speech on world wide web

The world wide web is 30. Here are 8 things you should know about it

On 12 March 1989, Tim Berners-Lee published his proposal for connecting information together. Image:  REUTERS/Simon Dawson

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The world wide web is 30 years old this year. On 12 March 1989, Sir Tim Berners-Lee published his proposal for connecting information together so that it could be easily shared and accessed, describing how a “‘web’ of notes with links (like references) between them is far more useful than a fixed hierarchical system.” But the astronomical growth of the web could also be its downfall, Berners-Lee warns.

To commemorate its inception, and explain some of its creator’s concerns, here are eight things we think everyone should know about the world wide web, its past and its possible future.

1. Stop calling it the internet, please

The internet and the world wide web are not the same thing, even though the terms are sometimes used synonymously. The internet is a huge network of computers, including servers and data centers located all around the world – quite literally hundreds of millions of them. The world wide web is one of the ways people can access the information stored on the internet.

When you send emails they travel via the internet – but not via the web. If you’re a user of an instant messaging app such as WhatsApp, that uses the internet but not the web, and the same is true of services like Skype. The world wide web uses something called hypertext transfer protocol (the HTTP you’ve seen in web addresses) as the basis for communicating and distributing information.

2. It all started near the Swiss-French border

Berners-Lee was a software engineer working at the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN) when he came up with the idea for the world wide web.

CERN was set up in 1954 and is located either side of the Franco-Swiss border, not far from Geneva. Although its initial focus was nuclear physics, the organization is now more famously associated with particle physics, and is home to the Large Hadron Collider – the world’s most powerful particle accelerator.

3. It might have been called the Mish Mash Mesh

OK, that’s clearly an exaggeration on our part. But one of Berners-Lee’s early suggestions for the name of his “web of notes with links” was the Information Mesh. He also considered calling it the Information Mine, or the Mine of Information.

It’s hard to imagine a world where no one ever had to struggle saying “double-u, double-u, double-u, dot” all the time. But it nearly happened. Strictly speaking, there is no need to use www. at the start of a web address – it will work fine without it. It’s a convention or habit that’s stuck. Its purpose was simply to act as a marker that a web server was in use.

4. It almost never happened

When Berners-Lee submitted his idea, his then manager at CERN, Mike Sendall, wasn’t immediately sold on the idea. He described it as “vague, but exciting.” Exciting enough that he didn’t object to Berners-Lee developing his ideas further. But that didn’t happen until the following year. However, by October 1990, he had completed three of the world wide web’s most important, and enduring, components:

• A) HyperText Markup Language or HTML. This is the series of formatting tags and codes used on the web to pull information together and create links. It is also used to change the way information looks. For example, to make the word penguin appear bold you would include the following HTML tags, <b>penguin</b>.
• B) Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP. This is a protocol – an agreed and standard way of doing something. In this case, it’s referring to the way information residing somewhere online is connected to, how it links to other resources, and how it is then delivered to the user’s screen across the web. Other protocols are used for other services that work over the internet. In the case of email, for example, you will find MAILTO to indicate which protocol is in use.
• C) Uniform Resource Identifier or URI. You can think of this as a unique address used to identify the location and properties of each resource available on the internet. This is particularly relevant here because it allows for instant identification of information on the world wide web. You may be familiar with the term URL (uniform resource locator). It’s a form of URI. Let’s look at this example of a URI: https://www.weforum.org/ to understand how it works. HTTPS – tells you this is hypertext-based, therefore it’s on the web. If it said FTP instead, you’d know it was a file transfer site. The S indicates encryption is being used for additional security.

5. You can still see the early web

The very first website was info.cern.ch. It was hosted by CERN, on Berners-Lee’s desktop computer. You can still view it if you follow this link .

By 1991, Berners-Lee began to realize the importance of making the web an open platform, saying: “Had the technology been proprietary, and in my total control, it would probably not have taken off . You can’t propose that something be a universal space and at the same time keep control of it.”

In 1993, Berners-Lee and CERN announced that the code used to build the web would be freely available for anyone and everyone to use. It was that move that sparked the growth of the world wide web we all use today.

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6. Ubiquitous surveillance

Many businesses operating online have been collecting user data for years, and while most of us are happy to exchange data for free access to services, there are now huge amounts of personal data in the hands of commercial entities. This has created a global surveillance culture, Berners-Lee warns, which endangers free speech, makes life easy for repressive regimes and even puts lives at risk. It could be one of the factors that contribute to the web stagnating.

