Breaking News English Lesson: Tech

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Rising memory chip prices to push up tech costs (29th June 2026)

The Reading / Listening - Tech - Level 6

Smartphones, computers and other devices have become indispensable parts of our lives. Many people spend a small fortune on ensuring they have the latest tech. However, keeping up to date with the latest gadgets is set to become more expensive. This is because of the explosive rise in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to store enormous amounts of data and move it much faster than traditional computing requires. Suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are driving up costs for resources and components throughout the economy."

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would be insulated from the price hikes. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly." It added: "We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products." Microsoft said: "The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis." People are now worrying about rising tech prices affecting their pockets. In addition, the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing up utility bills in some areas.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Tech - Level 4 or Tech - Level 5

Sources

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/asian-tech-stocks-slide-ai-174301361.html
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/apple-raises-ipad-macbook-prices-memory-chip-costs-surge
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/26/ai-memory-chip-shortage-consumer-electronics-prices.html

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. MEMORY CHIPS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about memory chips. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
smartphones / computers / a small fortune / gadget / AI data centres / servers / costs
tech giants / Apple / Microsoft / price hikes / consumers / electronics / crisis / bills
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HUMAN RIGHT: Students A strongly believe access to technology should be a human right; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. DEVICES: How useful are these devices? Why? Hoe could they be improved? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Usefulness	Why?	Improvements
Smartphones
Smart watches
Laptops
Smart speakers
Games consoles
Digital cameras

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. FORTUNE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fortune". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. AI: Rank these with your partner. Put the best uses of AI at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Conversation practice
Grammar help
Holiday ideas
Decision helper
Relationship advice
Image creation
Research assistant
Personal coach

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	devices	a.	Very big.
2.	indispensable	b.	A lot of money.
3.	a small fortune	c.	Very important and impossible to do without.
4.	ensuring	d.	The parts that make something else.
5.	enormous	e.	Portable electronic equipment that can connect to the internet, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer.
6.	struggling	f.	Making sure something happens.
7.	components	g.	Finding something difficult to do.

Paragraph 2

8.	insulated	h.	Kept safe from something bad.
9.	shielded	i.	A very difficult or dangerous situation.
10.	entire	j.	The monthly demands of money you must pay for services like electricity, gas and water.
11.	industry	k.	All of something.
12.	crisis	l.	Your money or the money you have to spend.
13.	pockets	m.	All the companies that make the same kind of product or provide the same service.
14.	utility bills	n.	Protected from something.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The article says digital devices are an indiscriminate part of our lives. T / F
The article says many people have made a small fortune from tech. T / F
The article reports an explosion in an AI data centre. T / F
The article says there is a race to put money into AI. T / F
Apple said it would not raise the price of iPhones. T / F
Microsoft said the consumer electronics industry was having a hard time. T / F
People are worrying about whether or not tech will fit in their pockets. T / F
AI data centres are increasing people's electricity bills in some areas. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

devices
ensuring
explosive
struggling
sums
insulated
component
pockets
affecting
growth

dramatic
part
battling
budgets
protected
gadgets
hitting
making sure
expansion
amounts

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

devices have become indispensable
Many people spend a
keeping up to date
the explosive rise in demand
enormous sums of
its iPhone would be insulated
We have shielded
The entire consumer electronics
struggling with the current
pushing up utility

with the latest gadgets
money
bills
small fortune
components crisis
for servers
industry
our customers
parts of our lives
from the price hikes

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

amounts
driving
devices
ensuring
sums
explosive
set
struggling

Smartphones, computers, and other (1) _________________________________ have become indispensable parts of our lives. Many people spend a small fortune on (2) _________________________________ they have the latest tech. However, keeping up to date with the latest gadgets is (3) _________________________________ to become more expensive. This is because of the (4) _________________________________ rise in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to store huge (5) _________________________________ of data and move it much faster than traditional computing requires. Suppliers are (6) _________________________________ to keep up with demand. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous (7) _________________________________ of money going into the AI race are (8) _________________________________ up costs for resources and components throughout the economy."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

point
crisis
hikes
utility
quickly
announced
pockets
entire

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have (9) _________________________________ price rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would be insulated from the price (10) _________________________________. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this (11) _________________________________." It added: "We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a (12) _________________________________ where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products." Microsoft said: "The (13) _________________________________ consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components (14) _________________________________." People are now worrying about rising tech prices affecting their (15) _________________________________. In addition, the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing up (16) _________________________________ bills in some areas.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Smartphones, computers and other devices ______
     a. have become indivisible
     b. have become indispensable
     c. have become dispensable
     d. have become indisputable
2) Many people spend ______
     a. a small fortunate
     b. a small fort tune
     c. a small four tune
     d. a small fortune
3) This is because of the explosive rise in ______
     a. demand for servers
     b. demand for service
     c. demand for servings
     d. demand forr servers
4) move it much faster than ______
     a. traditional computing inquires
     b. traditional computing acquires
     c. traditional computing requires
   d. traditional computing squires
5) The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are ______
     a. drive in up cost
     b. driven up costs
     c. driving up cost
     d. driving up costs

6) Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price rises ______
     a. for their products
     b. for there products
     c. four their produce
     d. for their products
7) However, Apple said its iPhone would be insulated from ______
     a. the prices hikes
     b. the price hikes
     c. the price hikers
     d. the priced hike
8) reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a ______
     a. number of produce
     b. number of products
     c. number of production
     d. number of productive
9) People are now worrying about rising tech prices ______
     a. affecting their rockets
     b. affecting their pockets
     c. affecting their pickets
     d. affecting their brackets
10) the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing ______
     a. up ability bills
     b. up utility pills
     c. up utility bills
     d. up futility bills

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Smartphones, computers, (1) _______________________________________________ have become indispensable parts of our lives. Many people spend a (2) _______________________________________________ ensuring they have the latest tech. However, keeping up to date with the latest gadgets is set to become more expensive. This is because of (3) _______________________________________________ in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to (4) _______________________________________________ of data and move it much faster than traditional computing requires. Suppliers are struggling to keep (5) _______________________________________________. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are (6) _______________________________________________ for resources and components throughout the economy."

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would (7) _______________________________________________ the price hikes. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly." It added: "We (8) _______________________________________________ customers from these increases so far, but we have now (9) _______________________________________________ where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products." Microsoft said: "The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the (10) _______________________________________________." People are now worrying about rising tech prices (11) _______________________________________________. In addition, the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing (12) _______________________________________________ in some areas.

Comprehension questions

How much does the article say people spend on buying the latest tech?
What has there been an explosive rise in demand for?
What does the article say AI systems need to store?
What are suppliers having a hard time doing?
What are enormous sums of money going into?
What tech product will not increase in price?
What has Apple been doing to its customers?
What did Microsoft say the consumer electronics industry was doing?
What are people worried might be affected?
What has the growth of data centres increased in some areas?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How much does the article say people spend on buying the latest tech?
a) lots
b) a small fortune
c) less and less
d) an arm and a leg
2) What has there been an explosive rise in demand for?
a) website space
b) iPhones
c) game consoles
d) servers in data centres
3) What does the article say AI systems need to store?
a) enormous amounts of data
b) cooling tanks
c) electricity
d) passwords
4) What are suppliers having a hard time doing?
a) keeping customers
b) keeping personal information safe
c) keeping up with demand
d) encrypting data
5) What are enormous sums of money going into?
a) the space race
b) the AI race
c) AI glasses
d) cybersecurity

6) What tech product will not increase in price?
a) the iPhone
b) Nintendo Switch
c) portable power banks
d) smart TVs
7) What has Apple been doing to its customers?
a) keeping them
b) informing them
c) shielding them
d) valuing them
8) What did Microsoft say the consumer electronics industry was doing?
a) struggling
b) losing money
c) innovating
d) trying hard
9) What are people worried might be affected?
a) their pockets
b) their wifi bandwidth
c) their disk space
d) their lives
10) What has the growth of data centres increased in some areas?
a) interest in coding
b) unemployment
c) bandwidth
d) utility bills

Role play

Role A – Conversation Practice
You think conversation practice is the best use of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): relationship advice, holiday planning or image creation.

Role B – Relationship Advice
You think relationship advice help is the best use of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): conversation practice, holiday planning or image creation.

Role C – Holiday Planner
You think holiday planning is the best use of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): relationship advice, conversation practice or image creation.

Role D – Image Creation
You think image creation is the best use of AI. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their uses. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): relationship advice, holiday planning or conversation practice.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'memory'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'chip'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

devices

small

set

explosive

faster

race

giants

quickly

point

entire

worrying

growth

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 - Tech

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'memory'?
How indispensable is your smartphone to you?
What would life be like without gadgets?
What's your favourite gadget?
What do you think of the price of gadgets?
How did people live without smartphones 25 years ago?
How important is it to keep up to date with tech?
What do you think of AI?
How important is AI in your life?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'chip'?
What do you think about what you read?
What tech giant is your favourite?
What do you think of the prices of smartphones?
Do we need to spend so much on tech?
What issues are there with AI data centres?
What bad things could happen if AI took?
What will tech look like in 20 years from now?
What questions would you like to ask chip makers?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

Smartphones, computers, and other (1) ____ have become indispensable parts of our lives. Many people spend a small (2) ____ on ensuring they have the latest tech. However, keeping up to date with the latest gadgets is (3) ____ to become more expensive. This is because of the (4) ____ rise in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to store huge amounts of data and move it much faster than traditional computing requires. Suppliers are (5) ____ to keep up with demand. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are (6) ____ up costs for resources and components throughout the economy."

