1.

Computers

Lead in
1. How often do you use a computer? What do you use it for?

About 3-4 times a day for a total of 3-4 hours or so: sharing my thoughts and responding
to others by email and instant message, checking things out, listening to music, reading,
writing, idly surfing, working, banking .

2. What would our life be without computers? Make a list with advantages and
disadvantages.

Nowadays, we cannot imagine our life without computers and the fact is that they have
become so important that nothing can replace them. They seem to be everywhere
today.

Advantages:
a) Computers saves storage place;
b) Computers can calculate and process information faster and more accurate than
human
c) Computers improve our lives, they are useful in office work, we can communicate
with whole world very fast and cheap using Internet.
d) Computers are user-friendly,we can watch videos and listen to music having only PC

Disadvantages:
a) Computers are dangerous to our health. The monitors used to be dangerous for our
sight. Nowadays due to technological development they are very safe.
b) Computers sometimes brake down. The biggest problem is when our hard disk
brakes down because of the data stored on it.
c) Violence and sex.The main threat to younger users of computers are internet
pornography and bloody games. The presence of sexual content or level of violence
should be properly marked and parents are obliged to draw their attention to this
issue.
d) Addiction. If you spend most of your free time using computer you should see a
psychologist .
3. Read the following text and choose an appropriate subtitle for each paragraph .There is
one extra.

1. How it all started

2. Computers and libraries
3. An aid for doctors
4. Fighting crime

Check your comprehension

4. Answer the questions.

 Did Charles Babbage build the first computer?

No,Charles Babbage built the first calculating machine in 1812. The real first
computer was built in 1943, called ENIAC.
 Which are the most important reasons why computers are so much used
nowadays?
The computers are used more and more extensively for the simple reason
that they are far more efficient than human beings . They can be used at full
capacity and can store huge amounts of information doing calculations in a
fraction of time .
 Are computers of any help in libraries?
Computers can help you find information in any field you might need,be that
history, geography or music. That’s why libraries use computers to store
thousands of books.
 How do computers help doctors and policeman in their work?
In medicine, computers help make patients’ appointments and keep patients’
records. With the aid of computers policeman can now find out details of car
ownership and driving licenses very fast.
 Have computers changed life in modern society? What’s your opinion?
Computers have improved almost every facet of our lives. We have improved
medical procedures, we have improved and faster communication, we have
more efficient running automobiles and appliances. It is hard to think of any
area of life that has not been improved by computers.
 How do you think: can computers replace teachers completely?
Computers can definitely help students in a big way to learn. Similarly they
can help teachers in teaching more effectively. But computers can never
replace teachers completely. For example, teacher can sense when students
are losing interest in the lecture and introduce some changes in the patter of
lecture to revive their interest. This cannot be done by computer.
 Why do we still need doctors and policeman in contemporary society?
5. Read the text again and decide if this sentences are true or false.

a) False, the first calculating machine was invented in 17th century.

b) False, the descendants of Babbage’s machine were much more complicated.
c) True.
d) True.
e) False.

Word work

6. Match the words and phrases a-f with their definitions .

Descendant = something derived from a prototype or an earlier form (a2)

Unlike = different form, not typical or characteristic one (b6)
Field = a sphere of activity, interest, within a particular profession (c1)
To store = to deposit in a storehouse, warehouse, or other place for keeping (d8)
Deal with = to be able to handle competently or successfully (e5)
Appointment = a meeting set for a specific time and place (f3)
To keep a record = to set down in writing in order to give evidence (g4)
Ownership = the state of being an owner, the legal right to possession (h10)
To trace = to follow the course, development, or history of (i7)
Cheating = acting dishonestly, deveining by trickery (j9)

7. Find in this word search grid words connected with the world of computers and use
them to fill in the sentences. The first letter of each missing word has already bebbn
given.

1. He’s recently accepted a job as a programmer for a software company.

2. We need to get a new keyboard this one cannot type k and m anymore.
3. You might want to download these music files first if you want store them on a CD.
4. I cannot work with laptop computers because I’m not used to not having a mouse.
5. You need a memory upgrade if you want to run this program.
6. Spending long periods of time in front of a computer screen will certainly damage
your eyesight in the long run.
7. If you want to surf the internet you need an internet connection first.
8. You can buy their products online if you have a credit card. Here is their webpage.
9. Once you’re on holiday don’t forget to email me and show me photos of that great
place.

Grammar practice
 8. a) Read the grammar section on tenses and put these verbs from the next in the table
below, as in the example: invented ,is helped, did he imagine, was working, are being
used, you will find, use, don’t suffer, are being developed.

