The Reading / Listening - Level 5

There is a major road-safety campaign in Britain to get hands-free mobile phones banned. The charity Brake also wants motorists to switch off their phones while driving. The group said fines for calling or texting should also be increased by up to tenfold. The current penalty of $160 may not stop people. Brake revealed that more than 575,000 British drivers had points on their driving licence for using their phone. The charity said: "We're living in an age when being constantly connected is the norm. More and more of us have smartphones, and find it hard to switch off, even for a minute."

Britain's government said road safety was a "top priority", but it had "no plans to change the law" for hands-free devices. It added that it was always reviewing correct penalties, "to ensure they are appropriate". Brake said that while there were enormous benefits to this technology, it was dangerous as drivers could not concentrate on the road. This puts motorists and other road users in danger. It added that most people would never drink and drive but do not understand that the effects of calling or texting while driving, "can be similar and the consequences just as horrific."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24982173
  • http://news.sky.com/story/1170006/mobile-phones-in-cars-call-for-total-ban
  • http://www.brake.org.uk/news/1147-rsw13-nat


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 :-)



The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

a major road-

a.

British drivers had points

2.

fines for

b.

licence

3.

increased by

c.

us have smartphones

4.

Brake revealed that more than 575,000

d.

calling or texting

5.

driving

e.

safety campaign

6.

being constantly connected

f.

switch off

7.

More and more of

g.

up to tenfold

8.

find it hard to

h.

is the norm



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

top

a.

correct penalties

2.

it had no plans to

b.

on the road

3.

it was always reviewing

c.

and drive

4.

ensure they

d.

change the law

5.

enormous

e.

while driving

6.

concentrate

f.

are appropriate

7.

most people would never drink

g.

priority

8.

the effects of calling or texting

h.

benefits

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There is (1) ___________________ campaign in Britain to get hands-free mobile phones banned. The charity Brake also (2) ___________________ off their phones while driving. The group said fines for calling or texting should also be increased (3) ___________________. The current penalty of $160 may not stop people. Brake revealed that more than 575,000 British drivers (4) ___________________ driving licence for using their phone. The charity said: "We're living in an age when being (5) ___________________ is the norm. More and more of us have smartphones, and find it hard to switch off, (6) ___________________."

Britain's government said (7) ___________________ "top priority", but it had "no plans to change the law" (8) ___________________. It added that it was always reviewing correct penalties, "to ensure they are appropriate". Brake said that while there were (9) ___________________ to this technology, it was dangerous as drivers could not concentrate on the road. This puts motorists and other (10) ___________________. It added that most people would never (11) ___________________ do not understand that the effects of calling or texting while driving, "can be similar and the (12) ___________________ horrific."

MOBILE PHONE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about mobile phones 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.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about mobile phones for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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