Hungary freezes Internet tax plan

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A planned Internet tax in Hungary has been stopped. It was going to be on Internet traffic. The public and businesses opposed it. The government said it had frozen the plan because of street protests in the capital. It also listened to warnings from the European Union that the tax would be a mistake. The news was broadcast on radio. Hungary's leader said: "If the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable, then it should not be done."

The U-turn is not yet a victory for the people. The government will meet next year to discuss how to get tax revenue from the Internet. It would have to be a different idea to the one it just put on hold. That one was a 60-cent tax on every gigabyte of data used. People worried this would limit freedom of expression and hurt online companies. A citizens' Facebook campaign against the tax already has more than 250,000 Likes.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/31/us-hungary-internet-tax-idUSKBN0IK0MM20141031?feedType=RSSfeedName=worldNews
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2841957/government/hungary-ditches-internet-tax-plans-after-protests.html
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/31/hungary-internettax.html

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 planned	a.	in the capital
2.	The public and businesses	b.	on radio
3.	t had frozen	c.	opposed it
4.	street protests	d.	unreasonable
5.	The news was broadcast	e.	Internet tax
6.	consider it	f.	the plan

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.	not yet a victory	a.	gigabyte of data used
2.	discuss how to	b.	put on hold
3.	the one it just	c.	of expression
4.	a 60-cent tax on every	d.	for the people
5.	limit freedom	e.	companies
6.	hurt online	f.	get tax revenue

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A planned Internet tax in Hungary (1) ___________________. It was going to be on Internet traffic. The public and businesses opposed it. The government said it had frozen the plan because (2) ___________________ in the capital. It also (3) ___________________ from the European Union that the tax would be a mistake. The (4) ___________________ on radio. Hungary's leader said: "If the people not only (5) ___________________ but also (6) ___________________, then it should not be done."

The U-turn is (7) ___________________ for the people. The government will meet next year to discuss how to (8) ___________________ from the Internet. It would have to be (9) ___________________ the one it just put on hold. That one was a 60-cent tax (10) ___________________ of data used. People worried this (11) ___________________ of expression and hurt online companies. A citizens' Facebook (12) _____________________ already has more than 250,000 Likes.

INTERNET TAXES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Internet taxes 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.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

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

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about Internet taxes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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