The Reading / Listening - Level 6

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group reveals that a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers. Access to free wi-fi is a key requirement for many tourists and travellers when they get away. Many hotel guests are frustrated and fed up with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a fee of $30 a day for the service, while others charge up to $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest peeves were about staying in a hotel. The most common gripe was rude and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this at number one. Second was checking in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be crucial. It ranked higher than the hotel having a swimming pool and being close to a city's major sites and attractions. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's crazy to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their customers will pay. He said the reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are more "price-sensitive". They have to offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, international journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet at all in their rooms.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 4  or  Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2553066/Most-common-holiday-complaints-revealed-Lack-free-wi-fi-tourists-new-pet-peeve.html
  • http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/ive-always-wondered/why-do-luxury-hotels-charge-wi-fi-cheap-hotels-dont
  • http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2014/02/04/sochi-hotel-complaints-olympics


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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. FREE WI-FI: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about free wi-fi. Change partners often 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.

 

survey / hotel / holidaymakers / complaints / frustrated / travellers / unfriendly staff / crucial / swimming pool / attractions / hotel management / budget hotel / competitive

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

3. HOTELS: How can they be better? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Quality now

Improvements

Wi-fi

 

 

Check-in/out

 

 

Room service

 

 

Booking

 

 

Room

 

 

Facilities

 

 

4. HUMAN RIGHT: Students A strongly believe access to wi-fi is now a human right; Students B strongly believe it isn't and never will be.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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5. CRUCIAL: Rank these hotel-related things and share your rankings with your partner. Put the most crucial at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • cheap price

  • swimming pool

  • free wi-fi

  • room with a view

  • buffet breakfast

  • late check-out

  • bar

  • comfortable bed

6. FREE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "free". 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.

An Internet company conducted a survey about free wi-fi in hotels.

T / F

b.

Most holidaymakers are happy to pay for wi-fi at their hotel.

T / F

c.

The top complaint among hotel guests was about unfriendly staff.

T / F

d.

The second biggest complaint was about rooms not being ready.

T / F

e.

Most hotel guests would prefer a swimming pool to free wi-fi.

T / F

f.

A hotel worker said it was crazy that hotels charged for wi-fi.

T / F

g.

A professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi because guests will pay.

T / F

h.

All journalists at the Sochi Olympics have wi-fi in their rooms.

T / F

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

1.

reveals

a.

ask for

2.

lack

b.

whatsoever

3.

key

c.

insane

4.

charge

d.

crucial

5.

gripe

e.

conscious

6.

ranked

f.

shows

7.

crazy

g.

complaint

8.

sensitive

h.

reporting on

9.

covering

i.

dearth

10.

at all

j.

was placed

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

1.

one of the biggest complaints

a.

will pay

2.

a key

b.

room is not ready

3.

guests are frustrated and

c.

to be crucial

4.

others charge up

d.

among holidaymakers

5.

checking in to find your

e.

all in their rooms

6.

guests believed free wi-fi

f.

to $10 an hour

7.

It ranked higher than the hotel

g.

fed up

8.

they know their customers

h.

having a swimming pool

9.

many budget hotels

i.

requirement

10.

no Internet at

j.

provided free wi-fi

GAP FILL

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group (1) ____________ that a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints among (2) ____________. Access to free wi-fi is a key (3) ____________ for many tourists and travellers when they get away. Many hotel guests are frustrated and (4) ____________ up with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a (5) ____________ of $30 a day for the service, while others charge up to $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest (6) ____________ were about staying in a hotel. The most common (7) ____________ was rude and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this at number one. Second was (8) ____________ in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

 

 

fed
gripe
holidaymakers
checking
reveals
fee
requirement
peeves

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be (9) ____________. It ranked higher than the hotel having a swimming pool and being close to a city's (10) ____________ sites and (11) ____________. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's (12) ____________ to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management professor said (13) ____________ hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their customers will (14) ____________. He said the reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are more "price-(15) ____________". They have to offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, international journalists (16) ____________ the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet at all in their rooms.

