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Unit 23 Lesson 5
Hopes for a better future
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• read four extracts on possibilities in the new century
• talked about your dreams for the future
• written a short passage on the possible advancement of science
A In the light of your knowledge about the last century, think about and note down one or two of the important things that you think might happen in the new century.
B Here are some imaginary news stories set in the future. Rend them and answer the questions that follow.
Paralysed man walks again
Two years ago, a young New York policeman, Luther Howard, was paralysed in a car crash in which his back and spinal cord were broken. Doctors told him he would never walk again; However, six months ago, he became a patient at the Columbia School of Bio-medical Research. There scientists were able to help him grow new nerve cells around the damaged area of his spine. Yesterday, he took his first steps since the incident.
Cure for cancer found
A Team of French scientists at the institute Pasteur have announced the discovery of a new superdrug to, cure cancer. Dr. Gilbert Dalgagilan, head of the team, claims that tests with human beings have been remarkably successful and have shown no serious side effects'. He said he believed that it would cure 90% of all but a few rare types of cancer.
Are people living too Song?
At an international conference in Dublin on population trends yesterday, experts discussed new techniques of biological engineering that will soon increase the average life expectancy to 150 years. However, they warned that that would lead to the problems that have already been caused by the tendency to live longer.
Only a few years ago, in Britain and other parts of the world, people were regarded as "old" when they reached the age of sixty or seventy, and rarely lived beyond eighty or ninety. Now, however, several people live up to 120 years.
Soviet and astronauts
Two members of the joint Soviet-American mission to Mars, Yuri Rostropovich and Monica Valerio, have become the first humans to walk on the surface of Mars, They stayed on the planet for three days before beginning the return journey to earth. One of their objectives was to discover it' there is any frozen water beneath the surface of the planet.
C Here are some sentences which may be inserted in each of the news stories above. Choose an appropriate sentence for each text and put it in the right place.
1 As a result, the disease would soon be a matter for the history books.
2 If there is, a second mission will be sent there next year with the purpose of building a research station in which scientists from both countries will be able 10 spend up to six months,
3 He had been chasing three teenagers who were drunk and speeding.
4 Doctors say that within a year he will be able to walk and run again and even to play his favourite sport, squash.
5 This is one of the planned series of visits to the planet.
6 However, this might lead to some other sorts of problems such as welfare and
new jobs for the young.
D Say whether the following statements are true or false. If true, write 'T' and if false, write 'F'. Also correct the false statements.
1 The policeman's injury was not very serious.
2 Today lots of people in Britain live to be more than a hundred years old.
3 The Soviet-American astronauts think there may be some water somewhere Mars.
4 The Russians and Americans have already decided to send a mission to Mars after this one.
5 The new French drug will be used to stop people from smoking.
6 The drug will cure most but not all types of a very serious disease.
E Do you think that some of the things that you have read above might actually happen this century? Discuss in groups and write a 100-word passage on the possible advancement of science in the 21st century, adding any information you can.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking, intensive reading, writing. Functions.
Expressing possibility/ probability, predicting.
Grammar/Structure.
Use of 'may, might, could' to express possibility.
Vocabulary.
crash, spine, astronauts.
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Unit 23 Lesson 5
Hopes for a better future
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• read four extracts on possibilities in the new century
• talked about your dreams for the future
• written a short passage on the possible advancement of science
A In the light of your knowledge about the last century, think about and note down one or two of the important things that you think might happen in the new century.
B Here are some imaginary news stories set in the future. Rend them and answer the questions that follow.
Paralysed man walks again
Two years ago, a young New York policeman, Luther Howard, was paralysed in a car crash in which his back and spinal cord were broken. Doctors told him he would never walk again; However, six months ago, he became a patient at the Columbia School of Bio-medical Research. There scientists were able to help him grow new nerve cells around the damaged area of his spine. Yesterday, he took his first steps since the incident.
Cure for cancer found
A Team of French scientists at the institute Pasteur have announced the discovery of a new superdrug to, cure cancer. Dr. Gilbert Dalgagilan, head of the team, claims that tests with human beings have been remarkably successful and have shown no serious side effects'. He said he believed that it would cure 90% of all but a few rare types of cancer.
Are people living too Song?
At an international conference in Dublin on population trends yesterday, experts discussed new techniques of biological engineering that will soon increase the average life expectancy to 150 years. However, they warned that that would lead to the problems that have already been caused by the tendency to live longer.
Only a few years ago, in Britain and other parts of the world, people were regarded as "old" when they reached the age of sixty or seventy, and rarely lived beyond eighty or ninety. Now, however, several people live up to 120 years.
Soviet and astronauts
Two members of the joint Soviet-American mission to Mars, Yuri Rostropovich and Monica Valerio, have become the first humans to walk on the surface of Mars, They stayed on the planet for three days before beginning the return journey to earth. One of their objectives was to discover it' there is any frozen water beneath the surface of the planet.
C Here are some sentences which may be inserted in each of the news stories above. Choose an appropriate sentence for each text and put it in the right place.
1 As a result, the disease would soon be a matter for the history books.
2 If there is, a second mission will be sent there next year with the purpose of building a research station in which scientists from both countries will be able 10 spend up to six months,
3 He had been chasing three teenagers who were drunk and speeding.
4 Doctors say that within a year he will be able to walk and run again and even to play his favourite sport, squash.
5 This is one of the planned series of visits to the planet.
6 However, this might lead to some other sorts of problems such as welfare and
new jobs for the young.
D Say whether the following statements are true or false. If true, write 'T' and if false, write 'F'. Also correct the false statements.
1 The policeman's injury was not very serious.
2 Today lots of people in Britain live to be more than a hundred years old.
3 The Soviet-American astronauts think there may be some water somewhere Mars.
4 The Russians and Americans have already decided to send a mission to Mars after this one.
5 The new French drug will be used to stop people from smoking.
6 The drug will cure most but not all types of a very serious disease.
E Do you think that some of the things that you have read above might actually happen this century? Discuss in groups and write a 100-word passage on the possible advancement of science in the 21st century, adding any information you can.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking, intensive reading, writing. Functions.
Expressing possibility/ probability, predicting.
Grammar/Structure.
Use of 'may, might, could' to express possibility.
Vocabulary.
crash, spine, astronauts.