Science and technology

D iscovery, solutions

Discovery
En Which three of these inventions or discoveries do you think are the most important? Put a (/).
radio television electricity the telephone
the personal computer the Internet nuclear energy the microchip
the aeroplane penicillin birth control sanitation
the internal combustion engine

CII91Listen to three people talking about the most important discoveries and inventions.
Answer these questions for each speaker.

1 What does each speaker choose? 2 What are the reasons for these choices?
Speaker 1 Speaker 1
Speaker 2 Speaker 2
Speaker 3 Speaker 3

En DE Listen again and complete the sentences with words used by the speakers.
1 Without electric lighting many would have been more difficult.
2 Many parts of depend on electricity.
3 The discovery of penicillin saved
4 Antibiotics have increased the average in the developed world.
5 Microchips are the brain, heart and of digital devices.
6 Since the early 1970s there have been more than in any other period.

1.4 Match the branch of science (1-10) with the words lists (a—j).
1 anatomy a carnivore; invertebrate; mammal; prey; venom
2 anthropology b biodiversity; extinction; habitat; pollution; species
3 archaeology c asteroid; comet; galaxy; nebula; orbit
4 astronomy d aftershock; earthquake; magma; tremor; volcano
5 ecology e culture; custom; taboo; tribe; warfare
6 genetics I joint; muscle; organ; spine; vein
7 meteorology atmosphere; humidity; hurricane; pressure; temperature
8 psychology h chromosome; heredity; mutation; organism; variation
9 seismology i ancestor bone; dig remains; settlement
10 zoology behaviour instinct; intelligence; memory; mind

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45 Science and technology

Complete each sentence with words from two of the lists in 1.4.

ANATOMY & ZOOLOGY

1 The common characteristic of unvextebrates like insects is that they do not have a
ANTHROPOLOGY & SEISMOLOGY
2 Local hold the belief that the is a god which erupts when it is angry.
ECOLOGY & GENETICS
3 Lack of genetic in the population makes a vulnerable to disease.
ASTRONOMY & METEOROLOGY
4 If a were to enter the earth's the results would be catastrophic.

1.6 Which of the words in each box cannot replace the word in italics in the sentence below it? Why?

1 hypothesised proved speculated suggested 4 carry out conduct experiment undertake

Researchers have predicted that there is a possible Only when we get the funding to do the research,
relationship between the two phenomena. can we begin to recruit our team.

2 ascertain contradict demonstrate determine 5 caused affected set off triggered

Only clinical trials can show whether or not the drug is It was observed that the introduction of the
truly effective. compound started an explosive chemical reaction.

3 advance breakthrough development drawback 6 conclusion finding outcome prediction

This significant discovery contributes more to our The unexpected result of the experiment may
knowledge than any past study. disprove earlier theories.

Solutions
Eig How will science and technology be used to solve the world's problems? Make a prediction about
each of the problems in the box.

climate change disappearance of fossil fuels food shortages disease water shortages

la Read the first paragraph of an article about electric cars. According to the writer, what is the main
problem associated with these cars?

I would love electric cars to work, but they have their problems and the 9
biggest of these is battery technology. Portable electronic gadgets like
laptops, mobiles and cameras have long suffered from the limitations
of the humble battery. In fact, while the performance of electronics
has increased by 10,000% in the past 35 years, battery technology has
lagged behind with only a sixfold increase in a century. This imbalance
has important implications for the electric car. Many drivers won't
consider replacing their conventional petrol-powered car with an electric
model until the differences in price and performance narrow dramatically.

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 Science and technology 45
la Choose the correct words to complete the rest of the article from 2.2.
Batteries have to go a lot further before they can catch up with the combustion (1) engine I machine and
their limitations are forcing car (2) creators I manufacturers into designing and making electric cars with
the same (3) distance I range as vehicles made in 1910. As an example, a typical small family car can
travel over 370 miles in mixed driving (4) conditions I circumstances and can easily (5) maintain I retain
a speed of 70mph. For an electric car to manage that, its batteries would weigh over 1.5 tonnes and would
be similar in size to the car itself. And unlike a (6) container I tank of petrol, a massive battery doesn't get
any lighter with each mile covered.
There are three key problems that will be difficult for
Error warning o
manufacturers to (7) overcome I overtake: firstly, their range At last and finally are both used with the
calculations may be too optimistic: to get a reasonable same meaning when something happens
(8) life / living from batteries they should not be run from full after a long period of waiting or effort.
to empty and should be kept at 2040% of their charge. At last I'm old enough to drive.
Secondly, charging time remains a major (9) obstacle I I've finally finished my essay.
obstruction. Recharging an electric vehicle battery on a We can use finally to introduce the last
domestic power supply is likely to take around 13 hours. point in a piece of writing or a speech
but we cannot use at last
Finally, with the majority of our electricity likely to come Finally, there can be no change without
from non-renewable (10) resources I fimds in the near future, governmental support ... (not At last,
electric vehicles could actually contribute more CO2 to the
environment than one of today's high-efficiency diesel Finally, I'd like to thank you all for coming
(11) models I styles. this evening ... (not At-last—Fal-filre-67-
I'd like to see electric cars take off but we can't assume they thartiv...)
will. Neither can we assume they will have any impact on (See also Unit 17, 2.4 for more on the
carbon (12) discharges I emissions for quite some time. use of at last and finally.)

2.4 Compound nouns can often be used to replace a longer phrase, which may include a prepositior
For example, power supply is used instead of supply of power. Make two-word compound nouns from
these phrases.

1 emissions of gas 4 Manufacturers of MOWS

2 a tank for petrol 5 resources of oil
3 a car suitable for a family 6 engines using diesel

01 Choose the correct phrasal verb with take in these sentences.

1 The mini-disk was a wonderful invention but it never really took off/took up commercially.
2 I hear they're taking up / taking on a hundred new employees at the aircraft factory.
3 A small IT firm in our town has been taken out / taken over by a large multinational corporation.
4 When I started work in the laboratory, they took me round I took me through all the safety procedures.
5 My brother has decided to take up I take to medicine as a career.
6 The doctor has said I'm okay now, so he's taken me away / taken me off the tablets.
7 I find it difficult to take up / take in what people are saying when I'm tired,

2.6 Write sentences using each of the take verbs you did not use in 2.5.

1 lid Like to take you up on your off-er of help.

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