Smart stuff
L
Overview
The theme of this unit is science and technology,
with a special focus on technology as seen in films.
Target vocabulary
Vocabulary to talk about science and technology,
computing, words that go together, vocabulary to
talk about films
Target grammar
The passive, have/get something done
Language skills
Scanning a reading text for specific information,
listening for the overall meaning, giving and
justifying opinions, planning and writing a review
Exam skills
Answering multiple-choice questions on a reading
or listening passage, open gap fill, multiple-choice
gap fill, writing a review
Reading (SB pages 74 and 75)
Get ideas
1 The lead-in prepares students to think about the
topic of science and different areas of study that it
can cover. As well as using the photos, you could ask
students what they have studied in science classes at
school or college and what areas of science they
found the most interesting.
2 Some students may of course have actually visited
a science museum, in which case they can tell the
class about the experience.
Time to read
3 Ask students to look at the four texts and establish
that they are all advertisements for museums.
4 This exercise practises the skill of scanning a text
or group of texts for specific information. Focus
students' attention on the Skillzone and go over the
advice.Then ask students to underline the words that
they will scan for in each of the questions one to ten.
When students are scanning, they do not need to
start at the beginning of the text as they are not
reading for the meaning, only looking for one specific
word or phrase, so tell them to try looking from the
bottom to the top of the page sometimes, and see if
they find the word any more quickly.
Remind them that they may not find the same word
as they have underlined as sometimes it will be
paraphrased, and ask them to suggest paraphrases
for one or two of the items here such as sudden
movements in the earth's surface. You could also
point out that sometimes the paraphrase will be a
specific example of something in the question. To
help them with this, ask students to suggest
examples of popular fictional characters (question
one) and sporting competitions (question six). Finally,
give students a maximum of about five minutes to
answer the questions.
Answers
1 A (the science behind superhero powers)
2 B (At the lazar harp exhibit, you can compose music)
3 A (if you want a souvenir of your visit, you can even
publish your own webpage)
4 D (Visitors to our website can explore hundreds of
interesting topics)
5 C (you can become a detective)
6 A (try out on a high-speed virtual Olympic bobsled run)
7 C (Experience interactive illusions that will puzzle your
brain)
8 C (Experience how it feels to be shaken by an
earthquake/Earthquakes create huge holes in the
ground. . .you control the forces of nature)
9 D (Climate change. . .you can find out. . .how researchers
collect evidence, test theories and come to conclusions)
10 C (star in your own video)
Idea
A scanning exercise such as the one here can be turned
into a reading race. Ask students to cover the page with
the questions and just focus on the text. You read out the
questions to the class. Students scan the text and put up
their hand as soon as they have found the answer. The
first student with his or her hand up who gives the correct
answer scores a point.
5 Students should use the contexts in the reading
passages to work out the meanings rather than
dictionaries.
Answers
1 train 2 exhibits 3 souvenir 4 virtual 5 hands-on
6 puzzle 7 interactive 8 illusions 9 website
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Smart stuff ~J
Summarise
With books closed, ask students to name four or more
things they can do or find out about at the museums
Time to talk
6 You could discuss this as a group, or ask students
to work in pairs or groups to compare their
preferences. They could also compare the museums
described here with any museums in their home
town or country.
Students can watch a clip from Incredible
Creations at this point, or at the end of the unit
(see SB page 83).
Homework
Workbook pages 44-45
Vocabulary (SBpage76)
Science and technology
1 Students match the words with the definitions.
If they are unsure, they can look back at the
reading activity to check. Check pronunciation
and stress. You will also need to point out that
phenomena is actually a plural (irregular because
originally derived from Greek), and ask what the
singular is ( phenomenon ).
Answers
1 e 2g 3h 4a 5d 6c 7f 8b
2 Students will probably be familiar with most of
these words. They can work in pairs to pool their
knowledge. Many of the words will probably be used
in the students' own language but you may need to
check the English pronunciation.
Answers
Computer: screen, monitor, hard drive, keyboard, mouse,
software
Internet: World Wide Web, virtual, website, crash,
download, webpage, interactive, forum, online, chat room
3 This exercise gives further practice with some of
the items from Exercise 2 and puts them into
context.
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Answers
1 hard drive 2 mouse 3 virtual 4 chat room 5 download
4 Students match the science subjects with what
they study. This is a good opportunity to look at word
formation when you check the answers by eliciting
the corresponding adjectives and any other related
words such as mathematics-mathematical-
mathematician.
Answers
1 e 2a 3 f 4d 5c 6b
5 Focus students' attention on the Wordzone and go
over the advice for choosing the right word. Then
students complete Exercise 5. When checking the
answers, elicit the reasons why the other alternative
is not correct and ask students to give you a different
example sentence using this word correctly.
Answers
1 discovered 2 researching 3 experiment 4 key 5 plug
6 This gives students the chance to talk about the
topic of technology in a freer context. Be prepared to
feed in vocabulary as necessary. Students compare
their ideas about how important their gadgets are.
