children I know have one. A computer is necessary for school and modern life in the

same way that mobile phones and MP3s are.

But, are we really richer now? We may earn more money but we spend a lot more too and generally,

things cost more, especially large electrical products. Perhaps its because we follow fashion more and

dont want to wait and save. Its good to have the latest new products. My parents had to wait until they

had enough money to buy something new.

My parents also never spent money they didnt have. Perhaps this is the biggest difference with money

these days. It doesnt have to be cash. We dont have to have the money at this moment, either in the

bank or our pocket. Today many people live on credit and use credit cards. Its a spend now and pay

later society.

29. What did the writer do with his/her pocket money?

30. What does the writer say children spend their pocket money on?

31. What do most children have now, which the author didnt have?

32. What did the writers parents have to do when they wanted to buy something?

33. How do people often pay for things these days?

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