- •Science and technological progress
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary practice
- •2 Fill in the blanks using a word or word combination from the following list:
- •3 Fill in the correct word derived at the end of the sentence.
- •Discussion
- •Public opinion poll
- •Reading
- •Work on the text
- •1 Ask each other questions based on the text. Do it in pairs.
- •2 Answer the following questions using the information from the text or from any other sources.
- •Summary 1
- •Summary 2
- •Reading (ib)
- •1 Read the passage as fast as possible. From the four titles presented below choose the one which better expresses the main idea. Explain your choice.
- •Reading (ic)
- •2 Read carefully the second paragraph of the text and say a few words about the possible fields of investigation in the 21st century.
- •3 Read the passage carefully and find answers to the following questions.
- •4 Look through the passage and find English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.
- •5 Topics for discussion.
- •Reading (1d)
- •Work on the text
- •1 Look through the passage and find English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.
- •2 Examine each paragragh of the text above carefully and find answers to the following questions.
- •3 Look through the passage and fill in the blanks with the proper information. In some cases grammatical changes are necessary.
- •Supplementary reading
- •1 Answer the following questions.
- •2 Make a report about the houses described in this article paying attention to their shape and the materials they are made of.
- •Uses of the internet
- •Work on the text
- •1 Ask each other questions based on the text. Do it in pairs.
- •2 Tell the group whether these statements are true or false.
- •Shaping the future
- •Discussion
- •1 Read the following and discuss the likelihood of the predictions using the expressions in the box.
- •2 Which of these technologies would:
- •4 Complete the sentences with one word from the boxes. Then finish at least five with some predictions of your own concerning business, politics, the environment, leisure or life in general.
- •5 Read out the predictions you made in 4 to the rest of the group. Be prepared to support your views. Reading
- •1 Skim the extracts and match the extracts with the people.
- •2 Read the extracts for the second time and match the extracts with each speaker’s attitude towards technology, listed a – h.
- •The futurists
- •1 What are the latest trends and developments that you know or have heard about?
- •3 Team up with people from the other group. Explain your choice of titles, summarise what you read and discuss possible implications and opportunities for:
- •Listening
- •4 Listen to six business people’s opinions on the issues in 3 and compare your views. Choose one extract you like most. Explain why? Speaker 1
- •Speaker 2
- •Speaker 3
- •Speaker 4
- •Speaker 5
- •Speaker 6
- •For and against
- •1 Work in groups. Read one of the texts about modern technologies. Share your ideas with your partners.
- •2 Discuss the technology you’ve read about with the other group. Compare them according to:
- •3 Work in 3 groups. Read one of the extracts and make a short presentation of it.
- •4 Team up with the people of the other group and discuss possible technological implications and opportunities for:
- •Writing
- •1 Read the following and write an essay, giving your opinions on the statement.
- •Feedback
- •1 Share your opinion about the unit on the following:
- •2 Summarise your information (use the essay). Supplement
- •1 Read the following vision of the future. Then summarise and present the themes in your text to a partner.
- •2 Discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups.
- •1 Read the following vision of the future. Then summarise and present the themes in your text to a partner.
- •2 Discuss the following questions in pairs or small groups.
- •Innovations in transport
- •1 Read the text.
- •2 Answer the questions.
- •Reading and comprehension
- •Learn the meaning of the following words:
- •Read the text about electric cars and answer the questions below.
- •Reading and comprehension
- •3 Answer the questions.
- •4 Are these sentences about the text true or false?
- •5 Here are notes on the main points of “The Train with No Wheels”. Make full sentences and write a paragraph using the conjunction.
- •Future trends of a modern car warm up
- •1 Discuss the point how future-oriented you are.
- •2 Do this quiz. Answer the questions? Choose the variants that suits you more and find out your prospects.
- •Reading and comprehension
- •1 Study the meaning of these words so that you can understand the text better.
- •Try and guess the meaning of the following derivative and compound words:
- •Read the text about the car of the future and do the tasks that follows.
