Unit Four: Innovation and Technology

Sequence One: Listening and Speaking

Anticipate
Exercise 1:
a. Look the meaning of the following words in a dictionary.
b. Look at picture 1 and answer the questions that follow using the words in the box.

Brush -bucket –water-stream-dirt-washboard

clothes-washing-machine-river-clothes beater
well

1. Are the women in the picture ……………….

a- in a town? b-in the countryside? c- on a river bank?
2. Are the women…….
a- Rolling couscous? b- Eating? c- Washing clothes?
3. Where do you think they brought water from?
Use three words from the box above.
I think they have brought water from a river, a stream or a well.
Exercise 2: Look at picture 2 and answer the questions below

A. What is the woman doing?

She is washing clothes in a basin.
B. In your opinion, why is she doing it with her hands? Tick in the appropriate answer.

a. She has nothing else to do.

b. She does not have a machine which does that.
c. She is afraid of machines.

C. Is she using a small rock to beat the clothes?

No, she is not using a small rock to beat the clothes.

D. What is she using then? Tick in the right answer.

a. a washboard and a brush
b. her feet
c. a clothes beater

E. Why is she doing this?

a. to remove the water from the clothes

b. to remove the dirt from the clothes
c. to remove the soap from the clothes

F. Do you think it is the right way of doing it? If yes, why? If no, why?

No, it isn’t. The washboard and the brush will use up the clothes.

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 Listen and Check
Exercise:
a. Listen to the first part of the short presentation of an invention. Then check your answers
to exercise 2 on the previous page.

Listening script
Part One
Thanks to technology, there are many labour-saving devices in the modern
home today. If they were not there, people could not save time and effort. But things
were difficult in the old days. People had to keep clean, and they did so by washing
their clothes by hand in rivers or country streams. Sometimes they used a
washboard on which they moved the clothes up and down, and sometimes a small
rock to beat the clothes. That is how they kept clean.
However, there were three main drawbacks to this solution. Firstly, it took a
long time to clean the clothes. Secondly, it was very hard work. Thirdly, clothes did
not last very long because the stones, brushes and washboards damaged them.

b. Listen to the second part of the presentation and answer the questions below.

Part Two

In 1851, a man called James King invented a washing

machine powered by hand. Yet, this was still hard work,
even though it did not take as long as before to clean the
clothes with the manual washing machine. Thus, in 1909, a
company in the U.S.A. produced the first electric washing
machine. And today, this device is so useful that almost
every home has one.

1 -What does the object in picture 1 represent?

It represents a washing machine powered by hand/ a manual washing machine.
2 -What is the object in picture 2?
An electric washing machine.
3 -Does the presentation give us a description of the device?
No, it doesn’t.
4 -If not, what does it tell us about?
It tells us about …… . Tick in the right answer.
a- the functioning of the device.
b-an invention’s profile. the invention and evolution of the washing machine.
c- an inventor’s biography.

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Exercise 3

a) Now listen to Part One of the text then complete lines 1-4 of the table below
A B
1 Introduction importance of home labour-saving devices
2 Problem the invention and evolution of the washing machine.
3 Original solution hand/ small rock / washboard / brush
4 Problems with the solutions but long time; hard work; clothes damaged

b) Listen to Part Two of the text then complete lines 5-8 of the table below.

5 Invention (who-what-when) James King / washing machine / 1851

6 Problems still hard work / hand powered
7 Innovation/New invention 1908 / US company / electric machine
8 Conclusion almost every home has one

Exercise 4

Use the above table to write a summary of the listening passage.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................

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 Say It Clear
Intonation in ‘Wh’ and ‘Yes/No’ Questions
Stress Shift In Names Of Sciences And Adjectives Derived From Them.

Listen to your teacher and mark the intonation at the end of the following questions with an arrow.

a. Who invented the first washing machine?

b. Can you tell me who invented the first washing machine?
c. Have you got any idea who invented the first washing machine?
d. Do you happen to know who invented the first washing machine?

What do you notice? Complete the rules below.

The voice goes down at the end of wh- questions.

The voice goes up at the end of yes/no questions and down in information questions.

Your Turn
Exercise 1:
Look at the pictures below and use the names in the boxes to decide who’s who .Put
numbers 1-4 in the boxes below.

