The Reading / Listening - Level 6

The website Breaking News English.com has upgraded its pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and tablets. This improvement means students and teachers who wish to browse the lessons, read the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now do so with ease. The Internet has changed beyond recognition since it started a few decades ago. Being online today is worlds apart from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and took an age to load. People could only view them on bulky desktop computers. Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a whole plethora of apps on our mobile phones.

The owner of Breaking News English commissioned the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site mobile friendly. Designer Mark Bain has created many eye-catching sites for some of the world's leading educators. Mr Bain summed up his thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations about what can be done on a phone are rising every day." His work on Breaking News English is already popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to get to grips with the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact with the news articles and exercises during her daily commute to work.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 4  or  Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com
  • http://www.markbaindesign.com


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. WEBSITES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about websites. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       website / breaking news / improvement / browse / changed / text / computers / apps
       mobile / eye-catching / educators / expectations / popular / activities / commute

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. MOBILES: Students A strongly believe mobile phones are better than desktop computers; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. NEWS: What is the best way to study using news using the things below? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

  • Websites
  • Radio
  • TV
  • Newspapers
  • Word of mouth
  • Mobile apps

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. TABLET: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "tablet". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. WEBSITES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Google
  • YouTube
  • Wikipedia
  • Amazon
  • BreakingNewsEnglish
  • BBC.com
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says BreakingNewsEnglish.com now has an upgraded app.     T / F
  2. The article says it is easier to browse the BreakingNewsEnglish site.     T / F
  3. The article says a part of the world is not online.     T / F
  4. The article says the Internet used to be just slow-loading pages of text.   T / F
  5. A website developer made BreakingNewsEnglish more mobile friendly.     T / F
  6. The website designer has made many sites about eyes.     T / F
  7. The designer said people expect their phones will do more things.     T / F
  8. A Bolivian student uses the news articles for her daily compute.     T / F

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

  1. upgraded
  2. improvement
  3. ease
  4. consisted
  5. bulky
  6. commissioned
  7. eye-catching
  8. expectations
  9. get to grips with
  10. articles
  1. upgrade
  2. suppositions
  3. cumbersome
  4. deal with
  5. no difficulty
  6. features
  7. modernised
  8. striking
  9. contracted
  10. was made up of

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

  1. teachers who wish
  2. can now do so with
  3. Being online today is worlds
  4. view them on bulky
  5. a whole
  6. make the site mobile
  7. created many eye-
  8. Mr Bain summed
  9. much easier to get to
  10. during her daily
  1. friendly
  2. desktop computers
  3. up his thoughts
  4. ease
  5. commute to work
  6. apart
  7. grips with
  8. catching sites
  9. plethora of apps
  10. to browse

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
apart
tablets
plethora
upgraded
ease
load
browse
simply

The website Breaking News English.com has (1) ____________ its pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and (2) ____________. This improvement means students and teachers who wish to (3) ____________ the lessons, read the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now do so with (4) ____________. The Internet has changed beyond recognition since it started a few decades ago. Being online today is worlds (5) ____________ from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages (6) ____________ consisted of text and took an age to (7) ____________. People could only view them on bulky desktop computers. Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a whole (8) ____________ of apps on our mobile phones.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
commute
catching
commissioned
rising
grips
friendly
extremely
summed

The owner of Breaking News English (9) ____________ the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site mobile (10) ____________. Designer Mark Bain has created many eye-(11) ____________ sites for some of the world's leading educators. Mr Bain (12) ____________ up his thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations about what can be done on a phone are (13) ____________ every day." His work on Breaking News English is already popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm (14) ____________ happy with the new look. It is now much easier to get to (15) ____________ with the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact with the news articles and exercises during her daily (16) ____________ to work.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  upgraded its pages to be easier to use on mobile ______
     a.  phones and tablets
     b.  phones and tablet
     c.  phones and tables
     d.  phones and tabulates

2)  … the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now ______
     a.  do so with these
     b.  do so with ease
     c.  do so withers
     d.  do so with eats

