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Copyright © MM Publications

1
 contents
Guidelines ........................................................................................... 3

On view 1 World maps .................................................................................. 4

Video length 3.12’

On view 2 The oldest universities ............................................................... 5

Video length 3.27’

On view 3 Surviving an ice age ................................................................... 6

Video length 3.27’

On view 4 Sydney .......................................................................................... 7

Video length 4.06’

On view 5 Baseball ........................................................................................ 8

Video length 3.06’

On view 6 Pacific Ocean ................................................................................ 9

Video length 3.24’

On view 7 Camouflage ................................................................................... 10

Video length 3.05’

On view 8 CSI .................................................................................................. 11

Video length 3.29’

On view 9 Alan Turing ................................................................................... 12

Video length 3.27’

On view 10 Factories ...................................................................................... 13

Video length 3.41’

On view 11 Only in Madagascar ................................................................... 14

Video length 3.42’

On view 12 Graffiti ......................................................................................... 15

Video length 3.37’

Key to Pioneer On view ...................................................................... 16

Copyright © MM Publications
GUIDELINES
Introduction
Pioneer On View can be used as a supplement to the
Pioneer series. It thoroughly revises and consolidates
the language (vocabulary and structures) presented in
the Student’s Book, providing additional listening and
speaking practice. The videos have been designed so
that they can be used effectively in class or by students
working individually or in small groups.
Videos
Pioneer On View consists of 12 factual videos presented
in a documentary style in either American English or
British English. Each episode corresponds to the modules
of the Student’s Book. The episodes present cultural and
cross-curricular information about various topics such as
sights, places, countries and animals, etc.
All videos can be watched with or without subtitles,
depending on the students’ needs.
Activities
Each video from Pioneer On View comes with a worksheet
containing a variety of activities. They include:
• pre-viewing
The topic of the video is introduced through a discussion
and/or simple vocabulary activities.
• prediction
Students look at images from the video and guess the
answers to given questions. The aim of the activity is
to introduce the students to the topic and situation and
also help them make predictions and have expectations
about the video they are going to watch.
• while-viewing
There are various activities which are completed while
watching each video. The focus is on understanding gist
or main ideas.
• post-viewing
These activities are completed after students have
watched the video. Students practise the key language
functions and structures introduced in the video.
• oral practice
This is a pair work or group work activity which involves
students in meaningful communication. The focus is on
practising the key language functions and structures
introduced in the video.
Particular attention has been paid to activities which are
specific to audio-visual media. The symbol on the
worksheets indicates that the video should be watched
in order to complete the activity.
Copyright © MM Publications
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 3
 World maps
1
vi w
vie
ti es
On
A c ti

A. Talk in pairs.
• How many countries can you
name on the map on the right?
• Do you ever use a world map?
What for?
• Do you know what the words
below are? Can you find them
on the map?

latitude longitude equator

poles hemisphere

B. What problems do you think are involved in making a map of the world?
Watch the video and compare your answers.

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and D. Watch again and write T for
check your answers. True or F for False.
1. World maps before the 15th
The Mercator projection is still used for the basis of maps today, century weren’t very similar to
however, many people complain that the Mercator Map is Eurocentric, the ones we have today.
as it makes most of the countries in the 1 look 2. Mercator was the first cartographer
larger than they actually are, and therefore more important than the to make a 2D map of the world.
2 . To rectify this, in 3 a 3. On a Mercator map, countries
cartographer named Arno Peters made a world map which tried to closer to the equator appear smaller
than countries that are further away. 
show the world with more accurate proportions. An identical map,
made in the 4 by James Gall, was discovered 4. Arno Peters worked with another
cartographer while making his
soon afterwards, and the map is now known as the Gall-Peters
projection.
projection. Although, it is more 5 , people are
5. Today it is more common to see
so used to the Mercator projection, that the Gall-Peters projection
an altered version of the “Blue
seems wrong. Marble” photograph.

E. Watch again and answer the questions. F. Talk in pairs.

Copyright © MM Publications

1. How did Mercator make a 2D map of the world? • Do you think the video will make you
2. What is the problem with Greenland and Africa on a Mercator look at world maps differently?
map? • How accurate do you think other kinds
3. Why does the video describe Mercator maps as “Eurocentric”? of maps are?
4. Why did Arno Peters decide to create a new world map?
5. Why does the Gall-Peters projection appear to be wrong?
6. Why do world maps show north at the top?
7. Why does the video show the Apollo 17 photograph of the Earth?

4 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
The oldest universities
A. Talk in pairs.
• What are the main universities in
your country?
• Which do you think is the oldest
university in your country?
B. Before you watch the video, try
to complete the sentences below.
Then watch and check
your answers.
The oldest university in the English-
speaking world is
The oldest university in Europe is
.
The oldest university in the world is
. c. It has more staff than Cambridge University.
C. Complete the paragraph
below. Then watch again
and check your answers.
A university is an institution of
1 which grants
academic 2
to students, but it also acts as
a place for research. The word
‘university’ comes from the
3 phrase
universitas magistrorum et
scholarium which roughly
translates as a ‘community of
4 and
5 ’.
Universities are alive with
intellectual activity, and they
are often important centres of
6 , which
has been the case for centuries.
On Acti
vie vitie
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D. Watch again and answer the
2
questions. Choose a, b, c or d.
1. Who was Emo of Friesland?
a. one of the founders of the University of Oxford
b. the earliest known student to enrol at the University of Oxford
c. the first recorded foreign student at the University of Oxford
d. an academic who lived in Oxford in 1190
2. Which statement is true about Cambridge University?
a. It was founded in 1190.
b. It was created by ex-students from Oxford.
c. The people of Oxford disagreed with the opening of the university.
. d. 26 Prime Ministers have studied there.
3. What does the video mention about the staff at the University of
Oxford?
a. They come from all over the world.
b. 26 of them have won the Nobel Prize.
d. Many staff members used to teach at Cambridge.
4. Which statement is not true about the University of Bologna?
a. It had many foreign students when it was founded.
b. The academics weren’t paid any money in the beginning.
c. It was founded in the 11th century.
d. Its original structure gave the name to all universities.
5. Why does the video mention Nicolaus Copernicus?
a. Because he taught at the University of Bologna.
b. Because he supported the university in the early days.
c. Because he used to study at the University of Bologna.
d. Because he is a good example of the wide variety of students at the
University of Bologna.
6. What happened in 1963?
a. The University of al-Karaouine closed down.
b. The University of al-Karaouine was named a leading educational
centre of the Muslim world.
c. Muhammad al-Idrisi graduated from the University of al-Karaouine.
d. The University of al-Karaouine became part of a wider Moroccan
university system.
E. Watch again and answer the questions.
1. How do we know that the University of Oxford was founded around
1096?
2. Why does the video mention Nobel prize winners and Prime Ministers?
3. What happened if students at the Univeristy of Bologna couldn’t pay
Copyright © MM Publications
their ‘collectio’?
4. Who was Guglielmo Marconi?
5. How does the video verify that the University of al-Karaouine is the
oldest existing university in the world?
F. Talk in pairs.
• Which one of the universities would you like to study at? Why?
• Do you know of any modern universities?
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 5
 Surviving
3
tiv w
s
an ice age
vie
it ie
On
Ac

A. Talk in pair s.
live in the winter?
• How cold doe s it get where you
’ve ever experienced?
• What’s the coldest weather you

B. You are going to watch a video about D. Watch again and write T for True or
surviving an ice age. Which of the following F for False.
topics do you think will be mentioned? 1. The temperature during an interglacial period
Watch and check your answers.
is warmer than during a glacial period.
• climate • the human brain 2. The last ice age ended 2.6 million years ago. 
• prehistoric animals • Antarctica
3. Your skin feels numb if your body
• fever • polar ice caps
temperature is 95ºF.
• primitive humans • rising sea levels
4. Hunting became easier for primitive humans
because they made better weapons.
C. Complete the paragraph below. Then
5. Global warming will stop the next ice age
watch again and check your answers.
from coming.

