Reading

1. Read the text.

2. Guess the meaning of the underlined words.

3. Define true and false sentences:

(a) The heating system of a house can be equipped with a thermostat (controller) for sensing ground temperature.

(b) A controller is a device which monitors and affects the operational conditions of a given dynamical system

(c) The air temperature reading outside the house is the feedback

(d) The house is the environment in which the heating system does not operate.

(e) In the natural world, individual organisms also appear to be equipped with controllers that assure the homeostasis necessary for survival of each individual.

(f) Human-made and natural systems do not exhibit among individuals.

(g) The heating system of a house can be equipped with a thermostat.

Speaking

1. Answer the following questions:

(a) Do you have a controller at home?

(b) How did our ancestry know the air temperature?

(c) Do you know any signs which can say about bad or good weather?

(d) Do you believe in omens?

(e) How did sailors check the air temperature in your opinion?

(f) Why is the earth’s temperature changing every year? How does it influence on our nature and health?

2. Ask your partner questions about:

(a) control theory; (b) operational conditions; (c) thermostat; (d) feedback;

(e) heating system; (f) individual organisms; (g) natural world; (h) equilibrium;

(i) air temperature.

3. Retell the text.

4. How do you understand the joke? Discuss it with your partner.

A customer called Compaq tech support to say her brand-new computer wouldn't work. She said she unpacked the unit, plugged it in and sat there for 20 minutes waiting for something to happen. When asked what happened when she pressed the power switch, she asked "What power switch?"

Grammar Present Simple

Present Simple Tense is used to discuss permanent situations and the frequency of events.

To have Short form Other Verbs (to work)

I have (I've) I work

he has (he's) He works

she has (she's) She works

it has (it's) It works

you have (you've) You work

we have we've) We work

they have (they've) They work

Statements

+Statements – Statements Questions +Short answer – Short answer

I work. I don't work. Do I work? Yes, I do. No, I don't.

He works. He doesn't work. Does he work? Yes, he does. No, he doesn't.

She works. She doesn't work. Does she work? Yes, she does. No, she doesn't.

It works. It doesn't work. Does it work? Yes, it does. No, it doesn't.

You work. You don't work. Do you work? Yes, you do. No, you don't.

We work. We don't work. Do we work? Yes, we do. No, we don't.

They work. They don't work. Do they work? Yes, they do. No, they don't.

Regular or permanent situations

When something happens regularly or is a permanent situation we usually use the Present Simple Tense. When using the Present Simple Tense the verb (with the exception of the auxiliary verbs) remains in the dictionary form (verb + s with he/she/it).

Present Simple Tense Timeline

For example:

Q) "Where do you live?" A) "I live in Germany."

Q) "Where does he live?" A) "He lives in Germany."

Q) "What do you do?" A) "I'm a teacher."

Q) "What does he do?" A) "He's a teacher."

Present Simple Tense is also used to show how often something happens with adverbs of frequency - always, usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, never, etc.... And when discussing daily, weekly, monthly etc. routines.

For example:

"I always get up at 6.00."

"I never drink coffee before 12.00."

"I work on my website every day."

"Every Monday and Thursday I go to the gym."

We also use the Present Simple Tense to ask for and give instructions or to discuss a series of actions.

For example:

Q) How do I make pancakes?" A) Well, first you take 4 eggs and crack them into a bowl, then you weigh out 4 oz. of flour and sieve it into the eggs. etc.