UNIT 11 INNOVATION

STARTING POINT

1.Put these twentieth century innovations and inventions in order

from the earliest to the most recent
- photocopier - instant coffee
- velcro - vacuum cleaner
- handled calculator - parking meter

2. Which innovations and inventions of the twentieth century do you

think were the most important and useful?
 READING

Task: Working with words

1.Why did Mitchell Ditkoff and John Havens invest

the Breakthrough Cafe?
2. Would you like to go there?
Food for thought
The Breakthrough Cafe 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 customers 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 a 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 percent 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
 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. Base 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 employ
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”.
1. a. prototype b. catalyst c. concept
2. a. reliable b. dynamic c. original
3. a. traditional b. revolutionary c. state-of-the-art
4. a. revolutionary b. reliable c. simple
5. a. facilitator b. brainchild c. invention
6. a. came across b. came out c. came up
7. a. time b. minute c. moment
8. a. breakthrough b. innovation c. reliability
9. a. obstacle b. prototype c. brainchild
 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.
Types of reported speech
1.Peter: “I work in the garden.”
Peter said that he worked in the garden.”
2. Peter: “I worked in the garden.”
Peter: “I have worked in the garden.”
Peter: “I had worked in the garden.”
Peter said that he had worked in the garden.”
3. Peter: “I will work in the garden.”
Peter said that he would work in the garden.”
4. Peter: “I can work in the garden.”
Peter said that he could work in the garden.”
5. Peter: “I may work in the garden.”
Peter said that he might work in the garden.”
6. Peter: “I would work in the garden.”
Peter said that he would work in the garden.”
(could, might, should, ought to)
 Progressive form
1. Peter: “I am working in the garden.”
Peter said that he was working in the garden.”
2. Peter: “I was working in the garden.”
Peter: “I have been working in the garden.”
Peter: “I had been working in the garden.”
Peter said that he 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
 EXERCISE
Finish the sentence using Reported Speech. Always change the tense
and the time expressions, although it is sometimes not necessary.
Example:
Peter: “I cleaned the black shoes yesterday.”
Peter told me that he had cleaned the black shoes the day before
1. Emily: “My teacher will go to Thailand 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 am 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 ......
7. David: “John had already gone at six.”
David said that ......
 LANGUAGE FUNCTION

TELEPHONING
Some useful expressions in telephoning

Can I speak to Peter Salim, please?

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 meeting. I’ll call you back.
I think we’ve covered everything.
Speak to you soon.
Bye for now.
 DIALOGUE

BEGINNING A CALL
A: I’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. Steve 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. I wanted 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