Humans are essentially suited to 6. The northern hemisphere will have much
less wildlife during the next glacial period. 
1 climates and struggle to
deal with even mild 2 . The
range of core temperature, in other words, normal E. Watch again and answer the questions
body temperature, which humans can survive
1. What is an ice age also known as?
is narrow. 3 is normal,
2. When will we know that the current ice age has
4 is considered a fever, and
ended?
5 is life-threatening
3. What should you do if you have a fever of 104ºF?
and requires immediate medical attention. At
4. According to the video, what makes humans good
temperatures of 95ºF the body begins to shiver,
survivors compared to other animals?
any lower than this and the 6
5. How did early humans improve their survival
begins to feel numb and can even appear concerning shelter?
7 . When exposed to long
Copyright © MM Publications

6. According to the video, what will happen during

periods of cold, the body reduces the blood flow the next glacial period?
to the extremities - the hands and feet - in attempt
to save the vital organs, such as the
F. Talk in pairs.
8 . However, this means
that the hands and feet can suffer permanent • Do you think you could survive an ice age?

9 . • Do you think it’s a problem that human activity is

causing changes to the climate?

6 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Sydney

On Acti
vie vitie
w s
4
A. Talk in pairs. E. Watch again
and answer the
• What do you know about the Australian city of Sydney?
questions.
• Do you know of any events that have been held there?
1. Why do you think the video
mentions what the fleet of
B. Read the statements about Sydney below and tick ships that first landed in
the ones that you think are true. Then watch the video
Sydney was carrying?
and check your answers.
2. Why do people go to the
1. Sydney was named after a man from the UK.
Sydney Opera House?
2. The city of Sydney was founded by an Aborigine tribe. 3. What makes Jørn Utzon’s
3. The designer of the Sydney Opera House was born in Sydney. Sydney Opera House design
4. Sydney Harbour Bridge is the longest bridge in the world. particularly suitable for its
location?
5. Sydney has the second largest fish market in the world.
4. What is special about the
grand organ at the Sydney
C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and Opera House?
check your answers.
5. What annual event do people
gather around the Sydney
Tell people that Sydney is not the 1 of Australia
Harbour Bridge for?
and many will be surprised. After all, Sydney is Australia’s largest and most
6. Apart from buying fish, what
famous city. Sydney holds other surprises too. Nearly 2
can you do at Sydney’s fish
of Sydneysiders speak a language other than English at home, ranging market?
from Afrikaans to Wu. More than 3 languages are
spoken in Sydney, making it one of the world’s most multicultural cities.
4 is the most widely-spoken non-English F. Talk in pairs.
language, followed by Mandarin and Cantonese. Actually, Sydney’s • Would you like to visit Sydney?
5 Festival is the largest outside Asia. • What other cities in Australia do
you know of?

D. Watch again and answer the questions. Choose a, b, c or d.

1. What is not true about Aboriginal Australians?
a. They were the first people to live in Australia.
b. Their lifestyle can be damaging to the environment.
c. Their artwork is like no other in the world.
d. It isn’t difficult to find examples of their culture while visiting Sydney.
2. How was it decided that Jørn Utzon would design the Sydney Opera House?
a. He won a competition.
b. He was chosen by the people of Sydney.
c. He was the only international designer prepared to design the building.
d. He worked for the World Heritage Organisation.
3. What happened in 1973?
a. The Sydney tram depot closed down.
Copyright © MM Publications

b. Jørn Utzon finished his design for the Sydney Opera House.
c. The Sydney Opera House had its first performances.
d. The roof of the Sydney Opera House was added.
4. Why is the Sydney Harbour Bridge grey?
a. It is made of steel.
b. It was the only colour there was an adequate supply of.
c. It was the most popular colour.
d. They wanted it to resemble a steel coathanger.

PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 7
 5
Baseball
tiv w
s
vie
it ie
On

A. Talk in pairs.
Ac

• Have you ever played baseball, or watched a game on TV?

• If not, would you like to?

B. Look at the words below. Do you know
what they are or what they mean in relation
to baseball? Watch the video and check
your answers.
pitcher’s mound inning base
home plate Major League left field
C. Complete the paragraph below. Then
watch again and check your answers.
The first professional team was founded
in 1 in 1869. The
Major League Baseball organization was
founded in 2 , and
is the oldest of the four major sports
organizations in the U.S.A., which include
the NBA, the NFL and the NHL. The MLB
consists of teams from the U.S.A. and
3 and they play in
two leagues, the American League and the
4 . The winners of
each league play each other to become
overall champions in a contest called the
5 , even though no
other countries are involved.
D. Watch again and answer the questions.
Choose a, b, c or d.
1. What is not true about baseball?
a. Both teams take turns to bat and field.
b. The pitcher throws the ball from the middle of the diamond.
c. You must hit the ball out of the field to score a run.
d. A player has the option to stop at a base if he/she wants to.
2. What happens at the end of an inning?
a.
The batting team goes out to field, and the fielding team
goes in to bat.
b.
A player tries to run counterclockwise around the bases.
c.
The batting team starts batting again.
d.
The players in the fielding team change positions on
the field.
3. What is rounders?
a.
A South American game which developed into baseball.
b.
A European game that was influenced by baseball.
c.
A game brought to the U.S.A. from Asia.
d.
A British and Irish game which baseball is believed to have
its origins in.
4. Who plays in the World Series?
a.
different nations from around the world
b.
teams from the four major sports organizations
c.
the winners of the American League and the National
League
d.
one team from the U.S.A. and one team from Canada

E. Watch the video again and answer the following questions.

1. What happens if a player hits a home run? 3. Which are the major sports organizations in the U.S.A.?
2. What relationship does the U.S.A. have with 4. What comment does the video make about the World
baseball? Series?

F. Complete the sentences with the correct expressions from the video.
Copyright © MM Publications

1. “Thanks for inviting me to your barbecue, but I’ll have to . I’ve already made other plans.”
2. “Come on, everyone! We have a lot of work to do before the conference. Let’s .”
3. “Mark really with his idea for the whole company to go for
a climbing weekend. Everyone had a great time.”
4. “Trisha has an idea. It’s bit out of , but I think it just might work.”

G. Talk in pairs.
• What similarities does baseball have to other sports?
• Do you know of other countries that have national sports?

8 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Pacific Ocean

On Acti
vie vitie
w s
A. Talk in pairs.

6
• How many oceans and seas can you name?
• What do you know about the Pacific Ocean?

B. Read the statements about the Pacific Ocean below and tick the ones that you think are true.
Then watch the video and check your answers.
1. The Pacific Ocean was named by a Spanish explorer. 3. The deepest point on Earth is in the Pacific Ocean.
2. The Pacific Ocean takes up half of the world’s surface. 4. There are over 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean.

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and check your answers.

It is also the deepest ocean in the world with the
Mariana Trench at a depth of almost 1
If 2 were dropped into the
Mariana Trench, its peak would still be about
3 underwater. The
deepest known point is the Challenger Deep,
named after the HMS Challenger expedition of
4 , which first measured the
. trench’s depth using a weighted line. Since then,
several 5 descents have been
made, using extremely tough submersibles that can
withstand the enormous pressure. Amazingly, it has
been discovered that microbial life forms thrive within
the trench.

D. Watch again and write T for True or F for False.

1. Ferdinand Magellan was on his way home when
he first explored the Pacific.
2. All the land on Earth could fit inside the area that
the Pacific Ocean covers.
3. The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean was
named after the man who first explored it.
4. Only 25% of the world’s volcanoes are not found
in the Pacific Ocean.
5. Polynesia gets its name from the number of
islands there. 
6. The Great Barrier Reef was built by very small
organisms. 

