What the future holds
Exercise 1. Match the titles to the texts. Оnе title is extra.
А. ROBOTS IN ТНЕ SPACE
В. HOUSES OF ТНЕ NЕХТ CENTURY
С. ROBOTS ТНАТ ROCKAND ROLL!
D. ТНЕ MEDICAL ROBOT
Е. ТНЕ ROBOТIC CAR
1. With advances in technology, robots have become smarter. They help with еуе surgeries and may soon even walk in space. However, по robot has ever tried to start а heavy metal rock band ... until now! The world's first robot rock band that comes from Germany has three rock'n'rolling robot members. Stickboy is the band's drummer. Fingers is а natural guitarist, thanks to his 78 fingers! Bones has а natural talent for string instruments. Now they are а 'real' band, touring the world. The band gave its debut performance in Sydney.
2. The Los Angeles Auto Show gave а task to auto designers to create their vision of futuristic cars. And the car сараЫе of 'protecting and serving' the population of the future appeared. lt is а police саг. Of course, it is а 'green' саг that takes water from tanks оп the саг roof and turns it into gas. The саг is controlled electronically. Predicting that the cities will have even worse traf-: fic than today, the design has three units: а main compartment for two people and two side units. lf necessary, one unit сап fly or continue moving оп а single wheel. Everything is controlled bу the driver and the units report back to him!
3. Evolo Magazine held an annual contest for architects and designers to present their vision of skyscrapers of the future. The participants are rewarded for the use of new materials, technology and aesthetics. 'Polar Umbrella' took the first place. lt looks like an umbrella which tries to solve оnе of Earth's most important problems: melting ice caps. The skyscraper is designed to protect from the · heat and to re-freeze ocean water. Each of the projects has оnе or more interesting elements that сап bе used in constructing buildings today and it makes а difference to our environment.
4. When Space Shuttle Discovery launched off to Space оп February 24th, 2011, among its astronauts was the world's first humanoid robot astronaut. lt was going to the lnternational Space Station as а permanent resident. Robonaut 2 or R2 passed its first test when it measured the airflow to see that the ventilation was not blocked. The job was simple but important because it was difficult for humans to do in the microgravity. As R2 is firmly grounded to the floor and does not breathe, it was ttie perfect 'man' for the job. R2 may оnе day bе ready for his real: mission - 'Space Walks' to perform emergency repairs.
Exercise 2. Read the text and mark the statements True (Т), False (F), Not Stated (NS).
Tokyo Тоу Show
AII children wait for Tokyo's lnternational Тоу Show with great anticipation because the toys presented at this annual event are usually the most technologically advanced. This year was по exception.
Robotic fish swimming around inside an aquarium looked very realistic. The only саге they require is а battery change and а smart phone арр (application - приложение) to get them going. They are the perf ect way to answer the persistent pet requests from kids.
For those looking for а slightly more interactive pet there were numerous robot dogs. AII controlled Ьу smart phone apps, of course. Some like the '1-SODOG' sang and danced, while others even told stories. However, the one that earned the lnnovative Тау of the Year award (награда) was the Smartpet. The Smartpet looks just like any other robot dog but for one thing. lnstead of а face, it has а space built-in for an iPhone. As soon as the iPhone face is there, it comes to life, it has an expression (выражение лица) that shows if it is satisfied with the way the owner takes саге of it. lt has over 100 cute expressions. The smart dog сап also sneeze, move around and perform numerous tricks.
Of course, по toy show сап Ье complete without а super robot. Mazinger Z outshines every model. Not only is it а foot tall (30 cm), but it also comes with removable parts giving kids an insight into its amazing mechanics and frame.
The Mazinger Z is а fictional super robot. ln the story, the robot was created Ьу brilliant professor Kabuto from а new (fictional) material to fight off some evil super robots. lt is still popular in Japan.
1. The toys at the show are always modern and technological.
2. The Тоу Show didn't present any robotic pets.
3. The Show presented toy robots that could help children to study.
4. Robot dogs were very interesting.
5. Robotic fish looked unreal and didn't interest visitors.
6. The Smartpet was created bу а Japanese scientist.
7. The Smartpet could show if it liked the owner's behaviour.
8. The Super robot is no more attractive for Japanese children.
In the spotlight
Exercise 1. Read the text and mark the statements True (Т), False (F), Not Stated (NS).
