WORKSHEET

Topics: Crime
by Adrian Tennant

LEAD-IN READING 1: HEADLINES

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Look at these pictures. What can you see in Read the headlines and circle all the words
each one? connected to crime.

a t t e m pted murder
d w i t h
Man charge

Image: Digital Vision

WOMAN JAIL
ED FOR SMU
GGLING

u z z l e d by death
es p
Detectiv
Image: Photoalto

l a r helps
Image: Macmillan

b u r g
Former n t c rime
r e v e
police p

What do you think happened in each of the

situations?

© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2011

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Crime / Intermediate + 1
 WORKSHEET

Topics: Crime
by Adrian Tennant

READING 2: NEWS IN BRIEF

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a. Read the newspaper stories below and match 4.

the headlines from the previous exercise to the
correct story. A 19-year-old woman customs officers as
has been sentenced to she walked through
six months in prison Gatwick Airport.
for smuggling. The The officials seized
1.
woman was returning drugs worth nearly
Detectives investigating of the body, which was from holiday when £100,000.
the murder of a woman found two days ago by
she was stopped by
are trying to find out a man walking his dogs.
exactly how and when she Police are examining the
died. They are also trying crime scene for clues, but
to confirm the identity as yet have no leads.

5.
Police in one UK town than 250 people caught
have arrested more stealing from shops.
shoplifters in a week The operation lasted six
than they would usually days and involved more
2. arrest in a year. A recent than 30 undercover and
A 55-year-old man tomorrow. Police crackdown has seen more uniformed officers.
has been charged are appealing for
after trying to witnesses to the
strangle a 22-year- incident, which
old woman on New took place at just
Year’s Eve. The after midnight
man was remanded outside Reveller’s b. Now answer these questions:
in custody and will nightclub.
appear in court 1. How long have the police been investigating
the murder?
2. Who do the police want to talk to about the
man who tried to strangle a young woman?
3. What kind of weapon are police using to stop
burglars?
3. 4. Why is a 19-year-old going to prison for six
months?
A thief who has admitted ten years in jail for various 5. How many people would police usually arrest
to breaking into more than crimes. He now works with for shoplifting in one year?
500 homes is the latest the police helping them to
weapon in the fight against give advice to homeowners
crime. ‘Bob’, who is in his on how to stop potential
forties, has spent more than burglars.

© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2011

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Crime / Intermediate + 2
 WORKSHEET

Topics: Crime
by Adrian Tennant

WORKING WITH THE LANGUAGE WORKING WITH VOCABULARY

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Focus 1: Understanding meaning Focus 1: Meaning

Answer the following questions: Find words in the newspaper stories, from
Reading 2: News in brief, to match with these
1. In story 1, what don’t the police know? What tells definitions.
you this?
2. In story 2, did the woman die? How do you know? a. to show or say that something is true
3. In story 3, when did police start working with Bob? b. a place where something happens
How do you know? c. useful information that may help solve a crime
4. In story 4, was the woman going on holiday? How d. a situation in which someone is kept in prison
do you know? e. to make an urgent request for people to do or
5. In story 5, were only 30 police involved in the give something
operation? How do you know? f. to agree that you have done something wrong
g. possible or likely in the future
Focus 2: Language use h. to take something using official powers
i. strong action that someone in authority takes to
a. In news reports, the passive voice is often used. stop a particular activity
Look at these sentences from the news stories j. a planned activity involving a lot of people
and answer the questions.
Focus 2: Topic related words
1. ... the body ... was found two days ago by a man walking
his dogs. Complete the table. You can use a dictionary if
you need to.
2. A fifty-five year old man has been charged
after trying to strangle a twenty-two year
verb noun (thing) noun (person)
old woman ...
burglary
3. The woman was returning from holiday when criminal
she was stopped by customs officers ... detect

1. In which sentence is the passive form different? investigation

2. What is this form called? murder
3. In which sentences is the subject mentioned? shoplifter
4. Why does the sentence without a subject not
need one? smuggle
strangulation
b. Rewrite these three sentences in the passive.
theft
Police are examining the crime scene for clues. witness
The crime scene
LISTENING
The officials seized drugs worth nearly £100,000. Listen to the radio news report and answer the
questions below.

1. How many differences between the newspaper

Police in one UK town have arrested 250 people for and radio reports did you hear?
shoplifting. 2. What were they?

© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2011

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Crime / Intermediate + 3
 WORKSHEET

Topics: Crime
by Adrian Tennant

SPEAKING
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Discuss these questions in small groups.

1. Which of these crimes is the worst? Why?

2. Do you think six months for smuggling drugs is a
long enough sentence? Why? Why not?
3. What sentences do you think the criminal in each
crime should get?
4. Are any of these crimes common in your country?
5. Are there any ‘crimes’ which you think shouldn’t be
regarded as crimes? What and why?

PROJECT
Find a news report in English about a crime. Find
all the words in the report connected to crime and
write them into the word wheel.

CRIME

© Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2011

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Crime / Intermediate + 4