Online shoppers fooled by fake reviews

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A consumer group has said that many websites are full of fake reviews. The group believes there are millions of such reviews on sites for hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. that trick shoppers. Millions of people read reviews on sites like Amazon and TripAdvisor before booking holidays or shopping online. Writing fake reviews for companies is now big business. Many companies offer money, free samples or upgrades in exchange for five-star reviews.

Estimates are that in Britain, $36 billion a year of consumer spending is influenced by online reviews. Millions of people look at them before making decisions such as where to stay on holiday. Consumers who use online reviews find them valuable, but many things about them may be illegal. This includes rival companies writing negative comments about each other. Bosses could go to prison for doing this.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11685060/Shoppers-duped-by-millions-of-fake-online-reviews.html
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/paid-online-reviews-probed-230216331.html#zsuRkqJ
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3130647/Probe-fake-online-reviews-Watchdog-acts-fears-thousands-duped.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 consumer	a.	upgrades
2.	trick	b.	on sites like Amazon
3.	read reviews	c.	for five-star reviews
4.	booking holidays or	d.	money
5.	big	e.	shoppers
6.	Many companies offer	f.	group
7.	free samples or	g.	shopping online
8.	in exchange	h.	business

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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.	consumer	a.	find them valuable
2.	influenced	b.	may be illegal
3.	making decisions such as	c.	spending
4.	Consumers who use online reviews	d.	prison for doing this
5.	many things about them	e.	by online reviews
6.	rival	f.	comments
7.	negative	g.	where to stay on holiday
8.	Bosses could go to	h.	companies

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A consumer group (1) __________________ many websites are full of fake reviews. The group believes there are (2) ___________________ reviews on sites for hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. (3) ___________________. Millions of people read reviews (4) ___________________ Amazon and TripAdvisor before booking holidays or shopping online. Writing fake reviews for companies is (5) ___________________. Many companies offer money, free samples or upgrades in (6) ___________________-star reviews.

Estimates are that in Britain, $36 billion a year of (7) __________________ is influenced by online reviews. Millions (8) ___________________ them before making decisions (9) ___________________ to stay on holiday. Consumers who use online reviews (10) ___________________, but many things about them (11) ___________________. This includes rival companies writing negative comments (12) ___________________. Bosses could go to prison for doing this.

ONLINE REVIEWS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about online reviews 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 online reviews for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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