Louis Pasteur Alexander Fleming Alexander Graham Bell Albert Einstein

2 4 1 3
1822-1895 1881-1955 1847-1922 1879-1955
born in France born in Scotland born in Scotland born in Germany
(1885) (1928) (1876) (1905)

Exercise 2:
Match the items provided in the following table and make sentences.

Albert Einstein developed Penicillin

Alexander Graham Bell invented the theory of relativity
Alexander Fleming formulated the vaccine against rabies
Louis Pasteur discovered the telephone

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 Saying it in Writing
Use the information contained in exercise 2 to write a short biography of one of the people in
the pictures.

E.g:
Louis Pasteur was born in France in 1822. He discovered the vaccine against rabies in 1885.
He died in 1895. His vaccine has saved many lives….

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………..............................................................................

Sequence Two: Reading and Writing

Anticipate:

Exercise1:
Look at the pictures and use the words in the box below to say what each of them represent.
Drum - telegraph - telephone - satellite

Exercise 2 p102

What do all the devices represented in the pictures refer to? Tick the right answer. Then
justify your answer.

a- The development of the radio

b- The development of telecommunications
c- The start of telecommunications
d- The development of the satellite system.

Exercise3 p102

Guess when each of the devices in the pictures above was invented.
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 Complete the boxes in column A below with the names of inventions.

device Date / Time period

Drum ancient times
telephone 1876
telegraph 1890’s
satellite mid-twentieth century

Read and Check

From the time of primitive man, humans have wanted to communicate through space.
Centuries ago, men used drums to send and receive messages. In Ghana, for example, this
means of communication is called ‘talking drums’.
However, communication through drums and other means was not satisfactory
over very long distances. Long-distance voice communication became possible only in 1876
when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Twenty-three years later, Italian
inventor Guglielmo Marconi used Heinrich Hertz’s discoveries about electromagnetic waves
to invent another means of telecommunications. It was the ‘wireless’ telegraph, and it was the
ancestor of the radio. It allowed communication between England and France in 1899.
There was still a problem with long-distance voice communication via micro-wave
radio transmission. The transmissions followed a straight line from tower to tower .So the
system was impracticable over the sea. In 1945, science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke,
suggested a solution. He proposed a system of communications satellites in an orbit, 35,900
km above the equator. The satellites would circle the earth in exactly 24 hours.
Today, it is possible to communicate internationally by satellite. The latest satellites
can carry over 100,000 simultaneous conversations .By the year 2050; electronic information
technology will have transformed world business, schools and family life.

Adapted from Hutchinson Encyclopaedia

Exercise 1:

Read the text and check your answers to exercises 2 and3 on the previous page.

Exercise2:

Choose the most suitable title for the text.

a- Telecommunications and satellites
b- Graham Bell’s invention
c- Telecommunications: Past, Present and Future.
Exercise3:

Match sentences (a-h) below with ideas (1-8) to re-order them into a coherent paragraph.
Put letters (a-d) in the corresponding boxes.

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1- Problem 2-Initial solution

3- Problems raised by the initial solution 4- Invention

5- Problem raised by the 2nd invention. 6- Solution

7- Problem raised by the 3rd invention 8- Solution

a. So, in the old days men used drums and other archaic means to communicate.
b. In 1876, Graham bell solved the problem by inventing the telephone.
c. The human voice does not allow people to communicate over very long distances.
d. However, it took a lot of time to send and receive messages.
e. Therefore, Marconi solved the problem of cables by inventing the telegraph.
f. However, Bell’s invention required large amounts of cables.
g. However, transmissions overseas were impracticable.
h. As a result, to solve the problem, Arthur Clarke proposed a system of communication
satellites in an orbit.

Text reconstruction
Use the previous activities to write a summary of the text.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………….
Discover the Language
Expressing Concession
Using link words: however, although, though, even though

Activity 1
Read ‚ 1 and the first sentence of ‚2 in the previous page and complete the table below.

From the time of primitive man, humans have wanted to communicate through space.
Centuries ago, men used drums to send and receive messages. In Ghana, for example, this means of
communication is called ‘talking drums’. However, communication through drums and other means
was not satisfactory over very long distances.

Main clause
Centuries ago , men used
drums to send and receive
messages
Subordinate clause
punctuation Link punctuation Rest of sentence
word
. However , communication through drums
and other means was not
satisfactory over very long
distances.

