Campaign to ban car hands-free phones

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

There is a big road-safety campaign in Britain to ban hands-free mobile phones. The charity Brake also wants drivers to switch off phones while driving. It said fines for calling or texting should also be increased by up to tenfold because the current fine is not stopping people. Brake said 575,000 drivers had been caught using their phone. It added that nowadays, being constantly connected is the norm and people "find it hard to switch off, even for a minute".

Britain's government said road safety was a "top priority", but had "no plans to change the law". It added it always made sure penalties were "appropriate". Brake said that while phones were useful, they were also dangerous as drivers could not focus on driving. This puts motorists and other road users in danger. It said most people would never drink and drive, but do not understand that calling or texting while driving can be just as hazardous.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24982173
http://news.sky.com/story/1170006/mobile-phones-in-cars-call-for-total-ban
http://www.brake.org.uk/news/1147-rsw13-nat

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	a big road-	a.	using their phone
2.	switch off phones	b.	by up to tenfold
3.	should also be increased	c.	safety campaign
4.	575,000 drivers had been caught	d.	while driving
5.	being constantly	e.	to switch off
6.	people find it hard	f.	connected is the norm

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	road safety was a top	a.	were appropriate
2.	had no plans	b.	on driving
3.	made sure penalties	c.	just as hazardous
4.	drivers could not focus	d.	priority
5.	most people would never drink	e.	to change the law
6.	texting while driving can be	f.	and drive

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There is (1) ___________________ campaign in Britain to ban hands-free mobile phones. The charity Brake also wants (2) ___________________ phones while driving. It said (3) ___________________ texting should also be increased (4) ___________________ because the current fine is not stopping people. Brake said 575,000 drivers had been caught using their phone. It (5) ___________________, being constantly connected is the norm and people "find it (6) ___________________, even for a minute".

Britain's government said road safety (7) ___________________, but had "no plans to change the law". It added it always (8) ___________________ were "appropriate". Brake said (9) ___________________ useful, they were also dangerous as drivers (10) ___________________ driving. This puts motorists and other (11) ___________________. It said most people would never drink and drive, but do not understand that calling or texting while driving can be (12) ___________________.

MOBILE PHONE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about mobile phones in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about mobile phones for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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