Vocabulary

To predict, prediction for the distant or immediate future about ; electronic newspapers, to discover new planets, space travel, there might be life on a remote moon, to make contacts, aliens, household robots, live video conference, work from home, to work on a contract basis, domestic life, shopping channels, video phone, to do research into genetic engineering, education system, to learn at home, to become a world language, no longer any need for, life expectancy, to devote time to (music), to like the idea of, aspects of life (more / less attractive), lucky generation, to play a significant part / role, interactive communication systems, to communicate by computer; medical experts, healthcare, a vaccine against decay, a cure for most diseases; to give little thought to, to regard smth as an old-fashioned concept, to become a reality, get worse / better, increase / decrease, become more / less dangerous, go up / down, fall / rise, deteriorate / improve; probably, certainly, be (un)likely to, may (not), definitely; in the area, under what circumstances.., hypothetical / real possibility in the future, imaginary situation

Questions for discussion

1. Are your predictions about the future generally optimistic or pessimistic?

2. What might happen in the following areas during the next 50 years: robots and computers, education, family life, healthcare?

3. What area needs urgent changes?

4. Will working life / education system change much? In what way?

5. Do you agree that people in 2050 will be ‘the lucky generation’? Will the life style change?

6. Will China be a world power and the Chinese language – a world language?

7. Do you like the idea of computer shopping? What are its advantages and disadvantages?

8. What improvements in social life do you look forward to?

9. What predictions seem most improbable?

10. What are changes in technology limited by?

Dealing with money.

Vocabulary

To waste money on, put money into the bank, save up on, pay for, cost, to pay in cash / by credit card / by cheque, invest money into business / keep it under mattress, foreign investor, budget, oil deposits, a cash dispenser, carry much cash, open a bank account, store / debit / credit card, enter a lottery, buy / go mad over a winning lottery ticket, win on the national lottery, win a fortune, give part of winnings, lose interest in life, have an effect on, publicity, fight over the money, win the jackpot (a large amount of money that you can win in a game that is decided by chance), lend to / borrow from, owe, pay back, have a very good reason for borrowing, profits from the lottery, improve life, make money, provide, go abroad / lose the best and most intelligent people (brain drain), make the necessary improvements, there is a risk that, charity

Questions for discussion

1. Are all people good with money? What do you need to be good with it?

2. Why do some people in Russia avoid putting money into banks?

3. What is dangerous about carrying too much cash or taking money from cash dispensers if anything?

4. What are the advantages or disadvantages of electronic money?

5. Is saving up a problem for you? Why? Why is it always good to spend less than you earn?

6. Why do they say ‘Never a borrower or a lender be’?

7. Why do governments organize state lotteries? How do they spend the money made in this way (profit)?

8. How do people usually spend the lottery money when they win? What kind of problems may they have? Have you ever entered a lottery? Why?

9. If you won one million dollars in a lottery how would you spend the money?

10. Is Russia a rich country? What is called ‘oil dollars’? What are good ways to spend this money?

11. Why is there a problem of ‘brain drain’ ? Does it always make sense to go abroad to earn money instead of trying to improve life in your country?

Module 10