3)  Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and took ______
     a.  an age to load
     b.  an ages to load
     c.  an ageing to load
     d.  an aged to load

4)  People could only view them on bulky ______
     a.  desk topped computers
     b.  desk tops computers
     c.  disk top computers
     d.  desktop computers

5)  Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a ______ apps
     a.  whole plethora of
     b.  hole plethora of
     c.  whole plethora off
     d.  holy plethora of

6)  the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the ______
     a.  site mobiles friendly
     b.  site mobile friendly
     c.  sites mobile friendly
     d.  sites mobiles friendly

7)  Designer Mark Bain has created many ______
     a.  jaw-dropping sites
     b.  gut-wrenching sites
     c.  eye-catching sites
     d.  ear-bending sites

8)  Expectations about what can be done on a phone are ______
     a.  raising every day
     b.  rising every day
     c.  rise in every day
     d.  arising every day

9)  I'm extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to ______
     a.  get to grasp with
     b.  get to gasp with
     c.  get to gripes with
     d.  get to grips with

10)  she could now interact with the news articles and exercises during ______
     a.  her daily com-mute
     b.  her daily commuter
     c.  her daily commute
     d.  her daily compute

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The website Breaking News English.com (1) ___________________ pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and tablets. This improvement means students and teachers who (2) ___________________ the lessons, read the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices (3) ___________________ ease. The Internet has changed beyond recognition since it started (4) ___________________. Being online today is worlds apart from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and (5) ___________________ load. People could only view them on bulky desktop computers. Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a (6) ___________________ of apps on our mobile phones.

The owner of Breaking News English commissioned the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site (7) ___________________. Designer Mark Bain has created many (8) ___________________ for some of the world's leading educators. Mr Bain (9) ___________________ thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations about what can be done on a phone (10) ___________________ day." His work on Breaking News English is already popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to (11) ___________________ the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact with the news articles and exercises (12) ___________________ commute to work.

Comprehension questions

  1. What did BreakingNewsEnglish do to its pages?
  2. What does the article say teachers might wish to browse?
  3. What does the article say the Internet has changed beyond?
  4. How long does the article say pages used to take to load?
  5. What did the article say there was "a whole plethora of" on phones?
  6. What did the website owner ask the designer to do to the site?
  7. What kind of sites has the designer made for other educators?
  8. Where is Saeed from?
  9. What does Saeed say it's easier to get to grips with?
  10. When does Rosa study using the site?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did BreakingNewsEnglish do to its pages?
a) read them
b) friend them
c) turn them
d) upgrade them

2) What does the article say teachers might wish to browse?
a) tablets
b) lessons
c) an encyclopaedia
d) Harry Potter books

3) What does the article say the Internet has changed beyond?
a) renaissance
b) reconnaissance
c) cognition
d) recognition

4) How long does the article say pages used to take to load?
a) eons
b) years
c) an age
d) ages

5) What did the article say there was "a whole plethora of" on phones?
a) songs
b) movies
c) websites
d) apps

6) What did the website owner ask the designer to do to the site?
a) make it a website
b) make it friends
c) make it mobile friendly
d) commission it

7) What kind of sites has the designer made for other educators?
a) eye-catching ones
b) jaw-dropping ones
c) ear-bending ones
d) gut-wrenching ones

8) Where is Saeed from?
a) Timbuktu
b) Khartoum
c) Kuwait
d) Qatar

9) What does Saeed say it's easier to get to grips with?
a) his popularity
b) the activities
c) his hands
d) happiness

10) When does Rosa study using the site?
a) while commuting
b) while computing
c) while exercising
d) while working

Role play

Role A — BreakingNewsEnglish

You think BreakingNewsEnglish is the best site in the world. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sites aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): Facebook, Wikipedia or YouTube.

Role B — Facebook

You think Facebook is the best site in the world. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sites aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): BreakingNewsEnglish, Wikipedia or YouTube.

