News English Lessons
FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - India's Internet
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

Home
Donate

E-mail this lesson to
a student /colleague

COPYRIGHT:
Please write to
me for permission.

India to Sue Web Over Obscene Content (14th January, 2012)

India's government will allow a court case to go ahead against the world’s biggest Internet companies. It says it could ban 21 sites because of obscene material on their pages. These include Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and YouTube. It is possible the Indian directors of these companies will go to court. Journalist Vinay Rai complained to the government that many sites were harmful to India. He said they led to religious hatred and could lead to many social problems.

This latest situation is not the first time big Internet companies may be in Indian courts. Last month Communications Minister Kapil Sibal promised to try and stop “unacceptable” online content. He asked the companies to try harder to monitor what is on their sites. The High Court in Delhi told website bosses: “You must have a strict check, otherwise, like in China, we may pass orders banning all such websites.” A spokesman for Google India said it would be impossible to check all of its site.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	allow a court case to go	a.	on their pages
2	because of obscene material	b.	the government
3.	complained to	c.	were harmful
4.	many sites	d.	social problems
5.	religious	e.	ahead
6.	lead to many	f.	hatred

Paragraph 2

1.	This latest	a.	their sites
2	promised to	b.	orders
3.	monitor what is on	c.	situation
4.	a strict	d.	try
5.	pass	e.	to check
6.	it would be impossible	f.	check

LISTENING GAP FILL

India's government ___________________ case to go ahead against the world’s biggest Internet companies. It says it could ban 21 sites ___________________ material on their pages. These include Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and YouTube. ___________________ Indian directors of these companies will go to court. Journalist Vinay Rai ___________________ government that many sites ___________________ India. He said they led to religious ___________________ lead to many social problems.

This ___________________ not the first time big Internet companies may be in Indian courts. Last month Communications Minister Kapil Sibal ___________________ and stop “unacceptable” online content. He asked the companies to try harder to ___________________ their sites. The High Court in Delhi told website bosses: “You must ___________________, otherwise, like in China, we may ___________________ all such websites.” A spokesman for Google India said it would be impossible to ___________________.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

India's government will (1) ____ a court case to go ahead against the world’s biggest Internet companies. It says it could ban 21 sites because (2) ____ obscene material on their pages. These (3) ____ Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and YouTube. It is (4) ____ the Indian directors of these companies will go to court. Journalist Vinay Rai complained (5) ____ the government that many sites were harmful to India. He said they led to religious (6) ____ and could lead to many social problems.

This latest (7) ____ is not the first time big Internet companies may be in Indian courts. Last month Communications Minister Kapil Sibal promised to (8) ____ and stop “unacceptable” online content. He asked the companies to try (9) ____ to monitor what is on their sites. The High Court in Delhi told website bosses: “You must have a strict check, (10) ____, like in China, we may (11) ____ orders banning all such websites.” A spokesman for Google India said it would be impossible to check (12) ____ of its site.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	allow	(b)	allowable	(c)	allowing
2.	(a)	for	(b)	from	(c)	of
3.	(a)	include	(b)	including	(c)	inclusive
4.	(a)	possibility	(b)	possible	(c)	impossibility
5.	(a)	as	(b)	by	(c)	to
6.	(a)	hates	(b)	hated	(c)	hatred
7.	(a)	sites	(b)	situation	(c)	sighting
8.	(a)	try	(b)	effort	(c)	attempt
9.	(a)	heard	(b)	softer	(c)	harder
10.	(a)	others	(b)	otherwise	(c)	other
11.	(a)	mass	(b)	pass	(c)	lass
12	(a)	all	(b)	every	(c)	whole

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	India's nmtvrgnoee
2.	go dahea
3.	These cdulein Facebook
4.	directors of these imacnpoes
5.	religious ardeht
6.	social eopsrlbm
Paragraph 2
7.	This asetlt situation
8.	roidsepm to try
9.	iotonmr what is on their sites
10.	have a crttsi check
11.	pass errsod
12.	bimsoiespl to check

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	This latest situation is not the first time big Internet companies may be
( 1 )	India's government will allow a court case to go ahead against the world’s
( )	material on their pages. These include Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and YouTube. It is
( )	try and stop “unacceptable” online content. He asked the companies to try harder to monitor
( )	check, otherwise, like in China, we may pass orders banning all such websites.” A spokesman
( )	in Indian courts. Last month Communications Minister Kapil Sibal promised to
( )	biggest Internet companies. It says it could ban 21 sites because of obscene
( )	to the government that many sites were harmful to India. He said they led to religious
( )	for Google India said it would be impossible to check all of its site.
( )	possible the Indian directors of these companies will go to court. Journalist Vinay Rai complained
( )	hatred and could lead to many social problems.
( )	what is on their sites. The High Court in Delhi told website bosses: “You must have a strict

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	government will allow a court case to go ahead. India's
2.	material obscene of because sites 21 Ban.
3.	companies will Directors go of to these court.
4.	were to sites harmful India Many.
5.	led they said He hatred religious to.
6.	situation time is not This the latest first.
7.	and unacceptable content Try stop online.
8.	what their Try monitor on to is sites harder.
9.	orders banning We all may such pass websites.
10.	check all of its site It would be impossible to.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about Internet content for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET CONTENT: Search the Internet and find more information about Internet content. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about obscene Internet content. Include an imaginary interview with someone who wants it all off the Web. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to an Internet expert. Ask him/her three questions about Internet content. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

Back to the top

News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - India's Internet (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)