Interview: Analyst/Programmer

This is a prediction task to help students with the first listening activity. Encourage the students to guess the answers, using clues from the computer screen shown in the Student's Book, and their own knowledge of computer graphics in games and teaching packages. Don't correct this exercise until students have done Task 2.

Listening

Task 2

Before the students listen to Part 1 of the recording, explain that Colin is showing the interviewee the fire engine screen shown in the Student's Book, and some of the subsequent pages in the package. When the interviewer says 'I like that, that's good' she is referring to the fire-engine graphics. The laughter is caused by the subsequent page, not reproduced in the Student's Book, which shows the building destroyed by fire.

You can use this part of the recording as the basis for a role play, with one student as interviewer and one as the analyst/programmer. They can ask and answer questions about the fire-engine screen.

Key

1. basic numeracy

2. adults who have problems with numeracy

3. entering your answer (calculating your answer is also acceptable)

4. the building burns down

5. the fire engine puts the fire out

Task 3

This section of the interview is quite long and contains difficult vocabulary. Prepare your students thoroughly.

1. Remind them of the points covered in Task 2 in Unit 19, where they discussed the problem of adults who have numeracy problems. The same problem is mentioned in this interview.

2. Elicit the three types of programming error that can occur: system, syntax, and logic, and ask students to explain them in simple English. Explain that the linking errors mentioned in the interview are system errors.

3. Pre-teach: stigma (for recognition only), stats (statistics), debug, pilot test, state of the art.

4. Encourage students to predict the answers to the questions before they listen. Write their best guesses on the board. You can correct or amend these when checking the answers.

Pause the tape as often as necessary. Break the interview after'... three or four machines as a pilot test', as there is a switch of topic in the next section, where Colin focuses on types of error.

Key

6. People who had to learn to count again had a problem with being in a classroom with a teacher.

7. It allows the teacher to create groups. It provides statistics on students' performance.

8. The statistics tell the teacher how much the students have done, the time taken, and how often they've used the Help facilities.

9. You can't identify and remove mistakes from your own program.

10. The programs are tested by colleagues 'in-house' and schools through pilot-testing.

11. Colleagues try to 'break'tbe program. (Theytry to make it fail by testing it with 'extreme' data.)

12. They forgot that schools had lower-grade equipment than their own.The graphics looked horrible on school machines.

13. The types of errors he mentions are syntax, linking (= system), and logic.

Task 4

Most of the questions relate to specific details in the interview, therefore pre-listening predicting is not helpful. However, you can ask the class to predict the answers to question 9. Remind them of the ways the Computing Support Assistant from Unit 10 used to keep up with developments in her field. Question 8 provides preparation for Unit 21.

Pre-teach stressful, canteen, module, and manual (as in computer manual). When you correct this task, explain what Colin means by lose it in the last line - that if he stops work to go home, this breaks the creative flow. He may not be able to continue to work with the same creativity the next day.

Key

1. yes, very

2. fixes the network

3. in the canteen

4. five

5. three are developers, two work on graphics

6. six months

7. because it divides into modules, database design, and database access

8. C++, HTML, JavaScript, Visual Basic

9. by subscribing to two magazines, buying Dr Dobb's Journal from time to time, and using Microsoft Developer, which his company subscribes to

10. because he might not be able to work so well the next day

Task 5

Warn the students that they will have to listen particularly hard for some of the references, which are brief or indirect.

Key

2S 3* 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/

Language work

The language work in this section is designed so that students can work out for themselves the differences between the Present simple and the Present continuous, using examples from the interview. Provide further examples from your teaching context to help them make the right conclusions and to reinforce the rules. For example: What are we doing now? We're studying English right now. (Present continous to describe actions going on at the moment.)

What do you do at break times? We study English every Tuesday. (Present simple to describe routines, things that happen habitually, and things that are always true.)

Point out the difference between the long and the contracted form of the verb to be in the Present continous, e.g. I'm, you're, he's, she's, we're, they're versus lam, you are, he is, she is, we are, they are.

Task 6

This gives students the ability to explore and develop their understanding of the differences between the two present tenses.

