Page 120 - Grasp English C1+ (Student Book)

8 Money Issues

Writing

A. Discuss with a partner.
1. What methods of payment are most commonly used in your country?

2. How much do the methods of payment vary between different age groups?

B. Complete the text with the words from the boxes.

comparative size data percentage reasons

Pie charts are useful to see the 1 of people in each
category and give you a clear indication of the 2 of
each category. They are often accompanied by a formal report which
clarifies the 3 presented and may speculate as to
the 4 behind the results.

How do people prefer to pay in supermarkets?

A recent survey was carried out with a group of people aged 18 and over
to find out what their preferred methods of payment are. The group was
divided into three age ranges: 18–30, 31–59 and 60+ to analyse the habits
of people within each range. The specific category of on-site supermarket
shopping was chosen as it was decided that this is an area which all the
people surveyed could relate to.
Firstly, it is unsurprising that the preferred method of payment in the 60+
group was cash. Although there is a growing awareness of new technology,
as demonstrated by 8.4% who said they paid with their mobile phones,
many elderly people still prefer to use more traditional payment options.
Similarly, the fact that in both of the lower age groups this was the most
common form of payment highlights how new technologies are more
frequently being used in our society.
One aspect of the results which surprised us was the fact that more
people in the 18–30 age group used cash than in the next age range.
However, this could be due to the fact that they tend to spend less during
one trip, whereas people in the 31–59 age range may be more likely to
have families and make a bulk trip once a month or once every two
weeks.

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