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Based on a current news article

Students read and listen to a simplified news report about Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui’s 30-year prison sentence in the US and learn key vocabulary from the article. They also practice past passive forms in news language, discuss reactions to the case, and write a short opinion paragraph.

B1 Intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher

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1. Image

News photo and headline: Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui sentenced to 30 years in a US prison.

Teacher note: Show the news photo and headline to introduce the story.

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2. Vocabulary

  • fraud
    the crime of tricking people in order to get money or another advantage
  • sentence
    the punishment a court gives after someone is found guilty
  • restitution
    money paid back to people who lost money because of a crime
  • securities
    financial products such as shares or investments
  • money laundering
    hiding the illegal source of money
  • victim
    a person who is harmed by a crime or unfair act
  • forfeit
    to lose money or property as a punishment
  • prey on
    to take advantage of people who are weak, trusting, or easy to influence
  • life savings
    all the money a person has saved over many years
  • embezzle
    to steal money that you were trusted to manage

Teacher note: Key vocabulary for the news story about fraud, court punishment, and victim losses. Definitions are kept simple and B1-friendly, with the lesson’s target terms preserved.

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3. Text

Reading: Guo Wengui’s fraud case

Chinese businessman Guo Wengui, also known as Miles Guo, has been given a 30-year prison term in the United States. A federal judge in New York said his actions caused huge losses to more than 1,000 people around the world. The court also ordered him to give up a very large amount of money.

Guo left China years ago and later built a new public image in the US. He presented himself as a strong opponent of the Chinese government and won support from people who trusted him. Prosecutors said he used that trust to collect money for dishonest purposes. In 2024, a jury found him guilty of several crimes, including fraud, securities offences, wire fraud, and money laundering.

At the sentencing hearing, the judge said Guo had taken advantage of people who wanted to support democracy in China. Victims told the court that they lost their savings and felt deep shame and stress. Guo argued that he was being targeted because of his political views, but the judge said he had not accepted responsibility.

Context note: In news reports, courts often use formal language such as sentence, judge, defendant, and forfeit. A prison term is the amount of time a person must spend in prison after conviction.

Discuss:

  1. Why do you think some people trusted Guo?
  2. What makes white-collar crime difficult for victims?
  3. Should public figures face extra responsibility when they ask for money?

Teacher note: Simplified reading summary of the fraud case with context notes and a short discussion ending.

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4. Listening

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Listening

Listen to the news summary. Then answer the questions below.

  1. What prison term did Guo Wengui receive?
  2. About how many people were said to be affected by the scheme?
  3. What amount did the court order him to give up?
  4. What did some victims say they lost?
  5. Why did prosecutors say people trusted him?
  6. How was Guo presented to supporters in the United States?
Teacher audio script
Reporter: Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui has been sentenced to 30 years in a US prison for a major financial crime.
Reporter: A federal judge said his actions harmed more than 1,000 people across the world and involved losses of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Reporter: Prosecutors said Guo built trust by presenting himself as a powerful critic of the Chinese government.
Reporter: They said he used that image to collect money from people who believed in his message.
Reporter: In court, the judge said many supporters were targeted because they wanted to back democracy in China.
Reporter: The court also ordered Guo to give up 889 million dollars.
Reporter: Several victims said they lost their savings, felt ashamed, and struggled emotionally after the scheme collapsed.
Reporter: Guo told the court that he had come to the United States to fight the Chinese Communist Party.
Reporter: The judge said he showed no real responsibility for the damage caused.

Teacher note: Listening task with a short news report about Guo Wengui’s sentencing. Students listen for key numbers, the court decision, and the effect on victims.

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5. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Pair discussion: reactions and opinions

Work with a partner. Take turns speaking for 1–2 minutes each. Give reasons, examples, and simple opinions.

Discuss these questions

  1. What is your first reaction to this case?
  2. Why do you think some people trust a rich or famous public figure so quickly?
  3. What signs can show that a person or project may not be honest?
  4. How can financial fraud damage a person’s confidence, not only their bank account?
  5. What should victims do first after they discover a loss?
  6. In your opinion, should the court focus more on punishment, returning money, or both? Why?
  7. How can the media help the public understand cases like this without exaggerating them?
  8. What responsibility do supporters have before they invest money or join a campaign?