Present Present Continuous Past Simple Past Future

Simple Continuous
Don’t suffer Are being used Invented was working You will find
use Is helped Did he imagine
Are being developed

b) Now match the tenses with their uses:

 an action that is predicted to happen in the future : future
 an action that is currently in progress: present continuous
 a completed action in the past : past simple
 an action that shows a routine, a permanent state: present simple
 an action in progress at a stated time in the past: past continuous

9. Use the prompts the write sentences, beginning as shown .

1. He wants to be a professional Jet Ski racer.

2. Are they having a piano lesson right now?
3. She seldom visits her grandmother.
4. Did you meet Sally at the cinema yesterday?
5. Were they watching the film when you entered the room?
6. It
7. I’m thinking of selling my old car and buying a new one.
8. I think I will join you at the club tomorrow evening.
9. What do you think you’ll be doing ten years from now?
10. If you visit their website you will certainly find the perfect present for your mother.

10. Read the text and fill in the gaps using these words:

(1) name
(2) people
(3) describe
(4) calculations

(6) nothing
(7) to
(8) very
(9) been
(10) for
 Writing

Using computers builds walls rather than bridges .What’s your opinion ?
Do you feel computers have enabled communication or,to the contrary, they do not
allow people to develop social skills? Write a paragraph (about 100 words) explaining
your views.

2. Your amazing brain

Lead in

1. Many of us think that computers are many times faster, more powerful and more
capable when compared to our brains. Do you think there are certain aspects in
which the human is superior to a computer? What are these?

2. You are about to read an article about the amazing powers of your brain. Before
that, do the quiz below to test your knowledge on the subject .
1. How much does your brain weigh?
c) 1.4 kg
2. How many brain cells do you have?
c)one hundred thousand million
3. The electricity generated by all your neurons can power:
a) a light bulb
4. The speed at which the information travels from senses to the brain is about:
b) 250 km/h
5. You are more receptive to learning after:
a) you have exercised

3. Read again and find the sentence which best summarize each paragraph :

1. D. Your brain is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer.

2. E. Your brain is a complex organ which controls your entire body
3. B. Your brain generates enough electricity to power a light bulb.
4. A. Neurons send information to your brain at more than 240kilometres per
hour.
 5. F. When you learn, you change the structure of your brain.
6. C. Exercise helps make you smarter.

4. Tick from the following list of topics the ones that have not been mentioned in the text:

 The weight of a child’s brain

 The animal with the largest brain
 The blood flow in your brain
 The energy your brain consumes
 The size of Einstein’s brain

5. A. While reading, you have come across these words: enabling to, relay to, transmit
to, receptive to. They are examples of verbs and adjectives that require the
preposition “ the”. Which of the following words take the same preposition?
Underline them.

According
Contrary
Coincide
Cruel
Dedicate
Faithful
Identical
Married
Refer
Related
Rude

B.
IN FOR OF WITH FROM ON
believe beg afraid begin recover bet
consist look consist careful concentrate
interested thankful disapprove cope demand
necessary different deal depend
protection fond compare Insist

failure popular rely

delay

6. Use the words and suitable prepositions from the previous exercise to complete the
following sentences.
a) …thankful for…
b) ….delay on…..
c) ….recovered from….
 d) …deal with….
e) ….compare with…
f) …dismissed from….
g) …..look for…
h) …beg for…
i) …popular with…
j) …rely on….
k) …interested in….
l) …begin with…

Grammar Practice

7. 1. Present perfect simple c)

2. Present simple a)
3. Present simple b)
4. Present perfect simple d)
a) Action which has recently happened, with visible results in the present
b) Habitual action
c) Action which happened at an indefinite time in the past
d) Imaginary past event meant to seem more exciting and real life

8.
1. I’m going to the cinema tomorrow evening
2. He has written two letters this morning
3. You beat the eggs, and then you add the flour

4. I’ve been ironing my shirts all morning

5. We leave London at 10.00 next Tuesday and arrive in Paris at 13.00.

6. He always going away for weekends

7. English people drink a lot of tea.

8. I will phone you when I wake up.

9. It is raining heavily at the moment

10. He has been a car salesman since 1990.

Uses:

 Frequently repeated action which annoys the speaker : 4

 An action which started in the past and continues up to the present with
emphasis on duration : 9
 Permanent situation : 7
  Future planned activity : 1
 Action which started in the past and are still continuing in the present : 2
 Fixed arrangement in the near future : 5
 Action which took place in a period time which is not over yet : 6
 Instructions : 3
 Future action after a time word / in a time clause : 8
 Present event in progress :10

