Lesson 1

VISIONS OF TOMORROW
1. Read these opinions about the future expressed by young students, which one do you agree with? Why? What
do you think about the future?
PEOPLE have different points of view about the
future. Som� of them are very optimistic, but
others visualise the. f\iture under a negative light.
Here are some opuuons according to a survey
conducted by the University of Cambridge two
years ago, among 18-23 -year-old university
students:
Maggie, 21: 'I'm really optimistic about the
future. T11e superpowers are disarming. Politicians
are becoming more interested in Green issues to
fight against pollution. T11ere is also great progress
in medicine and perhaps we could see a cure for
cancer and AIDS one day soon. However, it
mustn't be just rich countries which benefit from
peace and scientific development.'
David, 23. '111e future seems dark to me.
Everything is changing so quickly: bombs, pollu-
tion, genetic engineering, unemployment, mortal
diseases, and who is in charge of it? All the
important decisions are made by politicians,
scientists and international companies. Of course
they will tell us that everything is under control,
but how do we know if that it is true? Just think of
Hiroshima, Chernobyl or September 11 th. In my
opinion, the future will be a really dangerous time.'
George, 19. 'I don't care about the future. I'm
young and I just want to go out with my friends to
play sports or dance with girls and have a good
time. Of course, my parents think about it all the
time: "You must work hard and pass your exams,
otherwise you won't be able to graduate and get a
good job." they say. Probably they are right, but
what is really important to me is today, not
tomorrow.'

2. What technological changes can we expect in our modern world in the near future? How will they affect our way
of living? List five things at least and compare your ideas with a partner.

A. The Thinking Car

Task 1. Scanning. Read the text below very quickly to find this information.

1. T11e amount of money which could be saved each year if there were less traffic jams in Europe.
2. The number of people who die in road accidents each year.
3. The percentage of accidents that could be prevented if people had 'thinking cars'.
4. The term that describes the new technology applied to this type of cars.

IMAGINE a computerised car which could ...

o plan your journey
o show you the quickest route on a video-screen
o give you information about where to find hotels, restaurants or phone
boxes.
o tell you about traffic jams on the road ahead
o automatically slow down if you are too close to the car in front
o warn you about engine problems before they cause a breakdown

Science fiction? No - it is already science fact. Engineers have developed an 'on-board intelligent system' for cars.
What happens is this: the car picks up electronic _information from other computers which are ?eside the ro�d,
the steenng
011 bridges or inside traffic lights. This informaaon then appears on a small video screen beside
wheel.
if there were just
Scientists believe that the benefits of thinking cars will be enormous in the future. For example, _
in fuel could be saved each year. Even ore importantly, on­
1 0 % fewer traffic jams in Europe, £100 million �
board computers could sav.e people's lives, too. At the mome� t, 5 0, 000 people per rear di
\
on European �oads.
acadents
If drivers reacted half a second earlier (which they could do with computer mformaaon), 801/o
of those
could be avoided.
Task 2. Vocabulary in context. Circle the letter of the answer that best matches the meaning of the italicised
word as it is used in the sentences below.
1. ...tell you about traffic jams on the road ahead 5. ...before tl1ey cause a breakdoJJJn
a. in the front b. at the back a. a n01se b. a failure
2. ...automatically s/011• r/011111 6. ...the car picks up electronic information
a. speed up b. lose speed a. receives b. provides
3. ...if you are too close to the car in front 7. ...a small video screen beside ilie steering 1vheel
a. far b. near The part of the car iliat ...
4. .. . 1J1a111 you about engine problems a. directs ilie vehicle b. brakes the car
a. to tell about a danger b. to solve 8. ...iliose accidents would be avoided.
a. increased b. prevented

B. Smart Houses
Task 1. Skimming. Read these short summaries, then quickly skim read the article below and select the one
which does not correspond to its content.
a. The houses of the future will be environmentally-friendly and
technologically implemented to provide security, comfort and
entertainment under a glass cover.
b. The smart house of the future will be elegant, big enough for
many people to live in, wiili televisions and computers in each
room and servants to make life easier.
c. Future houses will be designed to make good use of space
making rooms smaller or bigger according to ilie needs; it will
have interior gardens, clean air and controlled temperature.

