The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Tension between the USA and North Korea is rising after a cyber-attack on the movie company Sony Pictures. Sony cancelled all screenings of its movie 'The Interview' after a group, calling itself The Guardians of Peace, threatened to attack cinemas that showed it. The group said the attacks would be "9/11 style". The movie is a political comedy about two US journalists wanting to interview and assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The group also threatened Sony that it would put more confidential data online that could damage the company if it did not stop the movie.

Sony cancelled the movie "in the interests of public safety". President Obama said: "We cannot have a society in which some dictators some place can start imposing censorship here." He added: "Imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like." A US senator said the cyber-attack was "an act of war" and "the greatest blow to free speech". Another politician said: "America has lost its first cyber-war." An actor tweeted: "Everyone caved [in]. The hackers won. An utter and complete victory for them."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/19/politics/fbi-north-korea-responsible-sony/
  • http://news.sky.com/story/1393913/actors-slam-hollywood-for-caving-in-to-threats
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30530361


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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

a cyber-attack on

a.

that showed it

2.

Sony cancelled

b.

data online

3.

attack cinemas

c.

comedy

4.

the attacks would

d.

not stop the movie

5.

The movie is a political

e.

all screenings

6.

The group also

f.

the movie company

7.

put more confidential

g.

be "9/11 style"

8.

damage the company if it did

h.

threatened Sony



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

in the interests

a.

that they don't like

2.

start imposing

b.

won

3.

once they see a documentary

c.

first cyber-war

4.

the cyber-attack was

d.

victory for them

5.

the greatest blow to

e.

"an act of war"

6.

America has lost its

f.

of public safety

7.

The hackers

g.

free speech

8.

An utter and complete

h.

censorship

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Tension between the USA and North Korea (1) ___________________ cyber-attack on the movie company Sony Pictures. Sony (2) ___________________ its movie 'The Interview' after a group, calling itself The Guardians of Peace, (3) ___________________ cinemas that showed it. The group said the attacks would (4) ___________________. The movie is a political comedy about two US journalists (5) ___________________ and assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The group also threatened Sony that it would put more (6) ___________________ online that could damage the company if it did not stop the movie.

Sony cancelled the movie "(7) ___________________ public safety". President Obama said: "We cannot (9) ___________________ which some dictators some place can start (10) ___________________ here." He added: "Imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or (11) ___________________ don't like."  A US senator said the cyber-attack was "an act of war" and "the (12) ___________________ free speech". Another politician said: "America has lost its first cyber-war." An actor tweeted: "Everyone caved [in]. The hackers won. (12) ___________________ victory for them."

WORLD TENSIONS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about world tensions 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.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

 

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about world tensions for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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