- •Discussion
- •Writing
- •Feedback
- •Listening
- •3 Complete the sentences.
- •4 Which speaker is:
- •5 Match words from the two columns to make expressions from the texts.
- •Speaking
- •1 Complete the table with these phrases used to talk about the future.
- •2 Work with your partner. Prepare a short presentation on one of these topics.
- •Reading and comprehension
- •1 Go through the vocabulary below to avoid difficulties of understanding:
- •2 Answer the following questions:
- •Supplement texts for reading
- •Contents
- •Технический прогресс
- •246653, Г. Гомель, ул. Кирова, 34.
2 Which of these technologies would:
a) be the most beneficial to society?
b) have the most marketing potential?
c) be the most controversial?
3 All the adjectives in the box can be used to talk about the future. Add them to the timeline below.
distant near foreseeable immediate not-too-distant sooner ----------------------------------------------------------later In the __________ __________ __________ __________ ______ future. |
Give your own examples.
4 Complete the sentences with one word from the boxes. Then finish at least five with some predictions of your own concerning business, politics, the environment, leisure or life in general.
way indications era possibility possibilities future |
a) I think one industry that definitely has a bright _____ is …
b) Recent developments in … open up all kinds of exciting _____
c) All the _____ are that …
d) I think we’re about to enter an _____ of …
e) As far as I can see, … is still a very long _____ off.
f) As far as … is concerned, we can’t exclude the _____ that …
future outlook brink store prospects horizon |
g) I think the long-term _____ for … are limited.
h) I think the part of the world facing the bleakest _____ is …
i) I believe we may be on the _____ of…
j) The _____ for anyone involved in the … business is uncertain.
k) There seems to be political change on the _____ in …
l) It’s impossible to tell what lies in ______ for …
5 Read out the predictions you made in 4 to the rest of the group. Be prepared to support your views. Reading
There are five short extracts in which people are talking about the influence of technology on their lives and their attitude towards it.
1 Skim the extracts and match the extracts with the people.
-
1
A a writer
B a teacher
C an artist
D a doctor
E a social worker
F a politician
G a student
H a computer programmer
2
3
4
5
Exciting. So exciting. I mean, I’ve spent most of my creative life working in what I guess most people see as a very traditional way. I tend to use oils, but occasionally I work with watercolours and I’ve done one or two pieces of collage and sculpture that I think are quite successful. But then along came computers and they’ve opened up completely new areas for people to explore, completely new avenues and methods of expression. It’s fantastic.
Quite frankly, in the fifteen years I’ve been doing this, they’ve revolutionized my working life. Time was I’d send in a rough draft, which usually had a lot of crossings out and bits added and arrows all over it. And it would come back with comments for revisions and whatnot. And in order to produce a final manuscript I’d have to start all over again from the very beginning. Whereas now, of course, I slap in a disk and I start from where I left off. Magic!
But, actually, I think what I appreciate most is the contact. Because, in my job, I can be sent off at a moment’s notice to a disaster zone or a famine area. It’s difficult, impossible even sometimes, to let my family know where I am, or how I am, or when I’m coming home. So yes, there’s vital information on symptoms and treatment that I can access at any time and that’s useful, but it can’t beat being able to e-mail my kids on their birthday.
Well, yes, I can see the benefits. But unfortunately I can see the downside too. Working with problem kids, as I do, in their homes and with their families, I would much rather that these kids spent time interacting with other people, getting some of their problems out in the open rather than shutting themselves away in front of an endless succession of screen games. Sometimes I feel like unplugging the damn machines and throwing them out the window.
I’m on the Internet everyday. And not just playing, shopping, entertainment, and so on. It doesn’t govern my life. It’s useful stuff I’m doing. And as long as you’re fairly selective about what you believe, it’s incredible what you can find out. The web is probably the source that I use the most these days for keeping me up-to-date on my subject. And I encourage my classes to use it as much as possible too.