How Times Change
In recent times – particularly the last 20 years – society has gone through a period of considerable change. Prior to the 1990s very few people had access to a home computer. Nowadays [2] the majority of homes have at least one computer. This expansion in home computing has coincided with the advent of internet technology. At the moment we are at a stage where the situation is still evolving. Next generations will live in a very different world although we do not know exactly how things will develop over the next few years, in the near future, or, least of all, in the distant future.
(b) Choose the correct words in italics to complete these sentences:
1. At the moment, I’m writing up my thesis. I hope to finish it in the near / next future.
2. The advent of internet technology has transformed the travel industry.
3. The university has gone through a period of drastic change in the last decade.
4. In the distant future scientists may be able to cure almost all common diseases.
5. Anti-social behavior is a nowadays problem / a problem nowadays in many big cities.
6. Prior to 2001, the industry was unregulated. In recent / the last years the government has introduced new regulations to the industry.
7. Aircraft are undergoing / bringing about major technological changes that are helping to reduce noise.
8. On 20 March, cyber attacks on six South Korean banks and broadcasters affected 32,000 computers and disrupted banking services.
9. The acid seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the plastic.
10. The impact of global warming on the polar ice caps is now understood more clearly.
Word Building
5. LMS (a) In academic writing sentences with nouns are more common that sentences with verbs. For some verbs the noun form is the same as the verb, for example, influence. You can also make nouns from verbs by adding endings like: - ment, - ion and – ing. Decide what the noun form is for each of the verbs 1-16 below. Which verb does not follow any of these patterns?
| 1) to improve | improvement | 9) to damage | |
| 2) to destroy | destruction | 10) to ruin | |
| 3) to shape | 11) to produce | production | |
| 4) to result | 12) to foster | ||
| 5) to affect | affection | 13) to advance | advancement |
| 6) to harm | 14) to deteriorate | ||
| 7) to enhance | enhancement | 15) achieve | achievement |
| 8) to promote | promotion | 16) to attract | attraction |
LMS (b) Complete the gaps below with a suitable word. There may be more than one possible answer.
1. How have young people been ___________________ by video games?
2. What do you think has been the greatest __________________ in the world in recent years?
3. Who do you think has done the most to _________________ the world in the past 50 years?
4. What is the ___________________ of overusing computers?
5. Has technology ___________________ the way we live?
6. What has been the most crucial ___________________ in your life in the past years?
7. Do you believe that as human beings we are ___________________ the planet?
8. What do you think you can do to ___________________ your career?
6. LMS (a) In IELTS Writing Task 2, Speaking and Listening it is important to be able to qualify ideas and recognize when ideas are being qualified. For each adjective below, write the opposite form in the correct column of the table.
| in- / im- | un- | -less | |
| 1) convenient | inconvenient | ||
| 2) practical | impractical | ||
| 3) important | unimportant | ||
| 4) necessary | unnecessary | ||
| 5) significant | insignificant | ||
| 6) harmful | harmless | ||
| 7) valuable | invaluable | ||
| 8) useful | useless | ||
| 9) effective | ineffective | ||
| 10) appealing | unappealing | ||
| 11) worthwhile | worthless | ||
| 12) inspiring |
(b) Decide which of the words below are synonyms for the word important. Circle them:
crucial pointless vital essential empty key critical
(c) Decide which of the words below are synonyms for the word unimportant. Circle them:
trivial harmless worthless insignificant
(d) For sentences 1-6 below, decide which adjectives from the table above can be used to replace the underlined words. Make any necessary changes.