Great People of the Past: Queen Elizabeth I
Queen Elizabeth I who reigned from 1558 to 1603 was one of the most successful monarchs to rule England. Born to·Кing Henry and his second wife Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth had а v:ery difficult childhood. As Anne Boleyn couldn't give him а male heir (наследника), Henry beheaded Anne so that he could marry again. Не sent Elizabeth away to the country where she was brought up bу governesses.
Her stepbrother Edward, who became king at the age of 9 after King Henry died, also died at 15. However, Elizabeth had an older stepsister, Mary, who became the heir. Mary was afraid that Elizabeth was trying to take her throne, so she imprisoned her and later placed her under house arrest for many years. The people of England often called the Queen 'Bloody Магу', they were afraid of her and they were happy when in November 1859 she finally died, naming 27-year-old Elizabeth the new Queen of England. During her 44-year reign Elizabeth showed great leadership transforming what was а poor weak island into а wealthy European country. Also, thanks to her love for music, drama and poetry, she encouraged artists and writers. She supported some of England's greatest writers including William Shakespeare.
1. Elizabeth I ruled the country for about half а century.
2. Elizabeth was King Henry's only child.
3. King Henry had six wives.
4. King Henry didn't take part in Elizabeth's upbringing.
5. After King Henry's death Elizabeth became the Queen.
6. Магу was Elizabeth's younger stepsister.
7. Elizabeth wanted to take the throne by.all means.
8. Elizabeth I was fond of literature, especially poetry.
Exercise 2. Read the text and choose the right options to complete the sentences.
Bolivia's New Jazz Sensation ls Just Seven Years Old and Blind
Jose Andre Montano Baina is taking the world music scene bу storm. How about the fact that Jose is just seven years old and is blind (слепой)! The young musician began to show signs of his great talent at the age of four when he started playing the drums. After mastering them, he quickly moved оп to the piano and bу the age of five formed а jazz trio! And, while the young bоу knows every jazz song in the book and сап play them all with great ease it is not the only kind of music he enjoys. Не also loves listening to blues, heavy metal, tango, bolero and anything in between!
His extremely proud father says that he has ·nothing to do with his son's unusual talent. ln fact he didn't even know much about jazz until Jose started to play. Не believes the young bоу is just .born with а 'music chip' inside him! As for the young superstar he leads а pretty normal life despite all the fame. Just like the rest of children he goes to school, does homework and yes, helps about the house as well!
1 . The Bolivian young genius is а _______.
a). singer;
b). а musician;
c). а dancer.
2. Jose Andre is only seven and he can't _______.
а). move;
b). hear;
с). see.
3. Ву the age of five Jose Andre could play _______.
a). several instruments;
b). the drums;
с). the piano.
4. The young genius plays _______.
а). only jazz;
b). preferably heavy metal;
с). all types of music.
5. His father is proud of him and is sure the bоу _______.
а). takes after him;
b). has an inborn talent;
с). had good teachers.
6. The talented bоу _______.
а). is very proud of his fame;
b).lives an ordinary life;
с). gives interviews day and night.
Exercise 3. Match the titles to the paragraphs of the text. One title is extra.
А. ТНЕ GAME FOR ТНЕ EDUCATED
В. FIRST CHAMPIONS
С. MOVING ТО ТНЕ OLYМPICS
D. THE.ORIGIN
Е. CHESS AND GREAT PEOPLE
Chess in Russia
1 . Chess is а board game played between two players. lt is played оп а chessboard, which is а square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid ,(сетка). Chess combines elements of art (in terms of chess composition), science and sport. The name originates from the Persian language: checkmate, meaning "the ruler died". Chess appeared in the 6th century in lndia. ln the 9th and 10th century chess appeared in Europe. ln 1886 championships all over the world began.
2. The history of chess in Russia began in the 12 - 14th centuries as а result of the Tatar-MongolYoke's influence. Since the late 18th and early 19th century the first chess clubs and Russian chess books appeared in Russia. Thanks to the efforts of such outstanding chess players as Alexander Petrov, Karl Yanish and others chess got popularity among nоblе people, and later among intelligentsia, gradually becoming one of the main indicators of educational level of the society.
