Why read this: This short news piece tells students about a real social problem in the UK: nearly one million young people are not working or studying. The story uses comparisons with other European countries, so students see how data can support an argument. Because the topic is youth, school, and jobs, it sits close to students' own lives, which helps them connect with the article and form their own opinions about it.
What to notice: Watch for the four causes the report names: poor youth health, weak job-skills training, a benefits system that asks little of young people, and a hard job market. Notice how the article uses numbers and country comparisons to make its point. The word "Neet" is the central idea, so make sure students understand it before they read the rest. The article also signals one inference for them with the phrase "in other words", which helps them see how a writer can summarise a comparison.
Skills practised: Students practise reading short, clear paragraphs with supported vocabulary; finding key facts; following a simple cause-and-effect chain across paragraphs; and using country comparisons to draw a fair conclusion. The open questions ask them to explain a cause and to compare two countries, which builds the writing skills they will need at B2.
UK Has Third-Highest Rate of Young People Out of Work or Study in Wealthy Europe
A new report says nearly one million young Britons are not working or studying. Mental health, weak job training, and a tough job market all play a part.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Nearly one million young people in the UK are not workingwork: [General Physics] The product of force and distance moved in the direction of force — 功, not studying, and not in any job training. That is the highest number in over ten years. A new report says the UK now has the third worst rate among wealthywealthy: Possessing financial wealth; rich — 富裕的；有钱的 countries in Europe.
Researchers use a special name for these young adults aged 16 to 24. They call them Neets, which is short for "not in educationeducation: The process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment. — 教育；教育过程, employmentemployment: The state of having a paid job, or work in general. — 就业；雇用 or training". The number of Neets in the UK has grown sharplysharply: In a sharp manner — 尖锐地 over the lastlast: Most recent — 最近的 few years. Out of 22 European countries studied, only Italy and Lithuania had a higher Neet rate than the UK. The British rate was higher than in Germany and Denmark, and more than three times the rate in the Netherlands. In other words, a young person in the UK is much more likely to be out of work and study. In many similarsimilar: [Geometry & Trigonometry] Same shape but possibly different size — 相似的 countries, the picture is much better.
The report was written by the Resolution Foundation, a research groupgroup: A column in the periodic table of chemical elements — (周期表)族 that studies UK policypolicy: A set of rules or a plan of action agreed by a government or organization — 政策；方针. It names four main reasons why the UK is falling behind other countries. First, young people are reporting more health problems than before. Second, programmes that teach practicalpractical: Relating to real situations and actions rather than ideas or imagination; useful. — 实际的；实用的 job skills, called vocational education: school or college training that teaches practical job skills, like fixing cars, computer work, or care work, instead of academic university subjects — 职业教育, are too weak. Third, the system that pays cash to people without work does not push young adults to find jobs or training. Fourth, it has become harder to get hiredhire: To employ; to obtain the services of (a person) in exchange for remuneration; to give someone a job — 雇用；聘请 in recent years.
Health problems are the biggest single cause of the recent rise. Most cases involve mental health: how a person feels in their mind and emotions; also used to talk about problems like anxiety or depression — 心理健康, which means a person's emotionalemotional: Relating to or arousing the emotions; having feelings that are easily excited. — 情感的；情绪化的 and psychologicalpsychological: Relating to the mind or mental processes; affecting or arising from the mind. — 心理的；精神的 wellbeingwellbeing: A state of health, happiness and/or prosperity — 幸福；健康；安康. Many young people now report anxietyanxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. — 焦虑；忧虑, depressiondepression: A mental condition characterised by severe feelings of hopelessness; a period of economic decline. — 抑郁症；经济萧条, and other conditions that make school or work feel impossible. Doctors and teachers say the pandemicpandemic: Of a disease: epidemic over a wide geographical area and affecting a large proportion of the population; also, of or pertaining to a disease of this nature — （疾病）大范围流行的；普遍的 years made the trendtrend: a general direction in which something is developing or changing — 趋势；潮流 worse, and waiting lists for support are still longlong: Lasting for a great amount of time — 长久的. Lindsay Judge leadslead: to go in front of people or vehicles, guiding them — 带领 research at the Resolution Foundation. She said the UK's benefits system: the government programme that pays money to people who do not have a job or enough income to live on — 福利金制度 asks too little of young people and gives them too little support in return.
Why does the Netherlands do so much better? Judge says the Dutch government investsinvest: to put money into something with the hope of making a profit — 投资 more in mental health support and in vocational education for young people. The Dutch system also expects young adults to engageengage: To participate or become involved in; to attract and hold attention. — 参与；吸引 with services that help them plan their next step. This means closer contactcontact: Communication with someone, or a person you know who may be able to help you — 联系；联络；联系人 between case workers and young people, and clearer pathspath: A trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians — 小路 from school into work or training. Fixing the UK problem, she said, will take a serious rethinkrethink: The act of thinking again about something — 重新思考；反思 of how the country supports its young adults. Without real change, the gap between Britain and its neighbours is likely to grow.
