Unit 9: English for Social Services

Aims and Objectives

In this unit you will learn and practise vocabulary related to social services.

You will practise the following skills and functions:

• distinguishing between past actions and the result of past actions in the present

The grammar focus of this unit is:

• Simple Past and Present Perfect

Vocabulary

	adopción
	subsidio/suplemento
	solicitud
	solicitante de asilo
	otorgado
	subsidio
	atención
	ayuda familiar
	reclamación
	comunidad
	contributivo
	consejos/apoyo
	centro de día
	personas a cargo
	invalidez
	desaventajado
	con derecho a
	casa de acogida
	salud
	seguro
	padre/madre soltero/a
	manutención
	estudio económico
	emigrante/inmigrante
	enfermera
	huérfano
	plan de pensiones
	cotización
	ocio
	rehabilitación
	residencia 3ª edad
	jubilación
	derechos
	salario
	plan
	servicios sociales
	asistente social
	ayuda
	solicitar
	evaluar
	otorgar
	reclamar
	subvencionar/financiar
	tener derecho a
	desempleo
	minusvalía visual
	trabajo voluntario
	sueldo
	bienestar
	viuda

Exercises

Section 1: Vocabulary Practice

Fill in the correct translation for each of the terms below.

1. reclamar [?]
2. residencia 3ª edad [?]
3. subvencionar/financiar [?]
4. atención [?]
5. manutención [?]
6. casa de acogida [?]
7. evaluar [?]
8. solicitar [?]
9. contributivo [?]
10. reclamación [?]
11. subsidio/suplemento [?]
12. plan de pensiones [?]
13. ayuda [?]
14. cotización [?]
15. solicitud [?]
16. bienestar [?]
17. comunidad [?]
18. sueldo [?]
19. tener derecho a [?]
20. solicitante de asilo [?]
21. desempleo [?]
22. otorgado [?]
23. derechos [?]
24. jubilación [?]
25. adopción [?]
26. salario [?]
27. padre/madre soltero/a [?]
28. ocio [?]
29. minusvalía visual [?]
30. asistente social [?]
31. salud [?]
32. trabajo voluntario [?]
33. emigrante/inmigrante [?]
34. estudio económico [?]
35. subsidio [?]
36. plan [?]
37. otorgar [?]
38. desaventajado [?]
39. servicios sociales [?]
40. con derecho a [?]
41. centro de día [?]
42. enfermera [?]
43. invalidez [?]
44. huérfano [?]
45. seguro [?]
46. viuda [?]
47. ayuda familiar [?]
48. consejos/apoyo [?]
49. personas a cargo [?]
50. rehabilitación [?]

Section 2: Listening Comprehension

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. At the moment Patrick is:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. What has Patrick done for the past two years?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. How long did he work in his last job?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. Did he pay social insurance contributions in the last job?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. Did he pay social insurance contributions in the previous jobs?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
6. What has Patrick come to find out about?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. What is Jacky's present situation?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. Why has the baby's father gone away?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. Which is correct?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. What does Jacky want to claim?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. What is the clerk going to do?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. The Blind Person's Pension is paid to:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. To qualify for the Pension you must have:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. The payment you receive:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. You will also receive:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. The Blind Welfare Allowance is:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. How much is the Blind Pension rate for people under 66?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. The increase per week for a dependent child is:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. Over the age of 66 the rate:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. Do you still get an increase for a dependent child if you are over 80?

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Chose the correct answer.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. Since her husband died Annie has been:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. Carol will no longer be able to care for her mother because :

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. Payment for the home will be covered by:

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]

Section 3: General Comprehension

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. There are different kinds of benefits and allowances.

   
   
   

   [?]
2. Unemployment benefit and unemployment allowance are not the same thing.

   
   
   

   [?]
3. Unemployment benefit is for people who have paid insurance contributions.

   
   
   

   [?]
4. A prison allowance is paid to people in prison.

   
   
   

   [?]
5. You can get child support even if you aren't married.

   
   
   

   [?]
6. The visually impaired need an eye test to get a Blind Person's Pension.

   
   
   

   [?]
7. A woman whose husband has died is usually entitled to a widow's pension.

   
   
   

   [?]
8. The cost of living in a residential home is always covered by the State.

   
   
   

   [?]
9. Some old people need more care and nursing than others.

   
   
   

   [?]

Speaking Practice. Complete the sentences you hear, using the example as a model.

Press Play to listen to the instructions:

Section 4: Grammar Practice

In this exercise, respond to a statement in the Present Perfect with a question beginning with `When ..' in the Simple Past.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. I've applied for a pension.
   B. [?]
2. A. My mother has gone into a residential home.
   B. [?]
3. A. Jacky has had a baby.
   B. [?]
4. A. I've received an increase.
   B. [?]
5. A. My wife has got a new job
   B. [?]
6. A. John has taken an eye test.
   B. [?]