E. Watch again and answer the questions.

1. How did Magellan come up with the name for the
Pacific Ocean?
2. Why does the video mention Mount Everest?
3. How did the first explorers measure how deep the
Ocean was?
4. Why do submersibles have to be so strong?
5. Where does the ‘Ring of Fire’ get its name from?
6. What does the group of islands Melanesia mean?
7. According to the video, what can be seen from space?
Copyright © MM Publications

F. Talk in pairs.
• Is there any part of the
Pacific Ocean you would like
to visit? Why?
• Have you ever seen a film, or read
a book which featured the Pacific
Ocean? If so, describe it.

PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 9
 7
Camouflage
it w
vie
s
ie
tiv
On
A. Talk in pairs.
Ac

• Can you think of ways animals make use of characteristics

they have to protect themselves?

B. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and check your answers.

There are many other startling ways that animals can disappear into their 1 .
The 2 has a winter camouflage of a 3 , and sometimes
4 , coat which blends with the snow and ice. In the 5
its coat is brown-gray to merge with summer plants and 6 .

C. Watch again and answer the questions. Choose a, b, c or d.

1. What does the video mainly discuss?
a. methods for studying camouflage in nature
b. the evolution of camouflage
c. the link between camouflage and color
d. camouflage as a means of survival
2. What is countershading?
a. Blending into the background because of patterns on the
skin or fur.
b. Avoiding standing out by having lighter and darker shades on the body.
c. Understanding the position of the sun so as to catch prey more easily.
d. Altering the color of the skin in order to be seen more easily.
3. What do papillae do?
a. They change color making an octopus' skin look different.
b. They protect an octopus' skin from stones and rocks.
c. They help an octopus change the surface of its skin.
d. They smooth out bumps and spikes on an
octopus' skin.
4. What is true about an orchid mantis?
a. It attracts other insects by pretending to be a flower.
b. It can make its body look like a stick.
c. It hides inside an orchid flower and waits for its prey.
d. It changes its color to look like the flower it is next to.

D. Watch again and answer the questions.

1. What does the phrase “Eat, don’t be eaten” in the video mean?
2. How do leopards use camouflage?
3. What examples of animals that use countershading does the video give?
4. Why does an octopus change its color?
Copyright © MM Publications

5. What color is an Arctic fox during the summer?

6. What advantage do stick insects have by looking like a stick?

E. Talk in pairs.
• Can you think of other examples of camouflage in nature?
• Apart from nature, where else is camouflage used?

10 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
CSI
A. Talk in pairs.
• Have you ever seen crime scene investigators in
a film or TV series?
• Do you think their job is difficult? Why? / Why not?
B. You are going to watch a video about
crime scene investigators. Look at the pictures
below. Which of them do you think will be
mentioned? Watch and check your answers.
kettle
powder
C. Complete the paragraph below. Then
watch again and check your answers.
The investigator’s main job is to gather
and examine information, whether it’s
1 , glass,
2 , handwriting
or splatter which is the pattern
a3 makes when it
splashes. They must also document a scene,
which involves writing 4
and taking 5 . sticky tape. 
Investigators need expert skills in many
areas: photography, 6
processing for hidden and apparent
evidence, such as fingerprints, footwear
marks and strands of 7
On Acti
vie vitie
DNA
w s
8
tyre tracks
fingerprints
magnify
ing glas
s
knife
gloves
footprint
D. Watch again and write T for True or F for False.
1. The first thing investigators do is check for
fingerprints.
2. Investigators have to answer questions as soon as
they arrive on the scene.
3. Fingerprints are useful even if the police can’t find
a match. 
4. Identical twins have the same fingerprints.
5. Investigators can make a copy of a fingerprint by using
6. Investigators usually examine the 3D cast of a footprint
, while at the scene of a crime.
7. DNA has been used only to convict criminals.
.
E. Watch again and answer the questions.
1. What is the purpose of crime scene tape?
2. What special skills does an investigator need?
3. What does a crime scene kit contain?
4. What happened in 1924?
5. How does dusting with powders work?
Copyright © MM Publications
6. Why does the video mention identical twins?
7. Where can investigators extract DNA from?
F. Talk in pairs.
• Would you like to be a crime scene investigator?
Why? / Why not?
• What do you think it takes to be one?
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 11
 9
Alan Turing
tiv iew
s
ie
v
it
On
A. Talk in pairs.
Ac

• Do you like solving puzzles or riddles?

• In what situations is it necessary to use a code?

B. Read the facts about Alan Turing below. Which

ones do you think are true? Then watch the video
and check your answers.
1. Alan Turing was a 20th century mathematician.
2. He invented the Enigma machine during World War II.
3. He worked at Bletchley Park trying to decypher codes.
4. He was a pioneer in artificial intelligence.
5. He invented a machine that could mimic a human brain.

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again

and check your answers.

Life as we know it would have been very different had it not

been for Alan Turing, born in 1 on
June 23rd, 2 . He is considered to
be the father of modern 3 and
artificial intelligence and was also the extraordinary
4 who was the main brain in decoding
the supposedly unbreakable codes of the German Enigma
machine used to send military and top secret messages
during 5 .

D. Watch again and answer the questions. E. Watch again and answer the
Choose a, b, c or d. questions.
1. What was the British Bombe? 1. Who used to send Enigma codes?
a. a weapon used in World War II 2. What was the British Bombe made from?
b. a decoding machine designed by Alan Turing
3. What effect did Turing’s work have on
c. a cypher machine captured by the Germans World War II?
d. a machine which could produce complicated codes
4. How many people were involved in the
2. What is the purpose of the “Turing Test”? “Turing Test”?
a. to discover how intelligent human beings are 5. What year did Alan Turing die?
b. to reveal how dangerous artificial intelligence could become 6. Who was Eugene from Odessa, Ukraine?
c. to compare human responses to responses from a machine
7. How did Turing influence computer
d. to examine whether a machine could convince people it was programming?
human
8. When did Turing start getting interested
3. Why did Turing invent his Turing Machine? in mathematical biology?
a. to show that anything can be expressed in terms of mathematics
Copyright © MM Publications

b. to prove that it was possible to create a computer

c. to explain how the human brain understands mathematics
d. to perform difficult mathematical problems quickly and easily F. Talk in pairs.
• What would life have
4. Why was Turing interested in the Fibonacci sequence?
been like if Alan Turing had
a. because he wanted to help wildlife using mathematics
never been born?
b. because it proved a connection between mathematics and
• Do you know of any other
the natural world
people who have influenced
c. because he wanted to create flowers with different patterns
the world of computing?
d. because he wanted to publish a paper explaining it

12 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Factories

On
vietivitie
Ac

w s
10
A. Talk in pairs.
• Are there many factories
where you live? What do
they produce?
• Have you ever been to
a factory?

B. Look at the words below. Do you know what they are, or what they mean?
Watch the video and check your answers.

mill steam power industrial revolution assembly line mass production

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and check your answers.

Up until the mid 1 century, most countries had a system of manufacturing called
cottage 2 , where the creation of products was home-based. One of the earliest
factories was the 3 silk mill in Derby in England, which opened in 1721 and, by
4 , had turned into a brass mill, where 5 went in one end and
pans, pins and wire came out the other.

D. Watch the video again and write T for True E. Watch the video again and answer
or F for False. the questions.
1. Factories have been producing goods since 1. Where are products manufactured in a cottage
ancient times. industry?
2. The Venetian Arsenal had groups of workers 2. What sort of items were produced at the Derby
each producing a ship a day. brass mill?
3. Within 25 years, the Derby silk mill had become 3. How did the meaning of the word ‘mill’ change
a brass mill. during the industrial revolution?

4. Most people agree that Cromford Mill is the 4. What part did Richard Arkwright play in the
earliest known factory. industrial revolution?
5. How did Henry Ford’s mass production improve
5. Henry Ford was successful because his workers
ordinary people’s lives?
Copyright © MM Publications

were experts in a particular area of work. 

6. What tasks performed by robots are mentioned in
6. Experts believe that robots will be used in
the video?
factories for a long time yet.
7. According to the video, what will robots in factories
be like in the future?

