BeforeReading_abouttheauthorLindaWeltnerisaUSfreelancewriterandalsoapopularpublicspeakeronfamilylife.ShereceivedherBAdegreefromWellesleyCollege,andthenListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationAbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.attendedtheUniversityofMichiganin1960andHarvardDivinitySchoolin1977.SheisacolumnistforTheBostonGlobeandauthorofchildren’sbooks.Shewrotetheweeklycolumn,“EverSoHumble”,intheAtHomesectionofTheBostonGlobefornineteenyears.ShewasawardedtheBestColumnistAwardbytheNewEnglandWomen’sPressAssociation,andgiventheGoldAwardfromNationalMatureMediaAwards2000forbestfeatureinamagazine.Sheco-authoredthebookTheChallengeofChildhoodDiabetes:FamilyStrategiesforRaisingaHealthyChildwithherdaughter,LauraPlunkett.BeforeReading_listeningcomprehension1AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.Directions:Listentothepassageandfillintheblanks.Wearelivingintheageoftransience;man’srelationshipswiththingsarebecoming.Thereisaproliferationofdisposableandreplaceablethings.Itisagrowingcultureofbuy,use,andthrow-away.Wedevelopatomatchourthrow-awayproducts,unknowinglycausinggreat.Thereisevenawholeindustrybuiltaroundincreasingour.Wearebombardedwithmessagestopurchaseproductsthatpromisetobebetter,faster,prettier,ormoreconvenient.Advertisementsdomorethanjustinform;theytransformourwantsintoandleaveusinsatiablycravingformore.Productsbecomeeasilyobsoleteasadvertisementsmanipulatethecravingsofconsumers.Forexample,inthepast,cellphoneswereforcalling.Now,people“need”cellphonesthatcantakecoloredpicturesandvideos,,andplaysongs.Imaginethemillionsofincreasinglytemporary___________________throw-awaymentality_____________________ecologicalstress______________appetitesforconsumption_____________________________indispensableneeds__________________surftheinternet______________BeforeReading_listeningcomprehension2discardedphonesinasconsumerspurchasephoneswithfancierfeatures.TelevisioncoupledwithglobalizationhasresultedinWhatcanbedone?Governmentsmustplayamoreactiverole.Atpresent,manyofthenaturalresourcesareundervaluedandunder-pricedinaccountingsystems.Forexample,goodcityplanning,pedestrian-friendlystreets,andenergy-efficientpublictransportationsystemswoulddecreasetheneedforcars.Governmentsalsohavetheauthoritytogarbagedumps_____________everyoneallovertheworldwantingthesameproductsandmodelingthesamewastefullifestyle_____________________________________________________________________________.Thegovernmentneedstobuildthenecessarystructurestoshifttolowconsumption_______________________________________________________________________.challengethepresentsituationresolutelyprotectedbygiantindustriesenjoyingeconomicbenefitsfromitsprevalence_______________________________________________________________________________________________.AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.BeforeReading_leadindiscussionDirections:Workinpairsorgroupsanddiscussthefollowingquestions.ListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltner1.What’stheideallifestyleinyourmind?2.Doyoubelieveinthesaying“apennysavedisapennyearned”?3.Whataresomeofthethingsthatcometoyourmindwhenwetalkabouthealthylifestyles?Makealistofhealthylifestyles.4.Alotofpeoplethinkthatastheyhavechildrenandthingsgetmoreexpensive,theonlysolutionistoworkharderinordertoearnmoremoney.Doyouagree?BeforeReading_consumerismListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerConsumerismistheequatingofpersonalhappinesswiththepurchasingofmaterialpossessionsandconsumption.Ineconomics,consumerismcanalsorefertoeconomicpoliciesthatplaceanemphasisonconsumption,and,inanabstractsense,thebeliefthatthefreechoiceofconsumersshoulddictatetheeconomicstructureofasociety.AlthoughconsumerismiscommonlyassociatedwiththeWesternworld,itismulti-culturalandnon-geographical,asseentodayinTokyo,Singapore,HongKong,Shanghai,TelAviv,andNewDelhi,forexample.SinceBeforeReading_consumerism2ListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityConsumerismPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerconsumerismbegan,variousindividualsandgroupshaveconsciouslysoughtanalternativelifestylethroughsimpleliving.Whileconsumerismisnotanewphenomenon,ithasonlybecomewidespreadoverthe20thcenturyandparticularlyinrecentdecades.BeforeReading_voluntarysimplicity1ListeningComprehensionLead-inDiscussionBackgroundInformationVoluntarySimplicityPredictionL.L.Bean,Inc.AbouttheAuthor—LindaWeltnerConsumerismVoluntarysimplicity(orsimpleliving)isalifestyleinwhichindividualsconsciouslychoosetominimizethe“more-is-better”pursuitofwealthandconsumption.Adherentschoosesimplelivingforavarietyofreasons,includingspirituality,health,incr