Computing words and abbreviations

Task 8

You can use Task 8 and Task 9 as vocabulary tests. Key

Word processing Databases		Spreadsheets	Graphics
font	field	cell	tool palette
bold	selection rules	column	paint
underline	record	formula	draw
justify	search	row	scale
spelling checker	sort		rotate
tab			fill

Task 9

Tell students that phrasal verbs, such as the ones in this exercise, are a distinctive feature of the English language, and that they should make an effort to learn them as they come across them. Encourage them to write the verbs they did not know the meaning of in their vocabulary books. Test these verbs again in another lesson.

Key

2 keep up with

4 give up

6 come across

8 come up

10 pickup

1 burn down 3 divide up 5 find out

7 puts out/will put out 9 takes up

Speaking

Key

2 ask

4 we are/we're using 6 finish

I am/I'm working does, get use

subscribe we are/we're developing

Task 7

This would be a suitable homework exercise, and will help you to identify students who still have problems in using the two present tenses.

8 I am/I'm trying 10 they are/they're doing

Task 10

Key

StudentA

In this program the value of times never reaches 1, therefore 'HELLO' will never be printed. Student B

In this program the value of total will always be more than 0, and therefore the program will go on for ever. This is called an infinite loop.

Languages

Computer programs can be written in a wide variety of computer languages. The two main types of computer languages are low-level languages and high-level languages. Low-level languages operate faster, but are more difficult to write. They include: machine code- which consists entirely of Is and Os assembly language - which uses mnemonics and numbers

High-level languages are closer to human languages and are therefore easier to use. They include: C++ (C plus plus), Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic, andDelphi.

One of the easiest programming languages to use is called BASIC. Some of the expressions used in the BASIC language are shown in the table below.

Expression	Meaning
REM	remark (a note for the
	programmer)
PRINT	shows the value of a variable
	on the display screen
INPUT	waits for the user to input a
	value into a variable
DO WHILE condition repeats the instructions
instructions	while the given condition is
LOOP	true
END	marks the end of a program

All computer programs, however, have to be converted into low-level machine code to be understood by a computer. Some languages can be compiled by a compiler program, which converts the whole program into machine code at one time. Other languages are interpreted by an interpreter program which converts the program into machine code one line at a time, as each line is required by the processor. A compiled program only needs to be

compiled once, but an interpreted program needs to be interpreted every time it is used. Compiled programs are therefore faster than interpreted programs. Note that HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is not really a programming language, but is used for creating webpages.

BASIC uses the following mathematical symbols:

/ - divide by ** - raised to the power of

* - multiply by (times)

Objectives

By the end of this unit, students should be better at: organizing information to explain systems/processes copying down accurately lines of program code.

They should be able to use simple reported speech to describe instructions.

They should know and be able to use these words: assembly language, machine code, high-level language, low-level language, HyperText Markup, tag.

Tuning-in

Task I

At first glance, it may seem that none of these extracts from programs mean anythingl Don't panic. Your students will probably have seen examples of the different kinds of languages shown here and a second look will reveal that three of them contain some English words and that one of them (c) is simply an English sentence written over three lines. Ask your students to do this in pairs. Then compare rankings round the class.

Key

1c 2a 3e 4d 5b

Task 2

Explain first that natural language means a human language and that machine code is a language which only computers understand. The higher the level of language, the closer it is to natural language.

Key

1c 2a 3e 4d 5b

Listening

Task 3

Give the students a short time to study the program, and discuss it in pairs; but do not ask them for their ideas until after they have listened to the recording.

Key

Ifs a program to calculate the average of a series of numbers, for example test results.

Task 4

Before you play the recording, give students a little more time to study the program individually, and make predictions about what some of the missing items might be.

Key

10 REM AVERAGES

20 CLS

30 PRINT "TYPE 999TO INDICATE END OF DATA"

40 PRINT

50 SUM = 0

60 COUNTER = 0

70 PRINT "PLEASE ENTER A NUMBER"

80 INPUT NUMBER

90 DO WHILE NUMBER <>999

100 SUM = SUM + NUMBER

110 COUNTER=COUNTER+1

120 PRINT, "PLEASE ENTERTHE NEXT NUMBER"

130 INPUT NUMBER

140 LOOP

150 AVERAGE = SUM/COUNTER

160 PRINT "THE AVERAGE OFTHE NUMBER IS: ";

AVERAGE

170 END

Task 5

Students who have done a little programming should be able to identify these faults. Ask students

to work in groups of three. Each should attempt to explain in English to the others in his/her group one of the faults.

