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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Internet Tax
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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British people to pay Internet tax (September 24, 2009)

People in Britain might soon have to pay an Internet tax. The Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, said a tax is necessary to help make the country’s Internet speeds faster. Mr Timms told reporters Britain needed to be better connected. "We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next-generation fund will help that,” he said. The new tax will cost people around $10 a year. It will bring the government $250m annually. Many British people will disagree with the tax. They already pay Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

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The Internet is a vital part of our life. It is very difficult to live today without it. We use it for hundreds of things. Most of us pay our ISP to connect to the Internet. It seems strange that the government wants to collect a tax too. Many people say the Internet today is a basic service we all need, like water, electricity and gas. We don’t pay a tax for those services, so an Internet tax is strange. It’s true that we need faster connection speeds, but the ISPs should do that. They should use the money we pay them every month.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	have to pay an	a.	speeds faster
2	help make the country’s Internet	b.	networks
3.	Britain needed to be better	c.	Internet tax
4.	high speed	d.	pay
5.	people will disagree	e.	connected
6.	They already	f.	with the tax

Paragraph 2

1.	a vital part	a.	every month
2	difficult to live today	b.	of our life
3.	connect to	c.	service
4.	a basic	d.	without it
5.	faster connection	e.	the Internet
6.	we pay them	f.	speeds

LISTENING GAP FILL

People in Britain might ____________________ an Internet tax. The Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, said a tax is necessary ____________________ country’s Internet speeds faster. Mr Timms told reporters Britain ____________________ connected. "We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next-generation ____________________,” he said. The new tax will cost people around $10 a year. It will bring the government ____________________. Many British people ____________________ the tax. They already pay Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

The Internet is ____________________ our life. It is very difficult to live today without it. We use it ____________________ things. Most of us pay our ISP to connect to the Internet. It ____________________ the government wants to collect a tax too. Many people say the Internet today ____________________ we all need, like water, electricity and gas. We don’t pay a tax for those services, so an Internet tax is strange. It’s ____________________ need faster connection speeds, but the ISPs ____________________. They should use the money we pay them every month.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

People in Britain might soon (1) ____ to pay an Internet tax. The Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, said a tax is (2) ____ to help make the country’s Internet speeds faster. Mr Timms told reporters Britain needed to (3) ____ better connected. "We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next-generation (4) ____ will help that,” he said. The new tax will cost people around $10 a year. It will bring the government $250m (5) ____. Many British people will disagree with the tax. They already pay Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

The Internet is a vital part (6) ____ our life. It is very difficult to live today without it. We use it for hundreds of things. Most of (7) ____ pay our ISP to connect to the Internet. It seems strange that the government wants to collect a tax too. Many people (8) ____ the Internet today is a basic service we all need, like water, electricity and gas. We don’t pay a tax for (9) ____ services, so an Internet tax is strange. It’s true that we need faster connection speeds, but the ISPs should do that. They should use the money we (10) ____ them every month.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	have	(b)	having	(c)	has
2.	(a)	needy	(b)	needs	(c)	necessary
3.	(a)	do	(b)	be	(c)	have
4.	(a)	fund	(b)	find	(c)	fanned
5.	(a)	year	(b)	annually	(c)	annual
6.	(a)	of	(b)	by	(c)	at
7.	(a)	we	(b)	them	(c)	us
8.	(a)	talk	(b)	speak	(c)	say
9.	(a)	those	(b)	they	(c)	them
10.	(a)	buy	(b)	pay	(c)	donate

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	gimht soon have to pay
2.	tax is ysreseacn
3.	be better ntncocdee
4.	high speed tnkresow
5.	$250m yluanlna
6.	edsreiag with the tax
Paragraph 2
7.	a vltai part of our life
8.	nuedrdsh of things
9.	oecctnn to the Internet
10.	a aicsb service
11.	etafrs connection speeds
12.	the yenom we pay them

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	connected. "We want to make high speed networks nationally available. The next-generation fund will help
( )	of things. Most of us pay our ISP to connect to the Internet. It seems strange that the government wants to collect
( )	connection speeds, but the ISPs should do that. They should use the money we pay them every month.
( )	a tax too. Many people say the Internet today is a basic service we all need, like water, electricity and gas. We don’t pay
( 1 )	People in Britain might soon have to pay an Internet tax. The Minister for Digital Britain, Stephen Timms, said a tax is
( )	a tax for those services, so an Internet tax is strange. It’s true that we need faster
( )	that,” he said. The new tax will cost people around $10 a year. It will bring the government $250m annually. Many British people
( )	The Internet is a vital part of our life. It is very difficult to live today without it. We use it for hundreds
( )	necessary to help make the country’s Internet speeds faster. Mr Timms told reporters Britain needed to be better
( )	will disagree with the tax. They already pay Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	Internet Britain have an soon pay tax might to.
2.	faster speeds Internet country’s the make Help.
3.	make to want We networks speed high.
4.	tax new The year a $10 around people cost will.
5.	with British the people tax will disagree Many.
6.	vital our The a of is part life Internet.
7.	hundreds for it use We things of.
8.	government tax wants too to collect The a.
9.	that speeds we need It’s faster true connection.
10.	them the money They we should pay use.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about the Internet for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

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 more information about the Internet. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Internet tax. Include imaginary interviews with an Internet user who does not want to pay tax, and a government leader who wants the tax. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. 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.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the leader of your country. Ask him/her three questions about your country’s Internet. Give him/her three of your opinions on how it can be better. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Internet Tax (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)