Example: Many of the early technologies we take for granted are those that we cannot do without. = necessary
1. Some ideas form the 1950s were not very sensible or easy to use. impractical
2. Using hydrogen cars to combat global warming is a solution that produces the desired resulteffective.
3. Underground transport systems built in the 19th century are still easy to use for commuters.convenient
4. The coordination skills learnt when doing practical work like making things by hand proved to be extremely useful for young people.valuable
5. Instead of being an activity which does no harm, playing computer games can cause emotional damage to young players.harmless
6. The work of people like Louis Daguerre, who shaped the world of cinema, can only be considered as stimulating and motivating to later generations.inspiring
Language Focus
Advances in Technology & Technological Downsides
11. (a) Study the following vocabulary items (from Ex. 1 and Ex. 4, pp. 102-103) and match them to their Russian equivalents listed below:
· the advent of sth– (formal) the introduction of a new product, idea, custom etc; e.g. You may be old enough to remember the doomsday predictions that the advent of television would lead to empty movie theaters and empty stadiums. (Forbes)
· downside - (often singular) the disadvantage or negative aspect of sth;≠ upside; e.g. Do the upsides of surveillance outweigh the downsides? (Time)
· satellite; e.g. Solar storms can disrupt radio signals and interfere with communications, navigation and other satellites in orbit. (Reuters)
· to orbit; e.g. The satellite orbits the Earth every 48 hours. (Britannica)
· space debris / junk / waste - are objects in orbit around Earth (spent rocketstages, satellites, collision fragments, slag and dust from solid rocket motors) that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose. e.g.Space debris is a potential collision risk to spacecraft.(BBC)
1) космическиймусор;• space debris / junk / waste
2) недостаток / обратная сторона;• downside
3) появление / наступление (эпохи, события) / пришествие;• theadventofsth
4) Спутник вращается по орбите Земли.ThesatelliteorbitstheEarth
(b) TranslateintoEnglish:
1. Какая валюта была в Италии до появления евро?
2. Мечта о разумных машинах, способных имитировать процесс мышления человека, с появлением компьютеров становится реальностью.
3. Первый искусственный спутник, «Спутник 1», был запущен (tolaunch) Советским Союзом в 1957.
4. С появлением CD-ROMов дискеты (floppydisks) быстро устарели.
5. Основной недостаток солнечныхбатарей (panels) заключается в том, что если нет солнечного света, то нет и энергии.
6. Тысячи неиспользуемых спутниковвращаются по орбите вокруг Земли в качестве космического мусора.
What currency was in Italy before theadvent of euro?
2. The dream of intelligent machines capable of imitating the process of human thinking, with the advent of computers becomes a reality.
3. The first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.
4. With the advent of CD-ROMs floppy disks quickly become obsolete.
5. The main downside of solar panels is that if there is no sunlight, then there is no energy.
6. Thousands of unused satellites orbit around the Earth as space debris.
(c) Watch the video [3] “Space junk – a serious issue” on the BBC website, read the article BusinessInsider.com [4] and answer the question:Why has the issue of space debris become so urgent?
Collocations
14. (a) Study the vocabulary items from Ex. 6, p. 103:
· appliance - a piece of electrical equipment (a cooker or washing machine) used in people's homes; domestic / home / household appliances; e.g. Major home appliances like refrigerators, washer-dryers, TVs and air conditioners have become roughly 40% more efficient than they were 20 years ago.
· to operate machinery – to use and control a piece of equipment;
What collective nouns can be used to describe the equipment from the photos?
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|
(b) Search Ex. 6, p. 103 for the Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
1) бытовые электроприборы;
2) высокотехнологичная электроника;
3) исследование космоса;
4) научное исследование;
5) погружаться / уходить с головой;
6) управлять оборудованием;
7) экспериментальная стадия / этап испытаний.
(с) Translate into English using words and phrases from Ex. 6, p. 103:
1. Недорогое устройство для управлениябытовыми электроприборами посредством СМС было разработано в технологическом колледже.
2. Нельзя управлятьоборудованием после принятия этого препарата.
3. Мы находимся у истока научных исследований процесса мышления человека.
4. Несколько новых многообещающих препаратов от гепатита В (forhepatitisB) находятся на стадии испытаний.