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The author uses the connector ‘however’ because the information in ƒ2…
a- gives an example to illustrate that of ƒ1.
b- contrasts with that of ƒ1
c- is the result of that of ƒ1

Activity2:
Choose one of the items (a, b or c) to complete the sentence below and explain the use of
however.
However is used to express ...............................
a- addition b- concession c- cause / effect
State the rule
Main clause + . + However + , + subordinate clause

Note
Clauses of concession express contrast or opposition and are introduced by However

Practice
Activity 1:
a) Join the sentences below with the connector provided between brackets using the suitable
punctuation.

1- People wash dishes by hand when they get dirty. It takes much time and effort. (however)
2- People beat carpets with a stick when they get covered with dust and dirt. This makes them
get used up very soon. (however)
3- We use ovens to cook food. They consume much energy as they take a long time to cook food.
( however)

1- ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2- ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3- ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b) Match the above problems with their initial solution.

a) Vacuum cleaner / John Thurman, businessman / 1899
b) Microwave oven / Dr Percy Spencer, scientist / 1946
c) dishwasher / Josephine Cochran, housewife / 1889

1 2 3
c b a

Activity 2:
Match each of sentences 1-3 with sentences a-c below. Then join them using ‘however’.

A B
1 - The washboard is a convenient solution. a- It led to the making of the Atom Bomb.
2- Einstein’s discovery revolutionised science b- It necessitated the installation of telephone
3- Graham Bell managed to solve the problem of poles wires.
long –distance communication. c- It uses up clothes.

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 1- The washboard is a convenient solution. However, it uses up clothes.
2- Einstein’s discovery revolutionised science. However, it led to the making of the Atom Bomb.
3- Graham Bell managed to solve the problem of long-distance communication. However, it
necessitated the installation of telephone poles and wires.

Note:

Although, Even though and Though express concession too.

Men used drums to send and receive messages. However, communication through drums and
other means was not satisfactory over very long distances.
Although men used drums to send and receive messages, communication through drums and
other means was not satisfactory over very long distances.

* Complete the rule

Even though / Though / although + main clause + subordinate clause.

Practice

1) Match each of the inventions in column A with its corresponding drawback (disadvantage)
in column B. Put numbers 1-6 in the boxes below.

A B
INVENTIONS DRAWBACKS
a- Automobile 1- Experts say it causes hearing problems.
b- Cell phone 2- It can cause health problems and death to motorists and
c- Television set passengers.
d- Computer 3- It reduces arithmetic mental ability.
e- Walkman 4- It distracts drivers and causes accidents.
f- calculator 5- It can distract from work.
6- It can cause eyesight problems.

a b c d e f
2 4 6 5 1 3

3. Find the advantages of the 6 inventions in the table above.

Example: a- The automobile allows/helps us to travel over long distances.

b- The cell phone allows us to get in touch with people wherever they are.
c- The television set allows us to have entertainment .
d- The computer allows us to work very quickly and efficiently.
e- The walkman allows us to listen to music without disturbing others.
f- The calculator allows us to do very difficult sums very quickly.

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4-Use the information in exercises 1 and 2 to write sentences like the one in the example below.
Example:
a- Though the automobile allows us to travel over long distances, it can cause health problems
and death to motorists and passengers.
b- Though the cell phone allows us to get in touch with people wherever they are, it distracts
drivers and causes accidents.
c- Though the television set allows us to have entertainment, it can distract from work.
d- Though the computer allows us to work very quickly and efficiently, it can cause eyesight
problems.
e- Though the walkman allows us to listen to music without disturbing others, experts say it
causes hearing problems.
f- Though the calculator allows us to do difficult sums very quickly, it reduces arithmetic mental
ability.
Expressing Result (revision)
A/ Look at the table on the previous page:

Expressing result
A B
The washing machine is useful. So, nearly every The washing machine is so useful that every
home has one. home has one.
Electricity is important. As a result, every home Electricity is so important that every home is
is equipped with. equipped with.

A/ To express result, we use : / So As a result / so useful that / therefore , thus , so important that
consequently……………….