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would be (7) ____ from the price hikes. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly." It added: "We have shielded our customers (8) ____ these increases so far, but we have now reached a (9) ____ where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products." Microsoft said: "The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling (10) ____ the current components crisis." People are now worrying about (11) ____ tech prices affecting their pockets. In addition, the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing up (12) ____ bills in some areas.

Which of these words go in the above text?

1.	(a)	devises	(b)	defaces	(c)	devises	(d)	debases
2.	(a)	fortune	(b)	wealth	(c)	savings	(d)	riches
3.	(a)	set	(b)	let	(c)	bet	(d)	get
4.	(a)	explosive	(b)	explode	(c)	explodes	(d)	explosion
5.	(a)	struggle	(b)	struggling	(c)	struggled	(d)	struggles
6.	(a)	flying	(b)	steaming	(c)	piloting	(d)	driving
7.	(a)	cooled	(b)	warmed	(c)	insulated	(d)	exposed
8.	(a)	by	(b)	to	(c)	at	(d)	from
9.	(a)	point	(b)	dot	(c)	speck	(d)	dash
10.	(a)	for	(b)	on	(c)	at	(d)	as
11.	(a)	arising	(b)	rising	(c)	raising	(d)	arisen
12.	(a)	futility	(b)	ability	(c)	utility	(d)	stability

Spelling

Paragraph 1

devices have become eslnsniadbiep
people spend a small rnetouf
the latest ggdaest
the ipoexsevl rise in demand
noeomsru amounts of data
resources and pcomnsoent

Paragraph 2

snteladiu from the price hikes
We have sldheide our customers
The reinte consumer electronics industry
tech prices gniaftcef their pockets
the ogtwrh of AI data centres
pushing up ituyilt bills

Put the text back together

(    )   about rising tech prices affecting their pockets. In addition, the growth
(    )   date with the latest gadgets is set to become more expensive. This is because of the explosive
(    )   electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis." People are now worrying
(    )   faster than traditional computing requires. Suppliers are struggling to keep
(    )   insulated from the price hikes. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this
(    )   lives. Many people spend a small fortune on ensuring they have the latest tech. However, keeping up to
(    )   of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing up utility bills in some areas.
(    )   point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products." Microsoft said: "The entire consumer
(    )   quickly." It added: "We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a
(    )   race are driving up costs for resources and components throughout the economy."
(    )   rise in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to store huge amounts of data and move it much
( 1 )   Smartphones, computers, and other devices have become indispensable parts of our
(    )   Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would be
(    )   up with demand. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous sums of money going into the AI

Put the words in the right order

become Devices have indispensable lives of our parts .
a fortune Many on people small spend tech .
date gadgets Keeping latest the to up with .
demand explosive for in rise servers The .
are demand keep struggling Suppliers to up with .
be from hikes insulated It price the would .
a component have increase never price seen We .
customers from have increases our shielded these We .
consumer electronics entire industry is struggling The .
about are now People prices rising tech worrying .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Smartphones, computers, and other devises / devices have become indispensable part / parts of our lives. Many people spend a small / short fortune on ensuring they have the latest tech. However, keeping up / down to date with the latest gadgets is set / get to become more expensive. This is because of the explosive rise on / in demand for servers in AI data centres. AI systems need to store huge amounts of datum / data and move it much faster than traditional computing require / requires. Suppliers are struggling to keep up with / on demand. Yahoo.com wrote: "The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are driven / driving up costs for resources and components throughout the economy."

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft have announced price raises / rises for their products. However, Apple said its iPhone would be insulate / insulated from the price hikes / hikers. Apple said: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickness / quickly." It added: "We have shielding / shielded our customers from these increases so / as far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number / numbered of products." Microsoft said: "The entire / entirely consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis." People are now worrying about rising tech prices effecting / affecting their pockets. In addition, the growth of AI data centres has increased demand for electricity, pushing up utility / futility bills in some areas.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