F. Talk in pairs.
• What do you think life would be like without factories?
• What problems do factories create?

PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 13
 11
Only in Madagascar
tiv w
s
vie
it ie
On

A. Talk in pairs.
Ac

• Do you like watching nature programs about animals? Why? / Why not?
• What do you know about Madagascar?

B. Match the pictures with the words in the box.

Then watch the video and check your answers.

a b c d e
aye aye baobab fossa dwarf chameleon ring-tailed lemur

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again and check your answers.

Madagascar, the 1 largest island in the world, is one of the most unique places
on Earth. It lies in the Indian Ocean, 2 miles off the southeastern coast of 3
but don’t expect to find the elephants, 4 and hippopotamuses found in Africa.
Instead you will find aye aye, sifaka, tenrec, fossa, mantella frogs and spear-nosed 5 .
Madagascar has an incredible biodiversity, 6 of all plant and animal species live here
and over 7 of all its known wildlife cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.

D. Watch the video again and answer the
questions. Choose a, b, c or d.
1. What happened 88 million years ago?
a. Madagascar split away from India.
b. Africa became part of the supercontinent Pangaea.
c. The Indian Ocean was formed.
d. Pangaea separated into continents.
2. Why are baobab known as “upside-down trees”?
a. They have roots at the top, and leaves at the bottom.
b. They never grow any leaves.
c. Their bare branches resemble roots.
d. They flip over during the wet season.
E. Answer the questions.
1. Why does the video mention elephants, lions and
hippopotamuses?
2. What caused Madagascar’s unique biodiversity?
3. How does the climate differ in west and east
Madagascar?
4. According to the video, what can be found in west
Madagascar?
5. Why do baobab trees have such wide trunks?
6. What is the chameleon’s long tongue
useful for?

3. What makes red-fronted lemurs unique? 7. Why is the Brookesia chameleon

Copyright © MM Publications

a. Their ability to socialize. almost impossible to see?

b. Their ability to move through the air quickly.
c. Their size. F. Talk in pairs.
d. Their ability to jump high. • Which example of Madagascar’s
4. What is not true about chameleons? natural world do you find the
a. They come in lots of different sizes. most impressive? Why?
b. Their mood affects the color of their skin. • Would you like to visit
c. Their eyes can move separately. Madagascar?
d. They live only on the island of Madagascar.
14 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Graffiti

On
vietivitie
Ac

w s
12
A. Talk in pairs.
• Is there a lot of graffiti where you live?
• What do you think of it?

B. Watch the video. Which of the following statements

best summarizes the video?
a. Graffiti hasn't changed a great deal since its ancient origins.
b. As graffiti spreads more in cities, it becomes less and less popular.
c. Graffiti is a controversial issue but it is slowly making its way into
popular culture.

C. Complete the paragraph below. Then watch again

and check your answers.

Graffiti is the art of writing or drawing pictures on a wall, often in

a1 . It is considered by some to be nothing
but unattractive 2 , but by others it is
considered to be an art form that expresses urban
3 . Graffiti has been around since
4 , and today we can still see messages
scratched on walls by 5 thousands of
years ago. In fact, the word ‘graffiti’ derives from the
6 word for scratching.

D. Watch again and write T for True or F for False.

1. The origins of modern graffiti can be traced to a specific period
and place.
2. A tag can be used on its own, or along with a larger piece of graffiti.
3. Stencils are unpopular because they are time-consuming.
4. It’s possible to find places in cities where you’re allowed to do
graffiti.
5. Yarn bombing is designed not to be permanent.

E. Watch again and answer the questions.

1. Why does the video call graffiti a ‘multicultural medium’?
2. According to the video, what is a good way to experience graffiti?
3. What’s the difference between a ‘throw-up’ and a ‘wildstyle’ piece?
4. Where can you see the works of professional artists?
5. What point does the video make about graffiti being considered art?
Copyright © MM Publications

6. What is the purpose of yarn bombing?

F. Talk in pairs.
• Do you think graffiti is a major problem?
• What other kinds of street art or street performers do you know of?

PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 15
 w
vie
ne ey
On
Pio K
er Mercator made the lines of latitude 5.
scholars
further apart as they moved from the 6.
innovation
equator and approached the poles. This, D. 1. c
however, distorted the map. The further
to

2.
b
north or south from the equator, the
3.
a
On View 1 larger the areas appear. For instance,
Greenland and Africa look the same size, 4.
b
A. 5.
c
when in reality Africa is 14 times larger.
North pole 6.
d
In fact, the U.S.A., China, Germany, Spain,
(Northern) Italy, France, the U.K. and India can fit E. 1. Because teaching of some form was
hemisphere inside Africa with room left over. taking place then.
equator The Mercator projection is still used for 2.
They are examples of what some of
the basis of maps today, however, many the students of Oxford have gone
people complain that the Mercator Map on to achieve.
longitude
is Eurocentric, as it makes most of the 3.
The municipality had to intervene.
latitude
South pole countries in the northern hemisphere 4.
A pioneering inventor and electrical
look larger than they actually are, and engineer
B. Open answer
therefore more important than the
C. 1. northern hemisphere 5.
By stating that the Guinness World
developing world. To rectify this, in 1974
Records has verified this as being true.
2.
developing world a cartographer named Arno Peters made
F. Open answer
3.
1974 a world map which tried to show the
4.
1800s world with more accurate proportions.
An identical map, made in the 1800s A university is an institution of higher
5.
accurate
by James Gall, was discovered soon education which grants academic
D. 1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T
afterwards, and the map is now known degrees to students, but it also is a place
E. 1. He projected the world onto where research is carried out. The word
as the Gall-Peters projection. Although,
a cylinder, then unrolled the cylinder ‘university’ comes from the Latin phrase
it is more accurate, people are so used
to make a 2D map. universitas magistrorum et scholarium
to the Mercator projection, that the Gall-
2.
They seem the same size, whereas Peters projection seems wrong. which roughly translates as a ‘community
Greenland is much smaller. of teachers and scholars’. Universities
When we look at a map we make
3.
The countries in Europe and the assumptions without realizing it. are alive with intellectual activity, and
northern hemisphere seem larger Most people would feel that there is they are often important centres of
than they actually are. something wrong with this map. But innovation, which has been the case for
4.
He wanted to make a map with the fact is, there is no logical reason centuries.
more accurate proportions. why a map should have north at the top The exact date when the University of
5.
Because we are used to seeing the and south at the bottom. It is simply Oxford was founded is not known, but
Mercator projection. something that was decided in ancient teaching of some form was taking place
6.
It was something that was decided times, and we have become accustomed in 1096, making it the oldest English-
in ancient times. to it. It is convention rather than speaking university. The first known
7.
As another example of how we have correctness. foreign scholar was Emo of Friesland
become accustomed to seeing the Another good example is the famous who arrived in 1190. After some disputes
world. “Blue Marble” photograph of the Earth between students and the people of
taken by astronauts on the Apollo 17 the town in 1209, some academics fled
F. Open answer
spacecraft. It is one of the most widely to Cambridge and formed their own
distributed images in human history. university. Today, the University of
Since ancient times cartographers or Oxford has over 22,000 students from
Today you will see the image with
mapmakers have made maps of the 140 different countries, and an academic
the south pole at the bottom, but the
world, or what they called, the “known staff from over 100 different countries.
original photo was taken with the south
world”. It wasn’t until the 15th century Oxford has educated many influential
pole at the top. It was rotated to make it
that maps started getting closer to the people, including 50 Nobel prize winners
easier for people to understand.
maps that are used today. However, and 26 British Prime Ministers.
making a flat map of a spherical planet
The University of Bologna was founded
has always caused problems.
On View 2 in 1088 and is the oldest university in
Copyright © MM Publications

