Lesson Plan - Global From Macmillan Education

Charity begins at home
In the past month, have you donated money to an organisation? Have you volunteered time
to a charitable organisation? Have you helped a stranger, or someone you don’t know who
needed help?
These are the three questions that were asked in a survey of charitable behaviour around the
world, organised by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). The results of the survey were
published at the beginning of September. They revealed that 20% of the world’s population
had volunteered time in the previous month, 30% had given money to charity, and 45% had
helped a stranger.
The survey was based on data collected from 153 countries representing around 95% of the
world’s population. In most of the countries, 1,000 questionnaires were completed by a
representative sample of the population aged 16 or over. CAF created a ‘World Giving Index’
to find out which countries were the most charitable. Australia and New Zealand turned out to
be the most ‘giving’ countries in the world, followed by Canada, Ireland, Switzerland and the
USA.
Although rich countries were at the top of the list, around half of the top 20 places were
occupied by developing nations including Guinea and Turkmenistan.
The data also showed that as we get older, we are more likely to give. In most countries,
people over 50 are least likely to help a stranger. Men are more likely to help a stranger than
women and more likely to volunteer. Women, however, are slightly more likely than men to
give money (30% versus 29%).
The interviewees were also asked to imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the
bottom to 10 at the top, with 0 representing the worst possible life and 10 the best. They were
then asked to place themselves on the step of the ladder that reflected the way they felt about
their life at the moment.
The results showed that the link between the giving of money and happiness is stronger than
the link between giving and wealth. This means that a person is more likely to give to charity if
they live in a country where people are generally happy, than if they live in an affluent country.
And, of course, giving can make us even happier.
1 Before you read, complete the sentences with the words in the box.
aid charitable charity donate volunteer affluent wealth
1 ‘__________ begins at home’ is a saying that means you should look after yourself and
your own family before helping other people.
2 When you give money to a charity, you __________ it.
3 If you __________ to do some work then you don’t expect to get paid.
4 If you do __________ work then you are helping other people.
5 __________ is money, food, or other help that an organization gives to a country or area
where people need it.
6 An __________ person has a lot of money but __________ doesn’t always bring
happiness.
2 Read the article and answer the questions.

1 Which charitable organisation produced the survey?
2 What is the ‘World Giving Index’?
3 What did the interviewees have to imagine?
This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com 1

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2010.
3 Read the article and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F). Circle
the correct answer and correct the false statements.
1 The survey’s findings give a near-accurate picture of global attitudes. T/F
2 According to the survey, more people had given money to charity than had T/F
helped a stranger.
3 The most generous countries in the world are Australia and New Zealand. T/F
4 The older we are, the more likely we are to help a stranger. T/F
5 Women are less likely to help a stranger than men. T/F
6 People with more money are more likely to give to charity. T/F
4 Choose the correct verb to complete the sentences and write them in the passive
form. Then check your answers by reading the article.
ask base complete follow occupy publish
1 The interviewees __________ three questions.

2 The results of the survey __________ at the beginning of September.
3 The survey __________ on data collected from 153 countries.
4 1,000 questionnaires __________ in most countries.
5 In the list of charitable countries, Australia and New Zealand __________ by Ireland.
6 Around half of the top 20 places __________ by developing nations.
5 Match the sentence halves.

1 Definitions of charity ... _____
2 Something that people consider charitable in one country ... _____
3 Helping members of the family ... _____
4 Supporting an established charity ... _____
a is a more common view of charitable behaviour in others.

b is considered to be a charitable act in a number of places.
c can be viewed as a normal part of everyday life in another.
d vary around the world.
6 Answer these questions in your own words.

1 Is helping the family considered charitable in your country?
2 How do you think people in your country would answer the questions in the survey?
3 Where do you think your country is positioned in the World Giving Index of 153 countries?
4 How would you answer if you were being asked the questions today?
Glossary
affluent (adjective) – rich enough to buy things for pleasure

behaviour (noun) – the way that someone behaves
ladder (noun) – a piece of equipment for reaching high places
representative (adjective) – typical of people or things in a particular group
sample (noun) – a group of people who are used for getting information about a larger group
or about the whole population
tend (verb) – to usually do a particular thing
turn out (verb) –to develop in a particular way, or to have a particular result
This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com 2

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2010.

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Charity begins at home

2 Read the article and answer the questions.

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com 1

1 The interviewees __________ three questions.

5 Match the sentence halves.

a is a more common view of charitable behaviour in others.

6 Answer these questions in your own words.

affluent (adjective) – rich enough to buy things for pleasure

This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanglobal.com 2

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