ОГАПОУ «Белгородский политехнический колледж»
Преподаватель английского языка Курсакова ЕН.
Topic: « Inventions in our life. What are pros and cons?»
Objectives:
To practice reading/ listening for specific information;
To express agreement and disagreement;
To give argument for and against.
Group work:
Teacher: Science is important to everyone who is affected by modern technology. Many of the things that make our lives easier and better are the results of advances in technology and, if the present patterns continue, technology will affect us even more in the future than it does now. In some cases, such as technology for taking salt out of ocean water, technology may be essential for our life on Earth.
Students work in groups of five . Each group should name three things that they can hardly live without and three things that they can sacrifice without too much reluctance.
Then students compare their lists and decide which things were named most often in the first category and in the second one.
Listening:
Students listen to the texts and they should explain why this or that piece of technology is important for the people.
Text I: I couldn’t live without my computer at home. I use it all the time. It is like a type writer and address book for me and it is also used for checking my spelling. Besides I can go on the Internet and discover everything about anything, it’s a brilliant source of information. I’ve designed my own website and I’m getting loads of information for school. Besides some websites are packed with quizzes, games and competitions, it’s all you need for hours of fun on your computer. You can play and learn on it. It is absolutely essential. I don’t know how I ever managed without it. But my elder sister things people are getting a bit too dependent on computers. She thinks that we rely on them too much. My sister says, «You can’t rely on all the information, you don’t know who it has been written by or where it’s coming from. To be dependent on anything, especially a lifeless machine, that can quite easily break down, is not good. Besides computers shouldn’t replace seeing your friends» -( Tom)
Text II: I couldn’t possibly live without my car. Convenience seems to be the most common and most logical answer: cars take you where you want to go and when you want to go there. I can travel freely and comfortably wherever I want. Besides it allows me to live where I want as I can easily get to the place I need with the help of the car. Besides a car is a way of self-expression. I really hate to be without it. I think a car is a necessity rather than a luxury. But my wife thinks there are too many cars in our cities. Some people use them in cases when they could go on foot for example when going to buy a newspaper in a kiosk. It’s necessary to give thought to problems caused by cars. Pollution, accidents and so on. She says that cars are useful but not essential and it’s nice when cars are banned from the central shopping areas. I don’t agree with such situation but I have to accept it. My wife prefers to go to work using intercity transportation system. She says that during the rush hour, a trip from our home to her work by car takes much more time than a trip on foot. But I prefer to use my car. It suits me.- (Max)
Text III: I couldn’t imagine my life without my phone or I should say phones because I’ve got a mobile, too. I need a telephone to get in touch with my friend or to call the police or an ambulance. It is almost impossible for me to live without my phones. At home I’ve got a cordless telephone, I think it saves time when you have a receiver just at hand. But my mum was against buying a cordless phone because if there is some problem with electricity it won’t work and you’ll be totally lost. She also thinks that it is a luxury to have a mobile, it is too expensive, it is more trouble than it’s worth. Besides she says that mobiles are dangerous for health. The rays may cause headaches and even more dangerous diseases. I don’t believe her. For me my telephones are really invaluable.- (Ann)
Reading: Students read the texts and do the task working individually or in pairs.
Are the statements below true or false?
Tom uses his PC for typing and keeping information.
Tom uses his computer to get information from the Internet.
Tom’s sister thinks it’s not clever to believe all facts stored on the Internet
Tom’s sister considers electronic devices not reliable.
Max doesn’t like his car but he needs it.
Max’s wife most probably goes to work by bus than by car.
Max doesn’t like the situation when he can’t use his car for going shopping.
Max’s wife spends less time to get to her work when she walks than when she goes by car.
Ann doesn’t agree to have one phone.
Ann’s mum thinks that telephones are more trouble than profit.
There are some problems with computers, cars and telephones.
Answers: True statement-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11,12
False statement-5,10
Follow-up activities
Students listen to or read the text again and complete the table:
Then students say which of the arguments they agree or disagree with. Draw students’ attention to the phrases in the boxes.
Possible answer:
It is said that people are getting a bit too depend on computers. I think so. On the one hand you can play and learn on the computer, but on the other hand computers shouldn’t replace seeing your friends. Moreover, computers take too much time.
Students are divided into groups of three (one piece of technology for a person) and each group make lists of arguments for and against.
Home work - What thing couldn’t you live without? What thing is totally useless for you? Describe the thing without mentioning it. Let your classmates guess what it is?
For example:
-I couldn’t live without this thing.
-…. important….
-Besides….
- More than that…
-But on the other hand….
The lesson is over / good bay.
-
