Unit 3 Technology

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2 Word builder - A• sophisticated (adj): complicated and advanc

ed in design

• reliable (adj): always works well; dependable

• practical (adj): able to do lots of different things; realistic

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• versatile (adj): useful and suitable, not just fashionable

• fashionable (adj): popular at a particular time

• affordable (adj): cheap enough for most people to buy

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1 Word builder 2A

2. b

3. e

4. c 5. f

6. a

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2 Word builder - B

• break down (vp): stop working

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1 Word builder 2B

1. affordable

2. reliable

3. practical

4. fashionable

5. versatile

6. sophisticated

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1 Reading and speaking – 3A (Answers)

1. Because they weighed a lot

2. 1983

3. They were unreliable and expensive.

4. They are cheaper, more versatile

and have more features.

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5. Automatic dialers, one-touch dialing,

texting and voicemail

6. They have extra functions – Internet and e-mail connections, video and photography features. Some have

GPS receivers.

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Most people in the U.S. now have

cell phones, and one of the most

popular ways of communicating is

by text messaging, also known as

SMS ( Short Message Service).

Cultural note

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• More than 25 billion text messages

were sent in the U.S. in 2004,

although this compares with 176

billion sent in China in just the first

ten months of 2004!

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Text messages in English often omit some characters and use numbers. For example, 〝 CUL8R 〞 translates as 〝 See you later, 〞 and 〝 thx 4 being a gr8 friends 〞 as 〝 thanks for being a great friend. 〞 For a dictionary of text messaging terms, visit:

http://www.smseverywhere.com/dictionary.htm

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3 Reading and speaking - B

• weigh (v): have a heaviness of a stated amount, or measure the heaviness of an object

• retrieve (v): find and bring back something

• capability (n): [capabilities] the ability or power to do something

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1 Listening and speaking – A

• appliance (n): a device, machine or piece of equipment, especially an electrical one that is used in the house such as a cooker or washing machine

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1. He wants to heat up a cup of

coffee.

2. He can’t get the sequence of

buttons right.

3. Clear

2 Word builder 1B

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4. He feels frustrated by it and

thinks

that it makes life impersonal.

5. She thinks it’s good and looking

forward to having more

technology

in future.

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Grandfather: Why do these things never

work?

Granddaughter: The microwave? Oh,

grandpa everyone knows how to

…

2 Listening and speaking - 1A (Audioscript)

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Grandfather: You press ”clear” first, don’t you? I did that. Then I passed two-zero-zero-you know, two minutes,

for a cup of coffee. Then I pressed”

start,”but it didn’t start. Is it stupid or something?

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Granddaughter: No… you…uh, to set

the time you have to press the

”time” button first like this.

Grandfather: So, it’s first ”clear,” then

“time,” then the number of minutes

and finally ”start,” is that it?

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Granddaughter: That’s right.

Grandfather: Hmm. I could do it faster on the stove, couldn’t I ?

Granddaughter: Maybe. But instead of “time” and the number of minutes, try pressing “Everage” and ”start.”

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Grandfather: Uh… so it’s

“beverage, start…”

Granddughter: “Clear”first…

Grandfather: There you are! It hasn’t started, has it? It just won’t work for me, will it?

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Granddaughter: You didn’t press 〝 Clear, 〞 did you? What? Oh, forget it, Mandy. I’m going to shop using these infernal machines.

Grandfather: Well, the feature isn’t just a few 〝 infernal machines. 〞 It’s 〝 smart houses 〞 - everything electronically controlled and interconnected. I’m going to live in a house like that.

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Grandfather: Huh! The trouble with

technology is that it makes life

easier but more impersonal. People

don’t talk to each other anymore.

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1 Listening and speaking - C

• impersonal (adj): not being friendly towards people or showing any interest in them

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2 Listening and Speaking 1C

Possible answers:

Advantages: can make life easier, can

save time, can help you stay in

touch, can be easy to use.

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Disadvantages: impersonal, can be

expensive, can break down or go

wrong, may cause health problems,

can soon go out of fashion or

become obsolete.

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2.2 Question Tags

• Question tags are mini questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?"

• The basic structure:

1. You don’t like me, do you? (negative->positive)

2. Peter has come home, hasn’t he? (positive ->negative)

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2.2 Question tagsExamples: He is intelligent, isn’t he?

They won’t help, will they?Special cases:

I am right, aren't I? You have to go, don't you? I have been answering, haven't I? Nothing came in the post, did it? Let's go, shall we? He'd better do it, hadn't he?

