UNIT

LEAD-IN

INNOVATIONS

1. Do you think technology has made our lives easier and better? Why / Why not? 2. What are the most important technological changes in recent years?

READING & SPEAKING

A. Look at the photos of the old and new models of some technological inventions and discuss how technology has changed. B. Read the text and find out which invention... 1. is about travelling, 2. doesnt take up much space, 3. can be helpful for identifying a disease.

The Latest Inventions of Our Century

Technology has been developing very fast so it becomes harder to follow it or to predict how it might change our lives. Technological devices, which have been invented for the last 100 years, enable us to feel the great impact of technology strongly. The more we discover it, the more our lives improve. A lot of things can be done at the touch of a button quickly and easily. By the help of some devices such as satellite TV, high-tech antennas, solar cells, computers and mobile phones, we can lead easier and more practical lives. For this reason, we should try to use more technology in every bit of our lives. Lets read about some technogical advances and their effects on us. 1. Computers: Computers have been developing at an incredible speed for the last decades. Because of that, the way we work and the way we spend our leisure time have also been changing. They help to diagnose illnesses and understand and control the worlds money markets. They can process what has been said and translate it into another language. The Internet is a big facility which we can access information via computers. Thus, it enables us to communicate and entertain. 2. Space Shuttles: A space shuttle is a vehicle in which people travel into space and back again. It sometimes carries a satellite or other equipment into orbit. This used to seem totally impossible, but today it is a reality. When we develop new models of space shuttles, thousands of people will be able to travel to space and spend their holidays there.

3. Mobile Phones: Mobile phones are so small in size that they can be carried easily. Their functions are enormous and they help you work efficiently. Therefore, they are indispensible in our lives. We can reach important information immediately, send messages or can be connected to e-mail services. It is also possible to take photos and save them.

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C. Which invention above do you associate with... a. someone who wants to step on the moon? b. someone who needs help to make a translation of a document? c. someone who is interested in space travel? d. someone who has to send e-mails? e. someone who likes surfing the Net? D. a. Find the words in the text which mean: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. allows improvements unbelievable periods of ten years reach rotation circle effectively essential, vital : : : : : : : : ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ......................................

b. Fill in the blanks with the words you have found above. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. New technologies enable us to work more ........................... . There have been ........................... developments in technology for the past years. A mobile phone is ........................... for my job. You can ........................... to all files with your new computer. Spacecrafts ........................... us to go to the moon. How much does it cost to put a satellite into ...........................? What is the most important invention of the last ........................... of the 20th century? Recent ........................... in computer technology mean that a lot of people will be unemployed.

E. Work in groups of four. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of technology adding your own ideas. Advantages protects human lives ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Disadvantages harms to natural ecosystems ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................ ........................................................................

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LISTENING & WRITING

A. 1. What are the benefits of mobile phones? 2. In what circumstances would you prefer text messages? B. You will hear a report about mobile phone usage. Listen to the statistics and match them with the graphs. a Percentage
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 15-29 30-44 45-59 60-74

Age

b Percentage
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Italy UK Finland Sweden Austria

Country

C. Write True (T), False (F) or Not Mentioned (NM). 1. In Italy, half of the population possesses a mobile phone. 2. In the UK 58% of people have mobile phones. 3. There has been a steady increase in the rate of mobile phone ownership in Finland. 4. Possession of a personal mobile phone among the 15-19-year olds is much more common than among the 30-44-year olds. 5. Old people think that mobile phone is something that they have trouble with. D. Look at the graphs and write a paragraph about one of them.

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READING & SPEAKING

A. 1. Did your grandparents use to drive a car? 2. Was it difficult to drive a car in those days? Why / Why not? B. Read the conversation and find out what they are talking about.

Maggie John Maggie John Grandad Maggie Grandad

It was your fault. John, you should have checked the computer before using the car. I did. I think there might have been something wrong with the automatic pilots. You could have arranged everything before setting off. You ruined my day. You were there, Maggie. You could have checked them, too. Kids, dont blame each other. Such things can happen all the time. Did you ever have this kind of problem, grandad? Well, you know cars were different in the past. Cars didnt use to have such automatic pilots or navigation systems. For that reason, we didnt have problems like this. John : What do you mean, grandad? Did you use to drive your car on your own? Grandad : Sure. The cars couldnt show us the quickest routes on a video screen. Maggie : Youre kidding. Didnt the cars even use to give information about where to find discos, tech-shops or space-inns? Grandad : No way, kid. We used to sit behind the steering wheel and change the gears! John : I cant imagine how difficult it was to drive in those days. I think you were a super driver, grandad. C. Answer these questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What should have John done before using the car? What might the problem have been according to John? What could they have done before setting off? Who was very upset about the situation? In what year do you think Maggie and John are talking to their grandfather? Compare the cars in grandads and in John and Maggies time?