1 CAN YOU IMAGINE A HOUSE which cleans itself, where meals are prepared by
robots, and where cleaning, cooking and washing are things of ilie past? Imagine a
weailier-proof, solar-powered house which is heated by the energy equivalent to just one
gas cooker ring; a house in which you could actually go skiing ...
Science fiction? No, it's sciencefact!
To begin wiili, ilie Home of ilie Future will be built indoors under a gigantic glass
2 dome surrounded by trees and plants where tropical birds will be flying around. It will be
any style or size you want and it will need only a tiny amount of energy to heat or cool
because it will be well insulated. The power will be generated by solar panels in the dome -
the round roof.
3 Door keys will not be needed af!Jmore. Your door will be opened automatically as
soon as electronic sensors recognise your voice. Your space-age, electronic sei:vant -ilie
ultimate home computer- will control everything from security, temperature, humidity
and lightning to household gadgets and cleaning tasks. He will pay bills, order food, reserve
your holidays tickets, order library books, even play chess wiili you!
The future houses will be designed by imaginative engineers who will consider ilie
4 shortage of space and place tl1e garden on the roof. They can also think of designing
rooms which can be expanded or contracted depending on what you use iliem for. For
instance, when you have a party, you will just push a button and ilie walls will move
back1vards or fonvards, so you can make ilie living room larger and make it smaller again
after your friends leave. Your video-phone will let you see ilie person you are talking to.
You will not have electric sockets. Instead, each room will have a 'power wall' where
electric appliances, such as huge advanced televisions, videos and computers, can be
attached. The air will be filtered and scented with your favourite perfumes. There will be
plenty of room for games! This area will be full of endless adventure where simulators will
provide all sorts of experiences, from canoeing to parachuting and skiing.
You can love them or hate them, but the homes of ilie future are on their way.
2
Task 2. In which paragraph are the following ideas mentioned?
1. The technology already exists to build 'the house of the future'. ......... p�h, l ...... .
2. You can enjoy interesting activities witJ1out leaving your home.
3. Your home will be safe from strangers.
4. You will be able to change tJ1e size of tl1e rooms.
5. You won't need to go shopping.
6. Electronic devices will be connected directly to the walls.
7. Your house will be energised by sun power.

Task 3. Find the equivalent English words, which are in italics in the text, for these Spanish terms.
comidas (Paragrah 1) ....... � ............. iluminaci6n (Para. 3)
hecho (Para. 1) no mas (Para. 3)
homalla (Para. 1) conectados (Para. 4)
cant:idad (Para. 2) escasez (Para. 4)
cupula (Para. 2) atras y adelante (Para. 4)
aislado (Para. 2) espacio (Para. 4)
artefactos (Para. 3) aparatos (Para. 4)

C. Space Stations
Task 1. What do you know about the Earth's nearest neighbour, the Moon?. Read these statements and
tick the ones you think are true. Check your answers with the class.
1. American astronaut Neil Armstrong became ilie first man to set foot on ilie Moon in July, 1969.
2. As iliere is no rain or wind on ilie Moon, human footprints will not disappear for millions of years.
3. On average, Earth's nearest neighbour, the Moon, is 384,000 kilometres away. A train travelling at 161
kilometres per hour would take just 100 days to travel tl1at distance.
4. So far, astronauts have brought back 382 kilos of rock and dust from the Moon.
5. The lunar surface area is 25% larger ilian Africa.
6. The first man-made object to hit ilie Moon was a Russian spacecraft, Luna 2, in 1959
7. le rakes ilie Moon 27.3 days to travel around ilie Earth.

Task 2. Read the article below and find the answers to the following questions.

1. What is Preedom?
2. How will ir be launched into space?
3. Whar will scientists and astronauts do inside the space station?
4. I-low long will it take for ilie first lunar base to be complete?
5. How will it be possible for ilie astronauts to live and work
without spacesuits on the Moon?
3
 SCIENCE FICTION WRITER, Arthur C. Clarke, had a theory about new ideas. He said
that they go through three stages:
1 'It's impossible - don't waste my time'.
2. 'It's possible, but not worth doing'
5 3. 'I always said it was a good idea'.
50 years ago, space st.ations and moon bases seemed totally impossible. Now, after the
'possible, but not worth doing' stage, both are ready to happen, so another amazing project
- man kind's first journey to Mars - is on the way.
TI1e space station Freedom is a $30 billion American-European project. It will be the first
10 permanent space station which will be launched in five year's time, but not in one piece.
Separate sections will be sent 300 miles into orbit via a series of 20 space shuttle flights.
When astronauts have connected all the sections, Freedom will weigh over 200 tones and
have 5 'living modules'. These 16 metre x 5 metre modules will be home for 10 astronauts
at a time - some American, some European. Each crew will stay in the station for several
15 months and they will carry out scientific experin1ents, service and repair satellites and other
spacecraft inside.
Moon bases. There are three main reasons for building lunar bases.
o to carry out really big scientific experiments in 'zero gravity'
o to look for valuable metals and minerals like iron and aluminium
20 o as a starting point for longer journeys into the solar system
The first base should be complete by 2015 and only 20 or 30 scientists will live in it. The
base will have its own oxygen and water under a large roof or dome. This will make it
possible for the astronauts to live and work without spacesuits. The dome will also enable
them to grow food.
25 If bases like this are a success, lunar cities will quickly follow. These will have schools,
ci.nemas, laboratories, roads, offices and universities. Thousands of people will travel from
Earth to live on them and some 21st century citizens may even be born, live and die on the
Moon.