Key

1. It does not allow you to use the number 999 as one of the set of numbers.

2. If the user only inputs one number before entering 999, the output will read "The average of the 1 numbers is 1?

3. If the first number you enter is 999, the program will crash because it will try to divide by zero.

Reading

Task 6

This is a less-controlled reading and note-taking activity combined with a reporting and note-taking activity as students exchange information on what they have read. Put a note-taking frame - like the one shown in the Key below - up on the board, and ask the students to copy it.

They first fill in the sections for the languages they have read about. They fill in the remaining sections by noting the main points provided by the others in their group. Try to ensure that at the reporting stage students do so orally and in English and do not simply allow their fellows to copy their notes.

Key

Language Associated Type of Use

Language Language

C++	C	Programming General and systems programming
HTML		Page Creating web description pages
Java	C	Programming World Wide Web programs, small electronic devices
JavaScript Java		Scripting Webpages
Visual Basic	BASIC	Programming General environment purpose applications
Delphi	Pascal	Programming General environment purpose programs

Task 7

This task requires an understanding of all six texts. You can set it as a group exercise where students answer only about the texts they read in Task 6; then combine answers to complete the task. Or you can set it as an individual task where students answer by drawing on their notes and by referring to all six texts as required.

Key

Basic English [ for Computing 1

OXFORD 1

for Computing 2

OXFORD 106

Language work

This focuses on reported speech but in the context of screen messages. Do not go into such complexities as tenses and reporting verbs at this level. Keep it simple.

Elicit examples of screen messages from the class or write a selection on the board. Please enter a number.

Do not attempt to log on without a password. Printer out of paper. Do you want to exit (Y/N)?

Demonstrate how each screen message is reported. It requests you to enter a number. It tells you not to log on without a password. It informs you that the printer is out of paper. It asks you if you want to exit.

Task 8

Do this orally first as a whole class activity to reinforce the language work and to demonstrate how articles have to be included.

Key

1. It tells you to make sure the printer is switched on before continuing.

2. It informs you the system is halted/has halted.

3. It tells you to press any key to continue.

4. It requests you to type the next number.

5. It tells you not to proceed.

6. it requests you to choose from the menu below.

7. It informs you (that) there is a non-system disk in drive a.

8. It informs you (that) there is a paper jam.

Task 9

As for Task 8. Note the word order.

Key

1. It asks you if you wish to continue.

2. It asks you what the drive letter of your hard disk is.

3. It asks you if you are sure you want to copy (the) selected files.

4. It asks you if you want to virus check another disk.

5. It asks you if the printer is ready.

6. It asks you in which directory you want to install the program.

7. It asks you if you wantto delete (the) files.

8. It asks you if you are sure you wantto shut down the computer.

Problem-solving

Task 10

Students must apply the information contained in the reading texts to provide the best solutions to these users' needs. They may also use information of their own about computer languages.

Key

1 BASIC 2 C++

3 HTML 4 JavaScript

5 Visual Basic, Delphi

Writing

Task 11

This is a simple conversion of notes to full sentences. Each language can be described in the same way as the example given on page 8 9.

The main parts of a computer system consist of the processor, memory, input devices, output devices, and storage devices. The processor is the most important part of the computer. It is sometimes called the central processing unit or CPU, although the term CPU is sometimes used to mean the processor and the main memory together. The main components of the processor are shown in the table.

Component	Description
Arithmetic and	Performs arithmetic functions
Logic Unit (ALU)	(e.g. +,-) and logic operations
	(e.g. AND, OR) on the data.
Control Unit (CU) Synchronizes and controls all
	parts of the computer.
Registers	Small temporary memory areas
	that hold instructions and data
	that is needed immediately.
Buses	Connectors that carry signals
	between the processor and
	other parts of the computer.
	The three main ones are: the
	control bus, the data bus, and the
	address bus.

