Unit 12

Innovation

Starting Point
1. Put these twentieth century innovations and
inventions in order from the earliest to the most
recent
- Photocopier
- Velcro
- Handheld calculator
- Instant coffee
- Vacuum cleaner
- Parking meter

2. Which inventions and innovations of the

twentieth century do you think were the most
important and useful?
A. Reading

Task 1: Working with words

1. Why did Mitchell Ditkoff and John Havens invest
the Breakthrough café?
2. Would you like to go there?

Food for thought

The Breakthrough café is the brainchild of Mitchell
Ditkoff and John Havens. The aim is that customers will
have at least one ‘a-ha moment during an evening that is a
combination of a party, restaurant, and brainstorming
session’.
Over a three-course meal, customers begin by
meeting each other and reading their name badges. The name
badge also contains the words ‘How can I….?’. Each
customer completes this with a question about an idea or
obstacle in their life. For example, ‘How can I start my own
catering business?’, ‘How can I find someone to invest in my
prototype?’, ‘How can I get a new job?’. As well as
discussing and giving advice to each other, there are
‘innowaiters’ who serve food and drink, but also act as
facilitators to encourage innovative ideas.
Ditkoff explains how he first came up with the
concept. ‘I’ve asked thousands of people: “where do you get
your best ideas? What is the catalyst?” Less than one per
cent of people say they get their ideas at work. They get their
ideas when they are happy, away from the office, late at
night, and in the company of friends.’
B. Vocabulary
Exercise 1:
Match the words in bold from the text to definitions
(1–9)
1. An idea for something new…………..
2. An idea or invention of one person or group of
people……….
3. New and original…………….
4. When you suddenly realize or understand
something……………
5. People who help you…………..
6. Something to cause change…………..
7. Think a new idea or plan……………
8. Something stopping you………………
9. The first form of something new………..
Exercise 2:
Complete the text with the correct answer
from the options in 1-9.

The teenage entrepreneur

In many ways, the company Doherty Preserves looks like
your typical local food company, with a simple
(1)………… and (2) ………customer base. It sells a
(3)………..range of marmalades, jams and fruit preserves,
based on old recipes, to delicatessens and local markets.
And like every other food business these days, the
company is aiming to reach a more health -conscious
consumer, so not a (4)…………idea.
What is surprising, is that the company was the (5)……….
of a 14-year-old. Now aged 16, Fraser Doherty first 6)………
with the idea of selling preserves when his grandmother
taught him a secret recipe for marmalade. This was the a-ha
(7)…………for Fraser and within weeks he’d begun selling to
 The neighbors. From there he employed friends to sell
door-to-door on a commission basis.
Such (8)………….. from one so young might be put down
to a good education, but Fraser says, ‘It's a million miles
away from what I learnt at school' Similarly, the
(9)………… of money has never proved a problem, 'I don't
concern myself so much with profits and productivity –
what's important to me is improving quality and
customer satisfaction'.

a. prototype b. catalyst c. concept

a. reliable b. dynamic c. original
a. traditional b. revolutionary c. state-of-the-art
a. revolutionary b. reliable c. simple
a. facilitator b. brainchild c. invention
a. came across b. came out c. came up
a. time b. minute c. moment
a. breakthrough b. innovation c. reliability
a. obstacle b. prototype c. brainchild

C. Structure
Reported Speech/Indirect Speech
When we use reported speech, we are referring to something
that was said either by ourselves or by someone else in the
past. An example of this might be ‘he said that he was going
shopping.’
This type of speech is used very frequently during both
spoken and written examples of English and it is an
important part of the language which any English student
will find useful to learn. In this section, we are going to look
at types of reported speech as well as how we can use it.

Backshift of tenses

from to

Simple Present Simple Past

Simple Past

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Past Perfect

will would

Progressive forms

am/are/is was/were

was/were

has been had been

had been
Backshift of tenses

from to

Peter said that he worked in the

Peter: "I work in the garden."
garden.

Peter: "I worked in the garden."

Peter: "I have worked in the

Peter said that he had worked
garden."
in the garden.
Peter: "I had worked in the
garden."

Peter: "I will work in the Peter said that he would work
garden." in the garden.

