Breaking News English

 

 
 

WARM-UPS

1. VISAS: Walk around the class and talk to other students about visas. Change partners often. Sit with your first partner(s) and share your findings.

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

The United States / visas / European countries / mobility / tourism industry / peanuts / tourists / application form / private life / drug abuse / spying / terrorism / genocide

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

3. TOURISM: How can a country encourage it? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you wrote. Change and share again.

	Ideas to increase tourism
Visa charges
Airport arrivals
Information
Entry charges to sites
Language
Security

4. VISA CHARGES: Students A strongly believe they should be scrapped; Students B strongly believe they are important.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. HOLIDAY: What’s important to take? Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the most important at the top. Change partners and share your rankings again.

A book iPhone/BlackBerry… First aid kit Compass

Compass Family photos Favourite food Game

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Europeans must soon start paying $14 for a visit to the U.S.A.	T / F
b.	American citizens must also pay to enter European Union countries.	T / F
c.	An E.U. official suggested the charge broke American promises.	T / F
d.	Many Europeans said they would pay for the visa using peanuts.	T / F
e.	Europeans visiting the US must fill in a form on the Internet.	T / F
f.	Europeans need to tell US authorities if they are drug abusers.	T / F
g.	The USA hasn't yet put questions about spying on the application form.	T / F
h.	People have another two years before the visa charge takes effect.	T / F

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

1.	fee	a.	espionage
2	angered	b.	at odds with
3.	review	c.	fill in
4.	inconsistent	d.	maddened
5.	peanuts	e.	infectious
6.	complete	f.	in force
7.	communicable	g.	charge
8.	spying	h.	immediately
9.	effective	i.	change
10.	right away	j.	small change

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

1.	charge travellers a $14	a.	apply for a free ESTA now
2	Under current	b.	thousands spent on a vacation
3.	some nations may	c.	they have criminal records
4.	facilitate transatlantic	d.	fee for an electronic visa
5.	peanuts compared with the	e.	disease
6.	complete an online	f.	mobility
7.	a communicable	g.	review this
8.	answer questions about whether	h.	from September 8th
9.	The charge becomes effective	i.	rules
10.	Travel agencies suggest travellers	j.	application form

 

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Plans by the United States to ____________ travellers a $14 fee for an electronic visa to enter the country have ____________ European countries. American authorities have decided to start charging for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which had been free. Under ____________ rules, American citizens can enter European Union (EU) countries without charge, although some nations may ____________ this. An EU official, Cecilia Malmstrom, said the new requirement is “____________ with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic ____________” and will ____________ America’s tourism industry. Many people feel a $14 charge is ____________ compared with the thousands spent on a vacation.		mobility review angered harm peanuts charge inconsistent current
The ESTA system ____________ tourists and business people to complete an online application form. There are a ____________ of detailled questions about the potential visitor’s private life and personal history. These include ____________ the applicant has a communicable disease, a physical or mental disorder or ____________ drugs. People also have to answer questions about whether they have criminal records, or have been ____________ in spying, terrorism or genocide. The charge becomes effective from September 8th. Travel agencies suggest travellers ____________ for a free ESTA now because it lasts 2 years. Martin Lewis from the MoneySavingExpert.com website ____________: "Anyone [thinking of] going to the USA should urgently go and ____________ in their ESTA right away.”		involved whether advised requires fill apply series abuses

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Plans by the United States to charge travellers a $14 fee for an electronic visa to enter ______________________ European countries. American authorities have decided to start charging for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), ______________________. Under current rules, American citizens can enter European Union (EU) countries without charge, although some ______________________. An EU official, Cecilia Malmstrom, said the new requirement is “inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate ______________________” and will harm America’s tourism industry. Many people feel a $14 charge ______________________ the thousands spent on a vacation.

The ESTA system requires tourists and business people to complete an ______________________. There are a series of detailled questions about the potential visitor’s private life and personal history. These include whether the applicant has ______________________, a physical or mental disorder or abuses drugs. People also have to answer questions about whether they have criminal records, or have ______________________, terrorism or genocide. The charge ______________________ September 8th. Travel agencies suggest travellers apply for a free ESTA now because it lasts 2 years. Martin Lewis from the MoneySavingExpert.com website advised: "Anyone [thinking of] going to the USA should ______________________ their ESTA right away.”

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

electronic

visa

• 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:

angered start current review mobility peanuts

business history drugs spying lasts fill

STUDENT VISA SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about visas 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

VISAS DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘visa’?
c)	Why do you think countries charge for visas?
d)	What do you think of the USA’s decision to charge Europeans for visas?
e)	Do you think all visas should be free?
f)	Have you had any trouble getting a visa?
g)	Do you think America charging Europeans for a visa will affect tourism?
h)	Do you think visas should become a thing of the past?
i)	What are the good and bad things about visas?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	Do you think there are too many questions on visa application forms?
c)	If you had a criminal record, would you write it on a visa application form?
d)	Would you lie to get a visa?
e)	How many people write down they are spies, terrorists, mass murderers on visa application forms?
f)	Isn’t $14 really a very small price to pay to enter a country?
g)	Would you urgently get a free visa to save $14?
h)	What’s the most you’d pay for a visa?
i)	What questions would you like to ask the US authorities who decided to charge the $14 to Europeans?