Program instructions are normally executed one after another in order, but if something happens in the systems that needs urgent attention, an interrupt signal is sent to the processor. The processor determines the priority of the action and stops what it is doing at an appropriate time to deal with the problem, i.e. to service the interrupt.

A variety of number systems are used in computing. The binary system is made up of Is and Os, and is ideal for representing the on and off states of the electronic switches in a computer. Binary numbers can be converted to decimal numbers by multiplying the binary digits by their place values, and adding the results together. For example, the binary number 111 has a value of (1X4) + (1X2) + (lXl) = 4+2+l = 7. Decimal numbers can be converted to binary numbers by repeatedly dividing the decimal number by 2, and writing down the remainders in reverse order.

Low-1 eve I systems

This is the most technical of all the units. Do not be tempted to omit it. It covers some of the most important aspects of how computers work and your students need the language covered. Prepare yourself by reading this introduction carefully. Remember, your students can be very helpful, and will take delight in explaining any points you may not understand.

Objectives

Processors follow a fixed sequence of steps, called the machine cycle, to process a program instruction.

Step Action Name

1. fetches the next instruction

from memory Instruction time

2. decodes the fetched (I-time) instruction

3. executes the decoded

instruction Execution time (E-time)

4. stores the result in memory

By the end of this unit, students should be better at: listening and reading for specific detail making an oral explanation.

They should be able to use linking words to contrast two ideas.

They should know and be able to use these words: decode, execute, execution, fetch, machine cycle.

Tuning-in

information on the function of the ALU and how registers operate.

Task 1

Set this as an individual task, and ask students to compare their answers in pairs. All the terms should be familiar from Units 3,6,7, and 8 - with the exception of plotter, which students can look up in the Glossary.

Key

a processor b input c ROM d storage e output

Task 2

This is a good opportunity to revise the names of input, output, and storage devices taught in Units 1 to 8. Divide the board into three lists, one for each group of devices. Write answers from the class on the board to produce as comprehensive lists as possible. More advanced students could write a brief description of a computer system based on the diagram and including their examples from Task 2. They could begin: A computer system consists of ... Examples of input devices are ...

Key (other answers are possible)

input: barcode reader, digital camera, graphics tablet, joystick, keyboard, lightpen, microphone, mouse, scanner, touchscreen, trackerball Output: monitor, laser/dot-matrix/inkjet printers, loudspeaker, plotter

Storage: CD-ROM, fixed/removable hard disk, floppy disk, magneto-optical disk, magnetic tape

Listening

Task 3

Treat this as a pre-listening task. Do not correct this exercise until you have played the recording.

Task 4.

On this first listening, students should listen only to check their answers to Task 3. They should ignore

Key

1. arithmetic and logic unit

2. a temporary storage area for instructions or data

3. makes the computer carry out each instruction of a program in the right order and controls all hardware

Task 5

Pause the tape if necessary after each component is described.

Key

1. arithmetic functions and logic operations

2. AND, OR, and NOT

3. the control unit

4. registers are for instructions or data required immediately

main memory is for data required in the near future

Task 6

This serves as a pre-listening task for Part 2 of the recording. Students should be able to guess most of these questions from the diagram. Buses are mentioned in Part 1 of the recording.

Key

1. To carry electrical signals between different parts of the computer.

2. The data and control buses.

3. Data and instructions.

4. in one direction only.

Task 7

Write the table on the board and complete it with students' answers as you correct this task. There are not many examples of technical terms in computing using the prefixes uni and bi but remind students of binary.

Key

Bus Uni/Bidirectional Links Data Bidirectional CPU and memory Address Unidirectional CPU and memory Control Bidirectional CPU and other parts of

the computer

Reading

Task 8

Treat this as a pre-reading task. All of the questions can be answered from the diagram.

Task 9

Do not pre-teach new words for this text. Execute may be new, but its meaning can be inferred from context - it occurs six times, with the noun execution occurring once. The text itself teaches the meaning of fetch and decode. Once students have completed this task, ask them to draw and label the machine cycle from memory.

