HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

LEGAL ENGLISH · SPECIAL REPORT · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S
NEW APPROACH
TO
HOMELESSNESS
QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
1G11-H1L9-652

1 Warm up
Look at the pictures below. What do you think ‘home’ means to the people in each photo? What
does it mean to you? Do you know anybody who owns more than one house? Have you ever met
someone who used to be homeless? Discuss the questions in pairs.

picture A picture B

picture C picture D

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

2 Pre-listening task: general and job vocabulary

Part A: Match words with the correct definitions.

Group 1:

1. homelessness (n) a. a district that elects its own representative to parliament

2. residence (n) b. a thing, person or situation that is annoying or causes trouble or

problems
3. constituency (n) c. choose to take or not to take a particular course of action

4. novel (adj.) d. the state of having no home

5. nuisance (n) e. different from anything known before; new, interesting and often
seeming slightly strange
6. skyrocket (v) f. a building where someone lives

7. opt (v) g. describing someone or something that has been chosen for a
particular purpose or duty
8. designated (adj.) h. (of prices, etc.) rise quickly to a very high level

Group 2:

1. proponent (n) a. a business, building, etc. that appears very suddenly and is often
designed to only use that location for a short period of time
2. municipality (n) b. a town, city or district with its own local government

3. pop-up (adj.) c. a group of tents, huts, etc. where people live together, usually for
only a short period of time
4. constituent (n) d. a building, an object, etc. that is unpleasant to look at

5. outreach (n) e. the activity of an organisation that provides a service or advice to

people in the community, especially those who cannot or are
unlikely to come to an office, a hospital, etc. for help
6. eyesore (n) f. a person who lives in and can vote in a constituency

7. criminalisation (n) g. a person who supports an idea or course of action

8. encampment (n) h. the act or process of making something illegal

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

Part B: Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. Are there any homeless encampments in your city?

2. Why do you think some countries have discussed the criminalisation of homelessness?

3. Do local politicians usually listen to their constituents in your hometown?

4. Do you think outreach programmes are usually a good or bad idea?

5. Are rents skyrocketing in your hometown? If so, do you think they will decrease at some point?

3 Watching the report

Watch the report. Tick the items you hear mentioned.

city town

crisis home

park laws

shelters police

residents policy

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

4 Watching comprehension

For each question, select the answer that most accurately reflects the information given in the report.
Watch the report again to check your answers.

1. What is the name of the Canadian city mentioned in the report?

a. Toronto b. Halifax c. Hereford

2. How many encampments have been cleared in California since 2021?

a. over a thousand

b. over twelve hundred

c. over twelve thousand

3. When did the US Supreme Court rule that cities can fine and arrest homeless people?

a. May 2024 b. June 2024 c. July 2024

4. According to UN-Habitat, how many houses will the world need to build per day?

a. 19,000 b. 90 c. 96,000

5. What are some residents afraid of?

a. housing becoming more expensive

b. an increase in crime and drug use

c. an increase in pollution and waste

6. Who is Max Chavin?

a. a resident unhappy with the city’s policy on homelessness

b. a local businessman

c. director of housing and homelessness in the city

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

5 Pre-reading task: property and homelessness vocabulary

You are going to read an article titled "Life on the streets" in which four individuals share their experiences
with homelessness. Scan the text quickly and find words that match the synonyms and definitions
below in each paragraph.

1. (adj., para. 1): very poor

2. (n, para. 1): the fact of being willing to give somebody money, gifts or time
freely
3. (n, para. 1): a person who has no home and sleeps outside, especially on the
streets of a town or city
4. (v, para. 2): taken by force or authority

5. (adj., para. 3): posh

6. (n, para. 3): the process of improving an area of a town or city so that it
attracts people of a higher social class than before
7. (v, para. 4): stop developing or making progress

8. (n, para. 4): a process in which you buy a small house and then sell it to buy
a bigger house when you have more money

Life on the streets

Four individuals share their opinions and experiences

1. Barney, 28

I lived on the streets for three years. I had a decent upbringing, went to university and found employment at a
bank, but a run of bad luck and a few mistakes left me penniless. At first, I stayed with friends, but their generosity
had limits. I remember my first night of homelessness clearly. I made myself a bed out of sleeping bags in the
doorway of a bank – the same building I used to work in. Unfortunately, in my country, being homeless is illegal,
and the police were called. I was put in a cell for some hours and told I would be fined. The experience shook me,
and I lost faith in the system I had once been a part of. Now, I’m in a much healthier place. I share an apartment
with my girlfriend and work for a charity that helps rough sleepers.

