In July, a big problem happened with computer software for airlines around the world. This affected 8.5 million computers, making it hard for people like Anthony Bosman to use digital boarding passes. Because of this, people had to use pen and paper instead. This showed how important it is to have backup plans when technology fails.

A company in Norway called Norsk Hydro had a similar problem in 2019. They were attacked by a virus that stopped their computers from working. To keep things going, they used printed instructions and old methods. This taught them that having paper copies and backup plans is very important.

Experts say it’s important to be ready for computer problems by practicing using pen and paper. While this might not work for big companies all the time, it can help during emergencies. Companies should train their workers to do tasks without computers using tools like flipcharts. By doing this, businesses can be better prepared for problems with technology.

Original news source: How pen and paper comes to the rescue in an IT crisis (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Choose key words from the article (e.g. computer software, digital boarding passes, virus attack) and have students act them out without speaking while the others guess what they are representing.

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide students into pairs. Each pair should take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner in their own words. Encourage them to include details like the airline software issue, Norsk Hydro’s experience, and the importance of backup plans.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper. Have students take turns choosing a word and drawing it on the board while the rest of the class tries to guess what the word is. This activity can help reinforce vocabulary retention.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of questions related to the article, such as “Do you think companies should always have paper backup plans for technology failures?” Have students walk around the class and ask their classmates these questions, then report back on the different opinions they gathered.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In groups, have students discuss and make predictions about how technology and backup plans will evolve in the future based on the lessons learned from the article. They can present their ideas to the class and discuss the likelihood of their predictions coming true.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened with the computer software for airlines in July?
2. How did the computer software problem affect people like Anthony Bosman?
3. What did people have to use instead of digital boarding passes?
4. What happened to the company Norsk Hydro in 2019?
5. How did Norsk Hydro manage to keep things going when their computers stopped working?
6. Why do experts say it’s important to practice using pen and paper for computer problems?
7. How can companies prepare for technology problems according to the article?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In July, a big problem happened with computer software for airlines around the world. This affected 8.5 million (1)______, (2)______ it hard for people like Anthony Bosman to use digital boarding (3)______. Because of this, people had to use pen and paper instead. This (4)______ how (5)______ it is to have backup plans when technology fails.

A company in Norway called Norsk Hydro had a similar (6)______ in 2019. They were attacked by a virus that stopped their computers from working. To keep things going, they used printed instructions and old methods. This taught them that having paper (7)______ and backup plans is very important.

Experts say it’s important to be (8)______ for (9)______ problems by practicing using pen and paper. While this might not work for big (10)______ all the time, it can help during emergencies. Companies should train their workers to do tasks without computers using tools like flipcharts. By doing this, (11)______ can be better prepared for (12)______ with technology.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a digital boarding pass?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t use your computer for a whole day?
3. Do you like using pen and paper instead of a computer? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about having backup plans in case technology fails?
5. Do you think it’s important for companies to train their workers to do tasks without computers? Why or why not?
6. How would you handle a situation where your computer stopped working?
7. What are some ways you can prepare for computer problems?
8. Do you think it’s a good idea to practice using pen and paper in case of emergencies? Why or why not?
9. Have you ever had a situation where technology failed you? How did you handle it?
10. Why do you think businesses should have backup plans for technology failures?
11. What are some old methods people used before computers were invented?
12. How do you think using tools like flipcharts can help businesses be better prepared for technology problems?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. software
2. affected
3. digital
4. backup
5. virus
6. instructions
7. methods
8. experts
9. practicing
10. emergencies
11. train
12. prepared

Meanings:
(A) Sudden problems that need quick action
(B) Ready for something to happen
(C) Ways of doing things
(D) People who know a lot about a subject
(E) A harmful program that can stop computers from working
(F) Using technology instead of paper
(G) A plan or copy to use if the first one fails
(H) Changed or influenced by something
(I) Steps or directions on how to do something
(J) To teach someone how to do something
(K) Doing something over and over to get better at it
(L) Programs used by computers to do tasks
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What happened with computer software for airlines in July?
(a) It made digital boarding passes faster
(b) It improved technology worldwide
(c) It helped people like Anthony Bosman
(d) It affected 8.5 million computers

2. How did people have to check in when the computer software for airlines failed?
(a) Using voice recognition
(b) Using virtual reality
(c) Using text messages
(d) Using pen and paper

3. What did Norsk Hydro do when they were attacked by a virus in 2019?
(a) Ignored the problem
(b) Shut down the company
(c) Used printed instructions and old methods
(d) Waited for the computers to start working again

4. What did the company in Norway learn from their computer problem in 2019?
(a) Computers are always reliable
(b) Having paper copies and backup plans is important
(c) Paper copies are not necessary
(d) Backup plans are not useful

5. What do experts suggest companies do to prepare for computer problems?
(a) Ignore the issue
(b) Use computers more often
(c) Practice using pen and paper
(d) Avoid backup plans