Key

1 four 2 instruction/l-time

3 execute and store 4 instruction/l-time

Task 10

Set as an individual task for class-time or homework.

Key

1. program instructions and data

2. register

3. moves it from memory to the ALU

4. in memory or a register

5. they are released to an output device or a secondary storage device

6. l-time plus E-time

Language work

The language work focuses on more examples of linking words (see Unit 8). Write the first pair of sentences (page 92) on the board, and underline bidirectional and unidirectional. Elicit suggestions for one word - other than and- which could link the two sentences. The answer you want is but. Show that whereas and in contrast can be used as alternatives, but point out that in contrast would normally start a new sentence.

Task 11

Do this orally; then set as an individual written task.

Key (there are other possible answers)

4. Dot matrix printers are noisy, but laser printers are quiet.

5. Floppy disks store small amounts of data, whereas hard disks store large amounts of data.

6. Handheld computers fit into your pocket. In contrast, supercomputers occupy a whole room.

7. High-level languages are easy to understand, whereas machine code is very difficult to understand.

8. Basic is a simple language, but C++ is complex.

9. Modern computers are powerful and relatively cheap. In contrast, older computers were less powerful and quite expensive.

10. An analyst analyses problems and finds solutions, whereas a programmerturns these solutions into computer programs.

11. A graphics package produces images and designs, but a word processor produces texts.

Problem-solving

Task 12

This provides plenty of opportunity for coping with not understanding and not being understood. Divide the class in two. Each half prepares and rehearses one of the explanations, working in pairs. Then set the students to work in pairs, one from each half, to explain their respective problems to each other. Emphasize that this must be done entirely in English. Encourage students to use pen and paper as an aid to their explanation.

Writing

Task 13

This provides revision of the language work covered in Unit 18.

Key (other answers are possible)

1. When a printer runs out of paper, an interrupt carries a signal to the CPU.

2. When the CPU receives the signal, it interrupts its tasks.

3. The CPU sends a message to the user after it saves its current status in a special area of memory.

4. When the user reloads the paper tray, the processor returns to its previous state.

Future trends 1

Computing is relatively new and is developing at an increasingly fast rate. Because computers are general purpose instruments, they can be used in many different ways. It is impossible to predict with any certainty how computers will be used in the future, but some new developments have already taken place which are certainly likely to become more important in the future. Three important computing topics considered in this unit are robotics, virtual reality, and smart cards.

Robots in human form have often featured in science fiction. Robotic arms are commonly used for car manufacture, nuclear plants, and for bomb disposal. In the future, insect-sized robot micro­machines (tiny mechanisms built on electronic chips) may be used as sensors or for doing work in very small spaces which are difficult to access. They may even be used inside the human body for drug delivery, curing common ailments.

Virtual reality (VR) is already used for games and entertainment. The user wears special headgear that projects 3-D images into their eyes, and special gloves to provide a sense of touch. It is likely that VR will be used in many ways in the future, including providing a home shopping environment, and allowing premises to be guarded remotely. It is also likely to be used for air traffic control and for training doctors, allowing them to practise difficult operations safely. It might even be used for virtual travel. More speculatively, computers maybe connected directly to the human brain using a direct neural interface (DNI) to change the brain of the user, allowing them to do things they couldn't do before.

Task 1

Task 2

Key

Equipment VR headset

VR mouse

Smart cards are akeady being used for storing information about the user, for controlling access to facilities and as a means of providing money in an electronic form. Medical cards, which store information about the user's medical history, may become common; and banks are already experimenting with the use of smart cards. Smart cards will have a wide variety of uses and are likely to become very common in the near future.

Alternative name

Objectives

By the end of this unit, students should be better at: listening for specific detail reading for the main point of the text working out meaning from context.

They should be able to: make predictions using will and is/are going to.

They should know and be able to use these words and abbreviations: robot, robotics, 3-D, virtual reality, three-dimensional, smart card.

Tuning-in

These are fast-moving areas of computing and your students are likely to be able to suggest very recent developments.