2. June, 42

It can happen to any of us. I have friends in their forties who are one bad month away from being homeless.
Friends with full-time jobs and families to support. I think a lot of people assume that if you end up on the streets,
it’s somehow your fault or the result of some bad life choices. Well, that’s not the case. Our society is built on
a false sense of security. We believe that if we have a job, then that job is permanent. If we buy a house, we’ve
made it – we couldn’t possibly lose something we own. Property, though, can be seized for a number of reasons.
As an estate agent, I’ve seen houses come onto the market after passing to the bank. They become an asset,
rather than a home.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

3. Patrick, 37

Look, I don’t have anything against homeless people – I just don’t want them right outside my building. I bought
this apartment for my family ten years ago. It used to a be rather upmarket neighbourhood, but I suppose it’s
experienced a sort of reverse gentrification as everyone moves to bigger, more fashionable cities. Anyway, we
started noticing tents popping up next to the children’s playground last month. I don’t really want my kids to be
playing next to some strange adults, who may have all kinds of problems. Another neighbour said she found a
needle while walking her dog. I don’t want to be the one who calls the police, but somebody has to do something.

4. Narima, 21

Although I’m currently at university, I try to volunteer most weekends at the local homeless shelter. More and
more people are struggling, and each week I see fresh faces in the queue for food and aid. Although I’m keen
to give something back, my decision is partially motivated by fear. I’m worried that I might end up in the same
place one day. With rents steadily increasing and salaries stagnating, will I ever manage to climb onto the property
ladder? At the homeless shelter, I’ve struck up a few friendships among the staff and regulars alike, but there’s an
air of hopelessness about the place that is rather difficult to shake. We’re all worried about the future.

Sources: BBC, CBC News, The Guardian

6 Reading comprehension

Part A: Read the article again. Match statements with the correct speakers. One of the statements
can be matched to more than one speaker. One of the statements cannot be matched to any of the
speakers and should be marked ‘Not given’.

Barney Barney June Narima not given Patrick

1. They help homeless people. → and

2. They don’t want homeless people in their area. →

3. They are living on the streets at the moment. →

4. They used to be homeless. →

5. Their job involves the property market. →

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

Part B: For each question, choose the answer you believe best suits the speaker.

1. Why did Barney lose faith in the system?

a. because he was fired from his job for no reason

b. because he was arrested and fined for being homeless

c. because he used to work for a bank that took people’s homes when they ran out of money

2. How does June feel about homelessness?

a. she believes that anybody could become homeless

b. she thinks people become homeless because they have made mistakes

c. she thinks homeless people should be arrested

3. How does Patrick feel about his neighbourhood?

a. he feels safer in his neighbourhood than anywhere else

b. he thinks it is much nicer than it used to be

c. he thinks it isn’t as nice as it used to be

4. What has Narima noticed about the homeless shelter?

a. people are scared that the police might arrest them

b. people are very positive despite their circumstances

c. people seem to lack hope

7 Talking point

In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. Is it a good or bad idea to criminalise homelessness?

2. Should people be allowed to own more than one home? Why/why not?

3. If somebody misses a payment with their bank, should the bank be allowed to seize their house?

4. Are young people in your country struggling to get onto the property ladder? If so, why?

5. Do you think gentrification is to blame for homelessness? Why/why not?

6. Why might some homeless people be reluctant to stay in a shelter?

7. How would you feel if there was a homeless encampment next to your house or apartment?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 7/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CANADIAN CITY’S NEW APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS

8 Extended activity: essay and group discussion

Task A: Write an opinion essay on ONE of the topics below. Your essay should agree with or disagree
with the statement and should be between 260 – 320 words.

• The government should provide housing for every single

resident of the country.

• People shouldn’t have to pay tax on second or third homes.

Task B: You are part of a team that has been given the task of ending homelessness in your city.
Together, think of some ways you could achieve your goal. Will you build more shelters for homeless
people, or find permanent homes for them? If so, how will you afford to house them? Will you
criminalise homelessness? Discuss your ideas as a group before settling on a solution to present
to the class.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 8/8

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Profi School's lessons.