 

crazy
sensitive
major
covering
crucial
luxury
attractions
pay

 

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints ______

 

a.  among holidays makers
b.  among holiday markers
c.  among holidaying makers
d.  among holidaymakers

2)

Access to free wi-fi is a ______

 

a.  keyed requirement
b.  quay requirement
c.  quiche requirement
d.  key requirement

3)

The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their ______ were

 

a.  biggest sleeves
b.  biggest peeves
c.  biggest pees
d.  biggest peeps

4)

69 per cent of ______

 

a.  those questions
b.  those question
c.  those questionable
d.  those questioned

5)

Second was checking in to find your room ______

 

a.  is not already
b.  is not really
c.  is not ready
d.  is not read in

6)

51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi ______

 

a.  to be cruciate
b.  to be crucible
c.  to be crucially
d.  to be crucial

7)

being close to a city's major ______

 

a.  sights and attraction
b.  sites and attractions
c.  sites and attraction
d.  sights and attractions

8)

luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their _______

 

a.  customers will payment
b.  customers will payee
c.  customers will pay
d.  customers will pays

9)

budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are ______

 

a.  more "price-sensitively"
b.  more "price-sensitivity"
c.  more "price-sensitise"
d.  more "price-sensitive"

10)

journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being ______

 

a.  no Internet at all
b.  no Internet that all
c.  no Internet what all
d.  no Internet that's all

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group (1) ___________________ of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers. Access to free wi-fi is (2) ___________________ for many tourists and travellers when they get away. Many hotel guests (3) ___________________ with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a fee of $30 a day for the service, while (4) ___________________ $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest peeves were about staying in a hotel. The most (5) ___________________ and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this at number one. Second was checking (6) ___________________ is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be crucial. It (7) ___________________ the hotel having a swimming pool and being close to a city's (8) ___________________ attractions. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's (9) ___________________, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access (10) ___________________ customers will pay. He said the reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are (11) ___________________. They have to offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, international journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining (12) ___________________ Internet at all in their rooms.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

Who conducted the survey?

2.

What kind of requirement do guests view free wi-fi as?

3.

How do guests feel about wi-fi charges?

4.

What was the biggest complaint about?

5.

Where did rooms not being ready rank in the survey?

6.

What proportion of survey respondents thought free wi-fi was "crucial"?

7.

Why do luxury hotels charge for wi-fi?

8.

Where do "price-sensitive" guests stay?

9.

Why do budget hotels provide free wi-fi?

10.

What are journalists at the Sochi Olympics complaining about?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

Who conducted the survey?

6.

What proportion of survey respondents thought free wi-fi was "crucial"?

 

a) the Trip Advisor travel website
b) the World Wide Web
c) Hotel Guests International
d) the Thistle Hotels group

 

a) 98.72%
b) 69%
c) 51%
d) 30%

2.

What kind of requirement do guests view free wi-fi as?

7.

Why do luxury hotels charge for wi-fi?

 

a) a luxury
b) key
c) take-it-or-leave-it
d) basic

 

a) they know customers will pay
b) it's luxury-speed connectivity
c) they need the money
d) so guests don't feel bad

3.

How do guests feel about wi-fi charges?

8.

Where do "price-sensitive" guests stay?

 

a) unfed
b) well-fed
c) fed
d) fed up

 

a) out of town
b) in hostels
c) budget hotels
d) in camping grounds

4.

What was the biggest complaint about?

9.

Why do budget hotels provide free wi-fi?

 

a) dirty sheets
b) room charges
c) rude and unfriendly staff
d) overbooking

 

a) they think it's a human right
b) to stay competitive
c) their guests have no money
d) they are friendly

5.

Where did rooms not being ready rank in the survey?

10.

What are journalists at the Sochi Olympics complaining about?

 

a) fifth
b) fourth
c) third
d) second

 

a) no Internet in their rooms
b) slow connectivity
c) blocked sites
d) all sites are in Russian

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Free wi-if

You think free wi-fi is the most important thing in a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a swimming pool, a comfortable bed or a late check-out is.

Role  B – Swimming pool

You think a swimming pool is the most important thing in a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): free wi-fi, a comfortable bed or a late check-out is.

Role  C – Comfortable bed

You think a comfortable bed is the most important thing in a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a swimming pool, free wi-fi or a late check-out is.