6. How can companies train their workers to be better prepared for technology problems?
(a) Using tools like flipcharts
(b) Ignoring the issue
(c) Using more computers
(d) Waiting for the problem to solve itself

7. Why is it important for businesses to be prepared for technology problems?
(a) To handle emergencies
(b) To rely solely on computers
(c) To avoid using paper
(d) To make tasks more difficult

8. According to the article, what can help companies be better prepared for technology problems?
(a) Ignoring backup plans
(b) Practicing tasks without computers
(c) Using only digital methods
(d) Waiting for the computers to start working again

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Experts suggest practicing using pen and paper to be ready for computer problems.
2. Norsk Hydro used digital instructions and modern methods to keep things going during the computer virus attack.
3. Companies should train their workers to do tasks without computers using tools like flipcharts.
4. People had to use digital boarding passes instead of pen and paper.
5. Being unprepared for technology problems with backup plans is unimportant for businesses.
6. Anthony Bosman had trouble using digital boarding passes because of the software problem.
7. A big problem with computer software for airlines affected 8.5 million computers in July.
8. Norsk Hydro, a company in Sweden, faced a computer virus attack in 2018.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What happened to computer software for airlines in July that affected millions of computers?
2. How did people like Anthony Bosman have to adapt when they couldn’t use digital boarding passes?
3. What happened to the company Norsk Hydro in 2019 that caused them to use printed instructions and old methods?
4. Why do experts say it’s important for companies to practice using pen and paper in case of computer problems?
5. How can businesses prepare for technology problems according to the article?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What happened with the computer software for airlines in July?
The computer software for airlines around the world had a big problem in July.

2. How did the computer software problem affect people like Anthony Bosman?
The computer software problem made it hard for people like Anthony Bosman to use digital boarding passes.

3. What did people have to use instead of digital boarding passes?
People had to use pen and paper instead of digital boarding passes.

4. What happened to the company Norsk Hydro in 2019?
Norsk Hydro was attacked by a virus that stopped their computers from working in 2019.

5. How did Norsk Hydro manage to keep things going when their computers stopped working?
Norsk Hydro used printed instructions and old methods to keep things going when their computers stopped working.

6. Why do experts say it’s important to practice using pen and paper for computer problems?
Experts say it’s important to practice using pen and paper for computer problems so that people can still do tasks when technology fails.

7. How can companies prepare for technology problems according to the article?
Companies can prepare for technology problems by training their workers to do tasks without computers using tools like flipcharts.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) computers
(2) making
(3) passes
(4) showed
(5) important
(6) problem
(7) copies
(8) ready
(9) computer
(10) companies
(11) businesses
(12) problems
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. software
Answer: (L) Programs used by computers to do tasks

2. affected
Answer: (H) Changed or influenced by something

3. digital
Answer: (F) Using technology instead of paper

4. backup
Answer: (G) A plan or copy to use if the first one fails

5. virus
Answer: (E) A harmful program that can stop computers from working

6. instructions
Answer: (I) Steps or directions on how to do something

7. methods
Answer: (C) Ways of doing things

8. experts
Answer: (D) People who know a lot about a subject

9. practicing
Answer: (K) Doing something over and over to get better at it

10. emergencies
Answer: (A) Sudden problems that need quick action

11. train
Answer: (J) To teach someone how to do something

12. prepared
Answer: (B) Ready for something to happen
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What happened with computer software for airlines in July?
Answer: (d) It affected 8.5 million computers

2. How did people have to check in when the computer software for airlines failed?
Answer: (d) Using pen and paper

3. What did Norsk Hydro do when they were attacked by a virus in 2019?
Answer: (c) Used printed instructions and old methods

4. What did the company in Norway learn from their computer problem in 2019?
Answer: (b) Having paper copies and backup plans is important

5. What do experts suggest companies do to prepare for computer problems?
Answer: (c) Practice using pen and paper

6. How can companies train their workers to be better prepared for technology problems?
Answer: (a) Using tools like flipcharts

7. Why is it important for businesses to be prepared for technology problems?
Answer: (a) To handle emergencies

8. According to the article, what can help companies be better prepared for technology problems?
Answer: (b) Practicing tasks without computers
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Experts suggest practicing using pen and paper to be ready for computer problems. (Answer: True)
2. Norsk Hydro used digital instructions and modern methods to keep things going during the computer virus attack. (Answer: False)
3. Companies should train their workers to do tasks without computers using tools like flipcharts. (Answer: True)
4. People had to use digital boarding passes instead of pen and paper. (Answer: False)
5. Being unprepared for technology problems with backup plans is unimportant for businesses. (Answer: False)
6. Anthony Bosman had trouble using digital boarding passes because of the software problem. (Answer: True)
7. A big problem with computer software for airlines affected 8.5 million computers in July. (Answer: True)
8. Norsk Hydro, a company in Sweden, faced a computer virus attack in 2018. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