7. The contagion of fake news

On Twitter, false information spreads six times faster than the truth and is far more likely to be shared around. Partly that’s because of the deliberate use of bots and fake accounts to help with the spreading. But it may also have something to do with the salaciousness of some fake news and how that appeals to people. Either way, it undermines trust and trust is hugely important if the web is to remain a viable platform going forward.

8. The splinternet

Perhaps the most significant threat to the web – and without doubt, the most existential one – is the development of something most commonly referred to as the splinternet. This refers to the possibility of the web (and indeed the internet in its entirety) being broken into smaller, regional pieces.

In part it is a reaction by some national governments to what they see as the undue influence of a small number of tech giants. As those national governments implement different levels of regulation, the very idea of a world wide web is cast into doubt. What was once envisaged as a seamless, borderless, even playing field offering a uniform online experience for everyone no matter who they are, will be no more.

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Making the Web work

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops standards and guidelines to help everyone build a web based on the principles of accessibility , internationalization , privacy and security .

Working with stakeholders of the Web

A range of organizations join the World Wide Web Consortium as Members to work with us to drive the direction of core web technologies and exchange ideas with industry and research leaders. We rotate randomly a few of our Member organizations' logos underneath.

The Web Consortium and its members, with help from the public and the web community, focus on a range of business ecosystems that the Web transforms, including  E-commerce ,  Media & Entertainment , Publishing and several other areas.

Web standards

Web standards are the building blocks of a consistent digitally connected world. They are implemented in browsers, blogs, search engines, and other software that power our experience on the Web.

W3C is an international community where Members , full-time staff , and the public work together to develop web standards.

Get involved

W3C works at the nexus of core technology, industry needs, and societal needs. Everyone can get involved with the work we do.

There are many ways individuals and organizations can participate in the Web Consortium to advance web standardization.

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World Wide Web Day: History and Significance

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World Wide Web Day: History, significance and theme

The www was created by english computer scientist tim berners-lee in 1989, while he was working for the european organization for nuclear research (cern) in switzerland. .

World Wide Web Foundation

Establishing the open web as a basic right and a public good..

We use original research, advocacy and public action to shape the policies and products we need for the web we want. Decisions made by governments and businesses have far-reaching effects on who can access the web and use it to improve their lives. Influencing relevant policies, rules and regulations for the better brings us closer to a world where everyone has affordable, meaningful access to a web that improves their lives and where their rights are protected.

Our approach

• Generating evidence: Everything we do is grounded in research and data. Our research team uncovers evidence and understanding of issues at the heart of digital inequalities.
• Developing solutions: We develop solutions to the biggest tech challenges facing our societies, informed through consultation with technology experts, companies, policymakers, civil society leaders, and diverse groups of people across the world.
• Building alliances: Beyond our team of 30, we scale the impact of our work through the power of the alliances and networks we build.
• Catalysing action: We work constructively with government and industry decision makers to shape policies and practices, and advocate for their adoption alongside our partners. And when needed, we mobilize the public to add pressure for these decision makers to take bold action.

Below you can see a full list of our current and past projects.

The Contract for the Web

Tech policy design lab, tackling online gender-based violence and abuse, open data charter, women’s rights online.

As the digital revolution steams ahead, women and girls are being left behind — poor urban women in the developing world are 50% less likely than men to access the internet. Determined to tackle this challenge head on, our Women’s Rights Online network drives women's empowerment on and through the web by working to reform policy and regulation to close the digital gender gap.

Open Data Labs

Web we want, open government partnership, the web index.

The Web Index is the first measure of the web’s contribution to social, economic and political progress, studying 86 countries across the world. Shining a light on issues from surveillance and censorship, to net neutrality and violence against women online, it provides data on the use of the web and its impact on people’s lives. Since its launch, the Web Index has become established as a reference point for governments and policymakers around the world, holding governments accountable and driving public debate.

Open Data in Developing Countries

Open contracting data standard.

Governments worldwide spend more than $9.5 trillion annually on contracts, but little information about how this money is spent is publicly available. The Open Contracting Data Standard aims to fight corruption, improve service delivery, and enhance market efficiency, by enabling public contract data to be easily accessed and compared across countries, regions and industries.