Task 3. Contextual Reference. Using the line references given, look back at the text and find what the words
in italics refer to. The first one has been done for you as an example.
1. He said that... (Line 1) Arthw- C. Clarice,. ...
2. ... that they go through three stages: (Line 2)
3. ... both are ready to happen ... (Line 7)
4. /twill be the first permanent... (Line 9)
5. ... which will be launched in five year's time ... (Line 10)
6. . ..and they will carry out scientific experiments ... (Line 15)
7. ...and only 20 or 30 scientists will live in it. (Line 21) • ➔• • - • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

8. The base will have its own oxygen and ... (Line 22)
9. The dome will also enable them to grow food. (Line 24)
10. These will have schools, cinemas ... (Line 25)
11. Thousands of people will travel- from Earth and live on them... (Line 27)

4
 D. Future Computers
Task 1. Discuss the following questions about computers with a partner. Then check if your ideas are
included in the article below.
1. What do you know about early computers? What things could they do?
2. \Xlhat can modern computers do? What can't they do?
3. \Xlhat improvements will the next generation of computers have?
THE \XlORLD'S most powerful computer is
between your ears. A human brain can learn, be
creative, translate, adapt to new situations, and even
dream! In comparison, early computers were huge
and primitiYe. Basically they could only store
information and respond to simple problems.
Gradually, they have become .smaller, faster and
more complex and reliable. Even no11� most
computers can only do what they are told, but all
that could change in the next few years.
Let us take a look at some of today's new ideas
and at some of tomorrow's incredible possibilities:
We can see computers in banks, offices and
supermarkets. There, they deal with facts and
figures. But that is not all they can do. In fact,
mode..rn computers are amazingly versatile. 1:'or
example, they are now being extensively used in the
film 111dustry to create entire imaginary worlds,
animals and places, which seem so real that it is
difficult to notice any difference to the actual thing.
Computers are- al.so used to fight crime and
delinquency. Por instance, a British computer
program called 1 •aces 1s making it easier to identify
criminals. 'Hus program can store 50,000
photographs of criminals. Each one is stored
according to 46 different factors -hair, nose, chin,
ears, etc. When the computer is given a description,
Faces simply looks for pictures which match the
description as closely as possible. These photos
5
appear on the screen in groups of 12 and as a
result, witnesses of a crime only see the photos
which fit the description they have given. This s�ves
a lot of time and effort and leads to more pos1t1ve
identification.
Computer science has developed at an incredible
speed. In 1940, the first cofl}puter built in
Manchester filled a big room. Today. millions of
people have PCs which are no bigger than
televisions. It is said that if car technology
developed as fast as computers, a Ferrari would fit
on top of a pin. But there is still a long way to go.
Here, we look at two exciting goals which
engineers are working on very hard.
Thinking Machines. The next generation of
computers will be able to think by themselves! How
will this be possible? Because tomorrow's
computers will work like the human mind: inside
our brains there are millions of nerve cells or
'neurones' which are conne_cted together like all the
streets in a city. because af this complex network
we can think, analyse information, remember. have
_ideas, communicate, decide things, and so on. Not
only that, we can do several of tn--es-e" things
simultaneously. Future computers will contain
electronic 'neural networks' which will be a lot
simpler than human brai�. Even so, it will be a big
step forward'. .I'qr examplr: these neural computers
will help to diagnus-e illnesses, understand and
control the world's money � find minerals
and other valuable resources, and sofort/Ji
Tra�slation. Imagine two people talking, one in
Spanish and the other .in Japanese. They speak or
type mto a pocket-sized computerised 'translator'.
The computer processes what has been said and
translates it to the other person's languaoe. It seems
e�sy, but i':1 reality, �omputer translation is very
d1ffic�t., First, there 1s the problem of language
analysis. fhe computer has to understand thousands
of rules about vocabulary, grammar, sentence
structure, spelling and meaning. Then there is a
second problem: everybody uses language in a
urnque way, so computers also have to understand
accents, dialect, different voices, grammatical
�1stakes and others. Due to these problems,
_
computer trans�atmn 1s still at a very early stage, but
experts believe 1t will be possible one day.
 Task 2. Sentence Connectors. The words in italics in the article above are used to link ideas within a
sentence. They have different functions which are shown in the table below. Sort out these
connectors according to their purpose.
-----------··- ··-··-··-··-··-··-·--··-··-··-··-- i
-----------------------·-··-----··-··-··-··-··---- ----------------··- ----------------
j TLvIE SEQUENCE
°

