Canadian airline passengers will soon be allowed to use their electronic devices including cell phones, handheld gaming products and tablets while their plane is taking off and landing.
The Canadian government has relaxed its rules about using electronic devices in planes.
Before, passengers couldn’t use cell phones while the plane was taking off or landing.
With the new regulations, airlines will be able to let passengers use their devices during take-off and landing as long as they’re in “airplane” mode. “Airplane mode” means the devices can’t transmit or receive information or calls.
Airlines will each decide if and when they want to use the new rules.
Airlines in the U.S. and Europe have had the new rules in place for more than six months.
Airlines that want to use the new rules will have to prove to the government that their planes’ flying and landing instruments won’t be affected by passengers’ electronic devices.
A spokesperson for the Canadian airline WestJet told CBC News that they will be applying to the government right away, to be allowed to use the new rules.
Air Canada also told CBC News that they plan on using the new rules as soon as possible.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Many people are very attached to their electronic devices. So much so, that they take them everywhere with them. Are there places that the use of electronics should not be allowed? Where and why do you think so?
Reading Prompt: Demonstrating Understanding
This story talks about airline rules that are changing. However, some things have to happen before any passengers will ever get to use their electronics during take-off on a Canadian flight. Put these events in order:
A) Canadian airlines let passengers use their devices during take-off and landing.
B) Canadian airlines decide whether they want to use the new rules.
C) Canadian flight attendants (for instance, stewardesses) receive training related to the new rules.
D) American airlines allow passengers to use their electronic devices during take-off and landing.
E) A passenger legally uses a device during take-off and landing on a Canadian flight.
F) Canadian government changes the rules to allow passengers to use electronics during take-off and landing.
Primary
Demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts by identifying important ideas and some supporting details (OME, Reading: 1.4).
Junior
Demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in oral texts by summarizing important ideas and citing a variety of supporting details (OME, Reading: 1.4).
Intermediate
Demonstrate understanding of increasingly complex texts by summarizing important ideas and citing a variety of details that support the main idea (OME, Reading: 1.4).
Language Feature: Plural possessive ( s’)
In English, when a word is pluralized (changed to show that it refers to more than one), an “s” is often added to its end. For example, the word “dog” is singular while the word “dogs” is understood as referring to more than one because its “s” suffix.
But what makes this matter confusing is that an apostrophe ( ‘ ) and an “s” are added to the end of the word to show possession. For example, “the dog’s tail is wagging.”
As a result, many people can get befuddled when trying to show possession to a pluralized noun, such as “dogs.” But the answer is straight forward: when a noun is pluralized by adding an “s” to its end, a single apostrophe is placed following the “s.” This happens twice in one sentence from today’s story:
Airlines that want to use the new rules will have to prove to the government that their planes’ flying and landing instruments won’t be affected by passengers’ electronic devices.
Write three of your own sentences that show possession of a pluralized noun. Then slide the apostrophe between the noun and the “s” suffix and discover how much the meaning of of your sentence can change but making that tiny little switch.
Here’s an example:
“The girls’ toys were covered in dirt” (plural).
“The girl’s toys were covered in dirt” (singular).
