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com

crime

Teacher’s Notes
Age: Adult 3 Ask students to work individually and complete
Level: Intermediate exercise 2a. Have them compare their answers
Time: 45–60 minutes in pairs, and then check the answers with the
Language Focus: common crime vocabulary whole class. Point out that no single verb exists for
Skills: reading, speaking pickpocket but that we can say to pick someone’s
Materials: one copy of the worksheet per student pocket, as in I had my pocket picked at the station.
Aims: to provide students with language for
4 Tell students that they’re going to read a text
talking about crime and how to prevent it
about how to avoid being a victim of crime,
especially when travelling. Ask them to first read
What are red words? the sentences in exercise 2b and choose the best
Ninety per cent of the time, speakers of English use word in each case. Ask them to compare their
just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words answers in pairs. Then have them read the text
appear in the Macmillan Dictionary in red, and to check their answers. They should be able to
are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, find all the correct answers in context but check
two-star words are more frequent and three-star briefly with the whole class that they all have the
words are the most frequent. ‘Language for’ lessons correct answers.
are based on red words and encourage students to 5 Before students begin exercise 2c, ask them
improve their English through communicative tasks to work in pairs and predict what vocabulary
using collocation and commonly used phrases. items might go in the gaps. Listen to their ideas
as a class but do not correct them at this stage.
1 As preparation for the lesson, ask students to Then ask them to read the text again to check
tell you all the words they know connected with their answers.
crime. Give them a few minutes to think about the
words and discuss them in pairs or small groups. 6 Ask students to read the sentences in exercise 3a
Then elicit examples from the class and write carefully and then work in pairs to complete the
them on the board. Divide the words into different exercise. Encourage them to complete first any
word classes (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). answers they immediately know so that they can
be eliminated. Check the answers as a class.
Teaching tip: Encourage students to store
7 Exercise 3b uses words first encountered in the
related items of vocabulary together (as shown
previous exercises and in the text. Ask students
in Exercise 2a). This tabular form of storing gives
to work individually to complete the exercise
them practice in word formation and enables them
and then compare their answers in pairs. Check
to notice typical endings of nouns and adjectives.
answers with the whole class.

2 Start the lesson by asking students to work in 8 Divide students into pairs for exercise 4.
pairs and answer the three questions in the Nominate one student as A and the other as B. A
warmer (exercise 1). Then get them to report their should give advice to B about the first four items
partner’s answers to the whole class. mentioned and then they should swap roles.

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crime

Teacher’s Notes
9 Students could discuss the topic in exercise 5 in 3a 1. e
pairs or small groups. Then ask them to share 2. h
their ideas with the whole class. Make a list of 3. a
suggestions on the whiteboard. 4. d
5. g
10 As a wind-up activity, focus on the pronunciation
6. c
and word stress of some of the multi-syllable
7. f
vocabulary in the text, e.g. valuables, jewellery,
8. b
pickpocket, behaviour, trouble-free.
3b 1. e
KEY: 2. c
1 students’ own answers 3. f
4. a
2a 1. mugging; mugger 5. b
2. thief 6. d
3. pickpocket
4. fraud; fraudster 4, 5 students’ own answers

2b 1. distract
2. resist
3. denomination
4. inside
5. valuables; safe
6. receipt
7. target
8. advance

2c 1. jewellery; watch
2. attractions
3. back
4. behaviour
5. cash
6. charges (zeros)
7. button
8. avoid

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crime

Worksheet
1 Warmer
Ask and answer the following questions with a partner:
• Do you know anyone who has been the victim of a crime?
• What happened?
• What crimes are common in your town or city?

2 Reading
a Complete the table. Look in the text to find the missing words if necessary.

Verb Noun (crime) Noun (criminal)

1 mug
2 steal theft
3 XXXXXX pickpocketing
4 defraud

HOW TO AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF CRIME WHILE ON HOLIDAY

Most visits to other countries are trouble-free, but unfortunately some travellers may become victims of crime
while on holiday or on a business trip abroad. Here are some simple tips to avoid being a victim of crime.

1  Don’t carry too much cash.  Only take with you sufficient cash
for each day. Make sure you carry small denomination notes
(e.g. €5, €10, €20) for small purchases such as coffee, ice-cream,
bus tickets and so on. If you are visiting a city where mugging is
a common crime, it is a good idea to have a small amount to give
to a mugger if you are unlucky enough to be attacked.
Tip – Never resist a mugger. They may be armed and you could
be injured!

2  Use the hotel safe.  Many hotel rooms have a safe that is simple to operate and in which you can leave
valuables such as passports, credit cards and jewellery. If your room does not have a safe, ask at the hotel
reception. All good hotels will have a safe in which you can leave your valuables securely.
Tip – Don’t take expensive jewellery or an expensive watch with you on holiday. Leave really valuable
items at home!

