The Reading / Listening - Ransomware - Level 2

Microsoft is angry with America's National Security Agency (NSA). Microsoft said the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack was because the NSA keeps cyber-weapons on its computers. Ransomware is a harmful software that blocks access to computers until the owner pays money (a ransom) to the hackers. The NSA is a military intelligence organization. It helps America's communications and information systems to stay safe. It also stops cyber-attacks against the USA. However, experts say the WannaCry ransomware used spying tools that were designed by the NSA.

Microsoft said governments must wake up to the problem of storing cyber-weapons. It said hackers can steal them and it was as dangerous as stealing missiles. Microsoft's president said: "This attack provides yet another example of why [governments keeping these things]…is such a problem." Europe's police agency said WannaCry has affected 200,000 computers in 150 countries. It made many problems for Britain's National Health Service. Many operations were cancelled. Experts warned people to back up their files because more attacks could come.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Ransomware - Level 0 Ransomware - Level 1   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. Microsoft is angry with America's
  2. software that blocks access
  3. the owner pays money
  4. communications and
  5. stay
  6. It also stops cyber-attacks
  7. spying
  8. designed
  1. against the USA
  2. information systems
  3. by the NSA
  4. (a ransom)
  5. National Security Agency
  6. tools
  7. safe
  8. to computers

Paragraph 2

  1. governments must wake
  2. the problem of
  3. hackers can steal
  4. as dangerous
  5. This attack provides yet another
  6. WannaCry has affected
  7. Many operations were
  8. Experts warned people to back
  1. example of why
  2. them
  3. up their files
  4. storing cyber-weapons
  5. cancelled
  6. up
  7. 200,000 computers
  8. as stealing missiles

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Microsoft (1) ___________________ America's National Security Agency (NSA). Microsoft said the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack was because the NSA keeps cyber- (2) ___________________ computers. Ransomware (3) ___________________ software that blocks access to computers (4) ___________________ pays money (a ransom) to the hackers. The NSA is a military intelligence organization. It helps America's communications and information (5) ___________________. It also stops cyber-attacks against the USA. However, experts say the WannaCry ransomware used spying tools that (6) ___________________ the NSA.

Microsoft said governments must (7) ___________________ problem of storing cyber-weapons. It said hackers can steal them (8) ___________________ dangerous as stealing missiles. Microsoft's president said: "This attack provides (9) ___________________ of why [governments keeping these things]…is such a problem." Europe's police agency said WannaCry (10) ___________________ 200,000 computers in 150 countries. It made many problems for Britain's National Health Service. Many (11) ___________________ cancelled. Experts warned people (12) ___________________ files because more attacks could come.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

MicrosoftisangrywithAmerica'sNationalSecurityAgency(NSA).Micro
softsaidtheWannaCryransomwarecyber-attackwasbecausetheNS
Akeepscyber-weaponsonitscomputers.Ransomwareisaharmfulsof
twarethatblocksaccesstocomputersuntiltheownerpaysmoney(aran
som)tothehackers.TheNSAisamilitaryintelligenceorganization.Ithel
psAmerica'scommunicationsandinformationsystemstostaysafe.Ital
sostopscyber-attacksagainsttheUSA.However,expertssaytheWan
naCryransomwareusedspyingtoolsthatweredesignedbytheNSA.Mic
rosoftsaidgovernmentsmustwakeuptotheproblemofstoringcyber-w
eapons.Itsaidhackerscanstealthemanditwasasdangerousasstealing
missiles.Microsoft'spresidentsaid:"Thisattackprovidesyetanotherex
ampleofwhy[governmentskeepingthesethings]…issuchaproblem."E
urope'spoliceagencysaidWannaCryhasaffected200,000computersi
n150countries.ItmademanyproblemsforBritain'sNationalHealthSer
vice.Manyoperationswerecancelled.Expertswarnedpeopletobackup
theirfilesbecausemoreattackscouldcome.

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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