Open Data Research Network

We're on the cusp of an open data revolution — one where governments, companies, and civil society worldwide use open data to promote innovation, development, and democratic change. Our Open Data Research Network (ODRN) works to understand how open data initiatives can be implemented successfully and scaled for impact. To date,this research has helped deliver insight to over 1,000 key open data stakeholders, from country ministers to grassroots activists.

Open Data Barometer

Alliance for affordable internet.

Breaking News English Lesson: World Wide Web

Home     |     help this site, world wide web inventor worried about its future    (15th march, 2017).

• 26-page lesson  (40 exercises)
• 2-page MINI lesson
• North American & British English
• 20 questions
• Listen & spell
• 3-speed reading
• Text jumble
• The / An / A
• Prepositions
• Missing letters
• Initals only
• Missing words

The Reading / Listening - World Wide Web - Level 3

The man who created the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has warned of the dangers of the Internet. He described his three main worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first problem is fake news. He said websites and companies are creating fake news just to make money, or to try and change people's political opinions. He said the danger is that fake news "spreads like wildfire". The second problem is political advertising. He said adverts are used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click on fake news stories. His final concern is the misuse of personal data by governments. He said people are killed in some countries because of the websites they visit.

Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had "lived up to [his] vision" in many ways. He said: "I imagined the web as an open platform that would allow everyone, everywhere to share information, access opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision alive. He said there were complex problems, and that the solutions would not be simple. He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back in the hands of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling effect on free speech". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He called on all Internet users to help.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

     World Wide Web - Level 0 ,  World Wide Web - Level 1   or  World Wide Web - Level 2

• http://www. bbc.com /news/technology-39246810
• https://www. newscientist.com /article/2124201-web-creator-tim-berners-lee-speaks-out-on-fake-news/
• http:// webfoundation.org /2017/03/web-turns-28-letter/

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 :-)

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools." The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and...history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it." Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels.... In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills." Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities, and more.

Take a look...

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--> 1. THE WORLD WIDE WEB: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the World Wide Web. Change partners often and share your findings. 2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?        Internet dangers / fake news / political opinions / political advertising / personal data /        vision / platform / information / opportunities / strategy / solutions / free speech Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently. 3. GOOD: Students A strongly believe the Internet is a good thing; Students B strongly believe the Internet is a bad thing.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. DANGERS: What are the dangers of the Internet? How can we avoid them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.   Dangers How to avoid them? Identity theft     Phishing     Cyber-bullying     Fake news     Personal data     Addiction     MY e-BOOK See a sample 5. FAKE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fake". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories. 6. INTERNET: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things about the Internet at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings. shopping gaming YouTube research news wi-fi mail social media   Before reading / listening 1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F). The man who created the World Wide Web wrote about five dangers.      T / F The first problem the man mentioned was cyber-bullying.      T / F The man said fake news stories spread like wildfire.      T / F The last danger he mentioned was misuse of personal data.      T / F The man said the Internet had lived up to his vision.      T / F He outlined a 10-year plan to free the Internet of dangers.     T / F The man said the solutions to the problems were simple.      T / F The man asked everyone who used the Internet to help.      T / F 2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article. dangers fake opinions unethical concern lived up to allow collaborate solutions chilling answers risks dishonest satisfied work together beliefs scary hoax let worry 3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.) warned of the dangers worries about how the Internet try and change people's political fake news spreads like adverts are used in unethical He said that it had lived allow everyone, everywhere complex control back in the creates a chilling to share information opinions ways up to his vision is being misused hands of people effect on free speech of the Internet wildfire problems Gap fill Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. click fake main visit dangers data adverts opinions

The man who created the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has warned of the (1) ____________ of the Internet. He described his three (2) ____________ worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first problem is (3) ____________ news. He said websites and companies are creating fake news just to make money, or to try and change people's political (4) ____________. He said the danger is that fake news "spreads like wildfire". The second problem is political advertising. He said (5) ____________ are used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them (6) ____________ on fake news stories. His final concern is the misuse of personal (7) ____________ by governments. He said people are killed in some countries because of the websites they (8) ____________.

vision called access simple speech allow hands alive

Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had "lived up to [his] (9) ____________ " in many ways. He said: "I imagined the web as an open platform that would (10) ____________ everyone, everywhere to share information, (11) ____________ opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision (12) ____________. He said there were complex problems, and that the solutions would not be (13) ____________. He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back in the (14) ____________ of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling effect on free (15) ____________". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He (16) ____________ on all Internet users to help.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  He described his three main worries about how the Internet is ______      a.  being miss use      b.  being misused      c.  being missed use      d.  being miscued

2)  creating fake news just to make money, or to try and change people's ______      a.  politically opinions      b.  political opens      c.  politically opens      d.  political opinions

3) He said the danger is that fake news "spreads ______".      a.  likes wild fare      b.  liking wildly fire      c.  like wild fryer      d.  like wildfire

4) used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click ______"      a.  on fakes news      b.  in fake news      c.  on fake news      d.  at fakes news

5)  people are killed in some countries because of the websites ______      a.  they visiting      b.  they visit      c.  they visited      d.  they visits

6)  Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had lived ______      a.  down to his vision      b.  up to his vision      c.  on to his vision      d.  in to his vision

7)  share information, access opportunities and collaborate across geographic and ______      a.  cultural bound dries      b.  cultural bounder ease      c.  cultural bow dairies      d.  cultural boundaries

8)  His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his ______      a.  vision life      b.  vision lives      c.  vision alive      d.  vision lifetime

9)  He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back ______ people".      a.  in the hands of      b.  in the bands of      c.  in the lands of      d.  in the sands of

10)  …looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling ______ speech".      a.  effect on freedom      b.  effect on frees      c.  effect on freeze      d.  effect on free

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The man who created the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, (1) ___________________ dangers of the Internet. He described his three main worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first (2) ___________________. He said websites and companies are creating fake news (3) ___________________, or to try and change people's political opinions. He said the danger is that fake news "spreads like wildfire". The second (4) ___________________ advertising. He said adverts are used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make (5) ___________________ news stories. His final concern is the misuse of personal data by governments. He said people are killed in some countries (6) ___________________ websites they visit.

Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that (7) ___________________ to [his] vision" in many ways. He said: "I imagined the web as an open platform that (8) ___________________, everywhere to share information, access opportunities (9) ___________________ across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision alive. He said there were complex problems, and that the solutions would (10) ___________________. He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back in the hands of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking (11) ___________________ data, which he said creates a "chilling effect on free speech". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He (12) ___________________ Internet users to help.

Comprehension questions

• What did Sir Tim Berners-Lee create?
• How many main dangers of the Internet are mentioned in the article?
• What do websites want to change with fake news?
• How does the article say fake news spreads?
• Who did the article say misuses personal data?
• When was the Internet invented?
• How long is the strategy to help the Internet stay safe?
• What did the article say about the answers to the complex problems?
• Where did Tim Berners-Lee want to put data control back into?
• Who did Tim Berners-Lee ask to help him?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did Sir Tim Berners-Lee create? a) opinions b) the World Wide Web c) fake news d) dangers

2) How many main dangers of the Internet are mentioned in the article? a) 6 b) 5 c) 4 d) 3

3) What do websites want to change with fake news? a) political opinions b) honest opinions c) personal opinions d) opinions on art

4) How does the article say fake news spreads? a) like the wind b) at the speed of light c) like wildfire d) with the speed of a cheetah

5) Who did the article say misuses personal data? a) social media b) governments c) advertisers d) politicians

6) When was the Internet invented? a) 1989 b) 1979 c) 2099 d) 1999

7) How long is the strategy to help the Internet stay safe? a) 25 years b) a decade c) five years d) eight years

8) What did the article say about the answers to the complex problems? a) they are not simple b) there are many c) they are easy d) they will take time

9) Where did Tim Berners-Lee want to put data control back into? a) the hands of people b) cyberspace c) Internet companies d)

10) Who did Tim Berners-Lee ask to help him? a) governments b) the FBI c) social media sites d) all Internet users

Role A — News

You think news is the best thing about the Internet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so great online. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): social media, shopping or gaming.

Role B — Social Media

You think social media is the best thing about the Internet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so great online. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): news, shopping or gaming.

Role C — Shopping

You think shopping is the best thing about the Internet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so great online. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): social media, news or gaming.