Role  D – Late check-out

You think a late check-out is the most important thing in a hotel stay. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a swimming pool, a comfortable bed or free wi-fi.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'hotel' and 'guests'.

hotel

 

guests

 

 

  • 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:

  • survey
  • key
  • fed up
  • 10
  • common
  • second
  • 51
  • close
  • know
  • sensitive
  • offer
  • at all

FREE WI-FI SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about free wi-fi 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.

FREE WI-FI 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 'wi-fi'?

c)

How important is wi-fi to you?

d)

How did people survive before wi-fi?

e)

What's your biggest complaint about hotels?

f)

How would your life be different without wi-fi?

g)

Should wi-fi be free in hotels?

h)

What do you think of the $10-an-hour charge for hotel wi-fi?

i)

What do you think of the friendliness of hotel staff?

j)

Should tourists leave their laptops and mobile phones at home when they go on holiday?

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

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

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

Do you think wi-fi is more important than a pool at a hotel?

c)

How important is it your hotel is near the sites and attractions?

d)

How crazy is it that hotel chains charge for wi-fi?

e)

Would you prefer to stay in a budget hotel that had free wi-fi?

f)

How would the world change without wi-fi?

g)

How many days could you survive without the Internet?

h)

What's your favourite hotel?

i)

Why don't journalists have wi-fi in their room at the Sochi Olympics?

j)

What questions would you like to ask a hotel chain CEO?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

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

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group reveals that a (1) ____ of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints (2) ____ holidaymakers. Access to free wi-fi is a key requirement for many tourists and travellers when they get away. Many hotel guests are frustrated and (3) ____ up with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels (4) ____ a fee of $30 a day for the service, while others charge up to $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest peeves were about staying in a hotel. The most common gripe was (5) ____ and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned (6) ____ this at number one. Second was checking in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be (7) ____. It ranked higher than the hotel (8) ____ a swimming pool and being close to a city's major sites and attractions. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's crazy to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are (9) ____ charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their customers will pay. He said the (10) ____ many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are more "price-sensitive". They have to offer it (11) ____ free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, international journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet at (12) ____ in their rooms.

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

1.

(a)

slack

(b)

flack

(c)

lack

(d)

plaque

2.

(a)

among

(b)

between

(c)

overall

(d)

at all

3.

(a)

fed

(b)

get

(c)

let

(d)

wed

4.

(a)

set

(b)

let

(c)

bet

(d)

met

5.

(a)

rudiments

(b)

rudeness

(c)

rudely

(d)

rude

6.

(a)

peering

(b)

profiting

(c)

posing

(d)

putting

7.

(a)

crucial

(b)

cruciate

(c)

crucible

(d)

crux

8.

(a)

has

(b)

had

(c)

have

(d)

having

9.

(a)

still

(b)

yet

(c)

ever

(d)

at all

10.

(a)

cause

(b)

reason

(c)

effect

(d)

consequence

11.

(a)

by

(b)

for

(c)

to

(d)

at

12.

(a)

all

(b)

every

(c)

now

(d)

whole

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

A new usryve

2.

a key euemqrtenir for many tourists

3.

guests are arsfrtdteu and fed up

4.

their biggest evpsee

5.

The most common erpig

6.

ichnegkc in to find your room

Paragraph 2

7.

guests believed free wi-fi to be rliucca

8.

major sites and rnsattacoti

9.

they know their tourcssme will pay

10.

dguebt hotels

11.

price-itessenvi

12.

They have to offer it for free to stay toitmvpeice

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

crazy to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management

(    )

than the hotel having a swimming pool and being close to a city's major sites and attractions. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's

(    )

at number one. Second was checking in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

(    )

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be crucial. It ranked higher

(    )

up with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a fee of $30 a day for the service, while others charge

(    )

customers will pay. He said the reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests

(    )

up to $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest peeves were about staying in a hotel. The most common

(    )

of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers. Access to free wi-fi is a key requirement

(    )

gripe was rude and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this

(    )

professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their

(    )

for many tourists and travellers when they get away. Many hotel guests are frustrated and fed

(    )

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group reveals that a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one

1  )

journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet at all in their rooms.

(    )

are more "price-sensitive". They have to offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, international

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

in  complaints  the  free  one  lack  hotels  wi-fi  biggest   of   of   is   A.

2.

are     with     frustrated     hotels     and     fed     Guests     up.    

3.

hotels    for   of    Some    day    fee    a    a    service    $30   set   the.