Listening

Treat the table as a pre-listening task and encourage students to guess the missing information. Then play the recording so that they can check their guesses and fill any remaining blanks. Pre-teach 3-D, three-dimensional.

head-mounted

VR glove dataglove

display

3-D mouse, virtual mouse

Purpose

shows graphics on a screen in front of your eyes makes your hand feel pressure to move around in virtual space

Task 3

Ask students to predict uses of virtual reality before they listen. Note their best ideas on the board.

Key

Existing uses Possible future uses medicine virtual travel-virtual holiday

entertainment virtual experience design speak a new language or play an

instrument

Reading

Task 4

This is a jigsaw reading activity. The texts are difficult, and students should not expect to understand every word. Encourage them to look for main points only and not to worry about fine details. Tell students to make three copies of the note-taking form at the beginning of the exercise. They should use the first copy to make notes from their own text, and the others to make notes about the remaining texts when they come to exchange information. With a less advanced class, ask the students to find one application only in each text - although texts B and C in fact contain several. Many of the unfamiliar words can be ignored, e.g. incoherent, allergies, distraught (Text A), or can be worked out from context, e.g. warehouse, simulated (Text C).

With a more advanced class, you could use these texts for 'triads' - a reading, speaking, and note­taking activity. Students work in groups of three, A, B, and C. Each has a separate role. A is the first Speaker, B the Reporter, and C the Judge. A's task is to report from their notes the main points of their text. B must listen carefully and provide a brief oral summary. C must listen to both inputs and judge the accuracy of B's report, pointing out any changes, errors, or omissions. Students change roles three times so that each has a chance to play each part.

Key (other answers are possible)

Development smart cards: medicard Application/s a smart card containing patient information

computers in ambulances and hospitals can read the information How soon? it is working successfully now

Development robotics: micro-machine Application/s sensors, gyros, and drug delivery- for example to deliver drugs inside the body or repair machinery from the inside

How soon? micro-machines exist, but using

robots in medicine is close to 'sci-fi'.

Development virtual reality Application/s 1 choosing products in a virtual showroom

2. patrolling buildings without leaving an office

3. air-traffic control - using microlaser scanner glasses which give a 3-D effect

4. doctors can learn new procedures on simulated patients

How soon? all are 'under development' (4 is already being used)

Task 5

Emphasize that this is a speaking activity, and that students should try and exchange information orally, not just read from their notes.

Language work

Will and going to are both used for predictions but

note these differences:

1. When we add a condition [if...) we use will only. For example: If you protect yourfiles with a password, you won't have problems with unauthorized access.

2. When we talk about things which have been decided we use going to only. For example: We're going to replace these computers in May.

Ask the class:

What will happen in the future to computers?

What changes will there be?

Write down their answers - more powerful, cheaper,

smaller, disposable, built in to new homes, etc.

Writing

Task 8

Do part of this as a whole class activity. Students can type up their report and send it to the head of your college, if your college does not yet have such a system.

Task 6

Do this in groups or pairs. This task will give students a chance to exchange ideas and opinions rather than just information.

Problem-solving

Task 7

Do at least one of these as a whole class activity. Direct students to Text C from Task 4 above for possible answers to the first question.

Key (other answers are possible)

1. blood type, allergies, drugs taken, medical history

2. name, address, date of birth, nationality

3. name, address, number of times you have used different facilities, best performance

4. Then use these phrases to make complete sentences with will and is/are going to. For example: Computers are going to be cheaper. They will be more powerful.

   Ask them to do the remaining examples in the same way. You can also use their predictions about virtual reality in Task 3 in the same way.

   name, address, account numbers, how much money is in the account

Future trends 2

Computing is changing and developing at a very fast pace. Although it is impossible to predict the future with any certainty, one thing we can be sure of is that the hardware and software we will be using in twenty or thirty years time will be very different from what is in use today.

Videophones, electronic pets, and robots already exist - and may become more common in the future. The development of smaller computers and computing networks is making it easier for computers to be used in more situations. It is already necessary to have some computing skills for most jobs. Education will use computing systems more in the future, but some people argue that increased use of machines is not necessarily a good thing, and will not lead to creative thinking or adequate interpersonal skills.

Increased ease of communication and the ability to easily store vast amounts of readily accessible information will change many aspects of our lives. These factors may create more centralized control and change the relations between countries. Three features of our daily lives that are certainly likely to be affected are health, shopping, and money.

