The Reading / Listening - Internet - Level 1

The World Wide Web is thirty years old. Its inventor is concerned about how people are using it. He is concerned about the future of the Web. He wrote that many people weren't sure about if the Web was "a force for good". He thinks it can be and that it can help billions of people. Governments and companies must build a better Internet. He said: "If we give up on building a better Web now, then the Web will not have failed us. We will have failed the Web."

The inventor had three worries about the World Wide Web. He called it a "mirror of humanity" where "you will see good and bad". The first worry was criminal behavior like hacking and harassment. New laws must keep people safe. A second worry is how social media spreads misinformation and fake news. People were tricked during the 2016 US presidential election. A final worry is about privacy. It is important to fight for a better, free and safer Web.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Internet - Level 0 Internet - Level 2   or  Internet - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/world-wide-web-turns-30-designer-laments-dark-side-190312030516811.html
  • https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/11/tim-berners-lee-the-web-is-dysfunctional-with-perverse-incentives.html
  • https://www.apnews.com/794576f547f14d1f92b44c290a0ca2af


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. The World Wide Web is
  2. concerned about
  3. many people weren't
  4. a force
  5. it can help billions
  6. If we give
  7. building a
  8. We will have failed
  1. up
  2. for good
  3. the Web
  4. the future
  5. better Web
  6. thirty years old
  7. of people
  8. sure

Paragraph 2

  1. He called it a mirror
  2. criminal behavior like
  3. social
  4. fake
  5. during the 2016 US presidential
  6. A final worry is about
  7. It is important
  8. a better, free and
  1. news
  2. to fight
  3. hacking
  4. safer Web
  5. privacy
  6. of humanity
  7. media
  8. election

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The World Wide Web is (1) ___________________. Its inventor is concerned about (2) ___________________ using it. He is concerned about the (3) ___________________ Web. He wrote that many people weren't sure about if the Web was "a                (4) ___________________ ". He thinks it can be and that it can help (5) ___________________. Governments and companies must build a better Internet. He said: "If we give up on building a better Web now, then the Web will not (6) ___________________. We will have failed the Web."

The inventor had (7) ___________________ the World Wide Web. He called it a "(8) ___________________" where "you will see good and bad". The first (9) ___________________ behavior like hacking and harassment. New laws must keep people safe. A second worry is how (10) ___________________ misinformation and fake news. People were (11) ___________________ 2016 US presidential election. A final worry (12) ___________________. It is important to fight for a better, free and safer Web.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheWorldWideWebisthirtyyearsold.Itsinventorisconcernedaboutho
wpeopleareusingit.HeisconcernedaboutthefutureoftheWeb.Hewrot
ethatmanypeopleweren'tsureaboutiftheWebwas"aforceforgood".H
ethinksitcanbeandthatitcanhelpbillionsofpeople.Governmentsandc
ompaniesmustbuildabetterInternet.Hesaid:"Ifwegiveuponbuilding
abetterWebnow,thentheWebwillnothavefailedus.Wewillhavefailedt
heWeb."TheinventorhadthreeworriesabouttheWorldWideWeb.Heca
lledita"mirrorofhumanity"where"youwillseegoodandbad".Thefirstw
orrywascriminalbehaviorlikehackingandharassment.Newlawsmust
keeppeoplesafe.Asecondworryishowsocialmediaspreadsmisinform
ationandfakenews.Peopleweretrickedduringthe2016USpresidential
election.Afinalworryisaboutprivacy.Itisimportanttofightforabetter,f
reeandsaferWeb.

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You