Association Negative words and phrases Parallel structures Vague or non-specific words or phrases Passive structures weapons with credit cards death and ruin with universal identifiers weapon, problem, theft, perpetrate, fraud, damage, died, ruined, worse, peril [see some of the repetitions] The more widely my information is known, the greater the number of places where it may be found, and the more likely that theft will occur. The more information is correlated to a single identifier, the more damage an instance of identity theft may cause. might, probably, may, sooner or later, anyone in current possession, whatever he or she likes, worse things, wherever, vague, but apparently near … my information is known … information is correlated … can be linked to me 7 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 Do you think the passage is effective in creating a feeling of fear?
Personal opinion- but a great many techniques have been noted above. Of course, one might still be unconvinced by the writer’s fears even if they have been presented effectively.
2 Does the writer explain why organizations collect so much personal information?
It is left fairly vague (typical of the writer’s chosen style here), but some information is given. Amazon wants to target consumers with books they are likely to be attracted to, and the credit card companies want to make shopping easy.
3 Does the writer describe a specific, current threat?
The writer does discuss identity theft, but the main emphasis is on what comes next with even more organized and developed forms of information collection and storage. The full implications of this are not known to us so the threat is not very precise as yet.
4 Does the writer suggest that the danger is growing? Yes, this is stated in the final three paragraphs.
5 Does the writer say whom we should be frightened of? No, only of vague hostile forces.
6 Are you more worried about personal information being collected after reading the passage? Nervousness seems the natural reaction, but one might feel one is already taking adequate precautions, or feel the writer is indulging in scare-mongering. Does it really matter if
someone can gain access to our address, hobbies and bank balance? Possibly the very quantity of information available these days makes its detailed analysis less probable.
Developing critical thinking
8 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 What sort of information does your school have about you?
Perhaps one should distinguish selected information in a personal file (whether on paper or in a computer) and potential information which someone could put together. Schools store
information on where students come from, their parents, their school grades and memberships, their ages and so on. If a student pays any bills with a credit card, the school will have card details somewhere in its system. If the school uses CCTV for security, it could potentially discover a student’s comings and goings. If the school issues references / testimonials for students it may also have a system of recording comments on people. Rules and procedures vary from place to place.
2 Do you think it’s legitimate for shops to automatically collect personal information? A matter of personal judgment; some people object very strongly to this invasion of their privacy; others are content as long as it does not go too far. As with the passage, in the case of a reputable company trying to get to know its customers better, it is not offensive, but when it comes to companies selling our data to other organizations, we are likely to become less happy about it.
3 Do you think it’s legitimate for other organizations to collect personal information? Which ones? Why?
There are many issues one can go into on this. It might be of great benefit to us if a hospital has full records of our health and of any problems we have, but if this information is in the hands of insurers or employers, it might be less beneficial and cost us many opportunities. An airline might keep a record of our travelling patterns so they can email us offers on those routes, but there might be other people who we do not want to know of our movements.
4 How worried are you that criminals could obtain your personal information?
This will vary from person to person. Considerations are the size of the risk, the amount of damage which might be done and where the risk is most severe (as mentioned above, it is not only criminals we might wish not to have access to all our information).
5 Which is more frightening, a paper record or a computer database? Why?
Paper is in one place and takes time to access. Information on computer databases can be accessed from anywhere and sorted far more quickly. Hacking might also be more probable than entering a building and changing information on a paper document.
Additional activity
Questions 2 and 3 can be used for short role-paying exercises. Select fluent students to be: a. a worried consumer and a shop manager, and
b. a private individual and a representative of a suitable organization (a hospital, transport company, library etc.) The Ss can then exchange views on data collection trying to persuade one another of the correctness of their positions.
Talking point
Teaching tips
If there is enough time, this activity could be widened by asking SS to gather examples of strange laws before class (an Internet search will reveal plenty) and then sharing them at the start of the lesson.
Work in pairs and discuss the questions.