Role C — Wikipedia

You think Wikipedia is the best site in the world. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sites aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): Facebook, BreakingNewsEnglish or YouTube.

Role D — YouTube

You think YouTube is the best site in the world. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their sites aren't as good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): Facebook, Wikipedia or BreakingNewsEnglish.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'phone'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'tablet'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • owner
    • eye
    • summed
    • already
    • grips
    • daily
    • pages
    • browse
    • ease
    • apart
    • text
    • plethora

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Breaking News English good to go on mobile devices

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'mobile'?
    3. What do you think of the materials from this website?
    4. How important is a mobile phone to you?
    5. Do you prefer using a tablet or mobile phone?
    6. What would life be like without mobile devices?
    7. When is it better to use a desktop computer?
    8. How do you study English using mobile devices?
    9. How did people survive before the Internet came along?
    10. What are your favourite apps and why do you like them?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What are your favourite sites for learning English?
    3. What are the advantages of learning English on mobile phones?
    4. What are the disadvantages of learning English on mobile phones?
    5. What do you think of the job of a website designer?
    6. What are the most eye-catching sites you know of?
    7. What will mobile phones be able to do in the future?
    8. What do you do while travelling to work or school?
    9. What advice do you have for the owner of Breaking News English?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the creator of this site?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The website Breaking News English.com has upgraded its (1) ____ to be easier to use on mobile phones and tablets. This improvement means students and teachers who (2) ____ to browse the lessons, read the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now do so with (3) ____. The Internet has changed beyond recognition since it started a few decades ago. Being online today is worlds (4) ____ from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and took an (5) ____ to load. People could only view them on bulky desktop computers. Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a whole (6) ____ of apps on our mobile phones.

    The owner of Breaking News English commissioned the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site mobile (7) ____. Designer Mark Bain has created many eye-(8) ____ sites for some of the world's leading educators. Mr Bain summed (9) ____ his thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations about what can be done on a phone are (10) ____ every day." His work on Breaking News English is already popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to (11) ____ to grips with the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact with the news articles and exercises during her daily (12) ____ to work.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     paginates     (b)     paging     (c)     page     (d)     pages    
    2. (a)     wisher     (b)     whisper     (c)     wishing     (d)     wish    
    3. (a)     tease     (b)     ease     (c)     fleas     (d)     please    
    4. (a)     parted     (b)     partner     (c)     apart     (d)     apparition    
    5. (a)     agent     (b)     aged     (c)     age     (d)     ape    
    6. (a)     plethora     (b)     pliant     (c)     pliable     (d)     pithy    
    7. (a)     trendy     (b)     friendly     (c)     blended     (d)     fiendishly    
    8. (a)     catching     (b)     hurting     (c)     rubbing     (d)     seeing    
    9. (a)     on     (b)     up     (c)     in     (d)     down    
    10. (a)     arising     (b)     risen     (c)     rising     (d)     raising    
    11. (a)     let     (b)     met     (c)     get     (d)     set    
    12. (a)     co-mate     (b)     comment     (c)     compute     (d)     commute

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. This mtmproveien means…
    2. The Internet has changed beyond oertgionicn
    3. it started a few saddcee ago
    4. simply sonitcsed of text
    5. view them on bkyul desktop computers
    6. a whole ortehpla of apps

    Paragraph 2

    1. icsnodmimsoe the website developer
    2. created many yee-tiangcch sites
    3. the world's leading ascoedtru
    4. petacixtosne about what can be done
    5. I'm xlrmetyee happy
    6. during her daily umtceom to work

    Put the text back together

    (    )     apart from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and took an

    (    )     age to load. People could only view them on bulky desktop computers. Today, we

    (    )     friendly. Designer Mark Bain has created many eye-catching sites for some of the world's leading

    (    )     The website Breaking News English.com has upgraded its pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and

    (   1 )     recognition since it started a few decades ago. Being online today is worlds

    (    )     educators. Mr Bain summed up his thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations

    (    )     about what can be done on a phone are rising every day." His work on Breaking News English is already

    (    )     tablets. This improvement means students and teachers who wish to browse the lessons, read the news articles or do the activities

    (    )     on their mobile devices can now do so with ease. The Internet has changed beyond

    (    )     The owner of Breaking News English commissioned the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site mobile

    (    )     popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to get to

    (    )     have movies, music, games, GPS and a whole plethora of apps on our mobile phones.

