News by Levels · Level 2 · For teachers
Teacher guide & answers
PHP Issues Emergency Security Updates
How to use these two pages
Give learners the student worksheet. It contains the story and questions, without the answers. Keep this guide for yourself. Use it to lead the activity and explain the answers afterwards.
Student worksheetA simple 15–20-minute lesson
- Before reading · 2 minutes
Show the title. Ask: “What do you think this story is about?”
- Read and answer · 8–10 minutes
Give out the student worksheet. Learners read for the main idea, then reread to answer the 2 questions. They can compare answers with a partner.
- Discuss and write · 5–8 minutes
Check the answers below together. Ask learners to point to the clue in the story, then finish with the open question.
Adjust the support: Let learners use word help or Level 1 if needed. For a challenge, compare the wording in another level. This activity is not a proficiency test.
Answers to the 2 questions
The question numbers match the student worksheet. Each answer includes a reason and the clue learners can find in the story.
What can the vulnerabilities allow an attacker to do?
Correct answer: B — Run code on a server without signing in
Why: The text describes code execution without authentication, not just a visual error.
Clue in the story: The flaws can allow unauthenticated code execution. Editing website pages does not repair PHP itself. Hosting providers may supply patched packages for an existing version.
Which action addresses the software problem described?
Correct answer: A — Whether the hosting provider has installed the PHP fixes
Why: The fault is in PHP. Changing website text or browser history does not patch the runtime.
Clue in the story: The flaws can allow unauthenticated code execution. Editing website pages does not repair PHP itself. Hosting providers may supply patched packages for an existing version.
The open question: accept different answers
Ask learners: Why would editing a website’s articles not be enough to fix this issue?
One possible answer: The security issue is in PHP on the server. The hosting provider’s installed software needs the relevant fix.
This is an example, not the only correct answer. Look for a relevant idea, a reason and the learner’s own words. Learners can answer aloud or write one or two sentences.