Role D — Gaming

You think gaming is the best thing about the Internet. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so great online. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): social media, news or shopping.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'wide' ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ and 'web' . ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

lived allow five simple chilling called warned first wildfire second voters killed

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 - World Wide Web inventor worried about its future

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

• What did you think when you read the headline?
• What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Internet'?
• Have you had a problem because of the Internet?
• Do you prefer the name 'Internet' or 'World Wide Web'?
• How has the Internet made your life better?
• What would life be like without the Internet?
• How can governments and companies misuse personal data?
• What do you think of the idea of free speech?
• Should we all check if news is fake or not?
• How can we help to keep the Internet safe?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

• Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
• What do you think of when you hear the word 'danger'?
• What do you think about what you read?
• How important is the Internet to you?
• How dangerous could the Internet be?
• What do you know about fake news?
• How dangerous is fake news?
• What do you do to protect your data online?
• How can advertising change politics?
• What questions would you like to ask Sir Tim Berners-Lee?

Discussion — Write your own questions

(a) ________________ (b) ________________ (c) ________________ (d) ________________ (e) ________________

(f) ________________ (g) ________________ (h) ________________ (i) ________________ (j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The man who (1) ____ the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has warned of the dangers of the Internet. He described his three (2) ____ worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first problem is fake news. He said websites and companies are creating fake news just to (3) ____ money, or to try and change people's political opinions. He said the danger (4) ____ that fake news "spreads like wildfire". The second problem is political advertising. He said adverts are (5) ____ in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click on fake news stories. His final concern is the misuse of personal data by governments. He said people are killed in some countries because (6) ____ the websites they visit.

Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had "lived (7) ____ to [his] vision" in many ways. He said: "I imagined the web as an open platform that would allow everyone, everywhere to share information, (8) ____ opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision (9) ____. He said there were complex problems, and that the solutions would not be simple. He wants to put, "a (10) ____ level of data control back in the (11) ____ of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling effect on free speech". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He called (12) ____ all Internet users to help.

Which of these words go in the above text?

• a)     creation     (b)     created     (c)     creative     (d)     creating    
• (a)     mainly     (b)     main     (c)     mains     (d)     maim    
• (a)     save     (b)     spend     (c)     print     (d)     make    
• (a)     be     (b)     is     (c)     do     (d)     have    
• (a)     user     (b)     uses     (c)     use     (d)     used    
• (a)     as     (b)     by     (c)     of     (d)     to    
• (a)     up     (b)     along     (c)     down     (d)     over    
• (a)     accolade     (b)     account     (c)     access     (d)     accept    
• (a)     livelihood     (b)     lifetime     (c)     life     (d)     alive    
• (a)     fair     (b)     fare     (c)     fear     (d)     far    
• (a)     hands     (b)     fingers     (c)     knuckles     (d)     palms    
• (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     by     (d)     at

Paragraph 1

• the asrgnde of the Internet
• He described his three main sierorw
• change people's cilaopitl opinions
• fake news " esadrsp like wildfire"
• in " unecahlit ways"
• His final ocnncre

Paragraph 2

• lived up to his iovnis
• an open rfalmotp
• access opportunities and rcollaaebto
• across ggphraoeic and cultural boundaries
• a five-year rtsyegat
• a "chilling fecfte on free speech

Put the text back together

(    )     information, access opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter

(    )     on fake news stories. His final concern is the misuse of personal data by

(  1   )     The man who created the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has warned of the dangers

(    )     effect on free speech". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He called on all Internet users to help.

(    )     ways. He said: "I imagined the web as an open platform that would allow everyone, everywhere to share

(    )     is political advertising. He said adverts are used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click

(    )     change people's political opinions. He said the danger is that fake news "spreads like wildfire". The second problem

(    )     of the Internet. He described his three main worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first problem is fake

(    )     governments. He said people are killed in some countries because of the websites they visit.

