The Reading / Listening - Data Roaming - Level 1

A telephone bill shocked scientists in Russia. It was bigger than they thought. This was because the eagle they were following in their research flew outside Russia. The eagle was using SMS. When the eagle flew across Asia, its SMS transmitters used the Internet of other countries. The scientists had to pay the data roaming charges of these Internet companies. The research team ran out of money because the eagle flew to Iran and Pakistan.

The team started an Internet page to raise money for the bill. It was called "Top up the eagle's mobile". Bird lovers gave $1,600 to help pay the bill. Russia's mobile phone operator heard about the problem. It cancelled the debt and put the team on a cheaper package. A Kazakhstan SMS cost 30 US cents; one from Iran cost the team 50 cents. 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 0 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 telephone bill
  2. It was bigger than
  3. When the eagle flew across
  4. used the Internet
  5. The scientists had to
  6. data roaming
  7. The research team ran
  8. the eagle flew
  1. Asia
  2. pay
  3. to Iran
  4. shocked scientists
  5. out of money
  6. of other countries
  7. they thought
  8. charges

Paragraph 2

  1. raise money
  2. Russia's mobile phone
  3. It cancelled the
  4. on a cheaper
  5. one from Iran cost the
  6. keep sending SMS
  7. This will
  8. protect all
  1. data
  2. debt
  3. eagles
  4. operator
  5. for the bill
  6. help his project
  7. team 50 cents
  8. package

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A telephone (1) ___________________ in Russia. It was bigger than they thought. This (2) ___________________ eagle they were following in their (3) ___________________ Russia. The eagle was using SMS. When the eagle flew across Asia, its SMS transmitters used the Internet (4) ___________________. The scientists had to pay the data roaming (5) ___________________ Internet companies. The research team ran out of money because the (6) ___________________ Iran and Pakistan.

The (7) ___________________ Internet page to raise money for the bill. It was called "(8) ___________________ eagle's mobile". Bird lovers gave $1,600 to help (9) ___________________. Russia's mobile phone operator heard about the problem. It cancelled (10) ___________________ put the team on a cheaper package. A Kazakhstan SMS cost 30 US cents; one from Iran cost the team 50 cents. A scientist wants the eagle (11) ___________________ SMS data. This will help his (12) ___________________ all eagles.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AtelephonebillshockedscientistsinRussia.Itwasbiggerthantheythou
ght.Thiswasbecausetheeagletheywerefollowingintheirresearchflew
outsideRussia.TheeaglewasusingSMS.WhentheeagleflewacrossAsi
a,itsSMStransmittersusedtheInternetofothercountries.Thescientist
shadtopaythedataroamingchargesoftheseInternetcompanies.Ther
esearchteamranoutofmoneybecausetheeagleflewtoIranandPakista
n.TheteamstartedanInternetpagetoraisemoneyforthebill.Itwascalle
d"Topuptheeagle'smobile".Birdloversgave$1,600tohelppaythebill.
Russia'smobilephoneoperatorheardabouttheproblem.Itcancelledth
edebtandputtheteamonacheaperpackage.AKazakhstanSMScost30
UScents;onefromIrancosttheteam50cents.Ascientistwantstheeagle
tokeepsendingSMSdata.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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