5. Наши дети проводят так много времени, уйдя с головой в высокотехнологичную электронику, чтобы зачастую даже не знают обычных детских игр (playgroundgames).
6. Упоминание слова «инновация» вызывает в памяти (conjureup) образы смартфонов, компьютеров и другой высокотехнологичной электроники.
7. Исследование космоса – это не только космические полеты людей (human / mannedspaceflights), но и автоматизированных космических кораблей (spacecraft).
15. (a) Complete the sentences with one of the phrases below:
change for the better discovery manned mission demonstration groundbreaking research [5] space exploration
1. The NASA data shows that radiation doses would be so high on a (1)__________________ to Mars that we must now debate the ethics of deep (2)__________________ – or wait decades to develop a safer technology.
2. Alfred Nobel stated that the Nobel Prizes in Physics should be given "to the person who shall have made the most important (3)___________________ or invention within the field of physics”.
3. The charitable organization raises funds to support the scientists doing (4) __________________ on breast cancer prevention.
4. You usually don't need a permit to hold a (5)___________________ on a public sidewalk as long as you don't block pedestrian traffic or go into the street.
5. If our One Change campaign inspires one person to make a (6)__________________, then it was successful.
(b) Search Ex. 7, p. 104 for the Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
1) делать шаги вперед / добиваться прогресса / продвигаться;
2) заниматься научным проектом;
3) иметь свидетельства;
4) попасть в ситуацию, изменяющую жизнь;
5) проводить демонстрацию;
6) проводить международную конференцию;
7) проводить новаторские исследования;
8) проводить экспериментальную работу;
9) произвести изменения к лучшему;
10) сделать / высказать важное наблюдение;
11) совершить важное открытие;
12) совершить успешный (космический) полет.
(с) Translate into English using the phrases from (b):
1. Этот ученый проводит экспериментальную работу в области генетики.
2. Иран добился прогресса в обогащении урана и оставляет открытым вопрос разработки ядерного оружия.
3. Я надеюсь, что к 2050 году мы совершим успешный полетчеловека на Марс.
4. Судя по статьям в научных журналах, наши ученые скоро совершат важное открытие в поиске лечения от СПИДа.
5. Он высказал важное наблюдение по поводу перспектив исследования космоса.
6. Институт проводитноваторские исследования, которые могут привести к излечению от некоторых смертельных болезней.
7. У полиции имеются свидетельства его причастности (involvement) к этому преступлению.
8. Для того чтобы устроить демонстрацию требуется разрешение правительства.
9. Покупка экологически безопасных товаров – замечательный способ произвести изменения к лучшему.
10. Они занимаются научным проектом по атомной энергии.
11. В Лондоне сейчас проводится международная конференция по проблемам изменения климата.
Idioms
*16. (a) Match the idioms from Ex. 10, p. 104 with their meanings:
1) it doesn’t require a lot of intelligence;
2) very rarely, almost never;
3) sb who is used in a scientific test to see how successful or safe a new product or system is;
4) to confuse sb by using complicated language, in order to impress them rather than to help them understand;
5) to do sth completely new; to make a change that breaks an established habit, pattern, etc;
6) to return to reality from a fantasy or daydream;
7) to change the way you think and behave, as society changes; adopt new fashions and trends;
8) to rediscover sth;
9) to last for a long time;
10) to go back in time.
(b) Complete the idioms with the verbs given below (in the correct form):
come move break stand take turn
1. Now and then something comes along which _________________ the mould, and quickly becomes wildly fashionable partly on account of its sheer novelty. (The Guardian)
2. If you want to grow as a business and attract new customers you must __________________ with the times.
3. He finally _________________ down to earth and started looking for a real job.
4. It does not _________________ a rocket scientist to work out why Ethiopia and Kenya shine in middle and long distance running.