9. Put the verbs in the following anecdote in the right present tense.

Vlasdashir Kukashivr is desperate. Once again, he has commited a grave sin--the

same one he has been struggling to overcome for many years.
Discouraged, he decides to impose a penalty on himself. "From now on," he says, "I
will pull ten strands of hair from my head each time I sin. When not a single strand
of hair is left on my head, I will kill myself."
After a month, Vlasdashir Kukashivr is almost bald. He continues to pull ten strands
of hair whenever he commits a sin.
"Indeed, there is no more hope for me! I'll kill myself!" exclaims Vlasdashir upon
seeing his bald head in the mirror.
With that, he takes a gun and aims it at his head. Before he can pull the trigger,
however, an angel comes floating into his room, saying, "Stop! What do you try?"
"I made an oath to kill myself when my hair is all gone." Vlasdashir answers.
"That's why I am here," the angel says. "God wants you to have this."
The angel hands Vlasdashir a package, and the sinner hastens to open it.
Vlasdashir is moved to tears when he sees what is inside: a toupee.

Writing

10. The Present Simple sometimes refer to events in the past, especially when telling
stories, as it makes the events more exciting and true to life. Retell a funny incident
you have heard or witnessed, trying to make use of value of Present Simple (120
words).
 3. A different way to wake up

Lead in
1. Answer the following questions:
 Do you have trouble waking up on time in the mornings?
Not really, as I have gotten used to it.
 What do you do to wake up?
I have my alarm clock set to turn on a favorite radio station when i need to wake
me up.
 Did you know that waking up abruptly by the sound of an alarm clock is an
unnatural thing to do? Have you got or thought of less “ traumatic” ways of
beginning the day?
The alarm clock sounds great to me, despite all the traumatic or unnatural things.

Check your comprehension

2. Read the text quickly and decide what is about :

c) a man who invented an unusual alarm clock

3. Read the text carefully and tick the 3 most important pieces of information in the passage:

 Alarm clocks are extremely unpleasant

 The unusual alarm clock is easy to use
 One can even eat the bacon once awake

4. Match these words to their meanings; then use them in sentences of your own.

Household – all the people living together in a house

Clang - a loud ringing sound of metal being struck

Strip – a long narrow piece of something

Cured – to treat meat , fish with salt ,smoke in order to preserve it

Cinnamon – a spice made from an Asian tree used to give flavour to sweet foods

Bun – a small round of sweet cake

 5.A. SMELL :

Perfume, smelly, fragrance

Stink, stench,

Taste

Sweet, tasty, savoury ,bland

Bitter, sickly

B. 1. bland smell; 2. stench; 3. Savoury; 4. Sickly ; 5. Stink; 6. Fragrance ; 7. tasty; 8.bitter ;

9.stench; 10. Perfume.

6. While reading , you come across this structure :” you smell yourself awake”. It is in fact a
pattern used mainly in spoken English. Here are some more such phrases. Now fill in the
following sentences the appropriate pattern from the ones above.

1. She has two blankets on her bed in winter, but she still can’t keep herself warm.

2. The children would eat themselves sick on chocolate if I let them.

3. In vain did I shout myself hoarse .She didn’t hear me.

4. I think you’d better sleep yourself sober,and then we can talk it over in the morning.

5. The woman scolded her daughter and sent her to bed. The little girl cry herself asleep.

6. Your dark hair suited your complexion better. Why have you dye yourself blonde?

7. He wished he had neverdrink himself unconscious that night.

8. Teachers always speak slowly and loudly in order to make themselves clear.

9. Make yourself comfortable in the armchair.

10. At the moment I felt so embarrassed that I wish myself dead.

7. 1. Have been produced

2. Will be explained
3. is not repaired
4.are produced
5. is he arrested
 6. are taken
7. had been
8. have
9. are being shipped

8. 1. The shop is not closed at night.

2. The postcard has been sent already

3. More ice-cream is eaten in the summer

4. The book has been given back yet?

5.The old cinema is pulled down as we speak

6. The milk is kept usually in refrigerator .

7. The meeting will be talked about tonight

8. The people had not been informed yet.

9. 1. Ten houses had been built so far

2. white wine is drunk with fish.

3. the dog is being taken to the vet’s

4. How your last name is spelt?

5. Are the flowers being watered by her?

6. All our friend have been invited for a big party.

7. A lot of cars are exported to China.

8. The patient is being prepared for the major operation.

9. My car has been stolen!