W: Now you’ve seen this table of figures about the pocket money children in Britain get?
M: Yes. I thought it was quite interesting, but I don’t quite understand the column entitled “Change”. (1)_________________
W: Well, I think it means the change from the year before. I am not a mathematician, but I assume the rise from 72 p to 90 p is a rise of 25 percent.
M: Oh yes, I see. And the inflation rate is there for comparison.
W: Yes. Why do you think the rise in pocket money is often higher than inflation?
M: I am sorry I’ve no idea. (2)_____________________
W: Perhaps they are. But it looks as if children were a lot better off in 2001 than they were in 2002. That’s strange, isn’t it? And they seem to have been better off in 2003 than they are now. I wonder why that is.
M: Yes, I don’t understand that at all.
W: Anyway, if you had children, how much pocket money would you give them?
M: I don’t know.(3)__________________________________________
W: Would you? And what would you expect them to do with it?
M: Well, out of that, they have to buy some small personal things, but I wouldn’t expect them to save to buy their own socks, for example.
W: Yes, by the way, do most children in your country get pocket money?
M: Yeah, they do.
