Lesson 39. The Most Important Scientific Discoveries (Найвагоміші наукові відкриття)

Vocabulary

glasses - окуляри

a tin opener – відкривачка для консервів

amazing - дивний

outside - надворі

to expand - розповсюджуватися

a newsboy - рознощик газет

a bulb - лампочка

communication device - при­нада для комунікації

curious device - цікава принада

to realize - зрозуміти

sewing machines - швейна ма­шинка

a tailor - кравець

to save - економити

Exercise 1. Read the sentences and match them with the words below. There are two items you do not need:

the Internet / the mobile phone / the hairdryer / the aeroplane / the radio / the MP3 player

1. I can't live without i. I use it every day to speak to friends and family. It is so easy to communicate now. (_the mobile phone )

2. It is a fantastic form of transport - people can travel easily all over the world whenever they want. (___________)

3. I can download music and listen to all my favourite songs. Its very light and very easy to use. (_____________)

4. I use it to do my homework, my mum uses it to do online shopping and my sister uses it to chat with friends. If s really useful. (_____________)

Exercise 2. Write in the missing letters to complete the text:

The way we use technology now

So many objects now have more than one function and technology is changing fast. Most people have a mobile phone and they use it to tak to their friends. They also use it to listen to music, too so they don't need an M_ _ p _ _ _ _r. There are c _ _ _ ut _ _ _ now in every home, and people use them to surf the In _ _ _ _ _ _ but they can also use them to watch T_ and listen to the r _ _ _ o. It's amazing. Technology and the way we use it is changing very fast. The only bad thing about this new technology is that it uses a lot of e _ _c _ _ _ _ _ _ y and this is expensive for us!

Exercise 3. Reading: Read the text and match the headings 1-3 with the paragraphs a-c.

1. Toilet humour

2. I can see properly!

3. Convenience food

Inventions that really changed the way we livei

When we talk about inventions many people think of modem technology but the important inventions that changed our lives are a bit more basic.

(a) Can you imagine life without glasses? Many people have problems with their eyes and they need glasses. In 1262 Roger Bacon discovered that glass can help you see and an Italian inventor, Alessandro di Spina, made the first pair of glasses in 1282. These glasses were very different from the glasses we wear today but they were a really useful invention.

(b) How did people open soup before the invention of the tin opener?! This small invention changed the way we eat and what we buy. In the 1860’s Ezra Warner created the first tin opener. This was an amazing invention but only shopkeepers had them as they were too big to have at home and difficult to use. Shopkeepers opened the tins for the customers before they left the shop. Finally, in 1870 William Lyman invented the modern tin opener so everybody could open tins at home.

(c) What about the modem toilet? Can you imagine life before the invention of the toilet? In the past, people went outside to use the toilet, so modern toilets are much more convenient. Sir John Harington invented the first toilet for Queen Elizabeth I in 1596 but people thought it was a joke and it wasn't popular. Two hundred years later Alexander Cummings developed a new design and the toilet became popular. Now everybody has a toilet.

Exercise 4. Read the text again and tick ( +) true or cross (X) false:

1. In 1262 Roger Bacon discovered that glass can help you see.

2. Roger Bacon invented the first pair of glasses.

3. The first tin opener was difficult to use.

4. William Lyman invented the first tin opener in 1870.

5. Toilets were popular In England during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

6. Alexander Cummings developed a new toilet design.

Exercise 5. Read and translate the texts. Answer the questions after them: