Breaking News English

WARM-UPS

1. NEAR BOMBINGS: Walk around the class and find out as much information you can about the near bombings of the transatlantic airplanes. When you have finished, find a new partner and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

Emergencies / security / plans / airplanes / 911 / air travel / x-rays / luggage / milk / airports / being angry / traveling / business travelers / hand baggage / valuables

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. TRAVEL HABITS: With your partner(s), talk about how your life would change if these ways of traveling became too dangerous. Change partner(s) and share what you talked about.

Airplanes Trains Subways Buses

Boats Bicycles Taxis Other ______________

4. QUICK DEBATE: Students A believe airline passengers should not be allowed to carry anything onto the airplane. Students B believe that if security is tight, hand luggage is OK. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.

5. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Change partner(s) and talk about the sentences you made.

1. Flying should ____________________________________________________
2. Terrorism can ___________________________________________________
3. Airline safety is not _______________________________________________
4. Liquids are ______________________________________________________
5. The safest way to travel is __________________________________________
6. The war on terror _________________________________________________
7. Terrorists should __________________________________________________
8. Airline passengers need _____________________________________________

6. TERRORISM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with terrorism. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	British police uncovered a plan to bomb airports.	T / F
b.	It is still not 100 per cent safe to travel by airplane.	T / F
c.	Airports have banned liquids from cabin and hold luggage.	T / F
d.	Mothers have to drink baby milk to prove to check-in staff it is safe.	T / F
e.	The new rules have caused very little trouble at airports.	T / F
f.	Airlines say the measures cannot be continued for a long time.	T / F
g.	Many business travelers may switch to private jets.	T / F
h.	Most airlines pay passengers for damage to or loss of personal items	T / F

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

a.	security	necessary
b.	proof	luggage
c.	detect	safety
d.	essential	furious
e.	prove	evidence
f.	trouble	show
g.	angry	think
h.	switch	problems
i.	consider	change
j.	baggage	spot

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	security	100 per cent safe
b.	British police uncovered	of trouble
c.	proof that air travel is still not	can be checked in
d.	only essential items	cargo area
e.	stored in the airplane’s	to worry about their valuables
f.	causing a lot	controls
g.	London’s Heathrow has canceled one	to private jets
h.	Business travelers may switch	damage to or loss of personal items
i.	passengers are sure	a plan to bomb airplanes
j.	airlines do not pay passengers for	third of its daily flights

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

Airports ban liquids on planes

International airports have started new __________ controls after British police uncovered a plan to bomb airplanes __________ the Atlantic. Five years after the 911 attacks, terrorists are still trying to finding ways to get __________ airport safety checks. Last week’s failed bombings of transatlantic planes are __________ that air travel is still not 100 per cent safe. A gang planned to make bombs on board airliners using liquids, which x-ray __________ cannot detect. Airports have now banned all liquids from carry-on __________. For many destinations, only essential items can be checked in. Everything else must be __________ in the airplane’s cargo area. This includes laptop computers and even electronic car keys. Mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to __________ it is not dangerous.		stored past luggage machines security prove proof crossing
The new measures are __________ a lot of trouble at major airports. London’s Heathrow has canceled one third of its daily flights. Airlines are angry at the __________. They think the new security controls cannot work for a long __________ of time. Traveling has also become more difficult for passengers. Business travelers may __________ to private jets so they can carry their computers onto the airplane. Many executives may consider the small extra __________ would be better than having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers are sure to worry about their __________, which might get lost, stolen or broken after __________. Most airlines do not pay passengers for damage to or loss of personal __________.		valuables switch cancellations items cost causing check-in period

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Airports ban liquids on planes

International airports have _______________ security controls after British police uncovered a plan to bomb airplanes crossing the Atlantic. Five years after the 911 attacks, terrorists are still trying _______________ to get past airport safety checks. Last week’s failed bombings of transatlantic planes are _______________ air travel is still not 100 per cent safe. A gang planned to make bombs on board airliners using liquids, which x-ray machines cannot detect. Airports have now banned _______________ from carry-on luggage. For many destinations, only essential items can be checked in. Everything else must _______________ in the airplane’s cargo area. This includes laptop computers and even electronic car keys. Mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry _______________ is not dangerous.