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2.2 Question tags

• We can change the meaning of a tag question with the musical pitch of our voice. With rising intonation, it sounds like a real question. But if our intonation falls, it sounds more like a statement that doesn't require a real answer

Rising (real question): You don't know where my wallet is, do you?

Falling (not a real question): It is a beautiful view, isn’t it?

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2.2 Answers / Audioscript (p.19)

1. New technology makes life easier

, doesn’t it?

2. Modern technology really began in the nineteenth century, didn’t it?

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3. Technology will develop faster

and faster, won’t you?

4. You don’t use a computer much

, do you?

5. Most people can’t afford the

latest technology, can they?

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6. You’re an electronic engineer

, aren’t you?

7. You didn’t pass “clear,” did

you?

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2 Grammar builder - 2B

1. New technology makes life easier, doesn’t it?

2. Modern technology really began in the nineteenth century, didn’t it?

3. Technology will develop faster and faster, won’t it?

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4. You don’t use a computer much, do you?

5. Most people can’t afford the latest technology, can they?

6. You’re an electronic engineer, aren’t you?

7. You didn’t press “clear,” did you?

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2 Speaking and reading - 3B

Display screen: to preview picture

Preview button: press to preview pictures

Mode button: to give you more options

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First you…Then …When you have …

For more…

2 Speaking and reading - 3c

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1 Word builder - A• submit (v): give or offer something for a

decision to be made by others

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3 Word builder 1A

2. B3. D 4. C 5. A

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1

2

3.

4.

5.

Take a course

Submit essays / assignmentPass a testask a question

Post a message

3 Word builder - 1B

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2 Reading and speaking – A

• diploma (n): a document given by a college or university to show that you have passed a particular examination or completed a course

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ANSWERS Student A

Course title: English as a Second

Language Program Length of course: 6

months

3 Reading and Speaking – 2A

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Place of study: At home

Times of study: 10 hours a week

Course fees: $299 (before June 30)

Qualification: Diploma

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Student B

Course title: General English Language

Program Length of Course: 10 weeks

Place of study: Fast Track Language

School in New York, Los Angeles,

London or Sydney

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Times of study: Monday-Friday

(morning, afternoon or evening )

Course fees: $999

Qualification: Certificate of

achievement

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1

2

3.

Learning for life

He’s head of Distance Learning.

Online courses

3 Listening and speaking - 3A

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3 Listening and Speaking – 3A (Audioscript)

Part one

Interviewer: You’re listening to WBC,

and it’s our weekly look at education

on our show, Learning for Life. Today

Alan Martin, the Head of Distance

Learning at Bedford College, is here

to talk to us. Alan, thanks for coming.

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Alan: It’s nice to be here.

Interviewer: Alan, you’re going to talk

about courses on the Internet,

aren’t you?

Alan: Yes, online courses are becoming

increasingly popular with

students.

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3 Listening and Speaking – 3B (Audioscript)

Part Two

Interviewer: What kind of courses can

you take online?

Alan: Well, you can take almost

anything online: vocational course,

languages, university degrees. Even

courses on cooking or wine tasting.

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Interviewer: What are some of the

advantages of taking a course online?

Alan: Well, it depends, but in general,

online courses are cheaper than

paying for more traditional courses,

and they’re more convenient.

Interviewer: In what way?

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Alan: Well, you can study when you

have time and combine this with

other activities, like work. Also, you

take a course at your own speed: fast

or slow; it’s up to you.

Interviewer: And how do these courses

work?

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Alan: Instruction is by e-mail, and the

courses is on a web page and there’s

an online classroom, too. Students

also have access to online libraries,

as well as academic and technology

support.

Interviewer: And are there any exams?

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Alan: Unfortunately, yes! But you can

take exams online or off-site.

Interviewer: It sounds perfect. But are

there any disadvantages?

Alan: Well, yes. More people fail online

courses than traditional classroom

courses.

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Interviewer: Why?

Alan: First of all, you need a high level of

self-motivation on any distance-learning

course. Secondly, many people like to

have personal contact with teacher and

with other students. And for some

courses there is also the problem of the

practical side of the courses.

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Interviewer: Can you give us an

example?

Alan: Sure. Imagine you were taking an

online course in cooking or woodwork.

Clearly the teachers are not there when

the practical parts are being done, so

this makes it quite difficult to measure

or check the progress or success.

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After all you might be great at the theory, but not be able to cook or make something.

Interviewer: Umm, I see what you mean. Okey. We have a short commercial break, but we’ll be back soon with some questions for Alan from our listeners.