]
l.-----·-··-··-· ------·-· ·-· -----------··-··-·--··-· ·-· ·-·-- ' --------·-··--·------- ---------··-··--·-··-··-··-··-··- ----------------------··- -----------·-··-··-··-··-··-··- _______________________________________________;
: EMPHASISING [ £Ven., now

i! CAUSE-EFFECT t
--. ·-· ·-· ·-· ·-·.-··-· ---. --·-· ---·-· ---·-· --. ·-·.-· --..-·--�--··-· --··-·---· -··

:\;--·__�?.!.:1
GIVING -1:_�EXA.J."\1PLES
��9.____ ·-··-· -· - ·- ·- - -:-; - - - - - - -· - - -· - - - - �- . - - - - - -· - - - -·- - ;
·-· ·-· ·-· ·-. --· ·-· ·-· ·-· ·-· --· -----· --. ·-· ·-· ·-· ·-. ·-· ·-1·-··-··-··-··- ··-·· -··-··-··-··-··-··--- .·-..-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··------··-··-··-··-··---- -··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··---··i
: ADDINGINFOR.iviATIO l al4<,- - ----··- -··-··-··-··-··-··-··----- -··-··-··-··-··-·-----··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-·i
I--•·-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-._____ _
\ LISTING
-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-•·-··-·'----------

Task 3. Understanding ideas. Match these sentence halves to check your understanding of the text.

1. First computers were so big a. _ huge sets of data and take decisions.
2. The human brain, the most powerful computer, b. of criminals to facilitate their identification.
3. Translating machines enable people to c. _ related to complex areas such as medicine and economy.
4. Future computers' neural networks d. _ because languages have thousands of complex rules.
5. Faces is a computer program which stores photos e. _ can perform several actions at the same time.
6. Film sceneries are created by computers, so f. .1 that they filled a large room.
7. Human neurones enable us to analyse g. ----'- under specific instructions.
8. Computer translation systems are not possible yet h. _ will not be as complex as human brains.
9. Modern computers are programmed to work i. _ speak in their own language and understand another.
1 O. Tomorrow's computers will be able to do tasks j. _ it is not necessary to travel to original places.

E. Modem Slaves
Task 1. Pre-reading. Working in small groups, discuss about the following:
1. What sort of things are better done by robots? 2. What can human beings do that robots cannot?

Task 2. Read the article below and c heck if your answers to Task 1 are c overed.

IN THE PAST, great empires like ancient Rome, Greece or Egypt had thousands of servants. These
'slaves' did all the hard work for their masters. As a result, rich people had more time for leisure, travel
and educa6on. Now the same thing is possible to happen again, but this time the slaves are not human
-they are machines.
6
1 lcrc arc the rcn most frequently-asked questions about robots and their answers.
I. IY here does the 1vord 'robot' come fivm?
Czechoslovakia. It first appeared in a 1920 play by the writer Karel Capek called R.U.R. (Rossum's
U n.ivcrsal Robots).
2. lr'hat eyYad!J are robots?
They are machines which can be taught or programmed (by a computer) to do useful work.