Useful speaking phrases

  • I think this case shows that...
  • From my point of view, people trust him because...
  • One possible reason is...
  • If I were a victim, I would...
  • The most important thing is...
  • I agree / I partly agree, but...
  • This is unfair because...
  • The court should...

Pair task

  • Student A: focus on public trust and responsibility.
  • Student B: focus on victims and what should happen next.
  • After both speak, choose one point you both agree on and one point you disagree on.

Follow-up

Share one idea with the class: What is the biggest lesson people can learn from this news story?

Teacher note: Pair discussion on reactions to the fraud case, why public figures gain trust, and what victims can do next. Includes opinion prompts and useful speaking phrases for B1 adults.

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6. Grammar

Past Passive in News Reports

News reports often focus on what happened and who was affected, not on the person who did the action. For that reason, journalists often use the past passive.

1) Form

was / were + past participle

  • The businessman was arrested.
  • The victims were informed.

Use was with singular subjects and were with plural subjects.

2) When we use it

We use the past passive when:

  • the action is more important than the person who did it
  • the person who did the action is unknown
  • the writer wants a formal, neutral style

This is very common in news about crime, courts, accidents, and official decisions.

3) Examples from news style

  • Guo Wengui was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
  • The case was heard in a Manhattan court.
  • Several charges were added during the trial.
  • The defendant was questioned by prosecutors.
  • The victims were left with serious financial losses.
  • A large sum of money was ordered to be returned.
  • The arrest was made by the FBI.
  • The final decision was announced on Monday.

4) Active vs passive

Active: The judge sentenced Guo.

Passive: Guo was sentenced by the judge.

Both are correct, but the passive sounds more formal and is more typical in news reports.

5) Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the wrong verb form

  • Incorrect: He was sentence to prison.
  • ✓
    He was sentenced to prison.

Mistake 2: Forgetting was/were

  • Incorrect: The funds forfeit by the court.
  • ✓
    The funds were forfeited by the court.

Mistake 3: Using the active form when the news style needs passive

  • Less natural in news: The FBI arrested him in New York.
  • More news-like: He was arrested in New York.

Mistake 4: Mixing up singular and plural

  • Incorrect: The victims was informed.
  • ✓
    The victims were informed.

6) Quick tip

If you want to sound like a news report, ask yourself:

  • Do I want to focus on the event?
  • Is the doer unknown or unimportant?
  • Do I need a formal, objective style?

If the answer is yes, the past passive is often the best choice.

Teacher note: Clear B1 grammar guide on the past passive in news reports, with examples from court and crime reporting and a short section on common learner mistakes.

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7. Grammar practice

Choose the correct passive form in each news-style sentence.

1.

The businessman ______ by police after the investigation ended.

2.

A large sum of money ______ by the court last week.

3.

Several documents ______ during the raid on the office.

4.

The defendant ______ guilty by a jury in 2024.

5.

The victims said their savings ______ in the fraud scheme.

6.

The company ______ to pay compensation after the case was closed.

Teacher note: Grammar practice on the past passive in news reporting, using six B1-level multiple-choice items focused on form and meaning.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.

  • Q1A. was arrested
  • Q2B. was ordered to be returned
  • Q3A. were found
  • Q4A. was found
  • Q5A. were lost
  • Q6A. was ordered

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8. Multiple choice

Read the article facts and choose the best answer for each question.

1.

What prison term did Guo Wengui receive?

2.

What amount did the court order him to forfeit?

3.

How many people did the judge say were affected worldwide?

4.

What did the judge say his fraud caused?

5.

Why was Guo in the news?

Teacher note: Five B1-level reading comprehension questions about the Guo Wengui fraud case, focusing on key facts, money, victims, court action, and why he made headlines.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.

  • Q1A. 30 years in prison
  • Q2A. 889 million dollars
  • Q3A. More than 1,000
  • Q4A. Hundreds of millions of dollars in losses
  • Q5A. He was sentenced for large-scale fraud

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9. True / false

Read each statement and decide if it is true or false.

  • Guo Wengui was sentenced in a Manhattan court.

  • The judge said the fraud affected only ten people.

