1d : Marvellous machines

1 Warm-up

Discuss.

Would you like to have a robot at home?

Yes, of course I would.

How would it help you or your parents?

It would help us clean the house and maybe it would help out with my homework!

2 Read

A. Before you read the text, can you guess which of the following topics will be mentioned? Then listen, read and check your answers.

household chores

Work

Health

science fiction

B. Look at the highlighted words in the text and choose the correct meaning a or b.

1. domestic
a. to do with the home
b. to do with work

2. industrial
a. to do with making products
b. to do with technology

3. fictional
a. not real
b. not correct

4. intelligent
a. good at designing and building
b. good at thinking and learning

C. Read again and answer the questions

1. What are robots used for?

They are used for jobs that are boring or too dangerous for humans.

2. What kind of household jobs are done by robots?

Hoovering, mowing the lawn or other jobs around the house.

3. How do the police use telerobots?

They use them to disarm bombs.

4. Why is Japan called the robot capital of the world?

Because 30% of the world's robots are made there.

5. Where did the word robot first appear?

It was first used by the Czech writer Karel Capek in his 1920 work Rossum's Universal Robots.

6. How do scientists expect robots to change in the future?

They expect that future robots will have a brain.

Comprehension questions:

1. How long have robots existed?

For many years.

2. How many domestic robots are there today?

About 3.5 million.

3. Who are telerobots used by?

By doctors, the police and the military.

4. Are fictional robots still popular?

Yes, they are.

Post-reading

1. Do you like robots?

Yes, I do and I'd love to have one.

2. Have you ever read any books about robots?

No, I haven't, but I may in the future.

3 Vocabulary

Match the verbs in the box with the groups of nouns.

make _ build_ produce_ invent_ discover

1. invent

2. produce

3. make

4. discover

5. build

4 Grammar

Complete with the Present Simple Passive or the Past Simple Passive of the verbs in brackets.

1. These laptops are sold (sell) all over the world.

2. Is Arabic spoken (speak) in Saudi Arabia?

3. These houses were built (build) three years ago.

4. The Mona Lisa wasn't painted (not paint) by Michelangelo, but by Leonardo da Vinci.

5. Breakfast isn't served (not serve) after ten o’clock at this hotel.

6. Who was America discoverd (discover) by?

7. Next Thursday is the opening night of Ameen’s restaurant but we aren't invited (not invite).

5 Listen

A. Look at the three robot inventions from a science fair and answer the questions below. Then listen to a reporter interviewing the
winners and check your answers.

The Robo-butler (3rd prize) brings letters and newspapers to you,

The Radio-bot (2nd prize) plays the radio and moves around the room and the Aqua-bot (1st prize) explores oceans.

B. Listen again and complete the sentences.

1. Robo-butler picks up letters and newspapers and brings them to you.

2. Robo-butler finds you because it can hear where you are.

3. Radio-bot is a walking radio.

4. Radio-bot has got a keyboard that is used to change the radio station.

5. Harry is making a robot that people will use to watch TV.

6. Aqua-bot has got two cameras.

7. Humans haven’t explored 95%of the world’s oceans yet.

6 Speak & Write

A. GAME: Guess the invention. Talk in pairs.
Student A go to page 61.
Student B go to page 63.

A: OK, so this invention is made of metal and plastic.

B: Umm, the headphones?

A: No, this was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. It's used to communicate with people.

B: It's the phone!

A: That's right. Now your turn.

B: OK, it's a machine that was invented in 1902 by Willis Havilard Carrier and it's made of metal and plastic.

A: Hmm... What is it used for?

B: It's used to keep a room cool or warm.

A: I know! The air conditioner!

B: Great.

A: OK the next one is easy. It's made of metal, glass and plastic.

B: who invented it?

A: Elisha Otis in 1852.

B: Is it the lift?

A: Yes!

B. Choose two of the inventions from activity A and write sentences about them. Then think of another invention,
find some information about it and write a few sentences.

The lift was invented by Elisha Otis in 1852. It's made of metal, plastic and glass and it's used to go up and down in a building.

The microwave oven is made of metal, glass, and plastic.

It was invented in 1947 by Percy Spencer and it's used to heat food.

The fax machine was invented in 1805 by Oliver Evans.

It's made of metal, plastic and glass and is used to send fax messages.