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crime

Worksheet
3  Don’t make it easy for pickpockets.  Busy places such as
metro stations, fashionable shopping streets and popular
tourist attractions are also favourite places for pickpockets.
Be extra careful in busy places like these! Pickpockets usually
operate in pairs or small groups and will distract their victim
by saying they have dropped something or by asking them for
directions. Never carry a wallet or credit cards in your back
pocket. Don’t put them in the pocket of your backpack, and
never leave your handbag open.
Tip – Keep cash and credit cards in an inside pocket with a
zip or a button.

4  Don’t attract attention.  Muggers, pickpockets and thieves target people who are obviously tourists. If
you are looking at a map or carrying an expensive camera, you will be letting them know that you are a
tourist. Similarly, don’t wear expensive clothes that identify you as a rich tourist.
Tip – Try to attract as little attention as possible with your appearance and your behaviour.

5  Check your bill.  Tourists are often victims of fraud. This can happen anywhere but particularly in busy
cafes and restaurants. If you pay by credit card, make sure the server brings the card machine to your table.
Never let them take your card away for payment as it is very easy for a fraudster to copy your card details.
Check your bill and make sure no extra charges (or, even worse, zeros) have been added to it.
Tip – If you pay by card, make sure you get a receipt.

6  Take a taxi.  There is more crime at night because it is easier for criminals to avoid being seen during
the hours of darkness. Don’t walk home alone late at night and avoid streets that are dark or poorly lit. If in
doubt, take a taxi.
Tip – If you are going out to a party or a restaurant, ask the hotel receptionist for the telephone number
of a reliable taxi company or book your taxi home in advance.

b Choose the correct word. Then read the text and check your answers.
1. Pickpockets often try to attract / distract their victims.
2. Never resist / refuse a mugger. They may be armed and could injure you.
3. Carry small value / denomination notes for small purchases.
4. Keep cash and credit cards in an interior / inside pocket.
5. Leave valuables / possessions in the hotel safety / safe.
6. If you pay by credit card, make sure you get a recipe / receipt.
7. Muggers, pickpockets and thieves target / find people who are obviously tourists.
8. Book your taxi home in future / advance.

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crime

Worksheet
c Fill in the missing information without looking at the text. Then check your answers in the text.
1. Don’t take expensive ____________ or an expensive ____________ with you on holiday.
2. Popular tourist ____________ are favourite places for pickpockets.
3. Don’t carry your wallet in your ____________ pocket.
4. Don’t attract attention with your appearance or your ____________.
5. Only carry with you sufficient ____________ to buy small things such as bus tickets.
6. Check your bill and make sure no extra ____________ have been added to it.
7. Keep cash and credit cards in an inside pocket with a zip or a ____________.
8. At night, always ____________ streets that are dark or poorly lit.

3 Language in use
a Read the sentences. Look at the words in bold and match them with their meanings a–h.
1. Don’t become a victim of crime while on holiday.
2. Leave valuables in the hotel safe.
3. Carry small denomination notes.
4. Pickpockets often operate in pairs or small groups.
5. Muggers and thieves often target people who are obviously tourists.
6. A fraudster may try to copy your credit card details.
7. Make sure you ask for a receipt.
8. Pickpockets usually try to distract their victims.

a. the value of a particular banknote

b. to get someone’s attention and prevent them concentrating on something
c. someone who tries to get money from people by tricking them
d. people who steal money and other things from people’s pockets or bags
e. someone who has been harmed or injured as the result of a crime
f. a document you get that shows you have paid for something
g. people who attack victims in public places and steal their money, jewellery or other possessions
h. small possessions that are worth a lot of money

b Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word
phrases from the text.
1. metro a. pocket
2. hotel b. attraction
3. card c. reception
4. back d. items
5. tourist e. station
6. valuable f. machine

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crime

Worksheet
4 Communicate
Work with a partner.

a Your best friend is travelling abroad tomorrow. Give advice about the following things.

wallet expensive jewellery

walking home valuables
at night

b Your best friend is travelling abroad tomorrow. Give advice about the following things.

credit cards in cafes

cash busy places expensive clothes
and restaurants

5 Discuss
Cyber crime (crime through computers) is an increasing problem. Discuss the best ways of protecting
yourself from this type of crime.

Red Words
hotel***  card***  back***  tourist***  valuable***  value***  pocket***  attraction**
attract***  distract*  reception**  items***  station***  machine***  safe*  safety***
injured*  fraud**  jewellery**   receipt**  victim***  future***  advance**  target***
recipe**   possessions**  interior **  inside***  resist***  refuse***

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