(    )     solutions would not be simple. He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back in the hands

(    )     of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling

(    )     news. He said websites and companies are creating fake news just to make money, or to try and

(    )     outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision alive. He said there were complex problems, and that the

(    )     Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had "lived up to [his] vision" in many

Put the words in the right order

• being   main   how  is   Three   about  Internet   misused  worries  the  .
• money   news   Companies   just   are   to   creating   make   fake   .
• people's   opinions   try   change   political   To   and   .
• danger   like   wildfire"   news   The   is   that   "spreads   fake   .
• of   concern   personal   is   data   the   His   misuse   final   .
• had   said  many   his   lived  that   ways   vision   up   it   He   in   to   .
• that  everywhere  share  platform  everyone  would  An  to  ,  allow open  .
• vision   five   strategy   his   A   year   keep   alive   -   to   .
• people  the  control   level  Put  hands   back  of   a  of   in   data   fair  .
• users   Internet   all   on   called   He   help   to   .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The man who created / creation the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has warned of the dangers / dangerous of the Internet. He described his three main worry / worries about how the Internet is being misused. The first problem is flake / fake news. He said websites and companies are creating fake news just to make / print money, or to try and change people's politically / political opinions. He said the danger is that fake news " spread / spreads like wildfire". The second problem are / is political advertising. He said adverts are used to / in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click on fake news stories. His final concern is the misuse for / of personal data by governments. He said people are killed in some countries because of the websites they visit.

Berners-Lee invented the web in 1989. He said that it had "lived down / up to [his] vision" in much / many ways. He said: "I imagined the web as a / an open platform that would allow everyone, everywhere to share information, access / excess opportunities and corroborate / collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." His letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision alive / life . He said there were complex problems, and that the solves / solutions would not be simple. He wants to put, "a fair level of data control back in the fingers / hands of people". He also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data, which he said creates a "chilling effect / affect on free speech". And he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation. He called on / in all Internet users to help.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ m_n wh_ cr__t_d th_ W_rld W_d_ W_b, S_r T_m B_rn_rs-L__, h_s w_rn_d _f th_ d_ng_rs _f th_ _nt_rn_t. H_ d_scr_b_d h_s thr__ m__n w_rr__s _b__t h_w th_ _nt_rn_t _s b__ng m_s_s_d. Th_ f_rst pr_bl_m _s f_k_ n_ws. H_ s__d w_bs_t_s _nd c_mp_n__s _r_ cr__t_ng f_k_ n_ws j_st t_ m_k_ m_n_y, _r t_ try _nd ch_ng_ p__pl_'s p_l_t_c_l _p_n__ns. H_ s__d th_ d_ng_r _s th_t f_k_ n_ws "spr__ds l_k_ w_ldf_r_". Th_ s_c_nd pr_bl_m _s p_l_t_c_l _dv_rt_s_ng. H_ s__d _dv_rts _r_ _s_d _n "_n_th_c_l w_ys" t_ st_p v_t_rs fr_m v_t_ng _r t_ m_k_ th_m cl_ck _n f_k_ n_ws st_r__s. H_s f_n_l c_nc_rn _s th_ m_s_s_ _f p_rs_n_l d_t_ by g_v_rnm_nts. H_ s__d p__pl_ _r_ k_ll_d _n s_m_ c__ntr__s b_c__s_ _f th_ w_bs_t_s th_y v_s_t.

B_rn_rs-L__ _nv_nt_d th_ w_b _n 1989. H_ s__d th_t _t h_d "l_v_d _p t_ [h_s] v_s__n" _n m_ny w_ys. H_ s__d: "_ _m_g_n_d th_ w_b _s _n _p_n pl_tf_rm th_t w__ld _ll_w _v_ry_n_, _v_rywh_r_ t_ sh_r_ _nf_rm_t__n, _cc_ss _pp_rt_n_t__s _nd c_ll_b_r_t_ _cr_ss g__gr_ph_c _nd c_lt_r_l b__nd_r__s." H_s l_tt_r __tl_n_d _ f_v_-y__r str_t_gy t_ k__p h_s v_s__n _l_v_. H_ s__d th_r_ w_r_ c_mpl_x pr_bl_ms, _nd th_t th_ s_l_t__ns w__ld n_t b_ s_mpl_. H_ w_nts t_ p_t, "_ f__r l_v_l _f d_t_ c_ntr_l b_ck _n th_ h_nds _f p__pl_". H_ _ls_ w_nts t_ st_p g_v_rnm_nts fr_m l__k_ng _t __r _nl_n_ d_t_, wh_ch h_ s__d cr__t_s _ "ch_ll_ng _ff_ct _n fr__ sp__ch". _nd h_ w_nts t_ f_ght _g__nst f_k_ n_ws _nd m_s_nf_rm_t__n. H_ c_ll_d _n _ll _nt_rn_t _s_rs t_ h_lp.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the man who created the world wide web sir tim berners-lee has warned of the dangers of the internet he described his three main worries about how the internet is being misused the first problem is fake news he said websites and companies are creating fake news just to make money or to try and change people's political opinions he said the danger is that fake news "spreads like wildfire" the second problem is political advertising he said adverts are used in "unethical ways" to stop voters from voting or to make them click on fake news stories his final concern is the misuse of personal data by governments he said people are killed in some countries because of the websites they visit berners-lee invented the web in 1989 he said that it had "lived up to [his] vision" in many ways he said "i imagined the web as an open platform that would allow everyone everywhere to share information access opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries" his letter outlined a five-year strategy to keep his vision alive he said there were complex problems and that the solutions would not be simple he wants to put "a fair level of data control back in the hands of people" he also wants to stop governments from looking at our online data which he said creates a "chilling effect on free speech" and he wants to fight against fake news and misinformation he called on all internet users to help

