The Reading / Listening - Ransomware - Level 1

Microsoft is angry with America's National Security Agency (NSA). It said the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack was because the NSA stores cyber-weapons. Ransomware is software that blocks computers until the owner pays money to hackers. The NSA helps keep America's communications and information systems safe. It also stops cyber-attacks. However, experts say the WannaCry hackers used spying tools from the NSA.

Microsoft said governments must wake up to the problem of cyber-weapons. Stealing them is as dangerous as stealing missiles. Microsoft said the WannaCry attack shows why keeping cyber-weapons is a problem. Europe's police said WannaCry harmed 200,000 computers in 150 countries. It made many problems for Britain's hospitals. Many operations were cancelled. Experts told people to back up their files because more attacks could come.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Ransomware - Level 0 Ransomware - Level 2   or  Ransomware - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.investors.com/news/technology/microsoft-lashes-out-over-wannacry-hacks-is-apple-next/
  • http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-europe-computer-virus-20170514-story.html
  • https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/15/15639890/microsoft-wannacry-security-vulnerabilities-ransomware


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. Microsoft is angry with America's
  2. the NSA stores
  3. software that blocks
  4. until the owner pays
  5. communications and information
  6. It also stops cyber-
  7. the WannaCry
  8. spying
  1. hackers
  2. computers
  3. tools
  4. attacks
  5. National Security Agency
  6. money to hackers
  7. systems
  8. cyber-weapons

Paragraph 2

  1. Microsoft said governments must
  2. the problem
  3. as dangerous
  4. the WannaCry attack shows
  5. keeping cyber-weapons
  6. WannaCry harmed
  7. Many operations were
  8. Experts told people to back
  1. why
  2. as stealing missiles
  3. cancelled
  4. 200,000 computers
  5. wake up
  6. up their files
  7. of cyber-weapons
  8. is a problem

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Microsoft (1) ___________________ America's National Security Agency (NSA). It said the WannaCry ransomware cyber-attack was because (2) ___________________ cyber-weapons. Ransomware (3) ___________________ blocks computers until the owner pays money to hackers. The NSA helps keep America's communications (4) ___________________ systems safe. It also stops cyber-attacks. However, (5) ___________________ WannaCry hackers used (6) ___________________ from the NSA.

Microsoft said governments (7) ___________________ to the problem of cyber-weapons. Stealing (8) ___________________ dangerous as stealing missiles. Microsoft said the WannaCry (9) ___________________ keeping cyber-weapons is a problem. Europe's police said WannaCry (10) ___________________ computers (11) ___________________. It made many problems for Britain's hospitals. Many operations were cancelled. Experts told people to (12) ___________________ files because more attacks could come.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

MicrosoftisangrywithAmerica'sNationalSecurityAgency(NSA).Itsaid
theWannaCryransomwarecyber-attackwasbecausetheNSAstorescy
ber-weapons.Ransomwareissoftwarethatblockscomputersuntilth
eownerpaysmoneytohackers.TheNSAhelpskeepAmerica'scommuni
cationsandinformationsystemssafe.Italsostopscyber-attacks.Howe
ver,expertssaytheWannaCryhackersusedspyingtoolsfromtheNSA.
Microsoftsaidgovernmentsmustwakeuptotheproblemofcyber-weap
ons.Stealingthemisasdangerousasstealingmissiles.Microsoftsaidth
eWannaCryattackshowswhykeepingcyber-weaponsisaproblem.Eu
rope'spolicesaidWannaCryharmed200,000computersin150countrie
s.ItmademanyproblemsforBritain'shospitals.Manyoperationswerec
ancelled.Expertstoldpeopletobackuptheirfilesbecausemoreattacksc
ouldcome.

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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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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