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Nicer people are poorer, says study  

New research shows that nicer people are likely to be poorer than people who are not so nice. Researchers looked at how the personalities of different people affected how rich or well off they were. The researchers found that people with a nice, warm personality were worse off financially than people who were more selfish. Kinder people found it more difficult to look after their money. Researcher Dr Joe Gladstone said this was because of the "agreeableness" of people who were kinder, more trusting and more caring. He said: "We find that agreeableness is associated with various [signs] of financial hardship, including lower savings, higher debt and higher default rates."

 The researchers looked at data from different sources, including two online surveys taken by almost 4,000 participants. The data included answers to questions on people's financial situation, how people got into debt, and people's attitude towards money. They compared this data with surveys in which almost 5,000 people answered questions about their personality and their agreeableness. The researchers said agreeable people seemed to care less about money and so did not look after or manage their money wisely. Researcher Sandra Matz said that being kind and trusting had "financial costs". She wanted to better understand, "why nice guys seem to finish last".

 

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. Researchers looked at how personalities affected people's wealth.     T / F
2. People with a warmer people had less money than more selfish people.   T / F
3. Kinder people are very good at saving money.     T / F
4. Kinder people have more trouble paying back debts.     T / F
5. Researchers looked at data from 12 different online surveys.     T / F
6. Researchers found that agreeable people cared more about money.     T / F
7. A researcher said there were no financial costs to being kinder.     T / F
8. A researcher wanted to know why nice guys seemed to finish last.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. likely
2. affected
3. financially
4. look after
5. hardship
6. sources
7. situation
8. attitude
9. seemed
10. understand

1. viewpoint
2. moneywise
3. suffering
4. comprehend
5. materials
6. probable
7. appeared
8. care for
9. influenced
10. affairs

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. people who are not
2. the personalities
3. more difficult to look
4. various signs of financial
5. lower
6. two online
7. how people got
8. manage their money
9. being kind
10. nice guys seem to

1. of different people
2. finish last
3. wisely
4. and trusting
5. into debt
6. after their money
7. hardship
8. savings
9. so nice
10. surveys 

Comprehension questions

1. Who are nicer people likely to be poorer than?
2. Who were people with a nice, warm personality worse off than?
3. Who is Joe Gladstone?
4. What signs did researchers say agreeableness was associated with?
5. What was lower among kinder people?
6. How many online surveys did the researchers look at?
7. What situation did researchers look at regarding participants?
8. How many people answered questions about their personality?
9. What did researchers say kinder people did not do wisely?
10. What did a researcher suggest "nice guys" do?

11. Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    New research shows that nicer people are (1) ____ to be poorer than people who are not so nice. Researchers looked at how the personalities of different people (2) ____ how rich or well off they were. The researchers found that people with a nice, (3) ____ personality were worse off financially than people who were more selfish. Kinder people found it more difficult to look (4) ____ their money. Researcher Dr Joe Gladstone said this was because of the "agreeableness" of people who were kinder, more (5) ____ and more caring. He said: "We find that agreeableness is associated (6) ____ various [signs] of financial hardship, including lower savings, higher debt and higher default rates."
    The researchers looked at data from different (7) ____, including two online surveys taken by almost 4,000 participants. The data included answers to questions (8) ____ people's financial situation, how people got into debt, and people's attitude towards money. They compared this data with surveys in (9) ____ almost 5,000 people answered questions about their personality and their agreeableness. The researchers said agreeable people seemed to care (10) ____ about money and so did not look after or manage their money (11) ____. Researcher Sandra Matz said that being kind and trusting had "financial costs". She wanted to better understand, "why nice guys seem to finish (12) ____ ".
    Which of these words go in the above text?
    

    1. (a)     likely     (b)     likes     (c)     liked     (d)     likeability    
    2. (a)     reflected     (b)     infected     (c)     affected     (d)     effected    
    3. (a)     warmth     (b)     warms     (c)     warmly     (d)     warm    
    4. (a)     before     (b)     after     (c)     behind     (d)     below    
    5. (a)     twisting     (b)     trussing     (c)     thrusting     (d)     trusting    
    6. (a)     by     (b)     as     (c)     with     (d)     at    
    7. (a)     sorts     (b)     sources     (c)     sorties     (d)     sauces    
    8. (a)     on     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     as    
    9. (a)     which     (b)     that     (c)     where     (d)     why    
    10. (a)     lower     (b)     fewer     (c)     less     (d)     smaller    
    11. (a)     widely     (b)     expensive     (c)     whichever     (d)     wisely    
    12. (a)     cast     (b)     last     (c)     mast     (d)     vast