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Conversation Lesson On Inventions
Conversation Lesson On Inventions
without? Why do you need those things? What would you do if you didn't have them?
1) Vocabulary
It seems natural to open an umbrella when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not
invented for protection against rain. It was first used as a shade against the sun.
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times.
The first people to use it were probably the Chinese in the eleventh century B.C. The
umbrella spread to ancient Egypt and Babylon. At that time it was a symbol of honor
and authority, the umbrella was only for royalty or by those in high offices.
It is believed that the first people to use the umbrella as protection against rain were
the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages,1100-1500 AD in Europe, the use of the umbrella disappeared
completely. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. By 1680, the
umbrella was used in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain in most of Europe and
started to become popular worldwide. Umbrellas have not changed much in style
during all this time; however, it wasn't until the twentieth century that umbrellas began
to be made in a variety of colors.
2) Questions – Ask your partner questions to find your missing information. Answer your partner's questions.
1. What was the umbrella first used as? 1. Who first invented the umbrella?
2. Who were the first people to use the umbrella? 2.When did the first people start to use the umbrella?
3. Where did use of the umbrella spread to? 3. Who were the first people to use the umbrella for
4. When and where did the umbrella disappear protection from the rain?
completely? 4. When and where did the umbrella reappear?
5. When did umbrellas start becoming popular 5. When did umbrellas began being made into
worldwide? different colors?
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Special Topic: Inventions
1) Vocabulary
It seems natural to open an umbrella when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not
invented for protection against rain. It was first used _________________________.
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times.
The first people to use it were probably___________in the eleventh century B.C. The
umbrella spread to ancient _________________. At that time it was a symbol of honor
and authority, the umbrella was only for royalty or by those in high offices.
It is believed that the first people to use the umbrella as protection against rain were
the ancient Romans.
By ___________________, the umbrella was used against rain in most of Europe and
started to become popular worldwide. Umbrellas have not changed much in style
during all this time; however, it wasn't until the twentieth century that umbrellas began
to be made in a variety of colors.
2) Questions – Ask your partner questions to find your missing information. Answer your partner's
questions.
1. What was the umbrella first used as?
2. Who were the first people to use the umbrella?
3. Where did use of the umbrella spread to?
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4. When and where did the umbrella disappear completely?
5. When did umbrellas start becoming popular worldwide?
It seems natural to open an umbrella when it rains. But actually the umbrella was not
invented for protection against rain. It was first used as a shade against the sun.
_____________ who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times.
The first people to use it were probably the Chinese in the ________century B.C.
The umbrella spread to ancient Egypt and Babylon. At that time it was a symbol of
honor and authority, the umbrella was only for royalty or by those in high offices.
It is believed that the first people to use the umbrella as protection against rain were
the __________________.
During the Middle Ages,1100-1500 AD in Europe, the use of the umbrella disappeared
completely. Then it appeared again in _____ in the ___________________. By 1680,
the umbrella was used in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain in most of Europe and
started to become popular worldwide. Umbrellas have not changed much in style
during all this time; however, it wasn't until the ______________ that umbrellas began
to be made in a variety of colors.
2) Questions – Ask your partner questions to find your missing information. Answer your partner's
questions.
1. Who first invented the umbrella?
2.When did the first people start to use the umbrella?
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3. Who were the first people to use the umbrella for protection from the rain?
4. When and where did the umbrella reappear?
5. When did umbrellas began being made into different colors?
3) Rank - Look at this list of some the most important inventions ever.
Which invention do you think is the most important, which is the least important? Number each
invention from 1 (the best) to 10 (not so amazing).
5) In the Future! What would you like to see invented in the future?
Talk with your group about ideas for future inventions.
Ask: “What's an invention for _______ that you'd like to see in the future? Why?”
An invention What? Why?
for…
computers
health
studying English
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travel
games
6) Your Best Idea - What's the best idea you thought of as a group?
Choose one invention and talk about it more. Then explain your idea to the class.
Everyone in the group should talk a little about it!
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