The Interview

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

There are tensions between the USA and North Korea after a cyber-attack on the movie company Sony Pictures. Sony cancelled its movie 'The Interview' after a group called The Guardians of Peace threatened to attack cinemas. The movie is about two journalists who want to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The group said the attacks would be "9/11 style". The group also said it would put more confidential data about Sony online.

Sony cancelled the movie "in the interests of public safety". President Obama said dictators could not censor things in the USA. He said: "Imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like." A US senator said it was "an act of war" and "the greatest blow to free speech". A politician said: "America has lost its first cyber-war." A Hollywood actor tweeted: "The hackers won."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/19/politics/fbi-north-korea-responsible-sony/
http://news.sky.com/story/1393913/actors-slam-hollywood-for-caving-in-to-threats
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30530361

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.	There are	a.	attack cinemas
2.	a cyber-attack	b.	leader Kim Jong-un
3.	Sony cancelled	c.	on the movie company
4.	threatened to	d.	data
5.	The movie is	e.	its movie
6.	North Korean	f.	tensions
7.	the attacks would	g.	about two journalists
8.	confidential	h.	be "9/11 style"

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.	Sony cancelled	a.	censor things in the USA
2.	in the interests	b.	of war
3.	dictators could not	c.	that they don't like
4.	Imagine what	d.	reports
5.	they see a documentary	e.	of public safety
6.	news	f.	its first cyber-war
7.	an act	g.	the movie
8.	America has lost	h.	they start doing

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There (1) ___________________ the USA and North Korea after a cyber- (2) ___________________ company Sony Pictures. Sony cancelled its movie 'The Interview' (3) ___________________ The Guardians of Peace threatened to attack cinemas. The movie is about two journalists (4) ___________________ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The group said the (5) ___________________ "9/11 style". The group also said it would put more (6) ___________________ about Sony online.

Sony cancelled the movie "(7) ___________________ public safety". President Obama said dictators could (8) ___________________ in the USA. He said: "Imagine what they (9) ___________________ they see a documentary that (10) ___________________ reports that they don't like." A US senator said it was "(11) ___________________" and "the greatest blow to free speech". A politician said: "America (12) ___________________ cyber-war." A Hollywood actor tweeted: "The hackers won."

WORLD TENSIONS SURVEY

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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The Interview (21st December, 2014)

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