English for R&Dcourse

English for R&Dcourse

Fake News

Before reading: key words
1
Matching · tap a word, then its pair (or drag)
Drag each word to its meaning. You will meet all of them in the article.
recognise
fooled
sure
advertisement
check
fake
source
share
trust
upset
1.
not real, but made to look real
2.
a person, place or website that gives you information
3.
to send or show something to other people
4.
to believe that someone or something is honest and good
5.
sad or angry because something bad happened
6.
to know who or what something is because you have seen it before
7.
tricked into believing something that is not true
8.
certain; you have no doubt
9.
a picture or video that tries to sell you something (also: ad)
10.
to look carefully to find out if something is correct
2
Gap fill · type your answer in each gap
Complete the sentences with words from the box:fake · share · trust · upset · recognise · sure · source · fooled
1.This bag costs $5, but it looks like an expensive one. I think it is .
2.I want to this funny photo with my friends.
3.I don’t him. He always tells lies.
4.She was very when she lost her phone.
5.I can that voice. It’s my teacher!
6.Are you the shop is open? Let’s call and ask.
7.A good newspaper is a good of information about your city.
8.He thought the email was from his bank, but it wasn’t. He was .
Read the article
Reading · an online article
Read the article. The highlighted words are the key words from the tasks above.

Every time you are online, you see a lot of pictures, articles and videos. Not all of these stories are true. Some websites want you to click on their advertisements. Other people want to upset you. It is easy to share a story, so a fake story can travel very fast. This is fake news.

Some fake news is easy to recognise because the story is crazy. Other fake news is hard to notice. Here are four tips. Don’t get fooled!

1. Check the source

Look at the website. Does it look real? Is the text well written? Does the site have many different stories, or only one? Fake news websites often have names like real newspapers, but they only have a few stories. If you are not sure, click on the ‘About’ page. A real website tells you who they are.

2. Look at the photos

Fake news often uses photos that are changed on a computer. Sometimes it uses a photo from a different story. Look closely at the photo. You can also use Google Reverse Image search to see where else the photo is on the internet.

3. Look for the story on other websites

Do big news websites that you know and trust have the same story? Then it is probably true. Big news companies check their sources before they publish a story.

4. Look for other signs

Fake news often uses ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and a lot of ads. Also, think about how the story makes you feel. If it makes you angry, it is probably made to make you angry.

Now you know what to do. If you find a story that is fake, don’t share it!

Check your understanding
3
Quiz · choose one option per question
Task 1. Choose the best title for the article.
1.What is the best title for the article?
4
Quiz · choose one option per question
Task 2. Choose the correct answer.
1.Why do some websites make fake stories?
2.Some fake news is easy to recognise because ...
3.Which website should you NOT trust?
4.What can you do with a photo you are not sure about?
5.If many big news websites have the story, it is ...
6.What can show you that a story is fake?
7.What should you do with a fake story?
8.What is the purpose of this article?
Work with the words
5
Quiz · choose one option per question
Choose the correct word.
1.My friend sent me a photo of a dog with wings. It is .
2.Before you believe a story, where it comes from.
3.I don’t this website. It has only one story.
4.The news made her very . She cried.
5.He believed the story, but it was fake. He was .
6.A good of news is a big, famous newspaper.
7.Please don’t this story with your friends. It is fake.
8.A video that tries to sell you something is an .
6
Sorting · click a word, then click the group
Sort the ideas. Click an idea, then click its group.
Signs of fake news
Drop here
Ways to check a story
Drop here
7
Writing · write your response
Write 5 words or phrases from the article that you would like to learn. Put each one on a new line.
  • Choose words that are new to you.
  • You can pick words that are not highlighted.
0 words0 characters(Target: 5–40 words)
Discussion
Discussion · discuss with your group
Discuss these questions with your group.
  1. Have you ever read a fake news story online?
  2. Do you trust the news on social media? Why or why not?
  3. Which of the four tips do you already use? Which one is new for you?
8
Speaking · record your answer
Have you ever read a fake news story online? Do you trust the news you see on your phone?
USEFUL PHRASES
I once read a story about ... It was fake.
I (don’t) trust ... because ...
To check a story, I usually ...
I think people should ... / shouldn’t ...
Choose how long you'd like to speak (about 1 min is a good length).