Expressing result:
OR
A B
Fact + . +connector + , + result clause. S + verb + so + adj/adverb + that + RS

Activity1
Join each pair of sentences using the connector given in brackets.

a- In the past, it was very difficult to travel on foot. Man invented the car.( As a result /(so… that)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

b- It takes a long time to sew clothes with hands. A sewing machine was invented. (therefore)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
c-The book was interesting .I read it in one night. (so…. That)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Activity 2
Match the Statements from column A with their Results in column B below. Then
join them with ‘so + adjective + that’.

A B
Statements: Results:
1- The cell phone is useful. a. Not many people could buy one.
2- The satellite is distant. b. Many people gave money to build the
3- The experiment was difficult. Pasteur Institute in Paris.
4- The refrigerator was expensive. c. The inventor spent long nights in his
5- Pasteur’s discovery was important for laboratory.
man’s health. d. Nearly everybody has one.
e. It covers a large part of the earth.

1. The cell phone is so useful that nearly everybody has one.

2. The satellite is so distant that it covers a large part of the earth.
3. The experiment was so difficult that the inventor spent long nights in his laboratory.
4. The refrigerator was so expensive that not many people could buy it.
5. Pasteur’s discovery was so important for man’s health that many people gave money to build
a Pasteur Institute in Paris.

Activity 3:
Complete the following sentences so that they make sense.

1- TV is so entertaining that ..…………………...........................................................

2- The cooker is so useful that ……………………………..........................................
3- The swimming pool in the hotel was so dirty that no-one …………………………..

A /an and the (revision)

Read the following passage about Louis Pasteur

As a child Louis Pasteur was an intelligent and sensitive boy. When his friend Henry
died bitten by a mad dog , Pasteur promised to himself to find a vaccine against rabies. First,
he kept mad dogs in his laboratory in order to get supplies of the virus. Then he dried the spinal cord of the
mad dogs. To prove the efficiency of the vaccine he had found, he inoculated it into a healthy rabbit to
immunize it. After that he injected a strong virus into the immunized rabbit. Few days later the rabbit was
still healthy. Then, he tried the vaccine against another mad dog, and the dog was cured. Pasteur still didn't
know whether it could work with human beings. He was about to try it on himself when they brought him a
child who had just been bitten by a mad dog. He injected the vaccine into the child, and he was cured. It
was an invaluable discovery which saved mankind.

Study the form and complete the rule.

a. He was an intelligent boy.

b. He injected a strong virus into a healthy rabbit.
c. Pasteur promised to himself to find a vaccine against rabies.

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1- a /an goes only with a singular countable nouns.
a. He dried the spinal cord of the mad dogs.
b. He injected the vaccine into the child.
2- The goes with both singular and plural nouns countable and uncountable.
Now, compare the sentences in the table below.__
_
a /an The

 Pasteur promised to himself to find a  To prove the efficiency of the vaccine, he

vaccine against rabies.
 They brought him a child who had just
been bitten by a mad dog.
 He kept mad dogs in his laboratory in
order to get supplies of the virus.
inoculated it into a healthy rabbit.
 He injected the vaccine into the child, and he was
cured.
 He dried the spinal cords of the mad dogs .

Complete the following rule.

 When a story first mentions something, the noun has a or an (They brought him a child who
had just been bitten by a mad dog.)
 But when the same thing is mentioned later the noun has the . (He injected the vaccine into the
child, and he was cured.)
 And we use the when it is clear which noun we mean.

PRACTICE
Activity one:
Choose the correct article in the following passage,

Louis Pasteur was born on December 27th , 1822 in France, He started his studies on chemistry
at Ecole Normale in Paris In 1849, he got (a /the ) job as assistant teacher at Strasbourg University
where he began his work on fermentation There he met (a / the) woman who helped him a lot. Later she
became his wife. In 1S65, Pasteur heard that ( a , the) disease was ruining the French silk industry So he
went to Ales for investigating (a/ the) disease, and he was able to save the entire silk industry of (a , the)
country.
Activity two:

Complete the following biography. Put in ‘a /an ' or the’ in the gaps.

Albert Einstein was Born in 1879 in Germany. He became Professor in 1909. In 1933, he went to
the U.S.A. and became a representative of an institute in Princeton from 1933 to 1945. In the institute,
Einstein accomplished many scientific achievements. He became an American citizen after he had been
deprived of his German citizenship. He was famous for The Theory of Relativity. He got the Nobel Prize
for physics in 1922. He was the author of "Meaning of Relativity" in 1923. He wrote a book with Freud,
he was against war.
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