The Reading / Listening - Tablet Computers - Level 5

Prisoners in the U.S. state of New York will get free tablet computers. The 54,700 free tablets are from a private communications contractor working with New York's prisons. The tablets will not be Internet-enabled. Prisoners will get limited, but monitored, online access by plugging into special kiosks at specific times. Prisoners will be allowed to email an approved list of family and friends. They can order certain music, books and videos, and write about reports of abuse. All of these activities will be carefully checked by prison staff.

Prisoner support services welcomed the free tablet project. They called it a "huge step forward". A New York State official said the tablets would help prisoners stay closer to their families. It would lower tensions between prisoners and guards. However, police officers are questioning why convicts are getting free tablets. Some said it was a good example of how crime pays. A top police officer said prisoners shouldn't get free tablets when other people in society are struggling. He said: "Little is done for the homeless, mentally ill, and hard-working people who can't afford tablets."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Tablet Computers - Level 4 or  Tablet Computers - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/inmates-free-tablets-file-grievances-abuse-article-1.3791849
  • https://nypost.com/2018/01/31/new-york-is-giving-locked-up-killers-rapists-free-tablets/
  • http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/01/31/inmates-in-new-york-state-prisons-to-receive-free-tablet-computers.html


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. a private communications
  2. Internet-
  3. online
  4. at specific
  5. email an approved list
  6. They can order
  7. write about reports
  8. carefully checked
  1. of abuse
  2. access
  3. by prison staff
  4. contractor
  5. enabled
  6. of family and friends
  7. times
  8. certain music

Paragraph 2

  1. Prisoner support
  2. They called it a huge
  3. help prisoners stay closer
  4. lower tensions between
  5. police officers are
  6. other people in society
  7. Little is done
  8. hard-
  1. for the homeless
  2. to their families
  3. questioning why
  4. working people
  5. step forward
  6. services
  7. prisoners and guards
  8. are struggling

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Prisoners in the U.S. state of New York will (1) ___________________ computers. The 54,700 free tablets are from a private communications (2) ___________________ New York's prisons. The tablets will not be Internet-enabled. Prisoners will get limited, but monitored, (3) ___________________ plugging into special kiosks (4) ___________________. Prisoners will be allowed to email (5) ___________________ of family and friends. They can order certain music, books and videos, and write about (6) ___________________. All of these activities will be carefully checked by prison staff.

Prisoner support services welcomed the (7) ___________________. They called it a "(8) ___________________". A New York State official said the tablets would help prisoners stay closer to their families. It would lower tensions between (9) ___________________. However, police officers are questioning why (10) ___________________ free tablets. Some said it was a good example of how crime pays. A top police officer said prisoners shouldn't get free tablets when other (11) ___________________ are struggling. He said: "Little is done for the homeless, mentally ill, and hard-working people who (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

PrisonersintheU.S.stateofNewYorkwillgetfreetabletcomputers.The5
4,700freetabletsarefromaprivatecommunicationscontractorworkin
gwithNewYork'sprisons.ThetabletswillnotbeInternet-enabled.Pris
onerswillgetlimited,butmonitored,onlineaccessbypluggingintospeci
alkiosksatspecifictimes.Prisonerswillbeallowedtoemailanapprovedli
stoffamilyandfriends.Theycanordercertainmusic,booksandvideos,a
ndwriteaboutreportsofabuse.Alloftheseactivitieswillbecarefullychec
kedbyprisonstaff.Prisonersupportserviceswelcomedthefreetabletpr
oject.Theycalledita"hugestepforward".ANewYorkStateofficialsaidth
etabletswouldhelpprisonersstayclosertotheirfamilies.Itwouldlowert
ensionsbetweenprisonersandguards.However,policeofficersareque
stioningwhyconvictsaregettingfreetablets.Somesaiditwasagoodexa
mpleofhowcrimepays.Atoppoliceofficersaidprisonersshouldn'tgetfr
eetabletswhenotherpeopleinsocietyarestruggling.Hesaid:"Littleisd
oneforthehomeless,mentallyill,andhard-workingpeoplewhocan'taff
ordtablets."

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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