Sm_rtph_n_s, c_mp_t_rs, _nd _th_r d_v_c_s h_v_ b_c_m_ _nd_sp_ns_bl_ p_rts _f __r l_v_s. M_ny p__pl_ sp_nd _ sm_ll f_rt_n_ _n _ns_r_ng th_y h_v_ th_ l_t_st t_ch. H_w_v_r, k__p_ng _p t_ d_t_ w_th th_ l_t_st g_dg_ts _s s_t t_ b_c_m_ m_r_ _xp_ns_v_. Th_s _s b_c__s_ _f th_ _xpl_s_v_ r_s_ _n d_m_nd f_r s_rv_rs _n __ d_t_ c_ntr_s. __ syst_ms n__d t_ st_r_ h_g_ _m__nts _f d_t_ _nd m_v_ _t m_ch f_st_r th_n tr_d_t__n_l c_mp_t_ng r_q__r_s. S_ppl__rs _r_ str_ggl_ng t_ k__p _p w_th d_m_nd. Y_h__.c_m wr_t_: "Th_ _n_rm__s s_ms _f m_n_y g__ng _nt_ th_ __ r_c_ _r_ dr_v_ng _p c_sts f_r r_s__rc_s _nd c_mp_n_nts thr__gh__t th_ _c_n_my."

T_ch g__nts _ppl_ _nd M_cr_s_ft h_v_ _nn__nc_d pr_c_ r_s_s f_r th__r pr_d_cts. H_w_v_r, _ppl_ s__d _ts _Ph_n_ w__ld b_ _ns_l_t_d fr_m th_ pr_c_ h_k_s. _ppl_ s__d: "W_ h_v_ n_v_r s__n _ c_mp_n_nt pr_c_ _ncr__s_ th_s m_ch, th_s q__ckly." _t _dd_d: "W_ h_v_ sh__ld_d __r c_st_m_rs fr_m th_s_ _ncr__s_s s_ f_r, b_t w_ h_v_ n_w r__ch_d _ p__nt wh_r_ w_ n__d t_ b_g_n r__s_ng pr_c_s _n _ n_mb_r _f pr_d_cts." M_cr_s_ft s__d: "Th_ _nt_r_ c_ns_m_r _l_ctr_n_cs _nd_stry _s str_ggl_ng w_th th_ c_rr_nt c_mp_n_nts cr_s_s." P__pl_ _r_ n_w w_rry_ng _b__t r_s_ng t_ch pr_c_s _ff_ct_ng th__r p_ck_ts. _n _dd_t__n, th_ gr_wth _f __ d_t_ c_ntr_s h_s _ncr__s_d d_m_nd f_r _l_ctr_c_ty, p_sh_ng _p _t_l_ty b_lls _n s_m_ _r__s.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

smartphones computers and other devices have become indispensable parts of our lives many people spend a small fortune on ensuring they have the latest tech however keeping up to date with the latest gadgets is set to become more expensive this is because of the explosive rise in demand for servers in ai data centres ai systems need to store huge amounts of data and move it much faster than traditional computing requires suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand yahoocom wrote the enormous sums of money going into the ai race are driving up costs for resources and components throughout the economy

tech giants apple and microsoft have announced price rises for their products however apple said its iphone would be insulated from the price hikes apple said we have never seen a component price increase this much this quickly it added we have shielded our customers from these increases so far but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products microsoft said the entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis people are now worrying about rising tech prices affecting their pockets in addition the growth of ai data centres has increased demand for electricity pushing up utility bills in some areas

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Smartphones,computers,andotherdeviceshavebecomeindispensab
lepartsofourlives.Manypeoplespendasmallfortuneonensuringtheyh
avethelatesttech.However,keepinguptodatewiththelatestgadgetsis
settobecomemoreexpensive.Thisisbecauseoftheexplosiveriseinde
mandforserversinAIdatacentres.AIsystemsneedtostorehugeamoun
tsofdataandmoveitmuchfasterthantraditionalcomputingrequires.S
uppliersarestrugglingtokeepupwithdemand.Yahoo.comwrote:"The
enormoussumsofmoneygoingintotheAIracearedrivingupcostsforres
ourcesandcomponentsthroughouttheeconomy."TechgiantsApplean
dMicrosofthaveannouncedpricerisesfortheirproducts.However,Appl
esaiditsiPhonewouldbeinsulatedfromthepricehikes.Applesaid:"Weh
aveneverseenacomponentpriceincreasethismuch,thisquickly."Itad
ded:"Wehaveshieldedourcustomersfromtheseincreasessofar,butw
ehavenowreachedapointwhereweneedtobeginraisingpricesonanum
berofproducts."Microsoftsaid:"Theentireconsumerelectronicsindust
ryisstrugglingwiththecurrentcomponentscrisis."Peoplearenowworr
yingaboutrisingtechpricesaffectingtheirpockets.Inaddition,thegrow
thofAIdatacentreshasincreaseddemandforelectricity,pushinguputili
tybillsinsomeareas.

Free writing

Write about memory chip price hikes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Cheap tech should be a human right. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MEMORY CHIPS: Make a poster about memory chips. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. TECH: Write a magazine article about governments keeping the prices of tech low. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on memory chips. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on rising tech prices. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

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Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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