4.

and    common    rude    staff    most    was    unfriendly    The    gripe.    

5.

is    room   your   find    to   in    checking   was   Second    ready   not.

6.

guests    hotel    crucial    of    be    free    to    believed    51%     wi-fi.    

7.

having    a   swimming   pool    It   ranked   higher    than    the   hotel.

8.

wi-fi     access     because     they     know     Hotels     charge     for.    

9.

hotels     provided     free     wi-fi     The     reason     many     budget.    

10.

rooms    about    no    their   Complaining   being   in    there   Internet.    

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A new survey from the Thistle Hotels group reveals / conceals that a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest compliances / complaints among holidaymakers. Access to free wi-fi is a key / chain requirement for many tourists and travellers when they get over / away. Many hotel guests are frustrated and fed up / enough with hotels that charge for Internet access. Some hotels set / get a fee of $30 a day for the service, while others charge along / up to $10 an hour. The survey asked 2,000 travellers what their biggest peeves / sleeves were about staying in a hotel. The most common stripe / gripe was rude and unfriendly staff, with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this at number one. Second was checking in / out to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be crucial / crucible. It ranked higher than the hotel having a swimming pool and locating / being close to a city's major sites / sights and attractions. A Thistle Hotels spokesman said: "It's crazy / crazily to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still / yet charging for wi-fi." Toni Repetti, a hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access / excess because they know their customers will pay. He said the cause / reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are more "price-sensitive" / "price-sensitivity". They have to offer it for free to stay competition / competitive. Meanwhile, international journalists covering the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet at every / all in their rooms.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_ n_w s_rv_y fr_m th_ Th_stl_ H_t_ls gr__p r_v__ls th_t _ l_ck _f fr__ w_-f_ _n h_t_ls _s _n_ _f th_ b_gg_st c_mpl__nts _m_ng h_l_d_ym_k_rs. _cc_ss t_ fr__ w_-f_ _s _ k_y r_q__r_m_nt f_r m_ny t__r_sts _nd tr_v_ll_rs wh_n th_y g_t _w_y. M_ny h_t_l g__sts _r_ fr_str_t_d _nd f_d _p w_th h_t_ls th_t ch_rg_ f_r _nt_rn_t _cc_ss. S_m_ h_t_ls s_t _ f__ _f $30 _ d_y f_r th_ s_rv_c_, wh_l_ _th_rs ch_rg_ _p t_ $10 _n h__r. Th_ s_rv_y _sk_d 2,000 tr_v_ll_rs wh_t th__r b_gg_st p__v_s w_r_ _b__t st_y_ng _n _ h_t_l. Th_ m_st c_mm_n gr_p_ w_s r_d_ _nd _nfr__ndly st_ff, w_th 69 p_r c_nt _f th_s_ q__st__n_d p_tt_ng th_s _t n_mb_r _n_. S_c_nd w_s ch_ck_ng _n t_ f_nd y__r r__m _s n_t r__dy, _nd th_rd w_s n_ fr__ w_-f_.

Th_ s_rv_y r_v__l_d th_t 51% _f h_t_l g__sts b_l__v_d fr__ w_-f_ t_ b_ cr_c__l. _t r_nk_d h_gh_r th_n th_ h_t_l h_v_ng _ sw_mm_ng p__l _nd b__ng cl_s_ t_ _ c_ty's m_j_r s_t_s _nd _ttr_ct__ns. _ Th_stl_ H_t_ls sp_k_sm_n s__d: "_t's cr_zy t_ th_nk th_t, _n 2014, h_t_l ch__ns _r_ st_ll ch_rg_ng f_r w_-f_." T_n_ R_p_tt_, _ h_t_l m_n_g_m_nt pr_f_ss_r s__d l_x_ry h_t_ls ch_rg_ f_r w_-f_ _cc_ss b_c__s_ th_y kn_w th__r c_st_m_rs w_ll p_y. H_ s__d th_ r__s_n m_ny b_dg_t h_t_ls pr_v_d_d fr__ w_-f_ _s b_c__s_ th__r g__sts _r_ m_r_ "pr_c_-s_ns_t_v_". Th_y h_v_ t_ _ff_r _t f_r fr__ t_ st_y c_mp_t_t_v_. M__nwh_l_, _nt_rn_t__n_l j__rn_l_sts c_v_r_ng th_ S_ch_ _lymp_cs _r_ c_mpl__n_ng _b__t th_r_ b__ng n_ _nt_rn_t _t _ll _n th__r r__ms.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a new survey from the thistle hotels group reveals that a lack of free wi-fi in hotels is one of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers access to free wi-fi is a key requirement for many tourists and travellers when they get away many hotel guests are frustrated and fed up with hotels that charge for internet access some hotels set a fee of $30 a day for the service while others charge up to $10 an hour the survey asked 2000 travellers what their biggest peeves were about staying in a hotel the most common gripe was rude and unfriendly staff with 69 per cent of those questioned putting this at number one second was checking in to find your room is not ready and third was no free wi-fi

