Listening / Speaking

3. | GW. Listen to the information in "Do You Know .. ?" box and explain the process of paper money production to a friend.

DO YOU KNOW...?

Though credit and debit cards are more popular than ever, most people still carry around a few bills with them. Paper money is something we are all familiar with, but is it really made out of paper? Regular paper is made out of wood cellulose which is a product that comes from trees. Paper makers mix chemicals with the wood to break it down into cellulose fibers. Machines then press these fibers together and roll them into thin sheets to create the material we call paper. When paper gets wet, the cellulose fibers become very weak. This can cause most paper to completely fall apart* when it is wet.

Paper money is not made out of this material. Think about the last time you found a dollar in the pockets of pants that went through the washing machine. The dollar probably had wrinkles, but it didn’t completely fall apart because it got wet. Money is not made from the same paper that you write on. It is made out of something called “rag paper*”. Rag paper is a mixture of 75% cotton and 25% linen. Cotton and linen fibers do not become weak when they get wet. They are much stronger than cellulose fibers. Unlike regular paper, money can be folded many times without causing serious damage to the bill. The material that money is made out of is much stronger and much more durable than regular paper.

4. | CW. Give your opinion to the statements with "Money" using the words from "Remember" box.

1. All I want is to have enough money to enjoy life.
2. Money is very important to me. I’d like to earn as much as possible.
3. I would be happy to have less money and fewer possessions.

| Common Verbs with the word “Money”
spend on something get cash for charge for borrow from save up for something put away into | pay for something go into debt lend to waste on something add up keep track of

*fall apart - collapse, fall to pieces
*rag paper - paper made from cotton