The Reading / Listening - Level 1

There is a worldwide price war among taxi companies. There is more competition for passengers because apps are making taxis cheaper. Some companies are cutting fares in half. Drivers of London's black taxis are unhappy with the taxi apps. They say that drivers of app taxis do not have enough experience. They also do not have enough knowledge of London's streets. Some taxi fares in London have gone down from $45 to $7.50.

A taxi app boss said the price war would mean more profits. He said: "There's a lot of competition over the app makers….You need to think of things that you can do to stand out from the crowd." A London black cab driver said business was good and that technology can help taxi drivers. One of New York's biggest taxi companies is unhappy with taxi apps. In Singapore, the government just announced it would regulate taxi app companies.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.klfm967.co.uk/news/uk-news/1460294/taxi-apps-price-war-sees-fares-slashed/
  • http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/11/23/taxi-app-price-battle-intensifies-get-taxi-slashes-fares
  • http://fortune.com/2014/11/21/singapore-to-license-taxi-hailing-apps/


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 worldwide

a.

of London's streets

2.

more competition for

b.

gone down

3.

apps are making

c.

taxis

4.

Drivers of London's black taxis

d.

passengers

5.

drivers of app

e.

price war

6.

They also do not have

f.

taxis cheaper

7.

knowledge

g.

are unhappy

8.

Some taxi fares in London have

h.

enough



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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

the price war would mean

a.

announced it

2.

There's a lot

b.

good

3.

things that you can do to stand

c.

taxi companies

4.

business was

d.

app companies

5.

technology can

e.

of competition

6.

One of New York's biggest

f.

more profits

7.

the government just

g.

help

8.

regulate taxi

h.

out from the crowd

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There is a worldwide (1) ___________________ taxi companies. There is more competition for passengers because apps are (2) ___________________. Some companies are cutting fares in half. Drivers of London's black taxis (3) ___________________ the taxi apps. They say that drivers (4) ___________________ not have (5) ___________________. They also do not have enough knowledge of London's streets. Some taxi fares in London (6) ___________________ from $45 to $7.50.

A taxi app boss said the price war would (7) ___________________. He said: "There's a lot of competition over the app makers….You need (8) ___________________ that you can do to (9) ___________________ the crowd." A London black cab driver said business (10) ___________________ that technology can help taxi drivers. One of New York's biggest taxi companies (11) ___________________ taxi apps. In Singapore, the government just announced (12) ___________________ taxi app companies.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Thereisaworldwidepricewaramongtaxicompanies.Thereismorecom
petitionforpassengersbecauseappsaremakingtaxischeaper.Someco
mpaniesarecuttingfaresinhalf.DriversofLondon'sblacktaxisareunha
ppywiththetaxiapps.Theysaythatdriversofapptaxisdonothaveenoug
hexperience.TheyalsodonothaveenoughknowledgeofLondon'sstree
ts.SometaxifaresinLondonhavegonedownfrom$45to$7.50.Ataxiap
pbosssaidthepricewarwouldmeanmoreprofits.Hesaid:"There'saloto
fcompetitionovertheappmakers….Youneedtothinkofthingsthatyouc
andotostandoutfromthecrowd."ALondonblackcabdriversaidbusines
swasgoodandthattechnologycanhelptaxidrivers.OneofNewYork'sbi
ggesttaxicompaniesisunhappywithtaxiapps.InSingapore,thegovern
mentjustannounceditwouldregulatetaxiappcompanies.

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)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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