the survey revealed that 51% of hotel guests believed free wi-fi to be crucial it ranked higher than the hotel having a swimming pool and being close to a city's major sites and attractions a thistle hotels spokesman said "it's crazy to think that in 2014 hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi" toni repetti a hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge for wi-fi access because they know their customers will pay he said the reason many budget hotels provided free wi-fi is because their guests are more "price-sensitive" they have to offer it for free to stay competitive meanwhile international journalists covering the sochi olympics are complaining about there being no internet at all in their rooms

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AnewsurveyfromtheThistleHotelsgrouprevealsthatalackoffreewi-fiinhot
elsisoneofthebiggestcomplaintsamongholidaymakers.Accesstofreewi-
fiisakeyrequirementformanytouristsandtravellerswhentheygetaway.Many
hotelguestsarefrustratedandfedupwithhotelsthatchargeforInternetaccess.
Somehotelssetafeeof$30adayfortheservice,whileotherschargeupto$10anh
our.Thesurveyasked2,000travellerswhattheirbiggestpeeveswereaboutstay
inginahotel.Themostcommongripewasrudeandunfriendlystaff,with69perce
ntofthosequestionedputtingthisatnumberone.Secondwascheckingintofindy
ourroomisnotready,andthirdwasnofreewi-fi.Thesurveyrevealedthat51%
ofhotelguestsbelievedfreewi-fitobecrucial.Itrankedhigherthanthehotelh
avingaswimmingpoolandbeingclosetoacity'smajorsitesandattractions.AThi
stleHotelsspokesmansaid:"It'scrazytothinkthat,in2014,hotelchainsarestillc
hargingforwi-fi."ToniRepetti,ahotelmanagementprofessorsaidluxur
yhotelschargeforwi-fiaccessbecausetheyknowtheircustomerswillpay.Hes
aidthereasonmanybudgethotelsprovidedfreewi-fiisbecausetheirguestsar
emore"price-sensitive".Theyhavetoofferitforfreetostaycompetitive.M
eanwhile,internationaljournalistscoveringtheSochiOlympicsarecomplaining
abouttherebeingnoInternetatallintheirrooms.

FREE WRITING

Write about free wi-fi for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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ACADEMIC WRITING

Wi-fi should be free all over the world. Discuss.

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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 free wi-fi. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. FREE WI-FI: Make a poster about free wi-fi. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. HOTELS: Write a magazine article about hotels that charge for wi-fi. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

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. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to a communications expert. Ask him/her three questions about wi-fi. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

  • News
  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
  • Moving from text to speech
  • Post-reading / Post-listening
  • Discussions
  • Using opinions
  • Plans
  • Language
  • Using lists
  • Using quotes
  • Task-based activities
  • Role plays
  • Using the central characters in the article
  • Using themes from the news
  • Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

reveals

a.

shows

2.

lack

b.

dearth

3.

key

c.

crucial

4.

charge

d.

ask for

5.

gripe

e.

complaint

6.

ranked

f.

was placed

7.

crazy

g.

insane

8.

sensitive

h.

conscious

9.

covering

i.

reporting on

10.

at all

j.

whatsoever

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

The Thistle Hotels group

2.

A key requirement

3.

Frustrated and fed up

4.

Rude and unfriendly staff

5.

Second

6.

51%

7.

They know guests will pay

8.

In budget hotels

9.

To stay competitive (and guests are "price-sensitive")

10.

There being no Internet in their rooms

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

d

4.

c

5.

d

6.

c

7.

a

8.

c

9.

b

10.

a

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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