The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Even the U.S. President has embarrassing credit card moments. Barack Obama was in an expensive New York restaurant. The cashier said no to his credit card. The President said: "I went to a restaurant…and my credit card was rejected….I guess, I don't use it enough." He said the cashier thought his card was being used illegally. He did not have enough cash to pay the bill. Luckily, his wife used her credit card, so they could leave the restaurant.

Mr Obama signed a new law to protect credit-card users. It will also help stop identity theft. This is a big problem all over the world. Hackers stole the private information of around 100 million Americans last year. The new law is called "BuySecure". Credit cards will stop using magnetic strips. Hackers can read them easily. Hackers put the information on other cards. New credit cards will have microchips and PIN numbers.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/10/17/president-obamas-credit-card-was-rejected-last-month/
  • http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-credit-card-declined-at-restaurant/
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-29664831


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.

embarrassing credit card

a.

cash to pay the bill

2.

in an expensive New York

b.

her credit card

3.

The cashier said no to

c.

restaurant

4.

my credit card

d.

used illegally

5.

his card was being

e.

moments

6.

He did not have enough

f.

the restaurant

7.

his wife used

g.

his credit card

8.

they could leave

h.

was rejected

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.

Mr Obama signed a new

a.

numbers

2.

protect credit-

b.

the world

3.

help stop identity

c.

strips

4.

a big problem all over

d.

card users

5.

private

e.

theft

6.

magnetic

f.

have microchips

7.

New credit cards will

g.

law

8.

PIN

h.

information

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Even the U.S. President (1) ___________________ credit card moments. Barack Obama was (2) ___________________ New York restaurant. The cashier (3) ___________________ credit card. The President said: "I went to a restaurant…and my credit (4) ___________________ ….I guess, I don't use it enough." He said the cashier thought his card was (5) ___________________. He did not have enough cash to pay the bill. Luckily, his wife used her credit card, (6) ___________________ the restaurant.

Mr Obama signed a new (7) ___________________ credit-card users. It will also (8) ___________________ theft. This is a big problem all over the world. Hackers stole the (9) ___________________ of around 100 million Americans last year. The new law is called "BuySecure". Credit cards will stop using (10) ___________________. Hackers can read them easily. Hackers (11) ___________________ on other cards. New credit cards will have microchips (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

EventheU.S.Presidenthasembarrassingcreditcardmoments.Barack
ObamawasinanexpensiveNewYorkrestaurant.Thecashiersaidnotohi
screditcard.ThePresidentsaid:"Iwenttoarestaurant…andmycreditca
rdwasrejected….Iguess,Idon'tuseitenough."Hesaidthecashierthoug
hthiscardwasbeingusedillegally.Hedidnothaveenoughcashtopaythe
bill.Luckily,hiswifeusedhercreditcard,sotheycouldleavetherestaura
nt.MrObamasignedanewlawtoprotectcreditcardusers.Itwillalsohelp
stopidentitytheft.Thisisabigproblemallovertheworld.Hackersstoleth
eprivateinformationofaround100millionAmericanslastyear.Thenewl
awiscalled"BuySecure".Creditcardswillstopusingmagneticstrips.Ha
ckerscanreadthemeasily.Hackersputtheinformationonothercards.N
ewcreditcardswillhavemicrochipsandPINnumbers.

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)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about credit cards for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You