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Newspaper Admits Hacking Celebrity Phones (9th April, 2011)

One of Britain’s biggest selling newspapers has admitted it hacked people’s mobile phones to get stories. The police have been investigating the “News of the World” paper for many years, without success. Recent pressure from politicians and celebrities put the spotlight once again on this case. The paper apologized on Friday and said it would pay millions of dollars in compensation to ten people. It also said it regretted the actions of its journalists for their “past behavior”.

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The reporters who did the hacking could now go to prison. In 2007, the News of the World's royal correspondent Clive Goodman was sentenced to jail for his part in hacking into the mobile phone messages of Princes William and Harry. He was trying to find a top story. Other journalists believe it is wrong to send reporters to prison. They believe this should not happen in a country that has freedom of speech. They also say many of the stories are in the public interest, especially when finding corrupt politicians.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

Britain’s biggest

a.

pressure

2

The police have

b.

behavior

3.

Recent

c.

selling newspapers

4.

The paper apologized

d.

of its journalists

5.

it regretted the actions

e.

on Friday

6.

past

f.

been investigating

 

Paragraph 2

1.

go to

a.

a top story

2

royal

b.

prison

3.

trying to find

c.

interest

4.

freedom of

d.

politicians

5.

in the public

e.

speech

6.

finding corrupt

f.

correspondent


LISTENING GAP FILL

One of Britain’s biggest selling newspapers __________________ hacked people’s mobile phones to get stories. The police have __________________ “News of the World” paper for many years, without success. Recent pressure from politicians and celebrities __________________ once again on this case. The paper apologized on Friday and said it __________________ dollars in compensation to ten people. It __________________ the actions of its journalists for __________________”.

The reporters who did the hacking __________________ prison. In 2007, the News of the World's royal correspondent Clive Goodman was __________________ for his part in hacking into the mobile phone messages of Princes William and Harry. He was trying to __________________. Other journalists believe it is wrong to send reporters to prison. They believe this should not happen in a country that has __________________. They also say many of the stories are __________________, especially when finding __________________.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

One of Britain’s biggest selling newspapers has (1) ____ it hacked people’s mobile phones to (2) ____ stories. The police have been investigating the “News of the World” paper for many years, without (3) ____. Recent pressure from politicians and celebrities put the (4) ____ once again on this case. The paper apologized on Friday and said it would (5) ____ millions of dollars in compensation to ten people. It also said it regretted the actions  (6) ____ its journalists for their “past behavior”.

The reporters who did the hacking could (7) ____ go to prison. In 2007, the News of the World's royal correspondent Clive Goodman was sentenced to jail for his (8) ____ in hacking into the mobile phone messages of Princes William and Harry. He was (9) ____ to find a top story. Other journalists believe it is wrong to send reporters to prison. They (10) ____ this should not happen in a country that has (11) ____ of speech. They also say many of the stories are in the public interest, especially (12) ____ finding corrupt politicians.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

admits

(b)

admitted

(c)

admitting

2.

(a)

get

(b)

got

(c)

getting

3.

(a)

successful

(b)

successive

(c)

success

4.

(a)

highlight

(b)

spotlight

(c)

lights

5.

(a)

say

(b)

pay

(c)

lay

6.

(a)

for

(b)

from

(c)

of

7.

(a)

now

(b)

there

(c)

from

8.

(a)

party

(b)

parted

(c)

part

9.

(a)

trying

(b)

try

(c)

tries

10.

(a)

belief

(b)

believing

(c)

believe

11.

(a)

free

(b)

freedom

(c)

freed

12

(a)

when

(b)

why

(c)

which


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

biggest lleinsg newspapers

2.

get oteisrs

3.

without sucecss

4.

The paper gadpiolzeo

5.

it retrdegte the actions

6.

past habeoivr

 

Paragraph 2

7.

go to poisrn

8.

loary correspondent

9.

mobile phone eassgsem

10.

frmeeod of speech

11.

in the public seitetnr

12.

ocruprt politicians


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

messages of Princes William and Harry. He was trying to find a top story. Other journalists

(    )

the actions of its journalists for their “past behavior”.

(    )

The reporters who did the hacking could now go to prison. In 2007, the News of the World's royal

(    )

correspondent Clive Goodman was sentenced to jail for his part in hacking into the mobile phone

1  )

One of Britain’s biggest selling newspapers has admitted it hacked people’s mobile phones to get

(    )

compensation to ten people. It also said it regretted

(    )

case. The paper apologized on Friday and said it would pay millions of dollars in

(    )

stories are in the public interest, especially when finding corrupt politicians.

(    )

happen in a country that has freedom of speech. They also say many of the

(    )

stories. The police have been investigating the “News of the World” paper for many years, without

(    )

believe it is wrong to send reporters to prison. They believe this should not

(    )

success. Recent pressure from politicians and celebrities put the spotlight once again on this


WORD JUMBLE

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

1.

One     Britain’s     selling     of     biggest     newspapers.    

2.

phones     mobile     people’s     hacked     It.    

3.

this     Celebrities     spotlight     on    the    again     case    put    once.    

4.

of     It     dollars     would     in     pay     compensation     millions.    

5.

of     actions     the     regretted     It     journalists     its.    

6.

The     who     the     reporters     did     hacking.    

7.

top     trying     story     to     find     He     a     was.    

8.

send     It     reporters     is     to     wrong     prison     to.    

9.

freedom     a     of     country     speech     that     has     In.    

10.

Many     stories     the     the     in     interest     of     are     public.    


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 phone hacking 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. PHONE HACKING: Search the Internet and find more information about phone hacking. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about phone hacking. Include imaginary interviews with a reporter and someone whose phone was hacked. 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 head of the News of the World. Ask him three questions about his reporters phone hacking. Give him three of your opinions on what his paper should do about it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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