INTRODUCE
In the UK and many other countries, drones have exploded in popularity in recent years. However, their rise in popularity has also led to a sharp increase in the number of drone-related incidents, and governments are scrambling to pass laws to deal with them.
PRESENT
STEP A EXPRESSIONS
Go over the first two expressions with your tutor and answer the questions. Then, guess the meaning of the third expression based on the clues provided.
1. A close call is used to describe an incident that almost happened but didn’t.
Phew! That was a close call!
I know! Was the driver asleep? He almost hit that woman!
Q: Have you ever had a close call?
2. We say that something is unregulated when it is not monitored or controlled.
So their employees are allowed to take breaks anytime they want?
Yeah. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to let employees have unregulated breaks like that.
Q: What’s something that should not be unregulated?
3. .
A civilian got hurt when the police were chasing the robber down the street.
The police should be more careful!
Q: What do you think a civilian means?
STEP B SPEAK YOUR MIND
Sometimes you want to explain a consequence of a certain situation.
There have been a number of thefts in our office recently.
Yeah. In light of the situation, we’ve decided to ask employees to lock all personal items in their desks when they go home each day.
UNDERSTAND
READING
This is an article about UK lawmakers who want to update existing drone laws.
UK legislators propose changes to existing drone code
by Arthur McJohnson
UK legislators have proposed changes to the existing drone code in an effort to address the growing safety concerns with civilian drone operation, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced.
The UK Drone Code was created and implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority to guide users on how to correctly and safely operate the technology, but it has a number of loopholes. Now, lawmakers are pushing to update the code to close these loopholes and lessen the safety risks for both drone operators and the public.
DfT Aviation Secretary Larry Hueman cited the increase of drone-related incidents in the past year as the main reason for the revision of the code. “The number of close calls and accidents is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact, recently, there was an incident wherein a drone hit a woman in the face. In light of the situation, the code clearly needs to be updated,” Hueman said. “What’s more, the licensing and registration process is still largely unregulated. If we can require civilians to register their vehicles, surely we can require that they register their drones as well,” he added.
TRIVIA
In 2014, a popular restaurant chain decided to deploy indoor drones to take pictures of kissing couples during the Christmas season. One drone flew a little too low and accidentally cut off the tip of a customer’s nose!
PRACTICE
Rephrase the sentences using the expressions in the box.
1. The man looked like a soldier, but he was actually just a regular person.
2. Internet use at the school isn’t monitored – students can access any website they want.
3. Oh, phew! I almost missed my flight!
4. The police officer pretended to be an ordinary citizen so he could spy on the suspect.
5. Ed believes that the media should have unrestricted access to public officials’ records.
CHALLENGE
Challenge 1
Your friend is pushing for stricter drone regulation after an incident involving his/her mother. Read a blog post by someone who is against drone regulation. Then, talk about it with your friend.
Today's Expressions
- a close call
- unregulated
- a civilian
Speak Your Mind
- In light of the situation, …
Drone today, gone tomorrow
posted January 26 at 12:22 pm
My son had been begging me for a drone for quite a while, so for his 10th birthday last year I finally got him a little one. It was nothing special – just a cheap model with a 15-minute battery life and a 720p camera – but for him, it was a dream come true. Recent regulations, however, have turned this dream into a nightmare.
Because we live in the city, I used to take my son to the local park to fly his drone. However, according to the updated drone code, that’s no longer allowed. Why? Because the park is within 150 metres of a residential and/or commercial area, and his drone has a camera.
On top of this, the Department for Transport is planning to require an online safety test to check that users are competent and fully aware of potential hazards. They’re actually considering an age limit for this test, which would basically ban children from flying drones.
Isn’t this too much? I know there have been some frightening close calls with drones and planes in the news recently, but drones are basically toys! I had a radio-control airplane when I was a kid. Aren’t drones just the modern version of that? I can understand the need for regulation with regards to professional drone operators, but I strongly feel that use by civilians should be largely unregulated. Enough is enough!
Challenge 2
What do you think? What does your tutor think? Discuss.
If TimeAllows
1 DRONES |
2 NEW TECHNOLOGY |
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1 DRONES
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2NEW TECHNOLOGY
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FEEDBACK
I can read and understand a text about the issues with drones.
LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
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4
Very GoodCould complete the task with ease
-
3
GoodCould complete the task with some clarifications
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2
FairCould complete the task with additional instructions
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1
PoorCould somehow complete the task with difficulty
PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK
- RANGE
the ability to use a wide variety of vocabulary - ACCURACY
the ability to speak correctly - FLUENCY
the ability to speak smoothly without pauses or fillers - INTERACTION
the ability to manage a conversation