    (    )     grips with the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact

    (    )     with the news articles and exercises during her daily commute to work.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. to   and   browse   teachers   the   who   lessons   wish   Students   .
    2. since  has   it   changed  started  beyond   The   recognition  Internet   .
    3. simply   consisted   of   text   and   took   an   age   to   load   Pages   .
    4. bulky   only   desktop   view   computers   them   People   on   could   .
    5. on   whole   our   plethora   mobile   of   phones   apps   A   .
    6. created   has   Bain   sites   catching   -   eye   many   .
    7. today's   on   thoughts   his   up   summed   Bain   Mr   world   online   .
    8. can  be   done  on   a   phone  are   rising  Expectations   about  what   .
    9. the   with   grips   to   get  to   easier   much   now   is   It   activities   .
    10. now   could   She   articles   news   the   with   interact   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The website Breaking News English.com has upgrades / upgraded its pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and tablets. This improvement means students and teachers who wishing / wish to browse the lessons, read the news articles / particles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now do so / soon with ease / easily. The Internet has changed beyond recognition / recognise since it started a few decades ago. Being online today is worlds / world apart from the worldwide web of 20 years ago. Back then, web pages simply consisted of text and took an ages / age to load. People could only view them on baulk / bulky desktop computers. Today, we have movies, music, games, GPS and a whole plethora / plectrum of apps on our mobile phones.

    The owner of Breaking News English commiseration / commissioned the website developer markbaindesign.com to make the site mobile friends / friendly. Designer Mark Bain has created many eye-catching / ear-bashing sites for some of the world's leading educators. Mr Bain summed down / up his thoughts on today's online world by saying: "Expectations about what can be done on a phone are rising / arisen every day." His work on Breaking News English is already popularity / popular. Saeed from Kuwait said: "I'm extremity / extremely happy with the new look. It is now much easier to get to grips / grasp with the activities." Another student, Rosa from Bolivia, said she could now interact / counteract with the news articles and exercises during her daily commit / commute to work.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_ w_bs_t_ Br__k_ng N_ws _ngl_sh.c_m h_s _pgr_d_d _ts p_g_s t_ b_ __s__r t_ _s_ _n m_b_l_ ph_n_s _nd t_bl_ts. Th_s _mpr_v_m_nt m__ns st_d_nts _nd t__ch_rs wh_ w_sh t_ br_ws_ th_ l_ss_ns, r__d th_ n_ws _rt_cl_s _r d_ th_ _ct_v_t__s _n th__r m_b_l_ d_v_c_s c_n n_w d_ s_ w_th __s_. Th_ _nt_rn_t h_s ch_ng_d b_y_nd r_c_gn_t__n s_nc_ _t st_rt_d _ f_w d_c_d_s _g_. B__ng _nl_n_ t_d_y _s w_rlds _p_rt fr_m th_ w_rldw_d_ w_b _f 20 y__rs _g_. B_ck th_n, w_b p_g_s s_mply c_ns_st_d _f t_xt _nd t__k _n _g_ t_ l__d. P__pl_ c__ld _nly v__w th_m _n b_lky d_skt_p c_mp_t_rs. T_d_y, w_ h_v_ m_v__s, m_s_c, g_m_s, GPS _nd _ wh_l_ pl_th_r_ _f _pps _n __r m_b_l_ ph_n_s.

