The Reading / Listening - Level 1

People hate telephone calls from companies trying to sell them something. They are also called 'nuisance calls' or 'cold calls'. Britain's government wants to stop them. It wants to make sure the company that calls cannot hide its telephone number. With most nuisance calls, we cannot see any telephone number. People could report companies who make nuisance calls. In the future, cold callers could get a fine of up to $720,000.

Around 75% of people in Britain get monthly cold calls. The number of people who get them on their mobiles increased by 20 per cent in two years. One company made 40 million cold calls in three months. Britain's minister for data protection said: "There is no simple solution to the problem." She said making companies show their telephone number would help people take action. She added that these calls were annoying and caused some people misery.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.computerweekly.com/news/4500270607/New-rules-to-clamp-down-on-nuisance-calls
  • http://www.themoneypages.com/latest-news/cold-callers-could-be-fined-500000-in-new-crackdown/
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35290780


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.

calls from companies trying to sell

a.

its telephone number

2.

They are also called 'nuisance calls'

b.

make nuisance calls

3.

Britain's government wants

c.

or 'cold calls'

4.

the company that calls cannot hide

d.

up to $720,000

5.

With most nuisance calls, we cannot see

e.

callers

6.

report companies who

f.

to stop them

7.

cold

g.

them something

8.

get a fine of

h.

any telephone number

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.

Around 75% of

a.

action

2.

get monthly

b.

in three months

3.

The number of

c.

cold calls

4.

One company made 40 million cold calls

d.

annoying

5.

There is no simple solution

e.

people in Britain

6.

help people take

f.

people who get them

7.

these calls were

g.

misery

8.

caused some people

h.

to the problem

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

People hate telephone calls (1) ___________________ to sell them something. They are also called 'nuisance calls' (2) ___________________. Britain's government wants to stop them. It wants (3) ___________________ the company that calls cannot hide its telephone number. (4) ___________________ calls, we cannot see any telephone number. (5) ___________________ companies who make nuisance calls. In the future, cold callers could get (6) ___________________ $720,000.

Around 75% of people in Britain (7) ___________________ cold calls. The number of people (8) ___________________ on their mobiles increased by 20 per cent in two years. One company made 40 million cold calls (9) ___________________. Britain's minister for data protection said: "There is (10) ___________________ to the problem." She said making companies show their telephone number (11) ___________________ take action. She added that these calls were annoying and caused (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Peoplehatetelephonecallsfromcompaniestryingtosellthemsomethin
g.Theyarealsocalled'nuisancecalls'or'coldcalls'.Britain'sgovernment
wantstostopthem.Itwantstomakesurethecompanythatcallscannoth
ideitstelephonenumber.Withmostnuisancecalls,wecannotseeanytel
ephonenumber.Peoplecouldreportcompanieswhomakenuisancecall
s.Inthefuture,coldcallerscouldgetafineofupto$720,000.Around75%
ofpeopleinBritaingetmonthlycoldcalls.Thenumberofpeoplewhogett
hemontheirmobilesincreasedby20percentintwoyears.Onecompany
made40millioncoldcallsinthreemonths.Britain'sministerfordataprot
ectionsaid:"Thereisnosimplesolutiontotheproblem."Shesaidmaking
companiesshowtheirtelephonenumberwouldhelppeopletakeaction.
Sheaddedthatthesecallswereannoyingandcausedsomepeoplemiser
y.

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)

________________________________________________________

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________





WRITING

Write about nuisance calls for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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