Nearly a quarter of US laid-off workers are (relying) mostly on unemployment benefits or financial aid, and almost as many are cutting back spending to get by, according to research (released) Wednesday.
Asked to list their (primary) means of making ends meet, a sixth said they are using savings and a fifth said they are relying on a (spouse) or partner to support the household, according to a survey of unemployed workers by CareerBuilder.com, an online jobs site.
The most common answer was (unemployment) benefits, at 23 percent, and cutting back spending to just necessities, at 20 percent, it said.
Six percent said they sold some (belongings), 5 percent are taking odd jobs, 4 percent are living on credit and 3 percent moved home or added a (roommate).
Roughly 14.5 (million) people were unemployed in the United States as of May, according to government statistics. Since the start of the (recession) in December 2007, that figure has (risen) by 7 million people, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The US unemployment rate (climbed) in May to a 26-year high of 9.4 percent.
Asked how they are using their time, 22 percent said they are spending time (with) family and friends, 15 percent are fixing up their homes and 14 percent are (exercising) more, the survey said.
Laid-off workers also (listed) relaxing, volunteering, returning to school and becoming more involved with their church (community), it said.
The online survey was (conducted) among more than 1,800 laid-off US workers from June 10 to June 15. The results had a (margin) of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
Question)
1. What can you learn from the news?
2. What are the differences between China and US?
