5 Things you can expect from the house of the future

Home automation isn't just a neologism, it's the future. What can you expect to see in homes of the future? Here are five trends on the horizon:

1. Tell your home what to do anytime, anywhere.

If you (want 1) to take a shower when you (get 2) home, you (be able 3) to program your smart water heater to start heating up while you (be 4) still at work. You even (preheat 5) your oven while you (be 6) on your way home. You (not need 7) to be home to turn on the gadgets provided you (buy 8) those smart home devices.

2. Excuse me, my house is calling.

Is the door locked? Did I turn off the lights? Did I shut off the gas stove? Right now, everyone has had a moment like that. But in the house of the future, your home (check 9) in with you. You (know 10) immediately when your smoke detector (ring 11) or when the door (get 12) unlocked.

3. Customize your home according to your life.

We all have our routines. Get up, jog, shower, make coffee. Any number of these steps might require technology. In your home of the future, you (program 13) all of your devices to work in unison, which (make 14) your AM routine less taxing. When you (turn 15) on the lights in the morning, the blinds (open 16), and probably (if you (wish 17), of course) the garage door (open 18) as well. Or you can time it all. If you (wake up 19) at 6 a.m. while it (be 20) still dark, the lights (flip on 21) and then (flip off 22) automatically after the sun (rise 23).

4. Talking to your home won't be weird.

Talking to yourself (take on 24) a whole new meaning. In future homes, you (be able 25) to speak to your oven or light bulbs and not sound crazy. You (give 26) directions to you fridge and washing-machine if you (feel 27) like it. You also (control 28) the special robots while they (clean 29) your home.

5. Dangers will lurk (but that's always true).

All technology can pose dangers. One concern that (come 30) naturally with an technology that (control 31) everything in your smart home is: what (happen 32) if somebody (hack 33) it? Now the hackers (be able 34) to unlock your door, open your garage, cause a mess at your home if they simply (take 35) control of your phone. This is the issue that Smart Home companies (have 36) to consider seriously.

40. Use the verbs from the box in the proper tense form to fill in the gaps in the text.

agree not understand give spend lose

give not give get spend look

A lady saw a woman asking for money. She took a $20 bill out of her purse, and asked, “If I _______ (1) you this money you _______ (2) it on chocolate?” “Don’t be ridiculous!” the beggar replied. “Do you think I _______ (3) my money on trifles?” “How about shopping?” she asked. “No,” the beggar said, “you _______ (4) I need money just to stay alive.” “Will you spend it on your hair?” the lady asked. Annoyed the beggar replied, “No, if I _______ (5) this money I _______ (6) it on food and shelter.” “In that case,” the lady said, “I _______ (7) you any money unless you _______ (8) to eat out with me and my husband tonight.” “Why?” The beggar asked. “Well,” the lady said “I think it’s important for him to see what a lady _______ (9) like if she _______ (10) up chocolate, shopping, and hair appointments.”

41. Put in will where necessary.

If you _____ (1) go to Cyprus this summer, you _____ (2) never regret it. As soon as you _____ (3) come there you _____ (4) forget all your worries. You _____ (5) marvel at the breathtaking scenery of the island. You _____ (6) feel the beauty of a typical Mediterranean country in the variety of architectural m onuments. You _____ (7) see works of local craftsmen and _____ (8) try the most delicious food you can imagine!

I don’t know if you _____ (9) have enough time to see everything. Perhaps you _____ (10) begin your tour of the island from the Troodos Mountains. If you _____ (11) start at eight it _____ (12) not be very hot and you _____ (13) feel quite comfortable throughout the trip. As soon as you _____ (14) take the bus the guide _____ (15) begin telling you about the history of Cyprus. I don’t know if you _____ (16) like the story, but I personally find it fascinating.

Before you _____ (17) go to the mountains you _____ (18) pass by the largest waterdam in the country. And after you _____ (19) go through several picturesque villages and pine forests you _____ (20) stop at the centre of the Troodos Mountains in Platres. If you _____ (21) want to eat something or to have a cup of coffee the guide _____ (22) show you a pretty little tavern. As soon as you _____ (23) finish your meal you _____ (24) continue your trip. After you _____ (25) pass by the Marathasa valley you _____ (26) arrive at the richest, largest and the most famous monastery of the island, the Royal Kykkos Monastery. If you _____ (27) go inside you ____ (28) see the famous icon of the Virgin Mary which was painted by St.Luke. I don’t know if you _____ (29) believe it, but it has some rainmaking powers. This autumn if people _____ (30) have no rain they _____ (31) take the icon outside and _____ (32) carry it through the island. Nobody doubts that it _____ (33) help!

I am not sure if you _____ (34) have some spare time in the monastery, but if you _____ (35) do you _____ (36) have an opportunity to visit their famous museum where you _____ (37) see a marvelous collection of icons. After it, unless you _____ (38) get too tired you _____ (39) visit the Tomb of the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III. After you _____ (40) see this important place you _____ (41) have lunch in a small mountain village. A assure you, you _____ (42) find the place charming. If you _____ (43) have your camera with you, you _____ (44) take some really nice pictures there. When you _____ (45) look at them afterwards you _____ (46) remember this wonderful day in the mountains.

42. Find and correct ten mistakes in the following text.

Mr. McGlombie and his wife wanted a ride in a plane, but Mr. McGlombie turned white when he hears the tariff for a taxi-ride in the air. It was $20. The amused pilot said, “I will make you a proposition, Mr. McGlombie. You and your wife will get in and I will give you a ride for half an hour. If you won’t say a single word while we will be up, I will only charge you $5.”

Mr.McGlombie thought it is a fair proposal and he and his wife climed into the plane. The pilot took them on the wildest half hour’s ride that could possibly be imagined. He looped the loop (делал мертвую петлю), rided upside down and went through dizzying dives. Finally he sat his plane down on the ground.

“I didn’t think you will manage to do it, Mr.McGlombie,” said the pilot. “You are a very brave man if you go through all this without uttering a sound”.

“Aye,” said McGlombie, all wet with fear. “But you’ll never know how close I come to talking when my wife fell out”.

43. People seem to be very fond of predictions about the future. But not all predictions come true. Some people were badly mistaken about the future of certain inventions. Read the statements below, put them into Reported Speech and describe the actual state of affairs nowadays.

Example: Lord Kelvin(1894): The radio will never become popular. -

In 1894 Lord Kelvin said that the radio would never become popular, but now it is impossible to imagine our life without it, as it is one of the main sources of information and there is a radio set in every house all over the world.

Dr.Lardner (the 1850s): “Trains will never travel at high speed, because passengers will die of suffocation.”

Thomas Watson (1943): “Computers will never be popular. There will be a world market for maybe 5 computers.”

Head of Western Union (the 1880s): “The telephone will never replace the telegraph!”

Mark Twain: “The telephone will never be of any use!”

Lord Kelvin (1894): “People will never fly because heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible!”

Head of Volkswagen (the 20s of the XXth century): “There will be a world market for only 4 million automobiles because the world will run out of chauffeurs.”

44. Open the brackets using the verbs in the proper form. Pay attention to the sequence of tenses.