: : : : : : :

D. Work in groups of four. Discuss one of the statements.

Life is going to be better in the future. There is nothing left to discover.

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LISTENING & SPEAKING

A. 1. Look at the pictures and match them with their names.

K K

satellite washing machine

K K

typewriter super bed

camera

2. Which of these inventions do you always / sometimes / rarely / never use? 3. Do you think you will use them in the future? Why / Why not? B. Listen and match the definitions with the pictures. There is one extra.

C. Read the following statements. Write the name of the inventions. 1. It has a lot of keys. 2. It monitors your heart rate, weight and blood pressure. 3. It has cameras and takes photographs of the Earth. (.............................................) (.............................................) (.............................................)

4. It is used on motorways to make people obey the speed limit. (.............................................) D. Work in pairs and discuss the following questions. 1. Which invention of this century is the most useful one? Why? 2. Can you predict future inventions?

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PRONUNCIATION
Contracted forms of perfect modals People often contract word combinations when they are speaking. a. Write the contraction of the given modals. e.g. could have should have might have b. Listen and repeat. = couldve = .. = ..

READING & WRITING

A. Have you ever designed a model for a new device? B. Here is a picture of a new device. Read the paragraph and write the parts of the device into the blanks. Hidden Jaw Energy A hidden jaw energy device is an instrument which can be used by anybody to produce and store electricity. It is shaped like a human head and designed to light the electric bulb in the front of the helmet. It can also be plugged in to power the bulbs in the room when the lights are off. This device consists of a generator, a storage cell and a helmet. The helmet contains a chin stirrup and electric bulb. The chin stirrup is designed to transfer jaw movement to the generator above. The resulting current flows to the storage cell fixed to the generator. The more you move your jaw, the more energy you produce.

2. ..............

1. ..............

3. ..............

4. ..............

5. ..............

C. Answer the following questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. Who can use this device? What is it shaped like? What does the hidden jaw energy consist of? How do the movements of the jaw affect the production of energy?

D. Design your own device and write a paragraph describing it.

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LETS PRACTISE
A. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

AUTO PILOT-TALKING ROAD NAVIGATOR

(1) .... you .... (need) directions from your doorstep to somewhere remote in the country? You (2) ..... (not have) to look at all those old-fashioned maps and city plans any more. They all (3) ..... (remain) in the past. Finding your destination is a piece of cake with the help of a palm-held Auto Pilot-Talking Road Navigator which scientists (4) ..... (have / recently / invent) ..... . For the past few months people, especially the ones who (5) ..... (travel) a lot, (6) ..... (use) this miraculous device with great confidence. B. Read and answer the questions. Nick is a genius. He likes to invent things. He has to walk to school and carry a heavy bag. He is displeased about that. For a long time he has been working on a project to sort out this problem. Last week he went to his room and invented something. a. What might he have invented? 1. .............................................................. 2. .............................................................. Last Saturday while he was working on a new invention, in his room, there was an explosion. b. What should / shouldnt he have done? 1. .............................................................. 2. .............................................................. c. Yesterday was his mothers birthday. He designed an extendible fork as a birthday present. What else could he have designed as a birthday present? 1. .............................................................. 2. .............................................................. C. Complete the following sentences using a suitable modal verb and the verb in brackets. Sometimes more than one alternative is possible. 1. A : Why does the factory use the latest petrol saving technology? B : I dont know. They.................. (be) sensitive to the environment. 2. She spent a lot of time and effort washing the potatoes, chopping the vegetables and grating the carrots by hand to prepare dinner for her guests. She ................. (use) her kitchen robot instead. 3. She forgets her glasses wherever she goes. Therefore, she ................. (wear) contact lens. 4. Her son is a genius. Now hes a very successful mechanical engineer. He ................. (make) a simple car powered by a solar cell using his small toy blocks when he was five.

LETS REMEMBER
Should shows that something is a good idea. Could and might show the degree of your certainty about a situation. When we express judgements about past situations, we use should have, could have or might have + V3.

PROJECT
Think of a latest invention which you find useful. Describe and present it to your classmates.

FUN CORNER

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