The Reading / Listening - Textbooks - Level 4

The world's largest education publisher will gradually phase out printed textbooks. Pearson will make all its learning resources "digital first". Pearson's CEO said: "We are now over the digital tipping point." He said over half of annual revenues come from digital sales. He added that as in industries like newspapers or music, "it is time to flick the switch in how we primarily" create products. He is confident and excited about the future.

A big advantage of e-books is they can be updated. This means teachers can access the latest versions. Pearson will end its business model of revising printed course books every three years. This model has dominated the industry for 40 years. The CEO said e-books are a more effective way to learn. He added that e-books appeal to the "Spotify generation". Textbook writers are worried they will earn less as digital products are subscription based.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Textbooks - Level 5 or  Textbooks - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48998789
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pearson-textbooks/pearson-goes-digital-first-in-u-s-college-market-idUSKCN1UA2IU
  • https://www.ft.com/content/c1940696-a74d-11e9-984c-fac8325aaa04


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. gradually phase
  2. make all its learning resources
  3. We are now over the digital
  4. half of annual revenues come
  5. in industries like
  6. it is time to flick
  7. how we primarily
  8. He is confident and excited
  1. the switch
  2. tipping point
  3. newspapers or music
  4. about the future
  5. "digital first"
  6. create products
  7. out printed textbooks
  8. from digital sales

Paragraph 2

  1. teachers can access
  2. Pearson will end its business
  3. revising printed course books
  4. dominated the industry
  5. a more effective way
  6. e-books appeal to the
  7. writers are worried they will
  8. digital products are subscription
  1. for 40 years
  2. Spotify generation
  3. model
  4. based
  5. the latest versions
  6. earn less
  7. every three years
  8. to learn

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The world's largest education publisher (1) ___________________ out printed textbooks. Pearson will make all (2) ___________________ "digital first". Pearson's CEO said: "We are now over the (3) __________________." He said over half of annual revenues come (4) ___________________. He added that as in industries like newspapers or music, "it is (5) ___________________ the switch in how we primarily" create products. He is confident and excited (6) ___________________.

A big advantage of e-books is they (7) ___________________. This means teachers can access (8) ___________________. Pearson will end its business model of revising printed (9) ___________________ three years. This model has dominated (10) ___________________ 40 years. The CEO said e-books are a more (11) ___________________ learn. He added that e-books appeal to the "Spotify generation". Textbook writers are worried they will earn less as digital products (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Theworld'slargesteducationpublisherwillgraduallyphaseoutprintedt
extbooks.Pearsonwillmakeallitslearningresources"digitalfirst".Pear
son'sCEOsaid:"Wearenowoverthedigitaltippingpoint."Hesaidoverha
lfofannualrevenuescomefromdigitalsales.Headdedthatasinindustrie
slikenewspapersormusic,"itistimetoflicktheswitchinhowweprimarily
"createproducts.Heisconfidentandexcitedaboutthefuture.Abigadva
ntageofe-booksistheycanbeupdated.Thismeansteacherscanacces
sthelatestversions.Pearsonwillenditsbusinessmodelofrevisingprinte
dcoursebookseverythreeyears.Thismodelhasdominatedtheindustry
for40years.TheCEOsaide-booksareamoreeffectivewaytolearn.Hea
ddedthate-booksappealtothe"Spotifygeneration".Textbookwriters
areworriedtheywillearnlessasdigitalproductsaresubscriptionbased.

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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