1.5. Listen to the recording and check your answers.

1.6. Listen one more time and fill in the spaces.

Much has been said about how 1) ______ the Internet and mobile phones are. The truth is however, according to new research, communication technology is bringing people closer together. A study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found family members were keeping in regular 2) _____ today more than ever before. And this is all down to 3) _____ , 4) _____, our 5) _____ and SMS messaging. It makes sense. Years ago, it took a long time to write a letter, then find an envelope and go to the post office to buy a stamp and post it. Today we write 6) ____ while we wait for our change in the convenience store and they’re sent in an instant. Having free Internet telephone calls also helps us to stay in touch more often and for longer. Everyone’s at it, from five-year-olds to tech-savvy grandparents.

According to the Pew survey, technology has a very positive 7) ______ on communication within families. Researchers asked 2,252 adults whether new technologies 8) ______ the quality of communication with their family. Fifty-three percent said it increased communication with family members they did not live with, two per cent said technology 9) ______ this. Numbers were similar for those living in the same house as their family. The project director Lee Rainey said: "There's a new kind of 10) _____ being built inside of families with these technologies”. Survey co-author Barry Wellman agreed: "It used to be [that] husbands went off to work, wives went off to a different job or else stayed home…and the kids went off to school…and not until 5:30, 6 o'clock did they ever connect," he said.

1.7. Answer the questions giving grounds:

1. Do you think communication technology is making us more anti-social?

2. How does the Internet bring you closer to people?

3. How would your life change without the Internet and mobile phones?

4. Do you like the idea of writing letters with a pen and then mailing them?

5. How many mails or SMS messages do you write a day?

6. The article says “Everyone’s at it”. Do you know anyone who doesn’t use the latest technology to communicate? Are your grandparents tech-savvy?

7. Who is the biggest user of technology in your family?

8. Do you think technology has increased the quality of communication in your family?

9. How might technology decrease the quality of communication?

10. Do you sometimes wish you weren’t so connected?

Recording 2: Mobile Mad

Pre-listening tasks

2.1. Answer the questions:

a) Do you have a mobile phone? How much do you use it? What do use it for?

b) Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a mobile phone? Why don’t they have one?

c) Do you think mobile phones are generally a bad or good thing?

d) Do you think it is appropriate for a child to have a mobile phone? If not, why not? If so, what do you think the minimum age should be? Why?

Listening tasks

2.2. Listen to a teenager talking about her mobile phone and answer the questions:

1. Why did she get a phone? _________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2. How does she feel about it? _________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2.3. Recall the situations (sentences) where these words are used:

be out -

track of time –

the bus –

a real pain –

annoying –

safe –

Recording 3: New Message

Pre-listening tasks

3.1. Can you imagine your life without a cellular phone? Is it an indispensable part of your life? What functions does your mobile phone have? Make up the list of them. Rank them from 10 (highly important) to 1 (totally unnecessary).

_____ calculator _____ text messaging _____ Internet _____ camera _____ satellite navigation

_____ mp3 player _____ English dictionary _____ shows date and time _____ shows current temperature _____ other functions

3.2. Make a list of the pros and cons of text messaging.

3.3. What could the potential dangers of text messaging amongst teens be? Think of any examples.

Listening tasks

3.4. Go over the vocabulary to avoid any difficulties of understanding. Give their Russian equivalents.

astonishing - surprising; shocking

introverted -someone who is “introverted” is quiet / timid

to boost - if something “boosts” your morale or confidence, it increases it

to lose track - you don’t know where they are or what is happening to them

to foot the bill - you pay for something

a hazard - something that could be a danger to you or someone else

to be rear-ended - a vehicle or driver crashes into the back of your car