    Th_ _wn_r _f Br__k_ng N_ws _ngl_sh c_mm_ss__n_d th_ w_bs_t_ d_v_l_p_r m_rkb__nd_s_gn.c_m t_ m_k_ th_ s_t_ m_b_l_ fr__ndly. D_s_gn_r M_rk B__n h_s cr__t_d m_ny _y_-c_tch_ng s_t_s f_r s_m_ _f th_ w_rld's l__d_ng _d_c_t_rs. Mr B__n s_mm_d _p h_s th__ghts _n t_d_y's _nl_n_ w_rld by s_y_ng: "_xp_ct_t__ns _b__t wh_t c_n b_ d_n_ _n _ ph_n_ _r_ r_s_ng _v_ry d_y." H_s w_rk _n Br__k_ng N_ws _ngl_sh _s _lr__dy p_p_l_r. S___d fr_m K_w__t s__d: "_'m _xtr_m_ly h_ppy w_th th_ n_w l__k. _t _s n_w m_ch __s__r t_ g_t t_ gr_ps w_th th_ _ct_v_t__s." _n_th_r st_d_nt, R_s_ fr_m B_l_v__, s__d sh_ c__ld n_w _nt_r_ct w_th th_ n_ws _rt_cl_s _nd _x_rc_s_s d_r_ng h_r d__ly c_mm_t_ t_ w_rk.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the website breaking news englishcom has upgraded its pages to be easier to use on mobile phones and tablets this improvement means students and teachers who wish to browse the lessons read the news articles or do the activities on their mobile devices can now do so with ease the internet has changed beyond recognition since it started a few decades ago being online today is worlds apart from the worldwide web of 20 years ago back then web pages simply consisted of text and took an age to load people could only view them on bulky desktop computers today we have movies music games gps and a whole plethora of apps on our mobile phones

    the owner of breaking news english commissioned the website developer markbaindesigncom to make the site mobile friendly designer mark bain has created many eye-catching sites for some of the world's leading educators mr bain summed up his thoughts on today's online world by saying "expectations about what can be done on a phone are rising every day" his work on breaking news english is already popular saeed from kuwait said "i'm extremely happy with the new look it is now much easier to get to grips with the activities" another student rosa from bolivia said she could now interact with the news articles and exercises during her daily commute to work

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThewebsiteBreakingNewsEnglish.comhasupgradeditspagestobeeas
    iertouseonmobilephonesandtablets.Thisimprovementmeansstuden
    tsandteacherswhowishtobrowsethelessons,readthenewsarticlesord
    otheactivitiesontheirmobiledevicescannowdosowithease.TheIntern
    ethaschangedbeyondrecognitionsinceitstartedafewdecadesago.Bei
    ngonlinetodayisworldsapartfromtheworldwidewebof20yearsago.Ba
    ckthen,webpagessimplyconsistedoftextandtookanagetoload.Peopl
    ecouldonlyviewthemonbulkydesktopcomputers.Today,wehavemov
    ies,music,games,GPSandawholeplethoraofappsonourmobilephone
    s.TheownerofBreakingNewsEnglishcommissionedthewebsitedevelo
    permarkbaindesign.comtomakethesitemobilefriendly.DesignerMar
    kBainhascreatedmanyeye-catchingsitesforsomeoftheworld'slead
    ingeducators.MrBainsummeduphisthoughtsontoday'sonlineworldb
    ysaying:"Expectationsaboutwhatcanbedoneonaphonearerisingever
    yday."HisworkonBreakingNewsEnglishisalreadypopular.Saeedfrom
    Kuwaitsaid:"I'mextremelyhappywiththenewlook.Itisnowmucheasie
    rtogettogripswiththeactivities."Anotherstudent,RosafromBolivia,sa
    idshecouldnowinteractwiththenewsarticlesandexercisesduringherd
    ailycommutetowork.

    Free writing

    Write about mobile friendly for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Using mobile devices is the best way to study. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about websites. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. MOBILE DEVICES: Make a poster about mobile devices. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. SUDYING: Write a magazine article about studying English using websites. Include imaginary interviews with people who think this is the best way to study, and with people who do not think so.

    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on mobile devices. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can use them better to study English. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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