Warm-Up Video
Watch this talk about what the world's oldest people have in common.
Reflection Questions
- What age do you think is "old"? Has your answer changed over time?
- How has the relationship between older and younger generations changed in your country?
- At what age would you ideally like to retire? What would you do with your time?
- Do you think society treats elderly people with enough respect?
Exercise 1 · Reading Gap-Fill
Western societies are getting older. People are living longer and choosing to later in life. Governments face growing pressure to fund systems as more people reach old age. The gap — differences in values between young and old — is growing. Discrimination based on age is called . Taking care of the is one of the major social challenges of this century.
Exercise 2 · Vocabulary
Exercise 3 · Common Expressions
over the _____ (past your best, too old for something)
long in the _____ (old and experienced)
act your _____ (behave like an adult, not like a child)
you're only as old as you _____ (age is a state of mind)
a generation _____ (a difference in attitudes between generations)
Exercise 4 · Grammar Focus
Complete each sentence with the correct used to form.
(Hint: "used to + infinitive" for past habits/states; negative: "didn't use to"; question: "Did you use to...?")
People _____ retire at 60, but now many work into their 70s.
My grandfather _____ walk 10km to school every day as a child.
There _____ so many old people in the population. It's a new challenge.
_____ you _____ respect your elders more when you were young?