The Reading / Listening - Online Dating - Level 0

A new Internet scam is tricking people who are looking for love. Conmen buy "scam packs" online for a few dollars. They include love letters, photos, videos and fake identities. The conmen pretend to be looking for love on dating sites. They write to people. They then ask for money. They give many reasons why they need money.

Thousands of people get scammed online, mostly women. They lose an average of $12,500. Their average age is 59. The police talked about the damage the scams do to people. The emotional damage is bigger than the lost money. People should never give money to strangers online, even if that person tells a very sad story.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Online Dating - Level 1,  Online Dating - Level 2   or  Online Dating - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/old-love letters-are-being-used-con-online-daters-out-cash-1606131
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38936509
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2842069/dating-sharks-rob-singletons-tips-stay-safe-online/


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 new Internet scam is
  2. love
  3. fake
  4. The conmen pretend to be
  5. They write
  6. They then ask
  7. They give many
  8. why they
  1. reasons
  2. looking for love
  3. letters
  4. need money
  5. for money
  6. identities
  7. tricking people
  8. to people

Paragraph 2

  1. Thousands of people get
  2. They lose an average
  3. Their average age
  4. the damage the scams do
  5. emotional
  6. bigger than
  7. never give money
  8. even if that person tells a
  1. the lost money
  2. is 59
  3. very sad story
  4. to strangers
  5. scammed online
  6. to people
  7. of $12,500
  8. damage

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new Internet (1) ___________________ tricking people who are looking for love. Conmen buy "scam packs" online (2) ___________________ dollars. They include love letters photos, videos and (3) ___________________. The conmen pretend to be looking (4) ___________________ dating sites. They write to people. They (5) ___________________ money. They give many (6) ___________________ they need money.

Thousands (7) ___________________ get scammed online, mostly women. They (8) ___________________ average of $12,500. Their (9) ___________________ is 59. The police talked about the damage the scams (10) ___________________. The emotional (11) ___________________ bigger than the lost money. People should never give money to strangers online, even if that person (12) ___________________ sad story.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnewInternetscamistrickingpeoplewhoarelookingforlove.Conmenb
uy"scampacks"onlineforafewdollars.Theyincludelovelettersphotos,
videosandfakeidentities.Theconmenpretendtobelookingforloveond
atingsites.Theywritetopeople.Theythenaskformoney.Theygiveman
yreasonswhytheyneedmoney.Thousandsofpeoplegetscammedonli
ne,mostlywomen.Theyloseanaverageof$12,500.Theiraverageageis
59.Thepolicetalkedaboutthedamagethescamsdotopeople.Theemoti
onaldamageisbiggerthanthelostmoney.Peopleshouldnevergivemon
eytostrangersonline,evenifthatpersontellsaverysadstory.

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You