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThemanwhocreatedtheWorldWideWeb,SirTimBerners-Lee,haswar nedofthedangersoftheInternet.Hedescribedhisthreemainworriesab outhowtheInternetisbeingmisused.Thefirstproblemisfakenews.Hes aidwebsitesandcompaniesarecreatingfakenewsjusttomakemoney, ortotryandchangepeople'spoliticalopinions.Hesaidthedangeristhatf akenews"spreadslikewildfire".Thesecondproblemispoliticaladvertisi ng.Hesaidadvertsareusedin"unethicalways"tostopvotersfromvoting ortomakethemclickonfakenewsstories.Hisfinalconcernisthemisuseo fpersonaldatabygovernments.Hesaidpeoplearekilledinsomecountri esbecauseofthewebsitestheyvisit.Berners-Leeinventedthewebi n1989.Hesaidthatithad"livedupto[his]vision"inmanyways.Hesaid:" Iimaginedthewebasanopenplatformthatwouldalloweveryone,every wheretoshareinformation,accessopportunitiesandcollaborateacros sgeographicandculturalboundaries."Hisletteroutlinedafive-yearstr ategytokeephisvisionalive.Hesaidtherewerecomplexproblems,andt hatthesolutionswouldnotbesimple.Hewantstoput,"afairlevelofdatac ontrolbackinthehandsofpeople".Healsowantstostopgovernmentsfro mlookingatouronlinedata,whichhesaidcreatesa"chillingeffectonfree speech".Andhewantstofightagainstfakenewsandmisinformation.He calledonallInternetuserstohelp.

Free writing

Write about World Wide Web for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

What are the main dangers of the World Wide Web and what are the solutions?

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: Search the Internet and find out more about Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. THE WORLD WIDE WEB: Make a poster about the World Wide Web. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. DANGERS: Write a magazine article about the dangers of the World Wide Web. Include imaginary interviews with people who think it will be safer in the future, and with those who think it will be more dangerous in the future.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. 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.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on the World Wide Web. Ask him/her three questions about the World Wide Web. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

• Pre-reading / Post-reading
• Using headlines
• Working with words
• While-reading / While-listening
• Moving from text to speech
• Post-reading / Post-listening
• Discussions
• Using opinions
• Using lists
• Using quotes
• Task-based activities
• Using the central characters in the article
• Using themes from the news

Buy my book

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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‘I thought it was a speech by Kurt Vonnegut’: Baz Luhrmann on making Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

‘Some kid had credited a column of life advice in the Chicago Tribune to the writer of Slaughterhouse-Five. It then spread on a new invention called the world wide web. I thought it would make a great spoken word song’

Baz Luhrmann , director and song producer

In 1997, my music supervisor Anton Monsted and I decided to make a charity album with remixes of songs from my films. I was working on a new version of Rozalla’s rave banger Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) that, for Romeo + Juliet , we had turned into an ecclesiastical song with vocals from Quindon Tarver and King’s College Choir. Around this time, a graduation speech apparently by Kurt Vonnegut offering life advice was spreading on a new invention called the world wide web. It was what we would now call viral – but it was also a hoax. Some kid had taken a column by a smart, respected columnist called Mary Schmich, who wrote for the Chicago Tribune, and instead credited it to the Slaughterhouse-Five author. We thought it would make a great spoken word song. We found a voiceover artist, Lee Perry, to impersonate an imagined Vonnegut and spent a great deal of time getting it right, so that it felt naturally spoken and rhythmic.