  • The court ordered Guo to forfeit 889 million dollars.

  • Victims said they felt no emotional harm.

  • Guo said in court that he came to the US to destroy the CCP.

Teacher note: True/false check on key facts from the fraud case, using short B1-level statements.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.

  • 1. Guo Wengui was sentenced in a Manhattan court.True
  • 2. The judge said the fraud affected only ten people.False
  • 3. The court ordered Guo to forfeit 889 million dollars.True
  • 4. Victims said they felt no emotional harm.False
  • 5. Guo said in court that he came to the US to destroy the CCP.True

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10. Fill in the blanks

Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui was1to 30 years in2in the United States after a major3case. A federal4said the scheme harmed more than 1,000 people worldwide. Many5said they lost money and felt ashamed and stressed. The court also ordered Guo to pay6. Prosecutors said the case involved serious financial crime, including7and a8. Guo was9in his Manhattan apartment before the trial. The judge said he must10a large amount of money. The case has drawn strong public attention because the defendant was once seen as a powerful business tycoon.

Teacher note: A short B1 fill-in-the-blanks summary about Guo Wengui’s fraud case, with eight key news-vocabulary gaps.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.

  • 1.sentenced
  • 2.prison
  • 3.fraud
  • 4.judge
  • 5.victims
  • 6.restitution
  • 7.money laundering
  • 8.securities offence
  • 9.arrested
  • 10.forfeit

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11. Word ordering

Put the words in order to make each sentence.

Sentence 1 / 4

Your sentence

Tap words to place them here

Word bank

Sentence 1 of 4: 0 / 9 words placed

Teacher note: Sentence-ordering practice using four short passive news sentences about the case.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.

  • Slide 1Guo Wengui was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
  • Slide 2The judge said the fraud hurt more than 1,000 people.
  • Slide 3Victims lost their life savings and felt anxious.
  • Slide 4The court ordered him to forfeit 889 million dollars.

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12. Short answer

Answer each question in 1–2 short sentences.

1.

Why did the judge say this case was serious for many people?

2.

How did some victims describe the effect of the fraud on their lives?

3.

What reason did Guo give for his actions in court?

4.

Do you think public figures should be trusted less when they ask for money? Why?

Teacher note: Short-answer practice on the news report, asking students to explain key facts and give simple opinions in brief responses.

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13. Writing task

Students write a short opinion paragraph about the case. Ask them to explain whether the punishment was fair, what victims may need, and one lesson about trusting public figures. Encourage use of at least three vocabulary items from the lesson.

Aim for at least 70 words.

Teacher note: Writing task for a B1 class: students produce a short opinion paragraph about the fairness of the sentence, victim support, and lessons about trusting public figures.

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14. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Class recap: speak, compare, and react

Work in pairs. Each student should speak for about 1 minute, then switch roles.

Step 1: Quick recap

  • Say one new word from today’s lesson and explain it in your own words.
  • Share one fact you remember from the news story.
  • Give one opinion about the court decision.

Step 2: Compare with another case

Choose another fraud case, court case, or business scandal you know from the news, a film, or your country’s history. Compare it with Guo Wengui’s case.

Discuss these points:

  1. What is similar between the two cases?
  2. What is different about the people involved or the amount of money?
  3. Which case got more public attention? Why?
  4. How did the media present each story?
  5. What does each case show about trust and responsibility?

Step 3: Opinion exchange

Take turns answering these prompts:

  • Do you think a rich defendant should be judged more strictly when many people lose money?
  • Should public figures be more careful when asking supporters for money? Why or why not?
  • What matters more in a case like this: punishment, compensation, or public apology?
  • How can people protect themselves from being misled by a confident speaker?

Useful phrases

  • One word I learned today is…
  • A key fact from the story is…
  • My view is that…
  • This case is similar to… because…
  • The main difference is…
  • In the media, this story may be seen as…
  • Compared with that case, this one feels more/less serious because…

Final class share

As a class, choose one sentence that sums up the story in a neutral way. Then ask: What lesson can ordinary people learn from stories like this?

Teacher note: Class recap speaking activity with fresh prompts on the court case, vocabulary, and a comparison to another fraud or trial story.

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