Talking about science and IT

1. ISABEL BASTIDA & ANA
MENA
NIVEL AVANZADO C1

2. Make a list of technological breakthroughs
(inventions, discoveries, ..) that have solved
huge problems and have made our lives
easier.

3. BREAKTHROUGH OF 2018
Watch the videao and match the newstories with the correct
sentence(s). There are three extra sentences.
NEWS ANSWER SENTENCE
Messengers from a far-off galaxy O, A. It will probably boost drug findings.
Ice Age impact B. It belonged to a woman.
Molecular windows into the past C. Its discovery revealed its probable source.
RNAi enters the clinic D. It will be used this year for the first time.
#Me Too makes gains E. It’s based on condensation.
How cells marshal their content F. It was the result of a massive orbiting rock.
An archaic human hybrid G. It helps control cholesterol.
Forensic genealogy comes of age H. An official document was written.
Structures made simple I. It was the combination of two breeds.
Development cell by cell J. It determines how cells change its shape.
K. It’s been tested on animals.
L. The petrified remains seem to belong to an enigmatic
animal species.
M. It’s based on comparing data.
N. It allows cells to develop faster.
O. It was found in the South Pole.

4. DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS
• Can technology solve such big issues like lack of resources,
hunger or education?
• What will the next big discovery in science be?
• Do you think genetic engineering is playing God and that we
should leave life as it was created?
• Do you think people should be allowed to clone people or
organs of people?

5. TECHNOLOGY IDIOMS
a) It cost a lot of money, 30,000 pounds, but it
has all the bells and whistles as well!
b) I simply asked her if she wanted a cake and she
blew a fuse! I’m so confused and upset!
c) She is such an intelligent young lady; She’s as
bright as a button.
d) The firm tries hard to make its employees feel
that they are more than simply cogs in the wheel.
e) He got a phone call this morning saying that his
son had not come to school and they didn’t know
where he was. Immediately, he hit the panic
button.
f) I’m so happy! We seem to be completely in tune
with each other!
g) He really makes me tick. He always knows what
to say and how to say that.
h) Fantastic work, guys! Our group really is a well-
oiled machine!
i) If the viewing figures drop much more, the TV
network will probably pull the plug on the whole
1. To do something that prevents an activity
from continuing, specially by no longer
giving money to support it.
2. Something that Works very smoothly and
effectively.
3. Special features that are added to a product
or system to attract more buyers.
4. To be intelligent and a quick-thinker.
5. To cause someone or something to run or
work.
6. To become very angry.
7. A person who plays a small part in a large
organization or plan.
8. To be able to understand what someone
wants or needs.
9. To react to a situation with fear and
confusion.

6. DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS
• How much time do you spend on the Internet?
• What are some of the benefits /dangers of the Interent?
• How much time should children spend on the Internet?
• How has the Internet changed the world?
• What will the Internet be like in 10 years time?
• Are you an active social networks user?
• How many social media accounts do you have?
• How often do you check/ update your social media accounts?

7. LISTENING: JOBS AND ROBOTS
DYING JOBS TOP FUTURE JOBS
• Do you think on balance more Jobs will be created or lost thanks to technology?
Listen to the BBC programme “The Inquiry”, and choose the correct option a, b or c to finish the
statements:
0) Sedating patients...
a. Is a very challenging practice.
b. has been done for years.
c. is not done in some American hospitals.
1) Robots are being used in hospitals because…
a. they are more reliable than anaesthetists.
b. they are less expensive than anaesthetists.
c. there are not enough well-trained anaesthetists.
2) According to a report, in 20 years’ time...
a. many jobs will be done by robots.
b. robots will replace humans in most non-qualified jobs.
c. 50 percent of current jobs will disappear.
3) According to presenter Helena Merriman, Pippa Malmgrem, …
a. is not sorry for the loss of jobs that using drones is going to
cause.
b. has worked in many different areas connected with robotics.
c. is now involved in making drones for military operations.
4) In the conversation, one of the speakers …
a. doubts whether technological companies will create many
jobs.
b. thinks that in the past there has been a lot of unemployment.
c. admits that using robots will generate unemployment.
5) According to Pippa, in the future…
a. robots will be able to converse with humans.
b. people will be willing to take any job.
c. many people will feel reluctant to be looked after by robots.
6) At the end of the interview one of the speakers says that...
a. she can do things that a robot can’t.
b. journalists are already being replaced by machines.
c. people won’t need to work thanks to robots.

8. DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS
• In what type of job might a human be happy to have a robot
take over some of their tasks?
• Who might be affected, both positively and negatively, by the
addition of robots in the workplace?