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Are You a Shopaholic?
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/ 19- Details
- Parent Category: Lower-Intermediate News Lessons
- Category: Health Lessons
- Written by Chris Cotter
Some people love shopping. These people buy on impulse, which means they don't think about the cost or the need. Some of these people have huge amounts of credit card debt as a result. If this sounds like you, then you may be a shopaholic.
A recent test revealed that 9% of people are shopaholics, which is an increase from a similar test conducted fifteen years ago. The data also shows that men are just as likely to be shopaholics as women. The test consisted of six statements, and people answered on a 7-point scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree). Some statements included:
- Much of my life centers around buying things.
- I buy things I didn't plan to buy.
- Others might consider me a shopaholic.
People who are shopaholics often have financial problems like an empty bank account and maxed out credit cards. Yet these unneeded and unwanted purchases may be the sign of more serious problems, such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. In addition, relationships and family harmony can also worsen because of arguments about the purchases. This is a problem that affects all levels of society.
Researchers suggest that shopaholics felt better when they were shopping, even when they knew and understood about the problems it caused.
Preview some of the lesson material:
Warm Up: Do you agree or disagree? Why?
- I love to go shopping.
- I often buy things that I don't really need.
- I often buy things that I didn't plan to buy.
- My friends would consider me a shopaholic.
- I have recently made a large purchase.
True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false. If false, correct the sentence.
- According to the article, shopaholics are people who can't stop shopping.
- Less people suffer from this shopping problem than in the past.
- According to the article, more women than man are shopaholics.
- Shopaholics have other problems like from anxiety and low self-esteem.
- Both rich people and poor people might be shopaholics.
post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
- What are your shopping habits? Please explain.
- Based on the information in the article, would you consider yourself a shopaholic?
- Do you agree that women and men suffer from the problem equally? Why/not?
- Why do you think the number of shopaholics has increased? Please explain.
- What solutions are there for people who are shopaholics? How can they be helped?
Google Search: Type "shopaholic" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.