Round off the activity by asking one or two individual
students to explain to the class why a particular
gadget is important to them.
Memorise
The competition could be done during a later session
as revision If you wish to make it more challenging,
you could choose a particular aspect of science such as
astronomy for students to make word lists for. This way,
the competition could be repeated several times with
different subjects.
Homework
Workbook pages 44 and 46
Use of English book page 47
Grammar (SB page 77)
The passive
1 and 2 At this level students will be familiar with
basic passive forms and their uses. The Grammarzone
therefore concentrates on the reasons why the
passive is most commonly used and points out some
additional information about passive forms such as
the omission of the verb in certain contexts. After

going over the information in the Grammarzone, ask
students to look at the sentences in Exercise 1 and
name the tenses. Then they complete Exercise 2 by
rewriting the sentences in the passive. Point out that
in each case they must only change active to passive
and not change the actual tense used. For sentences
nine and ten, refer students to the final point in the
Grammarzone.
Answers
1 present continuous 2 present continuous 3 present
perfect 4 will future 5 past continuous 6 present perfect
7 will future 8 simple past 9 simple present 10 simple
past 11 simple past
Answers
1 Superman Returns is being screened...,
2 ...it is being used by another class...,
3 . .our trip to the museum has been cancelled.
4 More jobs will be done by robots
5 . .it was being reorganised.
6 The website I was looking for has been removed.
7 A new spacecraft will be sent.
8 When was the first car invented?
9 Visitors are not allowed to take drinks. . .,
10 We were made to leave the museum.
11 ...he was turned down...,
...
3 This exercise gives further practice with passive
forms. Emphasise that students need to think
carefully what the tense is in each sentence first
before they write the passive form.
Answers
1 Visitors were being given a science demonstration.
2 We will be shown a replica. . .,
3 Visitors were given...,
4 The inventor has been paid...,
5 They were offered. ..,
6 The children are being told a story.
7 Jessica was taught the guitar....
4 Ask students to read through the text quickly and
summarise it in a few words. Then they complete the
passage by inserting the verbs in the correct tenses.
Both active and passive forms are needed.
Answers
1 becomes 2 is given 3 use 4 were shown 5 has just been
tested 6 be used 7 believe 8 has been proven
Smart stuff 7
Time to talk
5 Students comment briefly on the subject of the
gap-fill text. They will probably be able to think of
many bad ways in which an invisibility gadget could
be used, so challenge them to think of a way in which
it could actually help people.
Homework
Workbook page 47
Use of English book pages 44-46
Listening (SB page 78)
Get ideas
1 and 2 This lead-in prepares students to think about
how science and technology may develop in the
future and how it may affect home and school life. To
focus the discussion, you could ask them to write
down two or three predictions for each area such as /
think all lessons might take place on line in future and
ask them to compare ideas in pairs and groups.
3 Students match the expressions and definitions in
preparation for the listening. If they do not know
them all, encourage them to guess rather than asking
you or checking in a dictionary.
Answers
1c 2b 3a 4e 5d
4 Students now use the expressions to complete the
sentences. You could also ask them to choose two or
three of the expressions and write sentences of their
own.
Answers
1 down to the fact that 2 to do with 3 a bit far-fetched
4 get a window on 5 it's driving me mad
Time to listen (Track 2.2)
5 Students have already practised answering
multiple-choice questions on short extracts. Focus
attention on the Examzone and go over the advice.
Emphasise in particular that in these questions they
are listening for the overall meaning, not for just one
word or phrase. Students then listen (Track 2.2) and
complete the questions. You could allow them to
compare in pairs before listening a second time.
Answers
1C 2A 3C 4 B 5 C 6B 7A 8C
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Smart stuff 7
Speaking (SB page 79)
Get ideas (Tracks 2.3 and 2.4)
1 and 2 Ask students to look at the photos and
identify the technology used in each one. They then
say which they think is the most interesting and
which they think might be the most important in our
lives.
Photos
The photos show videoconferencing, using a thumbprint as
identification, an X-ray or scan in a hospital, a routefinder or
'Sat Nav' in a car, and a robot dog.
3 Go over the phrases in the Useful phrases box and
the advice in the Examzone. In an exam situation,
sometimes students feel that they have to give a
definite opinion about something when asked (even if
they don't really have this opinion) so point out that
many of the phrases for giving opinions are relatively
tentative. The advice in the Examzone is also useful
here in reassuring students that it is perfectly
acceptable to say that they are not sure about
something. It is also easier for students to think of
good reasons for relatively moderate opinions than to
try to justify a strong point of view that they may not
really have. Practise some of the useful phrases and
draw attention to how they can use intonation to
sound more certain or more tentative. Then students
listen (Track 2.3) to the conversation and tick the
useful phrases that they hear.
Answers
I think...,
I don't know very much about any of this. . .but
I'm not sure but I've read that. ..,
My personal view is that...,
Could you repeat the question?