In the 16th century, a cartographer
named Gerardus Mercator, invented a
new mathematical projection for making
a world map. The technique involved
first projecting the world onto a cylinder,
then unrolling the cylinder to make a
2D map. On Mercator’s new map the
horizontal lines, or latitude, and the
vertical lines, or longitude, appeared
as straight lines crossing at 90º angles.
Europe. At this time, there were many
A. Open answer
mutual aid societies which had foreign
B. a. the University of Oxford students. These societies, which were
b. the University of Bologna grouped by nation, decided to join
c.
the University of al-Karaouine together to make a larger association,
C. 1. higher education or universitas, and the word ‘university’
was born. The students gave the teachers
2.
degrees
‘collectio’ which was considered a gift,
3.
Latin
rather than a salary, and if students were
4.
teachers

16 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Key to Pioneer On view
unable to pay, then the municipality
had to intervene so their studies could
continue. Today, the university has 23
schools, with 85,000 students. It has
had many notable alumni, including the
mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus
Copernicus, and the pioneering inventor
and electrical engineer Guglielmo
Marconi.
According to the Guinness World
Records, the University of al-Karaouine
is the oldest existing, continually
operating, degree awarding university in
the world. It is situated in the city of Fez
in Morocco and was founded by Fatima
al-Fihri in 859. It quickly became one
of the leading educational centres of
the historic Muslim world. Noteworthy
scholars who studied at al-Karaouine
include the philosopher Averroes and
the geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi. In
1963 it was incorporated into Morocco’s
modern state university system.
On view 3
A. Open answer
B. • climate 3
• prehistoric animals —
• fever 3
• primitive humans 3
• the human brain 3
• Antarctica —
• polar ice caps 3
• rising sea levels —
C. 1. warm
2.
cold
3.
98.6ºF
4.
100.4ºF
5.
104ºF
6.
skin
7.
blue
8.
heart
9.
harm
D. 1. T
2.
F makes humans excellent survivors is
3.
F seafood school.
4.
T
5.
F brain makes us excellent survivors.
6.
T
E. 1. an icehouse earth
2.
when the polar ice caps melt
3.
seek immediate medical attention
4.
their intelligence / their
extraordinary brain
5.
they started making their own
shelters, instead of finding them
6.
Ice sheets will cover most of also went from finding shelter, to creating
the northern hemisphere which will their own shelter, which allowed greater
become uninhabitable, and most flexibility.
species, including humans, will be Recent research suggests that we are
forced to move south. overdue for another glacial period, and
F. Open answer its late arrival is a result of the effect of
human activity on the global climate.
However, the next glacial period will come
Throughout the history of the Earth,
sooner or later, and we need to be able
the climate of the planet has alternated
between two climate states, the to deal with it. Ice sheets will cover most
greenhouse earth and the icehouse of the northern hemisphere which will
earth, also known as ice age. There have become uninhabitable, and most species,
been 5 ice ages and within each there including humans, will be forced to move
have been individual short periods of south. We are lucky to be living in this
cold called glacials and warmer periods mild interglacial period, but will our huge
called interglacials. A glacial period is a population be able to survive the next
time when survival for many species is glacial period?
extremely difficult. The last glacial period
ended about 10,000 years ago. We are
currently living in the interglacial period On view 4
of an ice age that began 2.6 million years A. Open answer
ago. This ice age won’t come to an end B. 1. 3
until the ice or the polar caps melt in the
2. —
distant future.
3. —
Humans are essentially suited to warm
4. —
climates and struggle to deal with even
mild cold. The range of core temperature, 5. 3
in other words, normal body temperature, C. 1. capital
which humans can survive is narrow. 2.
40%
98.6ºF is normal, 100.4ºF is considered 3.
250
a fever, and 104ºF is life-threatening and 4.
Arabic
requires immediate medical attention. At 5.
Chinese New Year
temperatures of 95ºF the body begins to
D. 1. b
shiver, any lower than this and the skin
2.
a
begins to feel numb and can even appear
blue. When exposed to long periods of 3.
c
cold, the body reduces the blood flow to 4.
b
the extremities - the hands and feet - in E. 1. To show how prepared they were to
an attempt to save the vital organs, such found a colony.
as the heart. However, this means that 2.
To watch performing arts like opera,
the hands and feet can suffer permanent theatre, comedy and music.
harm. 3.
The opera house is in a harbour and
Primitive humans, living over 10,000 its roof resembles the sails of boats.
years ago, were unable to adapt 4.
It is the world’s largest mechanical
physically to survive the severe cold organ.
that covered the Earth, so they had 5.
They experience the New Year’s Eve
to find other methods. The thing that celebrations.
6.
You can learn how to cook at the
their extraordinary brain. The way the
human brain works sets us apart as far as
intelligence is concerned, and using this
F. Open answer
Copyright © MM Publications
Surviving the cold requires two
simultaneous skills. Firstly, eating food Tell people that Sydney is not the capital
which provides sufficient body heat, and of Australia and many will be surprised.
secondly preventing the loss of that heat After all, Sydney is Australia’s largest and
by having suitable clothing and shelter. most famous city. Sydney holds other
Early humans adapted by making the surprises too. Nearly 40% of Sydneysiders
most of the scarce vegetation that existed speak a language other than English at
and by becoming skilled hunters, thanks home, ranging from Afrikaans to Wu.
to improved weapons and tools, and More than 250 languages are spoken in
being able to control fire. Early humans Sydney, making it one of the world’s most
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 17
 Key to Pioneer On view
multicultural cities. Arabic is the most
widely-spoken non-English language,
followed by Mandarin and Cantonese.
Actually, Sydney’s Chinese New Year
Festival is the largest outside Asia.
The oldest inhabitants of Australia,
however, are the indigenous Aborigines.
Aboriginal Australians are believed to
have the oldest continuous culture on
Earth, with unique, bold art and a strong
respect for the natural world. There are
plenty of opportunities to learn about
Aboriginal culture in Sydney from tours to
performances.
Sydney was founded as a colony in 1788,
when a fleet of 11 ships arrived from
England, carrying seeds, tools, livestock
and a 2-year-supply of food. Sydney was
named after British Secretary of State,
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney.
Sydney Opera House, situated in Sydney
Harbour, is one of the most iconic
20th-century buildings, and one of the
world’s most famous performing arts
venues. An architectural wonder of the
world, it was made a World Heritage
Site in 2007. Its design was chosen by
holding an international competition,
won by Danish architect Jørn Utzon in
1957. It was built on the site of a tram
depot and opened in 1973. Approximately
1,600 shows are performed every year,
including opera, theatre, comedy and
music. The distinctive architectural
feature of Sydney Opera House is its roof
which is made of a series of concrete
shells, which resemble the sails of boats.
Its Concert Hall grand organ is the world’s
largest mechanical organ, with over
10,000 pipes.
Another famous landmark is ‘the
coathanger’ or Sydney Harbour Bridge.
It is the world’s tallest steel arch bridge;
its highest point is 134 metres above the
harbour. When it was first built, 270,000
litres of paint were needed to paint it
grey, the only colour available in large
enough quantities. Since 1993, it has been
the centrepiece of Sydney’s New Year’s
celebrations, with fireworks displays that
get more impressive every year.
With its coastal location, Sydney also
Copyright © MM Publications
boasts the world’s largest and most varied
fish market, after Tokyo. The market has
a seafood school with some of its classes
taught by Australia’s top chefs. Then,
of course, there are Sydney’s amazing
beaches, such as the beautiful Bondi
Beach, with golden sands and perfect
waves for surfing. Don’t you think it’s time
to go ‘Down Under’?
18 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
On view 5
A. Open answer
B. pitcher’s mound - the center of the
baseball field where the pitcher throws
the ball from
inning - one of the periods of a game
where one team has a turn batting
base - one of the four positions
a player has to reach to score runs
home plate - the place where the
batter stands, and where players must
return after rounding the bases
Major League - the league of
professional baseball teams in the
U.S.A.
