English is my cup of tea. Part 5. Учебное пособие

Technology and Machines

II.Agree with what A says. Complete each response with an idiom.

1.A: Her e-mail caused real problems for our plans, didn't it?

B:Yes, it really ……………………………………………………… .

I think George is beginning to change his mind about joining our committee.

B:Yes, he seems to be ………………………………………………. .

A: Wow! Eric really lost his temper last night, didn't he?

B:Yes, he absolutely ……………………………………………….. .

A: Good. Things seem to be nice and quiet and working smoothly.

B:Yes, everything seems to be just quietly ………………………… .

A: It seems there was a misunderstanding between us.

B:Yes, I think we …………………………………………………… .

A: I think we should give her a call this evening.

B:Yes, it's probably a good idea to …………………………….…… .

III.Rewrite each sentence with an idiom from exercise V.

1.It took us a long time to really start to do our work properly and efficiently.

2.Brad is one of those people who always knows the road better than the person driving.

3.There are plans for a new railway, but it will be some years before the project starts.

IV. Complete each sentence with a preposition or particle.

1.We're …………………………. the same wavelength.

2.I'd prefer to go …………………………. my own steam.

3.Everyone needs to let …………………………. steam occasionally.

4.You've really put a spanner …………………………. the works.

5.Business is ticking …………………………. nicely these days.

6.We'll have to put the brakes …………………………. with regard to how much we spend.

V.Fill in each of the numbered blanks in the passage with one suitable word.

We live surrounded by objects and systems that we ………….......... (1)

for granted, ............................. (2) which profoundly, ………………........ (3) the

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Science and Technology

LISTENING

I. Before you listen, write the inventions in the correct group. If you don’t

Digital running shoes (that give you performance statistics)

Bio-fabric clothes (that change colour according to the wearer’s mood)

II. Listen to the radio programme and say whether the statements are true or false:

1. Wing-suits allow people to fly or glide.

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Technology and Machines

2.Wing-suits are getting cheaper.

3.Gabriele Diamanti's water distiller is powered by the sun.

4.The "enable talk gloves" help people to use sign language in really cold conditions.

5.James Cameron invented a new underwater camera.

6.MIT students have invented a new type of ketchup.

7.The last invention is a way of producing clouds indoors.

8.The science correspondent thinks the clouds are ugly.

III.Write the word to fill the gaps.

1.Wing-suits are not very _______________, but the modern ones are better than ever.

2.Last October was the first ever wing-suit world ____________ in China.

3.You can buy a wing-suit for 600 to _______________ dollars.

4.The water distiller is for places where it’s hard to get clean

_______________ water.

5.To produce the water distiller properly, they still need help with

_______________.

6.The “enable talk gloves” were invented by some Ukrainian

_______________.

7.The gloves use sensors to turn sign language into _______________

and then into spoken _______________.

8.James Cameron was part of a team which designed a submarine capable of descending to _______________ kilometres down.

9.James Cameron was the first person to do a solo _______________ so deep under the sea.

10.MIT students have invented a product that helps people get the contents out of _______________.

11.A Dutch _______________ has found a way of creating clouds indoors.

12.You can’t make clouds for yourself at _______________ yet.

VIDEO

Watch the video about popular science's future of communication and answer the following questions:

1. Why are human beings all about communication?

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Science and Technology

2.What functions will your umbrella have in future?

3.What will a virtual call look like?

4.How will kids control their toys?

5.How will a tele-conference differ from the one nowadays?

6.What is a twister?

7.What possibilities can it provide?

8.How does it work?

9.How can it improve communication?

10.What will the twister look like in future?

DISCUSSION

1.Do you get excited by new technology? What kinds of technology interest you?

2.Is technology developing faster than it used to? Are you worried about being left behind?

3.When you get a new product, do you read the instruction manual? Or do you just figure it out?

4.How much time do you spend online each week? Is it too much time, or a reasonable amount?

5.What are some of your favorite websites? What can you do on them?

6.Advances in medical technology mean people are living longer. What are some of the downsides of this? How old do you hope to live?

7.How do you feel if you forget your mobile phone and leave it somewhere?

8.Which electronics brands do you trust most? Are you loyal to one brand?

9.Are you an early adopter? Do you like to have cutting edge technology? Are there any disadvantages to buying the latest product?

10.Some people dislike or fear technology. Do you know anyone like this?

11.Do you read e-books? What are their advantages and disadvantages when compared with paper books?

12.Is there an electronic product you want these days? What is it? How will it make your life better?

13.Do you play computer games? What do you say to people who believe they are a waste of time?

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Science and Space Тravel

14.What crazy future technology are you looking forward to? For example, flying cars or personal robots.

