The Reading / Listening - Data Roaming - Level 0

A phone bill shocked scientists in Russia. It was bigger than they thought. An eagle they were following in their research flew too far. It was using SMS and flew across Asia to Iran. Its SMS used the Internet of other countries. The scientists had to pay the data roaming charges for this. The research team ran out of money.

The team started an Internet page to raise money called "Top up the eagle's mobile". Bird lovers gave $1,600 to pay the bill. Russia's mobile phone operator cancelled the phone bill. It put the team on a cheaper package. A scientist wants the eagle to keep sending SMS data. This will help his project and protect all eagles.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Data Roaming - Level 1,  Data Roaming - Level 2   or  Data Roaming - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50180781
  • https://www.newsweek.com/migrating-eagle-cell-phone-bill-1467873
  • https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/25/russian-eagle-racks-up-hefty-phone-bills-with-iran-flights-a67911


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 phone bill shocked
  2. An eagle they were
  3. flew too
  4. flew across Asia
  5. the Internet
  6. pay the data roaming
  7. The research
  8. ran out
  1. of other countries
  2. to Iran
  3. team
  4. following
  5. of money
  6. far
  7. scientists
  8. charges

Paragraph 2

  1. raise
  2. Bird
  3. Russia's mobile
  4. cancelled the phone
  5. a cheaper
  6. wants the eagle to keep sending
  7. This will
  8. protect all
  1. help his project
  2. phone operator
  3. SMS data
  4. eagles
  5. bill
  6. lovers
  7. package
  8. money

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A phone (1) ___________________ in Russia. It was bigger (2) ___________________. An eagle they were following in their research (3) ___________________. It was using SMS and flew across Asia to Iran. Its SMS used the Internet (4) ___________________. The scientists had to (5) ___________________ roaming charges for this. The research team (6) ___________________ money.

The team started an Internet (7) ___________________ money called "Top up the eagle's mobile". (8) ___________________ $1,600 to (9) __________________. Russia's mobile phone operator (10) ___________________ bill. It put the team on a cheaper package. A scientist wants the eagle (11) ___________________ SMS data. This will help (12) ___________________ protect all eagles.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AphonebillshockedscientistsinRussia.Itwasbiggerthantheythought.
Aneagletheywerefollowingintheirresearchflewtoofar.ItwasusingSM
SandflewacrossAsiatoIran.ItsSMSusedtheInternetofothercountries
.Thescientistshadtopaythedataroamingchargesforthis.Theresearch
teamranoutofmoney.TheteamstartedanInternetpagetoraisemoney
called"Topuptheeagle'smobile".Birdloversgave$1,600topaythebill.
Russia'smobilephoneoperatorcancelledthephonebill.Itputtheteamo
nacheaperpackage.AscientistwantstheeagletokeepsendingSMSdat
a.Thiswillhelphisprojectandprotectalleagles.

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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