Web full of energy but also has dark side

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The Internet's founder, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has spoken about it 25 years after he created it. He said it is a force for good, but it has a negative side. He told the BBC: "Everywhere I look I see a mass of energy…and also in some places, they are using the web for organised protests." He was sad at the amount of trolling and negativity. He was shocked that normal people, "suddenly become very hateful instead of very loving".

Berners-Lee was at London's Science Museum for a new 'Information Age' exhibition. It has the server that hosted the first ever website, which still has a note on it that Berners-Lee wrote about not switching it off. Berners-Lee is a director of the World Wide Web Consortium, which looks after the Web's development. He hopes people will build more web-based tools that will help us collaborate for positive change, rather than fight.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/10/24/web-polarises-people-making-them-hateful-says-tim-berners-lee
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/24/tim-berners-lee-hateful-people-on-the-web-are-staggering
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Lee

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.	it is a force	a.	for organised protests
2.	I see a mass	b.	people
3.	using the web	c.	at the amount of trolling
4.	He was sad	d.	of very loving
5.	normal	e.	for good
6.	become very hateful instead	f.	of energy

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	a new 'Information Age'	a.	the first ever website
2.	the server that hosted	b.	World Wide Web Consortium
3.	still has a note on	c.	help us collaborate
4.	director of the	d.	development
5.	looks after the Web's	e.	exhibition
6.	build more web-based tools that will	f.	it that Berners-Lee wrote

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The Internet's founder, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, (1) ___________________ 25 years after he created it. He said it is (2) ___________________, but it has a negative side. He told the BBC: "Everywhere (3) ___________________ of energy…and also in some places, they are using the web for organised protests." He was (4) ___________________ of trolling and negativity. He was shocked (5) ___________________, "suddenly become very hateful (6) ___________________ ".

Berners-Lee was at London's Science Museum (7) ___________________ Age' exhibition. It has the (8) ___________________ the first ever website, which still (9) ___________________ that Berners-Lee wrote about not switching it off. Berners-Lee is (10) ___________________ World Wide Web Consortium, (11) ___________________ the Web's development. He hopes people will build more web-based tools that will (12) ___________________ positive change, rather than fight.

THE INTERNET SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the Internet 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 the Internet for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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