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE

Plans by the United States to charge travellers a $14 (1) ____ for an electronic visa to enter the country have angered European countries. American authorities have decided to start (2) ____ for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which had been free. Under (3) ____ rules, American citizens can enter European Union (EU) countries without charge, although some nations (4) ____ review this. An EU official, Cecilia Malmstrom, said the new requirement is “inconsistent with the commitment (5) ____ the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility” and will harm America’s tourism industry. Many people feel a $14 charge is (6) ____ compared with the thousands spent on a vacation.

The ESTA system requires tourists and business people to complete an online application form. There are a (7) ____ of detailled questions about the potential visitor’s private life and personal history. These (8) ____ whether the applicant has a communicable disease, a physical or mental disorder or (9) ____ drugs. People also have to answer questions about whether they have criminal records, or have been involved (10) ____ spying, terrorism or genocide. The charge becomes effective from September 8th. Travel agencies suggest travellers apply for a free ESTA now because it (11) ____ 2 years. Martin Lewis from the MoneySavingExpert.com website advised: "Anyone [thinking of] going to the USA should urgently go and fill in their ESTA right (12) ____.”

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	fee	(b)	fund	(c)	change	(d)	amount
2.	(a)	charge	(b)	chargers	(c)	charging	(d)	charged
3.	(a)	currently	(b)	current	(c)	currents	(d)	currant
4.	(a)	have	(b)	going	(c)	want	(d)	may
5.	(a)	at	(b)	to	(c)	of	(d)	on
6.	(a)	peanuts	(b)	chocolate	(c)	chips	(d)	candies
7.	(a)	serial	(b)	serious	(c)	seriously	(d)	series
8.	(a)	inclusive	(b)	include	(c)	inclusion	(d)	including
9.	(a)	abuse	(b)	abusive	(c)	abuses	(d)	abusing
10.	(a)	in	(b)	to	(c)	on	(d)	up
11.	(a)	last	(b)	lasts	(c)	lasted	(d)	lasting
12.	(a)	up	(b)	on	(c)	around	(d)	away

WRITING

Write about visas for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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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 American visas. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. VISAS: Make a poster about visas. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. VISAS: Write a magazine article about visas. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against them.

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. LETTER: Write a letter to the U.S. visa authorities. Ask them three questions about visas. Give them three of your opinions on visas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

T

b.

F

c.

T

d.

F

e.

T

f.

T

g.

F

h.

F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	fee	a.	charge
2	angered	b.	maddened
3.	review	c.	change
4.	inconsistent	d.	at odds with
5.	peanuts	e.	small change
6.	complete	f.	fill in
7.	communicable	g.	infectious
8.	spying	h.	espionage
9.	effective	i.	in force
10.	right away	j.	immediately

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	charge travellers a $14	a.	fee for an electronic visa
2	Under current	b.	rules
3.	some nations may	c.	review this
4.	facilitate transatlantic	d.	mobility
5.	peanuts compared with the	e.	thousands spent on a vacation
6.	complete an online	f.	application form
7.	a communicable	g.	disease
8.	answer questions about whether	h.	they have criminal records
9.	The charge becomes effective	i.	from September 8th
10.	Travel agencies suggest travellers	j.	apply for a free ESTA now

GAP FILL:

Europeans must now pay to visit USA

Plans by the United States to charge travellers a $14 fee for an electronic visa to enter the country have angered European countries. American authorities have decided to start charging for the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), which had been free. Under current rules, American citizens can enter European Union (EU) countries without charge, although some nations may review this. An EU official, Cecilia Malmstrom, said the new requirement is “inconsistent with the commitment of the US to facilitate transatlantic mobility” and will harm America’s tourism industry. Many people feel a $14 charge is peanuts compared with the thousands spent on a vacation.

The ESTA system requires tourists and business people to complete an online application form. There are a series of detailled questions about the potential visitor’s private life and personal history. These include whether the applicant has a communicable disease, a physical or mental disorder or abuses drugs. People also have to answer questions about whether they have criminal records, or have been involved in spying, terrorism or genocide. The charge becomes effective from September 8th. Travel agencies suggest travellers apply for a free ESTA now because it lasts 2 years. Martin Lewis from the MoneySavingExpert.com website advised: "Anyone [thinking of] going to the USA should urgently go and fill in their ESTA right away.”

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 - a

3 - b

4 - c

5 - c

6 - b

7 - d

8 - a

9 - b

10 - d

11 - c

12 - a

 

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