The Reading / Listening - Ransomware - Level 0

Microsoft said the WannaCry ransomware attack happened because America's National Security Agency (NSA) stores cyber-weapons. Ransomware is software that blocks computers until the owner pays money to hackers. The NSA helps to stop cyber-attacks. Microsoft said the WannaCry hackers used spying tools from the NSA.

Microsoft said we must wake up to the problem of keeping cyber-weapons. They are as dangerous as missiles. Europe's police said WannaCry hit 200,000 computers in 150 countries. It made many problems for hospitals in Britain. Microsoft told people to back up their files. It said more attacks could come.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Ransomware - Level 1,  Ransomware - Level 2   or  Ransomware - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.investors.com/news/technology/microsoft-lashes-out-over-wannacry-hacks-is-apple-next/
  • http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-europe-computer-virus-20170514-story.html
  • https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/15/15639890/microsoft-wannacry-security-vulnerabilities-ransomware


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 WannaCry ransomware
  2. America's National Security
  3. cyber-
  4. software that blocks
  5. the owner pays money
  6. The NSA helps to
  7. the WannaCry
  8. spying
  1. weapons
  2. hackers
  3. to hackers
  4. tools
  5. Agency
  6. attack happened
  7. stop cyber-attacks
  8. computers

Paragraph 2

  1. Microsoft said we must wake
  2. the problem of keeping
  3. They are as dangerous
  4. Europe's
  5. WannaCry hit 200,000
  6. It made many problems for hospitals
  7. Microsoft told people to back
  8. It said more attacks
  1. in Britain
  2. computers
  3. could come
  4. cyber-weapons
  5. up their files
  6. up
  7. police
  8. as missiles

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Microsoft said the WannaCry ransomware (1) ___________________ because America's National Security Agency (NSA) (2) ___________________-weapons. Ransomware (3) ___________________ blocks computers until (4) ___________________ money to hackers. The NSA (5) ___________________ cyber-attacks. Microsoft said the WannaCry hackers used (6) ___________________ from the NSA.

Microsoft (7) ___________________ wake up to (8) ___________________ keeping cyber-weapons. They are as dangerous (9) ___________________. Europe's police said WannaCry hit 200,000 (10) ___________________ countries. It made many problems (11) ___________________ Britain. Microsoft told people to (12) ___________________ files. It said more attacks could come.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

MicrosoftsaidtheWannaCryransomwareattackhappenedbecauseAm
erica'sNationalSecurityAgency(NSA)storescyber-weapons.Ranso
mwareissoftwarethatblockscomputersuntiltheownerpaysmoneytoh
ackers.TheNSAhelpstostopcyber-attacks.MicrosoftsaidtheWannaC
ryhackersusedspyingtoolsfromtheNSA.Microsoftsaidwemustwakeu
ptotheproblemofkeepingcyber-weapons.Theyareasdangerousasmi
ssiles.Europe'spolicesaidWannaCryhit200,000computersin150cou
ntries.ItmademanyproblemsforhospitalsinBritain.Microsofttoldpeo
pletobackuptheirfiles.Itsaidmoreattackscouldcome.

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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