The Reading / Listening - Pay Phones - Level 0

The end is near for New York's public pay phones. Workers are removing them. In the coming months, they will all go. They used to be on every street corner. A New York City spokesman said the pay phones are too old and use too much sidewalk space. He added removing them is good for people walking on the streets.

Most New Yorkers won't know the phones are going. Younger people may need instructions to use them. Most Americans have a mobile phone. Local people complained about the old pay phones because they take up too much sidewalk space. This space could help people with disabilities and young families.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Pay Phones - Level 1,  Pay Phones - Level 2   or  Pay Phones - Level 3

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/02/us/nyc-pay-phone-removal-trnd/index.html
  • https://gothamist.com/news/last-remaining-pay-phones-nyc-will-be-ripped-out
  • https://nypost.com/2020/02/28/nyc-will-remove-remaining-payphones-replacing-some-with-linknyc-kiosks-report-says/


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 end is
  2. Workers are
  3. In the coming
  4. They used to be on
  5. the pay phones
  6. use too much
  7. removing them is
  8. people walking
  1. every street corner
  2. good
  3. removing them
  4. on the streets
  5. sidewalk space
  6. months
  7. near
  8. are too old

Paragraph 2

  1. the phones are
  2. people may need
  3. Most Americans have a mobile
  4. local
  5. complained about the old
  6. take up too much sidewalk
  7. help people
  8. young
  1. space
  2. people
  3. families
  4. instructions
  5. with disabilities
  6. going
  7. pay phones
  8. phone

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) ___________________ for New York's public pay phones. Workers (2) ___________________. In the coming months, they will all go. They (3) ___________________ on every street corner. A New York City spokesman (4) ___________________ phones are too old and (5) ___________________ sidewalk space. He added removing them is good for people walking (6) ___________________.

Most New Yorkers won't know (7) ___________________ going. Younger (6) ___________________ instructions to use them. Most Americans (9) ___________________ phone. Local people complained (10) ___________________ pay phones because they take (11) ___________________ sidewalk space. This space could help people with disabilities (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheendisnearforNewYork'spublicpayphones.Workersareremovingt
hem.Inthecomingmonths,theywillallgo.Theyusedtobeoneverystree
tcorner.ANewYorkCityspokesmansaidthepayphonesaretoooldandu
setoomuchsidewalkspace.Headdedremovingthemisgoodforpeople
walkingonthestreets.MostNewYorkerswon'tknowthephonesaregoin
g.Youngerpeoplemayneedinstructionstousethem.MostAmericansha
veamobilephone.Localpeoplecomplainedabouttheoldpayphonesbec
ausetheytakeuptoomuchsidewalkspace.Thisspacecouldhelppeople
withdisabilitiesandyoungfamilies.

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.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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