The Reading / Listening - Laptop Ban - Level 5

Several airports in the Middle East have implemented the recently-ordered laptop ban on flights to the USA and the UK. A new order requires electronic devices larger than a smartphone to be checked in and stored in the aircraft's hold. The US ban has affected airlines from eight Middle Eastern countries, while similar UK restrictions apply to six countries. Officials said the ban was because larger digital devices could contain explosives. They did not say how long the ban would be in place. The Dubai-based Emirates airlines said it had received instructions to keep it until October 14.

There has been mixed reaction to the ban. Airlines were unhappy about having 96 hours to enforce it or lose their license to fly into the USA. Some called it a nightmare. They may pass the cost of the additional layer of security checks onto passengers. Some of the affected countries are questioning why the ban affects only Muslim-majority countries. Passengers seem resigned to it. A passenger from Qatar said: "It's a rule. I follow the rules. The bigger problem for my family is the no smoking." Another passenger was worried about what her children would do without their laptop on a long flight.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Laptop Ban - Level 4 or  Laptop Ban - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.dw.com/en/laptop-ban-comes-into-effect-on-some-middle-eastern-flights/a-38119048
  • http://www.businessinsider.com/us-government-laptop-ban-effect-today-what-we-know-2017-3
  • https://www.buzzfeed.com/leticiamiranda/the-electronics-ban-could-go-global?


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. implemented the recently-
  2. stored in the aircraft's
  3. The US ban has
  4. similar UK restrictions
  5. larger digital devices could
  6. They did not say how long the
  7. The Dubai-
  8. received instructions to keep
  1. ban would be in place
  2. apply to six countries
  3. it until October 14
  4. hold
  5. based Emirates airlines
  6. ordered laptop ban
  7. affected airlines
  8. contain explosives

Paragraph 2

  1. There has been mixed
  2. having 96 hours
  3. lose their license
  4. Some called it
  5. the additional layer
  6. the ban affects only Muslim-
  7. Passengers seem resigned
  8. what her children would do
  1. of security checks
  2. to fly
  3. to it
  4. to enforce it
  5. without their laptop
  6. reaction to the ban
  7. majority countries
  8. a nightmare

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Several airports in the Middle East have implemented the recently-ordered laptop (1) ___________________ the USA and the UK. A new order requires electronic devices larger than a smartphone (2) ___________________ and stored in the aircraft's hold. The US ban (3) ___________________ airlines from eight Middle Eastern countries, while similar UK restrictions apply to six countries. Officials said the ban was because (4) ___________________ could contain explosives. They did not say how long the ban (5) ___________________. The Dubai-based Emirates airlines said it had received instructions to (6) ___________________ October 14.

There has been (7) ___________________ the ban. Airlines were unhappy about having 96 hours (8) ___________________ lose their license to fly into the USA. Some called it a nightmare. They may (9) ___________________ the additional layer of security checks onto passengers. Some of the affected countries are questioning why the ban affects only (10) ___________________ countries. Passengers seem resigned to it. A passenger from Qatar said: "It's a rule. (11) ___________________. The bigger problem for my family is the no smoking." Another passenger was worried about what her children would do without (12) ___________________ long flight.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

SeveralairportsintheMiddleEasthaveimplementedtherecently-orde
redlaptopbanonflightstotheUSAandtheUK.Aneworderrequireselectr
onicdeviceslargerthanasmartphonetobecheckedinandstoredintheai
rcraft'shold.TheUSbanhasaffectedairlinesfromeightMiddleEasternc
ountries,whilesimilarUKrestrictionsapplytosixcountries.Officialssai
dthebanwasbecauselargerdigitaldevicescouldcontainexplosives.Th
eydidnotsayhowlongthebanwouldbeinplace.TheDubai-basedEmira
tesairlinessaidithadreceivedinstructionstokeepituntilOctober14.Th
erehasbeenmixedreactiontotheban.Airlineswereunhappyabouthavi
ng96hourstoenforceitorlosetheirlicensetoflyintotheUSA.Somecalle
ditanightmare.Theymaypassthecostoftheadditionallayerofsecurityc
hecksontopassengers.Someoftheaffectedcountriesarequestioning
whythebanaffectsonlyMuslim-majoritycountries.Passengerssee
mresignedtoit.ApassengerfromQatarsaid:"It'sarule.Ifollowtherules
.Thebiggerproblemformyfamilyisthenosmoking."Anotherpassenger
wasworriedaboutwhatherchildrenwoulddowithouttheirlaptoponalon
gflight.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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