left field - describes a part of the
baseball field or the player who plays
in that position
C. 1. Cincinnati
2.
1903
3.
Canada
4.
National League
5.
World Series
D. 1. c
2.
a
3.
d leagues, the American League and the
4.
c National League. The winners of each
E. 1. He/she scores one point (or run) for
their team.
2.
It is considered the home of
baseball.
3.
The MLB, the NBA, the NFL and the
NHL.
4.
It is called the ‘World Series’ even
though only teams from two
countries take part.
F. 1. take a rain check
2.
play ball
3.
hit it out of the park
4.
left field
G. Open answer
Baseball is played between two teams
of nine players using a bat and a ball. It
gets its name from the four bases placed
in the shape of a diamond on the field.
When one team is at bat, each player
takes turns to try and hit the ball, and
try to run counterclockwise touching all
the bases on the way. Meanwhile, the
fielding team stands in different positions
on the field with the pitcher standing
on the pitcher’s mound in the middle.
If one of the fielding team catches the
ball that the batter has hit before it hits
the ground, then the batter is out. Three
outs mean the end of an inning and the
batting team takes to the field and vice
versa. To score a run, a player must hit
the ball, then run and touch all the bases,
eventually returning to home plate where
he started. A player can stop at each base
if it’s difficult to reach the next. A hit that
allows the batter to touch all bases and
score a run is known as a home run. If the
ball is hit out of the field, the player can
simply walk from base to base.
The origins of baseball are unclear.
However, most experts believe it is
a development of European games
using a bat and a ball, most probably
rounders, popular in Great Britain and
Ireland. Baseball is played in Central and
South America, the Caribbean and East
Asia, however, the home of baseball is
undoubtedly the United States. In fact,
it is widely recognized as the country’s
national pastime.
The first professional team was founded
in Cincinnati in 1869. The Major League
Baseball organization was founded in
1903, and is the oldest of the four major
sports organizations in the U.S.A., which
include the NBA, the NFL and the NHL.
The MLB consists of teams from the
U.S.A. and Canada and they play in two
league play each other to become overall
champions in a contest called the World
Series, even though no other countries
are involved.
As well as providing entertainment
for millions of people, baseball has
also given us many common English
expressions. For example, “hit it out
of the park”, which means to achieve
complete success, refers to a player
hitting a home run. Or “left field” which
means a state or position that is strange,
refers to the player in left field who has
the furthest to throw to first base. Also,
“play ball”, which means to get going
or to start, is a phrase often said by the
umpire. Also, “rain check” is a ticket that
can be used at a later date if a game is
canceled because of rain. Today “take
a rain check” is an expression that is
used to say that you will arrange to do
something another time. Needless to
say, baseball is a fascinating pastime and
continues to influence all walks of life.
On view 6
A. Open answer
B. 1. 3
2. —
3. 3
4. 3
Key to Pioneer On view
C. 1. 11 kilometres
2.
Mount Everest
3.
2 kilometres
4.
1875
5.
human
D. 1. F
2.
T 75% of the world’s volcanoes are situated
3.
F there.
4.
T There are more than 25,000 islands in
5.
T the Pacific, and most of them are south
6.
T of the equator. They are traditionally
E. 1. The waters were peaceful when
he first sailed there, so he named it
mar pacifico.
2.
Because it can fit into the deepest
part of the Pacific Ocean with space
to spare.
3.
They used a weighted line.
4.
Because they have to withstand the
enormous pressure at the bottom of
the ocean.
5.
It has many volcanoes and
earthquakes there.
6.
Melanesia means ‘black islands’.
7.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen
from space.
F. Open answer
In 1520, the Spanish explorer Ferdinand
Magellan crossed the Atlantic from his
homeland and sailed down past the
southern point of the Americas, through
the passage that now bears his name,
the straits of Magellan. He described the
waters he entered as mar pacifico, which
means peaceful sea, because the waters
were still and calm, and the name stuck.
Describing the Pacific Ocean requires
a lot of superlatives. It is the largest
body of water on Earth at 165 million
square kilometres. It covers 30% of the
Earth’s surface and almost half of the
world’s water surface. In fact, the Pacific
is larger than all of the Earth’s land area
combined.
It is also the deepest ocean in the world
with the Mariana Trench at a depth of
almost 11 kilometres. If Mount Everest
were dropped into the Mariana Trench,
its peak would still be over 1.5 kilometres
underwater. The deepest known point
is the Challenger Deep, named after
the HMS Challenger expedition of 1875,
which first measured the trench’s depth
using a weighted line. Since then, several
human descents have been made, using
extremely tough submersibles that
can withstand the enormous pressure.
Amazingly, it has been discovered that
microbial life forms thrive within the
trench.
The trench forms the boundary between
two tectonic plates and is part of what
is known as the ‘Ring of Fire’. This is a
continuous series of volcanoes around
the edges of the Pacific Ocean where
many earthquakes and eruptions occur.
grouped into three divisions, Melanesia,
which means black islands, Micronesia,
which means small islands and Polynesia,
which means many islands.
There is a huge variety of animals living
in the Pacific as there are many different
climates and ecosystems, with huge
whales roaming the depths, and a large
quantity of tropical fish in the warm
shallow waters of the islands. Just off the
coast of Queensland, you can find the
largest single structure made by living
organisms - so large it can be seen from
space. The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s
largest coral reef system, stretches for
over 2,300 kilometres and is composed
of billions of tiny organisms, known as
coral polyps. Today it is a protected area
and a popular destination for tourists.
On view 7
A. Open answer
B. 1. backgrounds
2.
Arctic fox
3.
white
4.
blue-gray
5.
summer
6.
rocks
C. 1. d
2.
b
3.
c
4.
a producing bumps and spikes, to match
D. 1. It means to survive by finding food,
without getting eaten by prey.
2.
They are able to blend with the tall
grasses thanks to their spotted
patterns.
3.
impala, reef sharks and green sea
turtles.
4.
It changes color to protect itself
when it is threatened.
5.
blue-gray
6.
They are totally ignored as a
possible source of food.
E. Open answer
The wilderness is a dangerous place for
animals and survival primarily depends
on one fundamental principle: “Eat, don’t
be eaten.” This rule doesn’t need much
explanation, but what may be surprising
is the means by which some animals
achieve this.
Being the strongest, the largest or the
fastest are not the only advantages
which contribute to an animal’s hunting
or protection skills. Some animals have
another more subtle way of ensuring
survival, namely, camouflage, a shape
or coloring that conceals them in their
surroundings.
So, what are some examples? Leopards
are able to blend with the tall grasses
of the African savanna while stalking
prey, such as antelope and impala,
thanks to their highly distinctive spotted
patterns. However, impala also have
their own camouflage trick. They use
countershading, which is a form of
camouflage where the upper part of an
animal’s body is a darker color than the
lower part. Sun shining directly onto an
impala makes its belly darker and its back
lighter. For predators like leopards, which
see in degrees of light and shadow, the
impala will seem flat and will not stand out.
Countershading also occurs in marine
environments. When seen from below,
the light-colored belly of a reef shark or
a green sea turtle blends with the lighter
sky above. From above, their dark backs
blend with the ocean floor below, hiding
them from prey and predator respectively.
Other camouflage in the sea is employed
by octopuses. When threatened, an
octopus tucks in its tentacles and
changes color to match its surroundings.
This color change is brought about by
thousands of color-changing cells called
chromatophores, which are found below
the surface of octopuses’ skin and contain
different colored pigments. Octopuses
can even change the texture of their skin,
rocks and coral. They do this by altering
the size of projections on their skin, called
papillae.
There are many other startling ways
Copyright © MM Publications
that animals can disappear into their
backgrounds.
The Arctic fox has a winter camouflage
of a white, and sometimes blue-gray, coat
which blends with the snow and ice. In the
summer its coat is brown-gray to merge
with summer plants and rocks.
And in the insect world, the orchid
mantis has the colors and the shape of an
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 19
 Key to Pioneer On view

