Making predictions

Making Predictions
1. Listen to the conversation and record predictions for the planet for the next 100
years.

Life in major cities Climate and Weather Technology

2. Here is an edited extract from the conversation. Read the extract and answer the
question.

Huma: Do you think we will have Sandra: (1) Yes, we will have holidays
holidays in space? in space.

H: Sandra – scientists are always S: I think that is definitely true. We’re

saying that (2) the world is going to be living in a world that is getting warmer.
a much warmer place to live in. What do We’re having more severe weather –
you think about that? hurricanes, typhoons, big snowstorms,
droughts, and here in the UAE, we’re
getting worse sandstorms and lots more
sand pollution. So, that’ll affect the way
we live in the future.

Which of the underlined examples is a prediction with evidence and a prediction

without evidence?

1
© British Council Dubai 2019
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733
(Scotland)
 Making predictions

3. What is the contracted form of the underlined text? Listen and check. Mark
intonation.

1. Do you think we will have holidays in space?

2. How is technology going to transform our lives?

Practice

Use the verbs in brackets and complete the dialogue with ‘going to’ or ‘will’ for

making predictions.

A: Who (1) ____________________ (do) all our jobs in the next 100 years?

B: I think machines (2)___________________________ (do) all our jobs. We

(3)________________________ (get) fatter because we (4) _____________________

(not/do) any physical activity.

C: What about basic facilities? Are we going to have a shortage of water resources?

D: Unfortunately, yes! According to some studies, about 50% of the world (5)

________________________ (have) water scarcity because many areas of the world

are already experiencing a shortage of water resources.

2
© British Council Dubai 2019
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733
(Scotland)
 Making predictions

Listening Transcript

In this recording, Sandra talks about her predictions for the planet for 100 years from
now.

Huma Sandra

H: So Sandra – we’re living in a world S: Oh…I think one of the things that will
that’s constantly changing and every day definitely happen is major cities such as
it seems to change more quickly. So, New York, London, Bangkok and Dubai –
what do you think the planet might be like they’ll probably be under water and that’ll
next year vis-à-vis 100 years from now? affect the way we live. We’ll have to live
up higher – maybe we’re going to be
living in 200-storey buildings or we’ll have
to live under water – maybe in house
bubbles or maybe we’ll be living out of
space.

H: Talking about space – do you think S: Of course we’ll have holidays. We can’t
we’ll have holidays in space? not have holidays.

H: Sandra – scientists are always saying S: I think that is definitely true. We’re
that the world is going to be a much living in a world that is getting warmer.
warmer place to live in. What do you think We’re having more severe weather –
about that? hurricanes, typhoons, big snowstorms,
droughts, and here in the UAE, we’re
getting worse sandstorms and lots more
sand pollution. So, that’ll affect the way
we live in the future.

H: Yeah…I couldn’t agree with you more.

H: Umm…Sandra – as you know, we’re in S: I think everything will be fully

a world where there is digital explosion. automated. We’ll have robots doing
So, how is technology going to transform everything. For kids, they’ll be going to
3
© British Council Dubai 2019
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733
(Scotland)
 Making predictions

our lives in the future? school online. 80% of the jobs that will be
jobs in 50 years’ or 100 years’ time that
don’t exist now. So, it’s hard to imagine
what jobs we’ll be doing in the future.

H: I hope we’re around to see what

they’re going to be like. Perhaps!

4
© British Council Dubai 2019
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733
(Scotland)