Nearly one million young people in the UK are not workingwork: [General Physics] The product of force and distance moved in the direction of force — 功, not studying, and not in any job training. That is the highest number in over ten years. A new report says the UK now has the third worst rate among wealthywealthy: Possessing financial wealth; rich — 富裕的；有钱的 countries in Europe.
Researchers use a special name for these young adults aged 16 to 24. They call them Neets, which is short for "not in educationeducation: The process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgment. — 教育；教育过程, employmentemployment: The state of having a paid job, or work in general. — 就业；雇用 or training". The number of Neets in the UK has grown sharplysharply: In a sharp manner — 尖锐地 over the lastlast: Most recent — 最近的 few years. Out of 22 European countries studied, only Italy and Lithuania had a higher Neet rate than the UK. The British rate was higher than in Germany and Denmark, and more than three times the rate in the Netherlands. In other words, a young person in the UK is much more likely to be out of work and study. In many similarsimilar: [Geometry & Trigonometry] Same shape but possibly different size — 相似的 countries, the picture is much better.
The report was written by the Resolution Foundation, a research groupgroup: A column in the periodic table of chemical elements — (周期表)族 that studies UK policypolicy: A set of rules or a plan of action agreed by a government or organization — 政策；方针. It names four main reasons why the UK is falling behind other countries. First, young people are reporting more health problems than before. Second, programmes that teach practicalpractical: Relating to real situations and actions rather than ideas or imagination; useful. — 实际的；实用的 job skills, called vocational education: school or college training that teaches practical job skills, like fixing cars, computer work, or care work, instead of academic university subjects — 职业教育, are too weak. Third, the system that pays cash to people without work does not push young adults to find jobs or training. Fourth, it has become harder to get hiredhire: To employ; to obtain the services of (a person) in exchange for remuneration; to give someone a job — 雇用；聘请 in recent years.
Health problems are the biggest single cause of the recent rise. Most cases involve mental health: how a person feels in their mind and emotions; also used to talk about problems like anxiety or depression — 心理健康, which means a person's emotionalemotional: Relating to or arousing the emotions; having feelings that are easily excited. — 情感的；情绪化的 and psychologicalpsychological: Relating to the mind or mental processes; affecting or arising from the mind. — 心理的；精神的 wellbeingwellbeing: A state of health, happiness and/or prosperity — 幸福；健康；安康. Many young people now report anxietyanxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. — 焦虑；忧虑, depressiondepression: A mental condition characterised by severe feelings of hopelessness; a period of economic decline. — 抑郁症；经济萧条, and other conditions that make school or work feel impossible. Doctors and teachers say the pandemicpandemic: Of a disease: epidemic over a wide geographical area and affecting a large proportion of the population; also, of or pertaining to a disease of this nature — （疾病）大范围流行的；普遍的 years made the trendtrend: a general direction in which something is developing or changing — 趋势；潮流 worse, and waiting lists for support are still longlong: Lasting for a great amount of time — 长久的. Lindsay Judge leadslead: to go in front of people or vehicles, guiding them — 带领 research at the Resolution Foundation. She said the UK's benefits system: the government programme that pays money to people who do not have a job or enough income to live on — 福利金制度 asks too little of young people and gives them too little support in return.
Why does the Netherlands do so much better? Judge says the Dutch government investsinvest: to put money into something with the hope of making a profit — 投资 more in mental health support and in vocational education for young people. The Dutch system also expects young adults to engageengage: To participate or become involved in; to attract and hold attention. — 参与；吸引 with services that help them plan their next step. This means closer contactcontact: Communication with someone, or a person you know who may be able to help you — 联系；联络；联系人 between case workers and young people, and clearer pathspath: A trail for the use of, or worn by, pedestrians — 小路 from school into work or training. Fixing the UK problem, she said, will take a serious rethinkrethink: The act of thinking again about something — 重新思考；反思 of how the country supports its young adults. Without real change, the gap between Britain and its neighbours is likely to grow.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does the word Neet stand for in the article?
- 02
About how many young people in the UK are now Neets, according to the report?
- 03
Why does the article most likely talk about the Netherlands?
- 04
Explain why the report names mental health as a major cause of the rise in Neets in the UK. Use details from the article in your answer.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare what the report says about the UK and the Netherlands. Why does the Netherlands have a much lower Neet rate?
Suggested length: ~70 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does the word Neet stand for in the article?
- 02
About how many young people in the UK are now Neets, according to the report?
- 03
Why does the article most likely talk about the Netherlands?
- 04
Explain why the report names mental health as a major cause of the rise in Neets in the UK. Use details from the article in your answer.
Suggested length: ~70 words
- 05
Compare what the report says about the UK and the Netherlands. Why does the Netherlands have a much lower Neet rate?
Suggested length: ~70 words