orchid flower making it a sly and surprise Any areas which may provide evidence crimes and also to clear those wrongly
predator, while the stick insect looks so are sectioned off with crime scene tape, convicted.
much like a stick that it is totally ignored so that unauthorized people cannot enter.
as a possible source of food. The investigator asks the first police
Camouflage is just another example of officer on the scene vital questions: Was On view 9
how extraordinary the natural world is. the door or window open when you A. Open answer
arrived? If not, how did you get in? Was
B. 1. 3
there a key or did you break in? Was there
On view 8 an unusual smell? Was the kettle warm?
2.
—
3
3.
A. Open answer The investigator’s main job is to gather
and examine information, whether it’s soil, 3
4.
B. • magnifying glass —
glass, tyre tracks, handwriting or splatter, 5.
—
• kettle 3
which is the pattern a liquid makes when C. 1. London
• tyre tracks 3 it splashes. They must also document a 2.
1912
• fingerprints 3 scene, which involves writing reports and 3.
computer science
• powder 3 taking photographs. Investigators need 4.
mathematician
• DNA 3 expert skills in many areas: photography,
5.
World War II
• knife — sketching, processing for hidden and
D. 1. b
• glove 3 apparent evidence, such as fingerprints,
footwear marks and strands of hair. 2.
d
• footprint 3
The crime scene kit which each 3.
a
C. 1. soil
investigator carries with them includes 4.
b
2.
tyre tracks
gloves, tweezers, tape, scissors, pens, E. 1. The Germans used to send Enigma
3.
liquid fingerprint powders and brushes. Even codes during World War II.
4.
reports without any ‘leads’, fingerprints can 2.
36 Enigma machines
5.
photographs point to possible suspects and may give 3.
He shortened World War II by two to
6.
sketching clues about a criminal’s size, gender and three years, saving millions of lives.
7.
hair occupation. 4.
two
D. 1. F In the late 1700s, a German doctor, J. C. 5.
1954
2.
F A. Mayer, reported that no two people
6.
He was a 13-year-old boy that a
can have the same fingerprints. In 1823, J.
3.
T computer pretended to be.
E. Purkynie discovered that fingerprints
4.
F 7.
He invented a machine that
could be classified and in 1877 Sir William
5.
T could theoretically calculate
Herschel proposed taking the prints of
6.
F anything expressed as an algorithm,
prisoners. By 1910, fingerprints were used
which became the basis of
7.
F to identify people in many countries and
computer programming.
E. 1. It makes sure that unauthorized in 1924, the Identification Division of the
FBI was established. 8.
in the last two years of his life
people cannot enter.
Latent, or invisible fingerprints, are F. Open answer
2.
photography, sketching, processing
for hidden and apparent evidence commonly revealed by dusting with
3.
gloves, tweezers, tape, scissors, powders. The powders stick to oils Life as we know it would have been
pens, fingerprint powders and and moisture left behind, showing up very different had it not been for
brushes fingerprint patterns. Fingerprints are Alan Turing, born in London on June
recorded by photographs and by lifting, 23rd, 1912. He is considered to be the
4.
In 1924, the Identification Division of
using sticky tape. For shoeprints found father of modern computer science
the FBI was established.
outdoors, a 3D cast of the print can be and artificial intelligence and was also
5.
The powders stick to oils and
made by pouring a casting liquid into and the extraordinary mathematician who
moisture left behind, showing up
around the print. Once the liquid hardens, was the main brain in decoding the
fingerprint patterns.
the cast is lifted and taken to a lab. supposedly unbreakable codes of the
6.
Identical twins are the only people German Enigma machine used to send
The most significant progress in
who have the same DNA. military and top secret messages during
forensic science in the last thirty years
7.
Anything that may have been World War II.
has been made through the analysis
touched, whether with someone’s
Copyright © MM Publications

hands or lips, and hair as well can be
analysed for DNA.
F. Open answer
A crime scene investigator supports
the police officer in charge of a case.
When they arrive at a crime scene, their
top priority is to ‘secure’ the scene with
minimal disturbance and contamination.
of DNA evidence. DNA stands for
deoxyribonucleic acid and is a blueprint
for everything in your body. Except for
identical twins, everyone’s DNA is unique.
Anything that may have been touched,
whether with someone’s hands or lips,
and hair as well can be analysed for
DNA. DNA analysis techniques have been
around since 1985 and have been used
to prove that suspects were involved in
The Enigma codes were set by typing
a message on a typewriter. For each
key pressed, a light lit up on a “lamp
board”, showing a different key, giving
the Germans their cypher, or secret
language, text. The code was reset
every day with 159 quintillion possible
daily settings. At Bletchley Park, the U.K.
code-breaking center, Alan Turing and
Gordon Welchman, designed a massive

20 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Key to Pioneer On view
machine, the British Bombe, containing
36 Enigma machines. It worked by
mathematically eliminating possible
codes of the captured German machines
they worked on. At its quickest, the
machine discovered an Enigma setting in
15 minutes. Historians say that Turing’s
incredible work in cracking the Enigma
cypher shortened World War II by two to
three years, saving millions of lives.
After the war, Turing explored the
possibility of thinking machines, now
known as artificial intelligence and
created the “Turing Test”. It involved
a person, a machine and a human
questioner in another room. The
questioner had to determine which
was real, the person or the machine. In
2014, 60 years after Turing’s death, the
Turing Test was passed by a computer
for the first time. The computer programs
were tested in 5-minute keyboard
conversations with the judges, and a
Russian computer fooled 33% of them
into thinking it was a 13-year-old boy
named Eugene from Odessa, Ukraine.
As well as exploring the possibilities of
thinking machines, Turing was fascinated
by the question of what it means for
a task to be calculable. This led to his
concept of a Turing Machine, a universal
machine which could theoretically
calculate anything expressed as
an algorithm - a set of sequenced
mathematical instructions. Turing’s
ideas became the basis of computer
programming.
Alan Turing’s interest in mathematics
was far-reaching. In the last two years
of his life, he worked in the field of
mathematical biology. He published a
paper on morphogenesis (how shapes
are created in living organisms),
proposing theories about how patterns
are formed in nature, such as the stripes
of a tiger or the patterns of flowers or
shells. Like other scientists he marveled
at the existence of the Fibonacci
sequence of numbers that appears
in many structures in nature. In the
Fibonacci sequence each subsequent
number is the sum of the previous two.
Turing’s influence on the modern world is
undeniable, and he is recognized as one
of the greatest mathematicians of the
20th century.
On view 10
A. Open answer
B. mill - a building with machinery used
to ground grain
steam power - the power that is
produced from steam using pressure,
and is used in engines and machines
industrial revolution - a period that
began in the 18th century when
machines were used to do work
assembly line - a line of workers/
machines in a factory, organised in
such a way as to perform more
efficiently
mass production - producing goods
in large quantities in order to reduce
costs
C. 1. 18th
2.
industry
3.
water-powered
4.
1746
5.
raw material
D. 1. F
2.
F Cromford Mill in Derbyshire, which is
3.
T
4.
T
5.
F
6.
T such as wool and cotton. It became one
E. 1. at home
2.
pans, pins and wire
3.
Mills were buildings which had
machinery powered by water or
wind. During the industrial
revolution, these were replaced by
steam power, but the term mill
survived.
4.
He patented one of the most
important inventions of the
industrial revolution.
5.
They were able to afford cars.
6.
welding, painting, assembly and
packaging
7.
Factories will be operated by
thousands of tiny machines working
together like a swarm of insects.
F. Open answer
Most historians agree that there were
no production facilities in ancient times
that could accurately be called factories.
One of the earliest examples of a factory
in the modern sense of the term was the
Venetian Arsenal, a shipbuilding facility
which was founded in 1104. The Venetian
Arsenal had different groups producing
the different parts of the ship, which
were then assembled by another group
to make the complete ship. At its peak,
it produced nearly one ship a day and
employed 16,000 workers. This is also
the first example of an assembly line.
Up until the mid 18th century,
most countries had a system of
manufacturing called cottage industry,
where the creation of products was
home-based. One of the earliest
factories was the water-powered silk
mill in Derby in England, which opened
in 1721 and, by 1746, had turned into a
brass mill, where raw material went in
one end and pans, pins and wire came
out the other.
The term mill originally referred to the
building which had machinery powered
by water or wind for grinding grain.
During the industrial revolution, water
and wind were replaced by steam power,
but the term mill survived, so today we
have paper mills, steel mills, sawmills,
etc.
In 1769, Richard Arkwright patented
the spinning frame and established the
considered to be the earliest example
of a factory. The spinning frame
revolutionised the spinning of thread
and in turn the production of materials
of the most important inventions of the
industrial revolution. Developments
like these had a massive influence on
manufacturing, and more and more
factories producing a wide range of
products were built.
In the early 20th century, the factory
concept was revolutionised by the
car manufacturer Henry Ford. He
developed the assembly line by using
a highly structured process involving
specialised workers. It is now known
as mass production and it dramatically
decreased the cost of production,
making it possible for people of all walks
of life to own a car. The concept was far-
reaching and brought about the age of
consumerism.
The next big development was the use
of industrial robots in the 1970s. These
machines were able to complete tasks
like welding, painting, assembly and
packaging quickly and precisely. These
days, car factories are dominated by
robots, with production lines containing
Copyright © MM Publications
hundreds of machines. Experts have
many theories about the future of
factories, but one thing is for sure -
robots will play a large part. Some
believe that factories will be operated
by thousands of tiny machines working
together like a swarm of insects. There’s
no doubt, however, that humans will
always strive to improve the way things
are manufactured.
PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 21
 Key to Pioneer On view

On view 11 Ocean. Its geological history, its isolation D. 1. T

A. Open answer and its location in the tropics shaped its 2.
T
B. a. baobab biodiversity. 3.
F
b.
aye aye Madagascar’s climate is hugely variable 4.
T
because of the size of the island and
c.
dwarf chameleon 5.
T
also because of the mountains that run
d.
ring-tailed lemur E. 1. Graffiti artists come from many
down the length of it. The east side gets
e. fossa different backgrounds.
drenched with rains that come from the
C. 1. fourth Indian Ocean, while the west is sheltered 2.
You can go on guided walking tours
2.
300 by the mountains. Here, there are forests which highlight the most popular
of baobab trees, also known as “upside- and important graffiti in the area.
3.
Africa
down trees”, because when the tree has 3.
‘Throw-ups’ only have a few colours
4.
lions
no leaves, the branches look like roots. and are created quickly, while
5.
snakes
Baobabs are enormous, up to 80 feet tall ‘wildstyle’ pieces are more colourful
6.
5% and take a long time to make.
and up to ten feet wide. Their trunks are
7.
80% 4.
You see the works of professional
swollen with stored water to survive the
D. 1. a harsh, dry conditions. artists at exhibitions in galleries.
2.
c The ring-tailed lemur is Madagascar’s 5.
As some graffiti is destructive and
3.
b national animal, unmistakable because of ugly, it shouldn’t always be
4.
d its long stripy tail. Lemurs are unique to considered art.
E. 1. They are examples of African Madagascar. From fossil evidence, it seems 6.
It is temporary decoration which
animals that you might expect to they washed ashore from Africa millions attempts to make the city more
find in Madagascar. of years ago, then gradually evolved on attractive.
2.
Its geological history, its isolation Madagascar. There are over 60 species F. Open answer
and its location in the tropics of lemurs, ranging from the largest called
caused its biodiversity. indri that have loud whale-like songs, sifaka
Graffiti is the art of writing or drawing
3.
The east side gets drenched with that hop on their hind legs, and red-fronted
pictures on a wall, often in a public
rains that come from the Indian lemurs that seem like they can fly from tree
place. It is considered by some to be
Ocean, while the west is sheltered to tree. Lemurs are very social animals,
nothing but unattractive vandalism,
by the mountains. living in troops of up to 30 animals.
but by others it is considered to be an
4.
baobab trees Almost half of the world’s species of art form that expresses urban culture.
chameleon live in Madagascar. Chameleons Graffiti has been around since ancient
5.
Baobab trees have wide trunks to
are usually bright and shiny and change times, and today we can still see
store water which helps them to
color depending on temperature and messages scratched on walls by Romans
survive the harsh, dry conditions.
mood, rather than for the purpose of thousands of years ago. In fact, the word
6.
catching prey
camouflage as is commonly believed. Their ‘graffiti’ derives from the Italian word for
7.
It is very small, and has the same tongues can be more than twice the length scratching.
color as the leaves on the floor of of their bodies, which is bad news for their
the rainforest. Modern graffiti has its roots in designs
prey, and they have excellent eyesight
painted on subway cars in New York
F. Open answer as their eyes can move independently of
City during the 60s and 70s. In the
each other. Madagascar is also home to
late seventies, it evolved into one of
Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the one of the world’s tiniest lizards - the dwarf
the main elements of hip hop culture.
world, is one of the most unique places on chameleon or Brookesia micra, which is
Graffiti artists come from many different
Earth. It lies in the Indian Ocean, 300 miles about the size of a thumb nail. Brookesia
backgrounds so it is truly a multicultural
off the southeastern coast of Africa but have the same color as the leaves on the
medium. It represents the ethnic
don’t expect to find the elephants, lions and floor of the rainforest where they live,
diversity of New York, the city where it
hippopotamuses found in Africa. Instead making them almost impossible to see.
was born, and it is no surprise that many
you will find aye aye, sifaka, tenrec, fossa, The biodiversity on Madagascar is truly major cities around the world have
Mantella frogs and spear-nosed snakes. stunning, making it one of the most unique their own graffiti culture. In some cities,
Madagascar has an incredible biodiversity, places on our planet. you can go on guided walking tours
5% of all plant and animal species live which highlight the most popular and
here and over 80% of all its known wildlife important graffiti in the area.
cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. On view 12
Copyright © MM Publications

There are many different graffiti styles.

About 270 million years ago, most of the A. Open answer ‘Tagging’ is the simplest form of graffiti
Earth’s dry land was joined in one huge and is created using one colour. A tag is
B. c
supercontinent called Pangaea. Over basically a graffiti artist’s signature and
C. 1. public place
millions of years, this supercontinent can be seen as part of a larger work,
broke apart into separate continents, with 2.
vandalism
or on its own as a simple statement. A
Madagascar being connected to what is 3.
culture
‘throw-up’ is slightly more complicated,
now India before breaking away itself. For 4.
ancient times
using two or three colours, but it still has
the past 88 million years, Madagascar 5.
Romans to be made quickly. ‘Wildstyle’ pieces are
has been all alone, isolated in the Indian 6.
Italian

22 – PIONEER LEVEL B2
Key to Pioneer On view

a complicated and extremely stylised

form of writing which may be difficult to
read for non-graffiti artists. Stencils are
another quick way of creating works,
and have increased in popularity in
recent years.
Traditionally, graffiti artists create works
in public places, but it is also common
to see graffiti on old buildings that
aren’t being used. Many municipalities
set aside places where graffiti artists
are allowed to work, and some building
owners even encourage graffiti artists
by commissioning works. Nowadays,
talented professional graffiti artists
are highly sought after, and it is quite
common to see exhibitions of their work
in galleries.
However, it must be said that not
all graffiti should be considered art.
There are some works that are creative
and even amusing, but a great deal
is destructive and ugly. One method
that has evolved to counteract this
widespread destructiveness is called
‘yarn bombing’. These are colourful
displays of knitting which are added to
trees and monuments. They are meant
to be temporary, and can be easily
removed if necessary. Their purpose is
to make the city look more attractive.

Copyright © MM Publications

PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 23
Pioneer Level Β2
On view video activities
H. Q. Mitchell - Marileni Malkogianni

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ISBN: 978-618-05-0168-1
 Copyright © MM Publications
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ISBN: 978-618-05-0168-1
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PIONEER LEVEL B2 – 17