The new measures are causing a _______________ at major airports. London’s Heathrow has canceled one _______________ daily flights. Airlines are angry at the cancellations. They think the new security controls cannot work _______________ period of time. Traveling has also become more difficult for passengers. Business travelers may switch to private jets _______________ carry their computers onto the airplane. Many executives may consider the small extra cost would be better than having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers are _______________ about their valuables, which might get lost, stolen or broken after check-in. Most airlines do not pay passengers for damage _______________ personal items.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘security’ and ‘control’.

• 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. STUDENT “FLIGHT SAFETY” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about flight safety and how to stop terrorists from bombing airplanes.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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

started past 100 per cent detect stored drink

major angry switch consider valuables personal

DISCUSSION

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

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. Do you like flying?
3. Has this news made you more worried about flying?
4. Do you think airline authorities can make flights 100 per cent safe?
5. What should happen to the people who wanted to bomb the airplanes?
6. Would the new carry-on luggage rules cause you problems?
7. What do you think are the best ways to make flying 100 per cent safe?
8. Have you ever experienced big problems while traveling?
9. How would you feel about your flight suddenly being canceled?
10. When was the last time you were angry about something?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you think carry-on luggage will become a thing of the past?
4. What are the worst things about traveling for you – especially by air?
5. When do you think terrorists will stop trying to blow up airplanes?
6. Should people be allowed to carry laptop computers onto airplanes?
7. Do you think airlines should pay passengers for anything that is lost, stolen or broken in suitcases?
8. Do you think first class travelers should have to follow the same rules as economy class travelers?
9. Would you pay more money for an air ticket to cover extra security at airports?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

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 more information about the latest news on the attempted airplane bombings. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SECURITY MEASURES: Make an outline of how you would increase safety for passengers on airplanes. What security controls would you introduce at airports and on airplanes? Show your outline to your classmates in the next lesson. Talk about which ones you liked best and why.

4. DIARY: You are at the airport. Your flight home has been canceled. Your next flight is three days from now. Write your diary/journal entry for your first day waiting at the airport. Read your entry to your classmates in the next lesson. Which entry did you like best and why?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. T

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	security	safety
b.	proof	evidence
c.	detect	spot
d.	essential	necessary
e.	prove	show
f.	trouble	problems
g.	angry	furious
h.	switch	change
i.	consider	think
j.	baggage	luggage

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	security	controls
b.	British police uncovered	a plan to bomb airplanes
c.	proof that air travel is still not	100 per cent safe
d.	only essential items	can be checked in
e.	stored in the airplane’s	cargo area
f.	causing a lot	of trouble
g.	London’s Heathrow has canceled one	third of its daily flights
h.	Business travelers may switch	to private jets
i.	passengers are sure	to worry about their valuables
j.	airlines do not pay passengers for	damage to or loss of personal items

GAP FILL:

Airports ban liquids on planes

International airports have started new security controls after British police uncovered a plan to bomb airplanes crossing the Atlantic. Five years after the 911 attacks, terrorists are still trying to finding ways to get past airport safety checks. Last week’s failed bombings of transatlantic planes are proof that air travel is still not 100 per cent safe. A gang planned to make bombs on board airliners using liquids, which x-ray machines cannot detect. Airports have now banned all liquids from carry-on luggage. For many destinations, only essential items can be checked in. Everything else must be stored in the airplane’s cargo area. This includes laptop computers and even electronic car keys. Mothers have to drink the baby milk they carry to prove it is not dangerous.

The new measures are causing a lot of trouble at major airports. London’s Heathrow has canceled one third of its daily flights. Airlines are angry at the cancellations. They think the new security controls cannot work for a long period of time. Traveling has also become more difficult for passengers. Business travelers may switch to private jets so they can carry their computers onto the airplane. Many executives may consider the small extra cost would be better than having no hand baggage. Economy class passengers are sure to worry about their valuables, which might get lost, stolen or broken after check-in. Most airlines do not pay passengers for damage to or loss of personal items.

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