We submitted it to the local radio station, trying to get Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) heard, but they said it was too long. I thought: ‘Well, they’ll let me on the late-night arts show.’ So I said: ‘I’ll talk about whatever you want as long as you play it.’ Two minutes into the track, the guy in the booth was tapping on the glass pointing because, literally like a movie, the lights on the switchboard were going crazy. The next day, it was the biggest record in Australia.

In the US, I followed the same playbook, getting it played on college radio when the big stations wouldn’t touch it, and it was a breakout smash. Jay Leno even flew out the choir and Lee Perry to perform it on his show and Danny DeVito asked to use it for The Big Kahuna. In the UK, I got word it was going to be No 1 before it was even officially released. It was one of those things that just struck a chord. When we recorded the track, we thought there might be a chance they’d be playing it next year, or even the year after, so we recorded alternate openings for the Class of ’98, ’99 and then 2000, but we never believed we’d run out of years, that we’d be recording it in other languages, or still be talking about it in 2024.

A lot of people thought I was the voice. It still happens. I remember being in a hotel in Texas and handing my credit card over to the kid at the desk and he went: “Oh, aren’t you that rock star, the one with the record that speaks?” Another time, I was in the gym and there was a MTV show about one-hit wonders playing. The voiceover went: “What Aussie film director had a one hit wonder in 1997? Find out when we come back!” I thought to myself: “I wonder who that could be?” I didn’t write the words but I recognised their value. There’s a personal element too: my father died from melanoma and it’s a huge issue in Australia. For a world obsessed with skincare, there’s only one truly great skin product – and it’s called sunscreen. Maybe a young person will reimagine the song soon. It’s probably a good time.

Mary Schmich , writer

I was a columnist at the Chicago Tribune for many years. One Friday morning in May 1997, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to write about. As I walked to work from my home along Lake Michigan, I saw a young woman sunbathing and I thought: “I hope she’s wearing sunscreen.” I hadn’t at her age and I really regretted it. I had reached a point in my life where I was ready to give out advice.

Graduation speeches in the US are a big deal so I thought it would be fun to write a fake one. I got some M&Ms, grabbed a cappuccino and started writing. I finished it and felt pretty good about it. It went in print the next day. I got a few nice letters and people seemed to like it, but that was it. Then I started getting emails from people saying that something strange was happening, that their cousin or whoever had sent them Kurt Vonnegut’s graduation address to Massachusetts Institute of Technology – and it was my column. I laughed out loud, but then began to panic that I had somehow subconsciously plagiarised Vonnegut. Of course, I hadn’t . Vonnegut was not and had never has been MIT’s commencement speaker. I managed to track down his phone number. He picked up and said: “Oh, that was you !” He’d been getting calls about it and said he wished he’d written it. So I got another column out of that! I figured that, this time, it really was it.

But over in Australia, Baz and Anton had seen the email and thought it would now be fun to put the words to music. Baz left an unassuming voicemail: “I’m Baz Luhrmann , a movie-maker in Australia,” it said. “I have an idea for the material.” I’ve never forgotten it, because that’s not how newspaper people talk. I said yes and Baz created the Sunscreen Song. I loved it. It was startling at first to hear it spoken by a man, but it totally works and I don’t think it would have been so widely heard in that era, sadly, if spoken by a woman. There are a couple of things in there that are a little outdated, like the line about paper bank statements; but I did hear my own voice telling me to keep my love letters when clearing out my closet a couple of years ago. Advice, after all, as the column notes, is a form of nostalgia and when you give advice you are really talking to yourself. A big skincare company wanted to use it for a sunscreen advert. I’m glad I said no. It’s very personal to me. I was going through a very hard time in my life when I wrote it. I think somehow people sense that between the lines. Saying yes to Baz was a whole different thing as his song captured its spirit. It’s still deeply moving that it has affected so many people. I’m incredibly grateful this thing came out of my mind and heart and fingers on an afternoon and endured. And my friends still ask me: “Are you wearing sunscreen?”

• How we made
• Pop and rock
• Baz Luhrmann
• Kurt Vonnegut

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