1 Which of the laws above do you think are easy to obey?
The 1st and 3rd seem very easy to obey. The 5th might be a little inconvenient, but is easy enough. The 4th depends on where you come from. The British eat little garlic and would be able to cope, but the garlic-loving French would be far more seriously affected. Many of the regional cuisines of China use a lot of garlic so Ss form those areas might find the law very restrictive. The 2nd law seems impossible to obey if there is to be a rail service!
2 How can the government make sure people obey these laws?
Only with the greatest difficulty – even with CCTV watching every beach and clothes line would be far from easy – and without garlic-scanners that law might be a problem?
Presumably the point is that these things offend some people, so they have the law on their side if, for example, they find themselves sitting next to someone smelling strongly of garlic or are shocked at the sight of their neighbour’s mixed underwear. The Texan law seems beyond enforcement.
3 What laws would you like to introduce in your town or region?
This final question is probably best treated light-heartedly. T can introduce the concept of “pet hates”, small things which drive us personally mad: people putting their bags on seats in crowded places, people walking slowly down the middle of crowded streets, or whatever. Ss can then share their pet hates and devise laws to put an end to them.
Language in use
have something done Teaching steps
This is rather a complex section and the Ss will probably need the T to lead the class and help them through it. T can explain that at beginner levels the pattern have something done is often taught as being used when we arrange for someone to do something for us: - I am going to have my hair cut.
- She is going to have the room painted.
- I must comb my hair. I am going to have my photo taken.
Clearly, when we arrange for something to be done it is for our benefit. This is not always, however, true of this usage, and here Ss are alerted to the alternative negative sense of have something done.
1 Decide what have something done means in this context.
If you haven’t had your identity stolen, it’s only because they haven’t got to you yet.
(a) Arrange for something to be done, or for someone to do something for you (b) Have something unfortunate happen to you by someone you don’t know
2 Look at the sentences with have something + past participle. Decide which meaning in Activity 1 they have.
1 (b) 2(a) 3 (b) 4 (b) 5(b) 6 (a)
mention
3 Match the uses of mention with the sentences.
1 (b) - our experience of terrorists shows tools can become weapons (dramatically, an airplane can be crashed into a building); if you need any further examples think of action films in which heroes make use of all sorts of unlikely objects to conquer their
enemies. Not to mention adds extra examples to the main one, adds something which emphasizes the main idea.
2 (a) - mention = said anything about, referred to.
There’s no escaping the fact that ...
4 Complete these sentences so that they’re true for you, even if you prefer to think they’re not. Teaching tips
Let the Ss write their answers and then call on individuals to read out their responses until the class seem to have control of the pattern.
There is no escaping the fact that when I 1 speak English, I make a lot of mistakes.
2 go online, I waste a lot of time chatting to people about nothing. 3 do an assignment, I always start it too late.
4 go back home to see my parents, I spend too much time on the phone instead of talking to them.
5 stay up late, I am useless in class the next day. 6 go shopping, I spend far too much money.
Collocations
5 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.
regular
1 … the ink can be removed with the help of a regular household chemical … Is this likely to mean (a) frequent, or (b) ordinary?
2 It looked like a regular dollar bill, but actually it was a fake. Does this mean the dollar bill was (a) damaged, or (b) normal? bad
3 More than 1.2 million bad checks are issued every day … Is a bad check one which is (a) doesn’t pay the money it offers to pay, or (b) likely to cause problems?
4 ... they have also got a lot of bad publicity. Is this publicity (a) of very low quality, or (b) likely to cause problems? stuff
5 So it’s not a problem if they’re trying to sell me stuff. Is this likely to mean (a) a variety of objects and things, or (b) a basic material used for making something?
6 Banks keep all this personal stuff about you on computer. Is this likely to mean (a) your clothes, or (b) information about you? false
7 ... to create a false identity. Is this likely to be an identity (a) based on a mistake, or (b) not real and intended to trick people?
8 Pierre gave me the false impression that he was rich. Does this mean (a) he didn’t tell the truth, or (b) his documents contained wrong information?
6 Translate the sentences into Chinese.
