www.DailyStep.

com
Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

DailyStep-5_news-webcams-002_GB-03

James: It says here that in the lawsuit against the school accused of

spying on pupils using webcams, the legal papers say that as the laptops

were routinely used by the students and also by family members at

home, it is believed that many of the images captured or intercepted may

consist of minors or their parents in compromising or embarrassing

positions, including, in various stages of dress or undress.

Sarah: Gosh, I bet the people who have these laptops at home are

desperately trying to think back to what they might have been doing

while the laptop was switched on. Er, it really is rather sinister, isn’t it?

What does the school have to say about it?

James: Well, they of course deny the allegations and say that the only

reason the laptops have this capability is as a security feature, in case

they get lost or stolen.

Sarah: Well, whoever allowed this crazy situation to arise must have

been either stupid or very naïve. Surely they must have known that it was

something that was open to abuse! It was practically an invitation for

teachers to spy on the pupils and their parents!

Page 1
DailyStep English, London, UK. © DailyStep Ltd. www.dailystep.com
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
www.DailyStep.com
Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

Situation: James and Sarah continue to discuss the news that a school was spying on
its pupils using remotely activated webcams.

Style: general conversation

.

Functions:
1. Referring to a book or newspaper: It says here that in the lawsuit against the
school accused of spying on pupils using webcams(note: please copy the tone
and emphasis carefully here.)
2. Imagining a situation: Gosh, I bet the people who have these laptops at home
are desperately trying to think back to what they might have been doing...
(note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
3. Saying that something is frightening: Er, it really is rather sinister, isn’t it?
(note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
4. Asking about a response to an accusation: What does the school have to say
about it (note: please copy the tone and emphasis carefully here.)
5. Making an assumption: whoever allowed this crazy situation to arise must have
been either stupid or very naïve. (note: please copy the tone and emphasis
carefully here.)
6. Making an assumption (strong): Surely they must have known that it was
something that was open to abuse! (note: please copy the tone and emphasis
carefully here.)
.

Notes:
1. lawsuit = legal action
2. accused of = thought to be guilty of
3. spying on (phrasal verb) = observing illicitly
4. the legal papers = the legal documents
5. were routinely used by = were used regularly by
6. family members = people who are part of the same family
7. it is believed that (passive form, more impersonal) = many people believe that
8. the images captured = the images that were recorded
9. intercepted = stopped / captured
10. consist of (phrasal verb) = include / are made up of (phrasal verb)
11. minors = children
12. in compromising or embarrassing positions = doing things that might cause them
embarrassment or be considered indecent
13. in various stages of dress or undress (more formal) = with various amounts of
clothes on (maybe none)
14. I bet = I imagine
15. desperately trying to (stronger) = trying very hard to
16. to think back to (phrasal verb) = to remember / to recall (more formal)
17. switched on (phrasal verb) = turned on (phrasal verb)
18. rather sinister (more dramatic) = quite frightening / quite disturbing
19. What does the school have to say about it? (note: we often use this structure
‘What does xxx have to say about it’ when we are asking about a response to an
accusation or to something negative.) = What is the opinion of the school on the
issue? (more formal)
20. they of course deny the allegations (more formal) = they say that it is not true,
which is exactly what I would expect them to say

Page 2
DailyStep English, London, UK. © DailyStep Ltd. www.dailystep.com
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
www.DailyStep.com
Level 5: Advanced Daily Audio Lessons

21. allegations = accusations that may or may not be true

22. capability = feature / capacity / function
23. as a security feature = as something to make them more secure
24. in case they get lost or stolen = to prevent further problems if they are lost or
stolen (more formal)
25. very naïve. = very unaware of how life really is
26. Surely they must have known (stronger) = It was very obvious so they should
have known
27. open to abuse = likely to be abused / easy to abuse (note: the noun ‘abuse’ has
a hard /s/ sound, but the verb ‘abuse’ has a soft /z/ sound.)
28. It was practically an invitation = It could almost be considered as an invitation
29. to spy on (phrasal verb) = to secretly observe
.
Audio file name: DailyStep-5_news-webcams-002_GB-03
.

Page 3
DailyStep English, London, UK. © DailyStep Ltd. www.dailystep.com
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step