The Reading / Listening - World Wide Web - Level 0

The man who made the Internet is worried. He said people are using the web in dangerous ways. Firstly, companies are making fake news to fool people. This "spreads like wildfire". The second danger is political adverts. They can stop people from voting. Third is government or company control of our personal data.

The web started in 1989. The inventor wanted something for everyone, everywhere to share information and have opportunities. There are now difficult problems with no simple answers. He wants people to control their personal data. He said this helps free speech. He also wants to fight fake news. He asked Internet users to help.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    World Wide Web - Level 1,  World Wide Web - Level 2   or  World Wide Web - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39246810
  • https://www.newscientist.com/article/2124201-web-creator-tim-berners-lee-speaks-out-on-fake-news/
  • http://webfoundation.org/2017/03/web-turns-28-letter/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. The man who
  2. people are using the web
  3. fake
  4. to fool
  5. This spreads like
  6. political
  7. They can stop people
  8. personal
  1. in dangerous ways
  2. from voting
  3. people
  4. data
  5. news
  6. made the Internet
  7. adverts
  8. wildfire

Paragraph 2

  1. The web started
  2. The inventor wanted something for
  3. share
  4. difficult problems with no
  5. He wants people to control their
  6. free
  7. He also wants
  8. He asked Internet
  1. to fight fake news
  2. information
  3. personal data
  4. everyone
  5. users to help
  6. simple answers
  7. in 1989
  8. speech

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The man who made the (1) ___________________. He said (2) _________________ the web in (3) ___________________. Firstly, companies are making (4) ___________________ fool people. This "spreads (5) ___________________". The second danger is political adverts. They can stop people from voting. Third is government or company (6) ___________________ personal data.

The (7) ___________________ 1989. The inventor wanted something for everyone, (8) ___________________ information and have opportunities. (9) ___________________ difficult problems with (10) ___________________. He wants people to control their personal data. He said this (11) ___________________. He also wants to fight fake news. He asked Internet (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThemanwhomadetheInternetisworried.Hesaidpeopleareusingthew
ebindangerousways.Firstly,companiesaremakingfakenewstofoolpe
ople.This"spreadslikewildfire".Theseconddangerispoliticaladverts.T
heycanstoppeoplefromvoting.Thirdisgovernmentorcompanycontrol
ofourpersonaldata.Thewebstartedin1989.Theinventorwantedsome
thingforeveryone,everywheretoshareinformationandhaveopportun
ities.Therearenowdifficultproblemswithnosimpleanswers.Hewantsp
eopletocontroltheirpersonaldata.Hesaidthishelpsfreespeech.Healso
wantstofightfakenews.HeaskedInternetuserstohelp.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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