15.Which social networking services (SNS) do you use?

16.How do you feel about dating websites or apps? Would you use one?

17.Some people prefer to live with less technology in their lives. Can you understand the desire to live a simpler life?

18.Many science fiction movies present a dark vision of the future. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of humanity?

SCIENCE AND SPACE TRAVEL

launch to send a spacecraft into space

to orbit to travel in a circle around the Earth or another planet cosmos the universe

shuttle a spacecraft that can fly to space and return to Earth

The space race to the Moon began in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union. The was followed by Sputnik 2 carrying a dog called Laika. Then Yuri Gagarin became the first person to go into space and orbit the Earth in 1961.

On May 25th 1961, President John F. Kennedy set America the challenge to land on the Moon by the end of the decade. America succeeded. Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to the Moon, landing on July 20th 1969.

The Apollo programme cost $25 billion and landed 12 men on the Moon between July 20th 1969 and 11th December 1972.

Apollo 1 caught fire during a preflight test and three astronauts were

killed.

Apollo 13 had to abort its landing and return to Earth.

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

Put each of the following words and phrases in its correct space below.

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Science and Technology

Space Travel

The first rockets to go into space carried no living creatures, but later ones

had mice or even dogs on them to see how (1) .......................................................

(or rather the lack of it) would affect them. The first (2) .........................................

space-flight took place in 1962 and the first (3) .......................................................

was the American, Alan Shepherd. Everything at the (4) .......................................

was checked and ready as he walked out to take his place in the rocket. Thousands

hours later. Since then great progress has been made. Alan Shepherd simply went

LISTENING

Listen the programme about The Apollo 11 Moon Landing and answer the questions.

1.Why is the space flight of Apollo 11 called a historic event?

2.When did Apollo 11 launch?

3.Who was the commander of the spacecraft?

4.Had Neil Armstrong had a flight experience before Apollo 11?

5.What did the television broadcast halfway to the moon show?

6.Why did the astronauts fire rockets near the moon?

7.Why did President Richard Nixon give federal government workers the

day off?

8.How is the landing place called?

9.Why was the four-hour sleep period for astronauts cancelled?

10.How long did it take to complete the preparations for leaving the lander?

11.What time did Neil Armstrong put his foot on the moon?

12.What famous words did Neil Armstrong say when he stepped on the

moon?

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Science and space Тravel

13.What did Armstrong and Aldrin do on the moon?

14.How long had man been on the moon?

15.What did people left behind on the moon?

VIDEO

Watch the video NASA's Goals for Human Space Exploration and mark the sentences True or False.

1.Shuttle programme gave us forty years of outstanding achievements in

space.

2.The International Space Station has been continuously crewed since November 2000.

3.Astronauts can create the air they breathe.

4.Station circles the Earth every nineteen minutes.

5.NASA is investing financial and technical resources to stimulate government to create effective transportation.

6.Transportation services are available for private companies.

7.Orion is a multipurpose crew vehicle.

8.Orion will need a special life support system.

9.To join into a deep space NASA is pursuing an integrated space exploration strategy that doesn’t support manned flights.

10.NASA is planning to visit Mars or its moons.

11.Robots will work instead of astronauts.

12.Mars is ideal for space explorations because it is close to Earth.

13.A new internet system is being created to give each planet its domain.

14.Many technological spin-offs have benefited Americans since 1958.

15.Rich citizens will have opportunities to experience low-earth orbit.

DISCUSSION

1.Why do you think man is so fascinated by space?

2.The Moon landings have been called the greatest achievement in history. Do you agree? Why, why not?

3.Do you think it is right to spend so much money on exploring space, when there are so many problems on Earth? Justify your answer.

4.What are the benefits of exploring space?

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Science and Technology

5.Do you think man will ever live on another planet? Why, why not?

6.Why do you think the astronauts found it so hard to get used to being back on Earth?

7.Do you think the novelty of space exploration has worn off, or are people still interested in new discoveries?

8.Imagine you are the team in charge of Project Mars, an internationallymanned expedition to Mars. The crew will be in space for 18 months and the expedition will be physically and mentally very demanding. It is up to you to choose the crew leader. You have drawn up the following shortlist:

Choose one of these people to be crew leader. Remember to justify your choice. Compare your choice with other groups in the group.

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Travelling and Тransport

2.a season ticket and a return ticket 4. a train driver and a guard

III. Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space.

LISTENING

I. Before you listen, read the synopsis.

Dervia Murphy decided to pursue a childhood dream and visit Transylvania in Romania. She arrived in 1990, shortly after the dramatic events which followed the execution of the head of state, Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena. The passage recounts what happened to the author at the border crossing railway station.

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