The increased ease of communication made possible by computers is likely to have an important effect on the daily lives of physically disabled people. Miniature computers may be used to monitor our health, and the use of computer-controlled body implants is likely to develop to some extent, although it is difficult to know how far these developments will be accepted by society. 3-D virtual reality systems can be used on the Internet to make shopping easier, and smart cards may be used to provide an electronic money system.

Computers will open up many possibilities for mankind. Perhaps humans may one day travel to other planets and even discover other worlds. This unit, however, focuses on future developments in the specific areas of education, health, shopping, and money.

Objectives

By the end of this unit, students should be better at: expressing opinions

identifying main points and supporting points in an argument.

They should be able to use will and would correctly in predictions.

They should know and be able to use these words and abbreviations: disabled, implant, online, PIN.

Tuning-in

Task 1

Encourage students to spend a few minutes thinking about their answers, and to consider what to say in defence of their predictions. If they predict that there will never be manned flights to Mars, for example, they should be able to say why. This will help them when they come to compare their views with other students in Task 2.

Task 2

There are no 'right' answers. These tasks provide an opportunity for students to exchange and defend opinions. By the time you use this task, some of the predictions niay already be fact.

Listening

Task 3

Treat this as a pre-listening task. Once students have completed the exercise, divide the class in two. Ask one group to think of points in favour of making more use of computers in schools; the other must think of points against. Write their main points at opposite sides of the board.

palmtop computers

help with problems, provide information

Internetterminals

use email

integrated with nationwide research

Task 4

Pre-teach grid. Remind students that at this stage they should only note the main points, not the supporting argument. Warn them that the main point sometimes comes before the supporting argument, sometimes after. When you correct this task, compare the speaker's main points with those listed on the board.

Key

1. Pupils will have access to a world of learning.

2. Pupils will become familiar with IT from an early age. Computer skills will help them when they leave school.

3. Key

   1

   2

   Email will develop communication skills and encourage an international outlook.

4. Teachers will have more time for their 'real' job of inspiring students.

Task 5

This is a repeat of Task 4, but this time, students are asked to note the main points against IT developments in schools in the 21st century.

Key

Reasons for each main point in favour (numbers

match the key to Task 4)

1. The resources available through the National Grid will be far greater than any school can provide.

2. All study and most jobs in the future will require computer literacy.

3. Email will allow pupils to communicate with pupils in another part of the UK and in different parts of the world.

4. It will free teachers from paperwork.

Reasons for each main point against (numbers match

the key to Task5)

1. They will copy and paste text or download essays.

2. More time communicating with machines means less time communicating with people.

3. All schools will have access to the same content and will do the same things.

4. Experience in the US has shown that greater use of computers has not raised school standards.

Reading

Task 7

Treat as a pre-reading task.Tell students to compile a list of their predictions in note form. You can ask groups to focus on one area only; then exchange opinions with another group. Alternatively, you can ask each group to look at all three areas.

Task 8

Key

Easy access to massive amounts of information will not help pupils develop original ideas. We will produce students who are not good at communicating with others and working as a team.

The creation of a National Grid might lead to centralization.

It would be better to spend the money on teaching reading, numeracy, and taking pupils on field trips.

Task 6

With more advanced students you can ask them to combine their lists of main points and supporting reasons to write a short text, either in favour of or against greater usage of computers in schools.

Key

Development Date body chips next

decade

within

twenty

years

A jigsaw read and report activity. Advise students not to worry if they do not understand all of the text. Do not pre-teach cholesterol {Text A), or aisle and boycott (Text B), as these are of marginal importance. Teach PIN-personal identification number -for Text C, as this is a useful term.

computer in fifty shopping years time

Details

miniature computers to monitor health, e.g. blood pressure

correct ability to interact with the world, e.g. vision

shoppers will be able to scan supermarkets and click on goods they want They will be able to get information and help online

electronic now download money to a

cash smart card and use itto

buy goods and services use the Internet to check account and buy goods in any currency not coins and notes will

specified disappear

Language work

Write these two sentences on the board: People will be able to live on the Moon. People would be able to live on the Moon.