I'm convinced that...,
4 Ask some individual students to give their opinions
on these two issues using the phrases in Exercise 3
and adding reasons.
5 and 6 These exercises focus on pronunciation. Go
over the four sounds in the table in Exercise five and
then ask students to write the words in the correct
column. Then they listen (Track 2.4) to the words and
check their answers. Then ask them to brainstorm
some other words with these sounds. To make the
exercise more challenging ask them to find words
with the same sounds but different spellings from the
ones in the words here, such as low, taught, and buy.
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Answers
[column one) note, those, so
[column two] now, nowadays, about
Icolumn three) for, more, sure
[column four] lie, write, rely
Time to speak
7 Students now work in pairs to ask and answer the
questions here. If you wish to make the exercise
more like exam practice, you can tell one student in
each pair to play the part of the examiner and ask the
questions with the other student answering. Then
they should swap roles.
Use your English (SB pages 80 and 81)
Words that go together
1 This exercise focuses on some verb-noun
collocations. Students match each one with the
correct definition. You could extend the exercise by
asking them to suggest some other nouns often used
with these verbs such as set up a business, a system.
Answers
1 d 2e 3a 4f 5c 6b
2 Students now complete the sentences, which put
the verb-noun collocations in context.
Answers
1 surfing the Internet 2 set up an experiment 3 collect
data 4 investigate a problem 5 follow the procedure
6 conducting research
3 Ask students to read the text to gain an overall idea
of the content. Ask if any of them have already
created profiles for themselves, or if they use any of
the other sites for networking with friends such as
Facebook. Then they choose the correct answers for
the gap fill.
Answers
1C2D3B4B5C6A7D8C9D10A11B
12 C 13 A

Have/get something done
Books closed warm-up
Use the context in the Myspace text to briefly present the
grammar point. Write You can get/have your website built
by someone else on the board and check the form and
meaning. Point out that get here is usually more informal
than have. Then ask students to work in pairs or groups and
brainstorm a list of other things that people normally have
done for them rather than doing themselves. If necessary,
give students prompts by writing some places on the
board such as at the hairdressers, at the dentists, at the
opticians, in hospital, at the dry cleaner's, at the tattoo
parlour.
1 and 2 Go over the information in the Grammarzone
with students and then ask them to complete the
two exercises.
Answers
1 having/getting 2 had 3 have/get/be having/be getting
4 get 5 got/have got 6 having/getting 7 get
Answers
1 get my hair cut 2 get/have it repaired 3 get/have it
fixed 4 had/got it stolen 5 Get those DVDs put away
6 getting/having
3 Write the name James Bond on the board and give
students a minute to brainstorm any associated
vocabulary. Then ask them if they have seen any
James Bond films. If they mention any of the ones in
the text, ask if they remember any gadgets that Bond
used in the film. Then ask them to read the text once
to gain an overall idea of the content and then
complete the gaps.
Answers
1 the 2 have 3 a 4 this 5 from/at 6 to 7 have/get
8 about/on 9 so 10 part 11 be 12 In 13 an
Time to talk
4 Students comment on which of the gadgets they
think is the best and name any other gadgets they
have seen in films. If James Bond does not appeal,
you could try asking them about gadgets used in any
other films and which one they would most like to be
able to work. The Harry Potter films, for instance,
feature, as well as an invisibility cloak and a flying car,
a time turner which allows the user to travel back in
time. There is also something called Polyjuice potion
in the Harry Potter films which allows the user to turn
into someone else for a brief period, and Portkeys
Smart stuff ~J
which allow the user to be transported to another
place.
Homework
Workbook page 49
Use of English book pages 48-49
Writing (SB pages 82 and 83)
Get ideas
1 and 2 The lead-in prepares students to think about
films, especially science fiction. If students have seen
any of the films in the photos, ask them to briefly
summarise what happens and say whether they
enjoyed the film or not. Finally introduce the topic of
reviews by asking if they read them or use them to
decide what films to see or books to read.
Photos
From bottom left to right, the photos show images from
X-Men: The Last Stand, Spiderman 2, Hellboy and Fantastic
Four
Plan ahead
3 Students read the announcement and decide on a
science fiction film they could review.
4 Students read the list of possible items to include
in a review and decide which ones are normally
included or important.
Answers
a summary of the plot
details of what you liked and didn't like
reasons for your views
a recommendation about whether to see the film or read the
book
5 Students read the model review to check their
ideas. Point out that a review does not usually give a
detailed description of the story but only a brief
summary and it often avoids giving away the ending,
otherwise it might spoil the film for people who have
not seen it! It might give information about who
produced the film but many readers will be less
interested in this than knowing who the actors were.
6 Ask students to summarise the topic of each of the
paragraphs. When checking the answers, ask
students which word tells them that paragraph three
will contrast with the paragraph before it (However).
Paragraph four gives the recommendation.
Finally, draw students’ attention to the Examzone. Go
over the tips for writing a review and ask students if
they can suggest any additional advice.
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