3. Many prominent writers played chess and loved it. Such great Russian writers and poets as Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, lvan Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, found great joy in playing chess, which also contributed to the game's growing popularity in Russia. ln the life of Leo Tolstoy chess occupies а special place. Не played ·chess almost every day, finding time for the game. Tolstoy wasn 't а good player. When he won, he was happy like а child; at а loss he was distressed.
4. Chess is а popular game in Russia. Today many people play chess for pleasure, they also take part in different competitions. For years, Кirsan llyumzhinov, the president of the World Chess Federation, has been trying to get chess accepted as part of the Olympics. The effort has included introducing drug tests to follow regulations of the lnternational Olympic Committee. Experts have been discussing if chess is а sport for тапу years because there is по physical element in chess. Still, many countries al-ready recognise chess as а sport.
Shopping time
Exercise 1. Read the text and mark the statements True (Т), False (F), Not Stated (NS).
The Attitude to Fast Food
lt's ОК to eat fast food occasionally but fast food is high in calories. So, if you often eat hamburgers and chips you can easily become obese (тучный, толстый). You must eat homemade food because it is healthier.
Everybody knows that fast food is cheap and quick. However fast food is not as tasty as homemade food. Young people prefer to eat pizzas, hamburgers and French fries but they should eat soup instead. Fast food companies spend lots of money to make people believe ,hat fast food is cool. The average American eats three hamburgers with French fries а week. ls it surprising that many American teenagers are obese? Health саrе is devoted to create new eating habits so that we саn have а healthier generation.
Obesity саn lead to other diseases such as diabetes and heart strokes. This is why America is now starting to fight back against the fast food companies. They are stopping serving fast food in school cafeterias. Restaurants serving traditional food are opening now.
1. There is по problem if you sometimes eat fast food.
2. You сап get fat if you eat hamburgers and chips frequently.
3. Advertisements convince people to eat fast food.
4. Fast food is very expensive.
5. Fast food is easily made and eaten.
6. More than а quarter of American teenagers are very fat.
7. Schools are going to sell fast food because it is popular.
8. Being fat сап cause several diseases.
Exercise 2. Read the text and choose the right options to complete the sentences.
Do You Know Anything About Drinks?
The term 'milkshake' was first used in print in 1885. Milkshakes were an alcoholic drink at first. Ву 1900, the term 'milkshake' referred to "wholesome drinks made with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrups." Nowadays we are lucky that we сап have а good milkshake.
Egyptians created Jemonade more than 1,500 years ago. This popular drink was called "qatarmizat". lt was consumed bеtween the 10th and 13th centuries. Today, lemonade is sold in bottles and can bе clear, cloudy, or fizzy. Clear lemonade is lemon and water, or lemon and carbonated (углеродная) water, made without adding sugar.
Soft drinks can trace their history back to the mineral water from natural springs. ln 1767 the first drinkable manmade glass of carbonated water was created bу an Englishman Dr Joseph Priestley. Three years later the Swedish chemist Torbern Bergman invented an apparatus that allowed imitation mineral water to bе produced in large amounts.
Orange Juice is the best known and most popular raw food drink. ln the mid-1910s there was an overproduction of citrus fruits in California and the growers didn't see another way out but destroy 30% of its trees. At the same time, pasteurization was discovered. Now the growers of the citrus could juice their oranges, pasteurize them for longer storage and then ship the juice to big cities.
1. At the beginning а milkshake used to contain ________.
а). juice;
b). chocolate;
с). alcohol.
2. Nowadays а good milkshake contains ________.
а). alcohol;
b). some kind of syrup;
c). lemonade.
3. Lemonade is a(n) ________ drink.
а). absolutely new;
b). yery old;
с). 20th-century.
4. Clear lemonade doesn't contain ________.
а). water;
b). sugar;
с). lemon.
5. When soft drinks were discovered they used to bе ________.
а). natural;
b). manmade;
с). made bу а machine.
5. Orange juice was first made in ________.
а). England;
b). America;
с). Africa.
6. Pasteurization, heating liquid to the temperature that kills bacteria, helped to ________ orange juice.
а). destroy;
b). keep and sell;
c). buy more.
7. The farmers ________ orange Juiсе.
а). stopped producing;
b). produced;
с). made а lot of jam from.