Explain the difference between them. Sentence 1 is

a prediction. We are certain it will happen.

Sentence 2 depends on circumstances. Write IF

after Sentence 2, and elicit the circumstances

which would make this possible. Write them on the

board. For example,

... there was enough water.

... they had oxygen.

... there were regular/lights.

Task 10

Set this for individual work in class-time or as homework.

... they could keep warm.

Task 9

Do some examples orally; then set for individual writing practice. The examples are drawn from Task 1 and the reading texts. Advise students that they must add articles and other words where required. When correcting, elicit the circumstances which would maJke these predictions possible.

Key (other answers are possible)

1. Computers would write their own software.

2. Implants would stimulate the muscles of the disabled.

3. Atouchscreen would unfold from your wristwatch.

4. Smart clothes would altertheirthermal properties.

5. Robot pets would require no food.

6. Artificial lungs would help cancer patients.

7. People would be able to travel to Mars.

8. A body chip would correct poor vision.

Key (other answers are possible)

1. There would be fibre optic links between every house.

2. There would be paper-free education.

3. No money would be used.

4. There would be computers in every house.

5. There would be driver-less public transport.

6. There would be wall-size computer screens for entertainment.

7. Houses would be cleaned by robots.

8. There would be virtual doctors for medical advice.

Task 11

Set a target of at least five predictions per pair.

Speaking

Task 12

This pair-work exercise should provide ample opportunity for developing strategies for coping with not understanding and not being understood. Only after students have exhausted their linguistic and para-linguistic repertoire should they exchange notes.

Problem-solving

Task 13

Before the students start the exercise, elicit ideas which have already been mentioned in this unit and in Unit 2 3 — for example: body chips to correct hearing and sight, and implanted chips to stimulate muscles. Groups should report their ideas to the whole class. At the end, ask students to vote for the best ideas.

Key

There cannot be an answer key but students may mention devices which already exist for the severely disabled. For example, computers that can be operated by moving the eyes or sucking and blowing on tubes.

The IT Manager being interviewed in this unit has seen a lot of developments in computing and expresses his views about future developments.

Electronic computers have only been around for a relatively short time. They started out as very big mainframe systems that consumed a lot of power, were unreliable, and needed a team of professionals to operate and maintain them. Mainframes are still in use however and have continued to be developed. Supercomputers such as the Cray computers are the most powerful type of mainframe available today. Smaller personal computers that consume a modest amount of power, are fairly reliable, and can be controlled and maintained by the user are now very common. The development of network systems using personal computers has encouraged the move away from centralized systems, controlled by a large mainframe, to the development of distributed systems, where various smaller computers share the workload and control the system. Computers are likely to continue to become faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

Some of the views expressed by the IT Manager include the following:

5. Speech recognition requires the use of very powerful systems that are only now becoming possible to produce. They will make a big change in computing and will inevitably encourage a lot more people to use computers in everyday situations.

6. Hyperlinked webpages are likely to be the type of computing interface that will become the standard for the future.

7. As networking develops, video conferencing is likely to become more common, although people will prefer to meet face-to-face where possible.

8. Although there is always some resistance to change, it is likely that computers will play a bigger role in teaching in the future. Teaching, however, requires human skills and is unlikely to be done entirely by computers.

5 It is difficult to find a good time to buy a computer because they are always being improved. Having a home computer entices you to continue working at home.

Objectives

By the end of this unit, students should be better at listening to an interview for specific detail.

They should be able to use expressions of certainty to describe future developments in computing, and the Past passive to describe past developments.

They should know and be able to use these words and abbreviations: vacuum tubes, transistors, intergrated circuits (ICs), develop, introduce, invent.

Tuning-in

Task 1

Revise and practise saying dates. Dictate some dates to the students, and ask them to write them down. Then get every student to dictate a date that is significant to him or her to the class—ask them to explain why the date is important. Present students with the past passive forms of introduce and develop without presenting the tense formally. For example: A: What happened in 1984? B: The first Apple Macintosh was introduced.

Key

1. the first computer (1942)

2. the first minicomputer (1960)

3. the first IBM PC (1981)

Task 2