5. Pop music comes and goes, but classical music has __________________ the test of time.
6. You are not facing up to the future. You are trying to __________________ the clock back to a time when you were more comfortable.
(c) Search Ex. 10, p. 104 for the equivalents of the following:
1) выдержать испытание временем;
2) дело нехитрое / не надо быть семи пядей во лбу / не надо быть большим учёным;
3) идти в ногу со временем;
4) изобретать велосипед;
5) отойти от устоявшихся шаблонов; сделать всё по-другому;
6) спуститься с небес на землю;
(d) Translate into English using the idioms from Ex. 10, p. 104:
1. Стремясь отойти от устоявшихся шаблонов, молодые кинематографисты экспериментируют с различными стилями.
2. Всё должно быть доступным для понимания, не пытайся засыпать читателя научными терминами.
3. Если наша компания будет идти в ногу со временем, то мы непременно обойдем своих конкурентов.
4. В свете последних событий мы не хотим, чтобы наших детей использовали как подопытных кроликов для вакцины, находящейся на стадии испытаний. – Inlightof…
5. Несмотря на неудачу, если бы было возможно повернуть время вспять, он сделал бы то же самое.
6. Пора бы нам перестать витать в облаках и спуститься с небес на землю. Мы вот-вот приступим к работе.
7. На самом деле, властям не нужно изобретать велосипед каждый раз, когда происходит вспышка гриппа (anoutbreakofflu).
8. Не надо быть семи пядей во лбу, что понять, что проблема космического мусора напрямую вызвана технологическим прогрессом.
9. Нам нужно современное оборудование, которое выдержит испытание временем и не устареет через год.
Focus on Reading and Discussing
18. (a) A student is working on an essay about advantages and downsides of modern technological advances. Using a brainstorming technique, our student has made a list of almost every idea that came into his mind about the topic.
Try to group similar ideas together. Define what technological advances the student wants to focus on in his essay. Which of the ideas listed below may be considered advantages of respective technologies and which of them are drawbacks?
(1) there are thousands of artificial objects orbiting the Earth (more than 2,500 of which are satellites)
(2) more than half a century of space exploration has left the Earth surrounded by space junk (bits of long-dead satellites, spent rocket stages, etc)
(3) nuclear power plants emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases - therefore their contribution to global warming is relatively little
(4) hi-tech gadgetry and household appliances make our life more convenient
(5) nuclear power is considered to present a low cost, cleaner alternative to fossil fuels (which are already in short supply)
(6) even a small fragment of debris can severely damage (or even destroy) satellites or other spacecraft that collide with them
(7) applications for satellite technology: meteorology, telecommunications, military surveillance
(8) high-tech gadgets are portable; contain multiple capabilities; increase our personal and professional productivity
(9) there is widespread concern about the accumulation of radioactive nuclear waste that requires sophisticated treatment (storage, disposal)
(10) satellites monitor the changes sweeping over our planet
(11) since the advent of the mobile phone it has become simpler and faster to get in touch with people even when they are in very remote parts of the world.
(12) satellites track threats to the ozone layer (which protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation)
(13) satellites are documenting the effects of pollution and global climate change on the oceans, atmosphere, ice sheets.
(14) the International Space Station has to regularly alter its orbit to avoid being hit by large bits of space junk
(15) it is possible to generate a high amount of electrical energy in one single plant
(16) the consequences of an accident on a nuclear power plant would be absolutely devastating
(17) such power plants could be preferred targets for terrorist attacks
(18) the more advanced society becomes technologically, the more people begin to depend on computers and other forms of technology for everyday existence
(19) nuclear fuel could be extremely dangerous if it were to fall into the wrong hands (can be used for the production of nuclear weapons)
(20) we become less self-reliant
(c) Speak on the downsides of modern technology. What recent technological advances do you think are of most benefit to people?
Artificial Intelligence
*19. (a) Read the text [6] about possible applications of artificial intelligence systems and answer the questions listed after the text: