Rich and Poor People Spend Differently on Gas

Introduction

A bank in New York has new data. Gas prices are going up. This is a big problem for poor people.

Main Body

Gas prices went up 25% in March because of a war. Poor families spend more money but buy less gas. They used 7% less gas. Rich families are different. They spend more money but they still buy almost the same amount of gas. They only used 1% less gas. In 2022, the government gave money to poor people. Now, the government does not give money. This makes life harder for poor families. Experts say you can save money. Fix your car well. Drive less. Use special gas cards for discounts.

Conclusion

Rich people and poor people have a big gap. High gas prices hurt poor people more.

Learning

💡 The 'Comparison' Tool

In this text, we see two groups: Rich families and Poor families. To reach A2, you need to show how things are different using simple words.

1. The Magic Word: "Different" When two things are not the same, use different. → Rich families are different.

2. Comparing Amounts (More vs. Less) Look at these patterns from the story:

  • More →\rightarrow A larger amount. (Example: Spend more money)
  • Less →\rightarrow A smaller amount. (Example: Buy less gas)

3. Contrast Shortcut Use the word BUT to connect two opposite ideas in one sentence. It is the fastest way to sound like an A2 speaker.

  • Poor families spend more money →\rightarrow BUT →\rightarrow they buy less gas.
  • Rich families spend more money →\rightarrow BUT →\rightarrow they buy the same amount.

Quick Summary: extRicheqextPoor ext{Rich} eq ext{Poor} →\rightarrow Use Different / But / More / Less.

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
the group of people who make rules for a country
Example:The government will announce new rules next week.
money (n.)
things you can use to buy goods or services
Example:I need to find money to buy a book.
save (v.)
to keep something so you can use it later
Example:You can save money by buying in bulk.
fix (v.)
to repair something that is broken
Example:Please fix the car before the trip.
drive (v.)
to operate a car or other vehicle
Example:We will drive to the store after lunch.
use (v.)
to employ something for a purpose
Example:You can use a card to pay for groceries.
special (adj.)
different from ordinary; unique or special
Example:She has a special talent for singing.
discount (n.)
a smaller price that you pay for something
Example:The shop offers a discount on all items.
gap (n.)
an empty space or difference between two things
Example:There is a gap between the two buildings.
hurt (v.)
to cause pain or damage
Example:The cold wind can hurt your eyes.