In this exercise, respond to a question in the Present Perfect with an answer in the Simple Past, using `last week'.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. I've found my travel pass.
   B. [?]
2. A. My mother has gone into a residential home.
   B. [?]
3. A. Jacky has had a baby.
   B. [?]
4. A. I've lost my pension book.
   B. [?]
5. A. My husband has got a new job
   B. [?]
6. A. John has taken an eye test.
   B. [?]

In this exercise, respond to a question in the Present Perfect with an answer in the Simple Past, using `last week'.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. Have you applied for benefit yet?
   B. [?]
2. A. Has your mother gone into a residential home yet?
   B. [?]
3. A. Has Jacky had her baby yet?
   B. [?]
4. A. Have you received an increase yet?
   B. [?]
5. A. Has your wife got a new job yet?
   B. [?]
6. A. Has John taken an eye test yet?
   B. [?]

In this exercise, you will hear a question in the Present Perfect. Answer in the affirmative using the Present Perfect and `already'. Be careful with the position of `already'!

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. Have you received the money yet?
   B. [?]
2. A. Have you filled in the form yet?
   B. [?]
3. A. Have you been to the unemployment office yet?
   B. [?]
4. A. Has your mother gone into a residential home yet?
   B. [?]
5. A. Has George found his pension book yet?
   B. [?]
6. A. Have you finished yet?
   B. [?]

In this exercise, you will hear a question in the Present Perfect. Answer in the negative using the Present Perfect and `yet'.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

Example:

1. A. Have you received the money yet?
   B. [?]
2. A. Have you filled in the form yet?
   B. [?]
3. A. Have you been to the unemployment office yet?
   B. [?]
4. A. Has your mother gone into a residential home yet?
   B. [?]
5. A. Has George found his pension book yet?
   B. [?]
6. A. Have you finished yet?
   B. [?]

Chose the correct answer.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
2. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
3. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
4. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
5. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]
6. a. 
   b. 
   

   [?]

Section 5: Consolidation

For each of the statements below, choose True or False.

Recording: show transcript

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. The Social Welfare Department is responsible for a number of schemes.

   
   
   

   [?]
2. Child Benefit depends on Social Insurance contributions.

   
   
   

   [?]
3. Social assistance payments are paid for by State funding.

   
   
   

   [?]
4. Social Insurance contributions are related to wages or salary.

   
   
   

   [?]
5. If you pay Social Insurance you are entitled to Unemployment Benefit.

   
   
   

   [?]
6. A claimant must satisfy a means test to qualify for Social Assistance.

   
   
   

   [?]
7. Lone Parents receive a Social Assistance Allowance.

   
   
   

   [?]
8. Child Benefit is paid only to families with a low income.

   
   
   

   [?]
9. A means test decides how much Social Assistance you can receive.

   
   
   

   [?]
10. Social Assistance schemes are financed entirely by the State.

    
    
    

    [?]

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the > key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording: show transcript

[?]

Listen to the recording carefully and then fill in the gaps in the text below using the same words.

Recording:

[?] Social Welfare Department is responsible [?] a number of social insurance and social assistance schemes, including unemployment, illness, maternity, caring, widowhood, retirement and old age. Payments are generally divided [?] three groups: Firstly, contributory payments [?] made on the basis [?] Social Insurance contributions related to the wages or salary a worker receives. Secondly, Social Assistance (or non-contributory) payments are made on the basis of a means test. Thirdly, payments [?] as Child Benefit or Free Travel do not depend on a [?] test or on Social Insurance contributions related to wages or salary.

Payments made [?] the social insurance system are funded by contributions from employers and employees. [?] deficit is met by State subsidy. Entitlement to social insurance benefits depends on the person claiming (the claimant) having paid a certain number of contributions in a specific period of time. On the [?] hand, social assistance payments do not depend on contributions made by the claimant, and are paid for by State funding.

Choose the correct option to fill the gaps in the following sentences.

This exercise can be also done purely aurally/orally:

1. If you are unemployed , you can ____ unemployment benefit.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
2. To apply for an allowance you must ____ an application form.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
3. Carol will no longer be able to ____ her mother.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
4. They haven't chosen a home ____ .

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
5. The payment you receive is ____ of a personal rate for you and a payment for your dependants.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
6. The child's father has been sent to prison ____ two years.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
7. Social Assistance is paid only to families with a ____ income.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
8. The social insurance system is funded by ____from employers and employees.

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
9. Any deficit is met by State ____ .

   a. 
   b. 
   c. 
   

   [?]
10. With a Travel Pass you can travel on State public transport for ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
11. Workers receive ____ for their work.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
12. ____ parents receive a Social Assistance Allowance.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
13. Carol has accepted a new ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
14. Fill in an application form so that we can ____ your situation..

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
15. Have you been employed in the____ year?

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
16. What do you ____ , 'he's gone away'?

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
17. Nice ____ guy!

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
18. Payments are generally ____ into three groups.

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
19. The last company I worked for has closed ____ .

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]
20. Certain people with ____ vision may also qualify

    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    

    [?]

Checklist

Use the following list to check whether you have obtained full benefit from this unit. You should be able to:

• distinguish between past actions and the result of past actions in the present

You should also have greater skill and confidence in the use of:

• Simple Past
• Present Perfect