Peter: "I can work in the Peter said that he could work in
garden." the garden.

Peter: "I may work in the Peter said that he might work
garden." in the garden.

Peter: "I would work in the Peter: "I would work in the
garden." garden."
(could, might, should, ought (could, might, should, ought
to) to)

Progressive forms

Peter: "I'm working in the Peter said that he was working

garden." in the garden.
Peter: "I was working in the
garden."

Peter: "I have been working in Peter said that he had been
the garden." working in the garden.

Peter: "I had been working in

the garden."

If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must

change it as well.

Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."

Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.

Shifting of expressions of time

this (evening) that (evening)

today/this day that day

these (days) those (days)

now then

(a week) ago (a week) before

last weekend the weekend before / the previous weekend

here there

next (week) the following (week)

tomorrow the next/following day

Exercises 1:

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change

the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Peter: "I clean the black shoes."

Example:
__________________________
Peter: "I clean the black shoes."
Answer:
Peter told me that he cleaned the black shoes.
1. John: "Mandy is at home."
John said that………………………

2. Max: "I often read a book."

Max told me that…………………..

3. Susan: "I'm watching TV."

Susan said that ………………….

4. Simon: "David was ill."

Simon said that………………………..

5. Stephen and Claire: "We have cleaned the windows."

Stephen and Claire told me that…………………….

6. Charles: "I didn't have time to do my homework."

Charles remarked that he …………………………….

7. Mr Jones: "My mother will be 50 years old."

Mr Jones told me that …………………………

8. Jean: "The boss must sign the letter.

Jean said that…………………………
Exercise 2:

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change

the tense and the time expressions, although it is sometimes
not necessary.

Peter: "I cleaned the black shoes yesterday."

Example:
__________________________________
Peter: "I cleaned the black shoes yesterday."
Answer: Peter told me that he had cleaned the black shoes
the day before.
1. Emily: "My teacher will go to Leipzig tomorrow.
Emily said that…………………………….

2. Helen: "I was writing a letter yesterday."

Helen told me that ……………………………..

3. Robert: "My father flew to Dallas last year."

Robert said that…………………………………

4. Michael: "I'm going to read a book this week."

Michael told me that……………………………….

5. Jason: "I'll do my best in the exams tomorrow."

Jason told me that……………………………………

6. Andrew: "We didn't eat fish two days ago."

Andrew said to me that………………………………….

7. Alice: "I spent all my pocket money last Monday."

Alice complained
that……………………………………….

8. David: "John had already gone at six.

David said that…………………………………………
D. Language Function

Telephoning
Some useful expressions in telephoning
Can I speak to Peter Salin. please? Speaking.
Are you busy?
Can I call you back?
Please hold on.
Sorry to keep you waiting
I'll transfer you
What's the area code for Dublin? Dial 9 to get an
outside line. Press the star key twice.
This IS a very bad line.
You're breaking up.
The reception is very bad.
Would you like to leave a message? Leave a message on
my voicemail. I'm in a meet ing. I'll call you back.
I think we've covered everything.
Speak to you soon.
Bye for now.

E. Dialogue
Beginning a call
A: ·d like to speak to Max Reed, please.
B: Just one moment. I'll connect you ... You're through now
A: Max Reed speaking.
B: Hi, Max. Simon here
A: Hi, Simon . How are you?
B: Fine. And you?

Checking information
A: Hello
B: Hello. John. Sven here. Did you get my email?
A: Yes, it's right here in front of me.

B: Fine. I thought it would be quicker to phone than send you

another message. Iwanted to run through some of the
arrangements for Tuesday.

Asking the caller to hold

A: Sorry to keep you waiting so long. Could you hold

on a little longer? The network is very slow today.

B: How long do you think it is going to take to find the

information?
A: It won't be long now. Right. Here we are, the figures

you need.
B: Thanks. I'll pass on the message.

Ending a call
A: …Ok. Have we covered everything?
B: I think so. You just need to let me know when you can send
the report.
A: That's right. I'll send you a message when I get back to the
office. Anyway, thanks for calling,
B: No problem. I'll wait to hear from you.

Sources
Business Result-Intermediate-Student Book
(Unit 12-Innovation)
Everyday English
Grammar Internet Link