1.

1
a. A traffic congestion, reliance on the car, etc
B technology, computers, the Internet, etc
C climate changes, flooding, drought, etc
D architecture, inner cities, environment, etc
b. A: Well, traffic congestion is already significantly affecting the lives of those who live in
cities, not only in terms of air pollution but also in that it causes stress and noise pollution.
As for technology, well I think most people would agree that it has made our lives a lot
easier although it has also contributed to unemployment.
B: The flooding shown in C could be the result of climate changes as a result of global
warming. Regarding the skyscrapers in D, well I realise they are necessary because so many
people choose to or are forced to leave rural areas and move to cities for work or
entertainment. I think all of the changes shown are having a major impact on the world
today, both good and bad, but I think technology will utimately have the greatest.
A: Yes, I think that in the future,
2. A.
A – travel, means of transport
– people travelled less and shorter distances in the past
– long haul travel is popular and easy today – in the future people will travel into space
B – banking
– the service was more personal in the past
– nowadays the service is impersonal
– in the future people won't need cash because of the Internet
C – health, eating habits
– in the past people ate what they wanted or could afford
– nowadays people are more health conscious
– in the future food will be replaced by vitamin supplements
B.
A – in my grandparents’ time; whereas these days; in the not too distant future
B – in the old days; today; a thing of the past; in a few years time C – in recent years; years ago;
in years to come
3. A: I think the first will happen but it depends how you define ‘proper’. A computer that can
‘think’ through a conversation will probably take a while to develop but I’m sure it will come. 50
years? Maybe.
B: A manned mission to Mars is definitely going to happen, and soon I think. I’m sure the
technology exists to do this, the question is how important and expensive it’s going to be.
Whatever people say about space exploration, I don’t think man can just sit back ... we have to
push the limits as far as we can. I think it’ll happen within the next 10 years. What about the
third point?
C: This is also on the cards, in my opinion. I think in about 10 years there will be a vaccine.
Progress in the field of medicine is being made at such a rate that I really believe they will find a
vaccine. It also has top priority right now as this terrible disease is affecting such a large and
potentially devastating number of the world’s population.
B: The electric car is an interesting one. I think it probably already exists but it’s like the rust
free car! There are too many people interested in it NOT happening. The petrol giants for
example. It’s in their interest to keep a car like this off the road, surely? So, I think it depends on
pressure from environmentalists and politicians whether this ever happens. If it does, I put it at
50 years ahead.
 D: Earthquake prediction must surely exist soon. They’ve had the technology to predict
earthquakes for ages – it’s the precision that needs to be there. I think another 10 to 20 years
maybe.
A: I don’t know how long this last one will take. The battle against the elements is always going
to exist. I imagine the technology is there but the price would be prohibitive. Maybe another 10
years. I think we are close to realising all these dreams but politics and money are what stops
them coming true.
4. Unless we are careful and wise when developing new technology, it will eventually destroy us.
Any change – even a beneficial one – has some negative consequences.
This means that we have to be careful how new technology is applied or things can get out of
control. Nearly all technological advances can benefit mankind in many ways. However, it can
also be applied in negative ways and technology can be abused. Cloning, for example, can be
beneficial, but if we are not careful to ensure that strict moral guidelines are followed it could
ultimately be used to clone human beings, controlling what they look like as well as their
personalities and behaviour. An ultimate scenario could be the creation of a super race.
Technology can also be applied to the development of weapons of mass destruction. We could
end up literally destroying ourselves. Technology should serve us, not control us. The person
probably distrusts technology or the controls we put upon its application. The second quotation
means that any change, whatever it is and whether or not it is beneficial, is going to create some
disruption to our lives. This person doesn’t seem to be against technology as such, just aware
that it has a profound effect on our lives. I think I would agree more with the first quotation
because it’s more serious and we can see how it might happen. The second one is true but it’s
obvious really.

Reading
1. A.
1 At the moment robots are used in the military for bomb disposal and they're also used in
some hospitals as surgeons. In Japan, robots are popular pets and some can carry out basic
domestic duties.
2 I'd say the most famous is HAL from “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The most recent is the
robot boy, David, from the film “Artificial Intelligence.”
3 No, I don't believe we will ever be able to create machines that will think or feel as we do.
I don't see the point. If we do, we are in danger of making our own species obsolete.
B.
- Alan Turing: British mathematician regarded as the father of AI
- The Turing test: a computer that is able to hold a fiveminute conversation with humans
and fool 30 per cent into believing they were dealing with another human
- Herbert Simon: predicted in 1957 that a computer would make a mathematical discovery
- AM: a computer that made a mathematical discovery
- Christian Goldbach: an 18th century Prussian mathematician who had originally made the
discovery
- Deep Blue: an IBM computer that beat a human at chess
C.
1 B lines 3-6
2 A lines 18-20
3 C lines 35-36
4 D lines 54-57
5 B lines 68-70 (key phrase: "caused a stir")
6 C lines 78-80
2. time limit – deadline
 imitate – mimic
disputes– feuds
trick – fool
groups– camps
achieved – pulled off
publicity – hype
creates in the mind – conjures up
3. earning its keep – benefiting us
got Al out of the door – put artificial intelligence into practice
working away from the mainstream – carrying out research in specialised areas AM had
been pipped to this discovery
AM had been beaten to it; someone got there first
caused a stir – created publicity; generated a lot of interest