The Reading / Listening - Winter Coats - Level 4

A series of muggings in cities worldwide has seen people robbed of expensive coats. In recent weeks, people have had their coats stolen at knifepoint. A man in the UK was slashed across his face when thieves mugged him for his jacket. Criminals are targeting coats that cost as much as $2,200. A criminologist in the U.K. warned that the muggings were the start of a new "luxury crime trend". He said the thefts were "worrying".

The criminologist warned people wearing brand coats to be careful. He said: "Be aware of your surroundings….You have to be vigilant for opportunists who might try to steal your coat." He added that thieves are changing from stealing watches to coats. A London Transport spokesperson said the muggings were "a real concern". She said they have a huge impact on the safety of young people, and that the crimes were frightening.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Winter Coats - Level 5 or  Winter Coats - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/canada-goose-wearers-warned-luxury-31794767
  • https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/warning-over-fashion-label-bullring-28382742
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12916253/The-rise-Canada-Goose-coat-muggings-Warning-crooks-targeting-owners-1-700-jackets-selling-profit-Lawless-Britains-latest-luxury-items.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A series
  2. people robbed
  3. had their coats stolen
  4. A man in the UK was slashed
  5. thieves mugged him
  6. Criminals are
  7. the start of a new luxury
  8. He said the thefts
  1. were worrying
  2. across his face
  3. of muggings
  4. for his jacket
  5. crime trend
  6. of expensive coats
  7. targeting coats
  8. at knifepoint

Paragraph 2

  1. The criminologist warned
  2. brand
  3. Be aware of your
  4. You have to be
  5. opportunists who might
  6. A London Transport
  7. have a huge
  8. the crimes were
  1. spokesperson
  2. impact
  3. vigilant
  4. frightening
  5. coats
  6. people
  7. try to steal
  8. surroundings

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ___________________ in cities worldwide has seen people (2) ___________________ coats. In recent weeks, people have had their coats stolen at knifepoint. A man in the UK was (3) ___________________ face when thieves mugged him for his jacket. Criminals (4) ___________________ that cost as much as $2,200. A criminologist in the U.K. warned (5) ___________________ were the start of a new "luxury crime trend". He said the (6) ___________________.

The criminologist warned people (7) ___________________ to be careful. He said: "Be (8) ___________________ surroundings….You have to be vigilant for opportunists who might (9) ___________________ your coat." He added that thieves are (10) ___________________ watches to coats. A London Transport spokesperson said the muggings were "a real concern". She said they have (11) ___________________ on the safety of young people, and that the (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Aseriesofmuggingsincitiesworldwidehasseenpeoplerobbedofexpen
sivecoats.Inrecentweeks,peoplehavehadtheircoatsstolenatknifepoi
nt.AmanintheUKwasslashedacrosshisfacewhenthievesmuggedhimf
orhisjacket.Criminalsaretargetingcoatsthatcostasmuchas$2,200.A
criminologistintheU.K.warnedthatthemuggingswerethestartofanew
"luxurycrimetrend".Hesaidthetheftswere"worrying".Thecriminologi
stwarnedpeoplewearingbrandcoatstobecareful.Hesaid:"Beawareof
yoursurroundings….Youhavetobevigilantforopportunistswhomightt
rytostealyourcoat."Headdedthatthievesarechangingfromstealingw
atchestocoats.ALondonTransportspokespersonsaidthemuggingswe
re"arealconcern".Shesaidtheyhaveahugeimpactonthesafetyofyoun
gpeople,andthatthecrimeswerefrightening.

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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