3. I-10111 is the prvgramming done?

In various ways. One is called 'lead-through'. Ths
program allows the robot to be physically moved,
step-by-step, through a new ta�k. Each step is then
recorded and stored in its computer memory. After
that, when the program is played back, the robot
knows what to do. Another way is to use an
electronic control box. This moves the robot from a
distance and then stores each movement. Thirdly, it is
possible to simply write a computer program for a
particular task. Ths is then fed into the robot, telling
it everything it needs to know.
4. I-Io"' marry robots are at 1vork n01vadqys?
More and more robots enter the world of work every year. In fact, they are particularly useful on
production lines (or assembly lines), where a car, a 1V or any other gadget is put together piece by
piece. Production line work is very tiring and boring for human workers because they would have to
do the same thing thousands of times everyday. But, of course, robots never get tired or bored.
5. What do factory mbots look like?
There are two main types. One is basically a long, metal arm with several different joints which can
tum and twist like the shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers in a human arm. Ths type of robots are
used to work on production lines. They can either move an object from A to B or use tools in their
hands. The second type of factory robot is more mobile. These robot-transporters lift and carry objects
around the factory floor by following the route of a painted line, or a buried electronic cable, or by
having special 'maps' programmed into their computers.
6. I-10111 does a robot-transp01ter kn01v if there is an obstacle in its path?
By sending out beams of sound or light. When these beams are broken the robot automatically stops.
7. Can modem robots 1'CJpond to their envimnment in a'fl)I other 1vqys?
Certainly. In fact, today's robots are more intelligent than ever before. Some even have mini TV
cameras which allow them to 'see'. In the future, robots like these will not be limited to controlled
environments and they will be able to work in homes, offices, shops, etc.
8. Does that mean that one dqy everyfami!J could have a compute,ised servant?
Possibly, but not for a long time. Robots are clever, but still not clever enough to do a lot of totally
different tasks, for example, washing the dishes, making the beds, cutting the grass, cooking, etc. It is
more likely that homes in the years to come will have several different robots -one for each job.
9. MeanJ1Jhile, what else can mbots do apart from working infattories?
All kinds of jobs which are difficult or dangerous for human beings. Here are just a few examples:
Robors can help to defuse bombs, work underground to find metals and minerals, control flying
weapons like cruise missiles, work under the sea (robot divers and submarines can be used, for
example, w repair oil-rigs and find wrecks), lift satellites out of a space craft and put them on orbit,
rake photos and collect rocks on planets like Mars without risking human life, and many other uses.
10. / •inalfy, back to the fittut'C. Will J'Obols realfy help to male a leisure society for genemtions to come?
isn't !here a 1isk that thry 1villjusl inmase unempl<?Jment?
That depends on us. Only human beings can decide whether we control the robots or they control us.

7
Task 3. All the statements below about robots are true, but not all of them are mentioned in the article
above. Tick the ideas wl1icl1 are contained in tile text.

1. Nowadays robots are used in mass production lines in factories. ✓

2. The word 'robot' comes from the Czech word 'roho!rl which means 'work'
3. Robots ca.n work endlessly doing repetitive tasks.
4. Thev replace human workers in dangerous, difficult activities.
5. Robots are used mainly to control nuclear power stations.
6. Some robots are equipped to sense obstacles, in which case they stop moving.
7. Some types of robots can move from place to place following a pre-determined
path.
8. There are robots which can move heavy parts in a production line in the car
industry.
9. Robots are still very expensive to make. Each one costs thousands of dolla.r5.
10. Future robots will be able to work independently almost anywhere.
11. Today's robots are used in war industry and space research.

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Passive Structures

Passive structures are often used in written English where an impersonal effect and an objective reporting are
necessary. This is a special feature of scientific writings, newspaper headlines, reports, notices and
announcements:
Look at these examples:
An AIDS vaccine has been tried on laborator y rats very successfully. (scientific report)
Two UFOs seen during a football game. (newspaper headline)
This experiment was conducted first by a team of Russian scientists. (report)
.
The 5.30 train will be delaved one hour. (announcement)
Laboratories must be kept clean at all times. (notice)
The passive is often used for the following reasons:
a. To focus on what is done rather than who does it.
A new public library is being built next to the museum.
(The new library is more important than the people who are building it.)
b. It can also be used because, at the time of speaking, the doer is not important or not known.
The poor man was kiUed in a racist attack.
(The fact that he was killed is more important than the identity of the killer. In fact, the killer's
identity might not be known.)
The passive voice is formed by one of the tenses of verb BE + the Past Participle of the main verb:
! : !

__ .... Y.�_11?. -��-- _ -����- p��-i«:=_i f!I�_ j_I ____ ... !.!11_!5_1!______ _ !
: It 1s --
-�-�s- - -i- --
written in English
:!
i Present simple
Past simple j
i

-is b�irl Present continuous j

-�-�s.-��-ii:ig ' Past continuous i

;

:iii�x ��:::
will be ; Future
i ... M��t�!-·---·--·---_]
__h �__s l>_�iy
e __ . F!l:?�_1:_ir_£�r. ���t____. :
: . _.
h �-�� ?_________________J.. __y_;i�q�e_r�e�t _ .
e
_? - - . .
. . ___ j
8
Task 1. Match the sentences in A with the context in a_ in which they can be found.
A B
1. Baby found at the bus station.
2. Passengers are requested not to smoke. a. A notice on a bus.
3. More examples of recycling processes are seen in b. _ A newspaper headline
the next chapter. c. __ A sign in the public library.
4. Factor X, a new cream, was developed in Denmark d. An announcement
to stop human cells from growing old. e. _ _ A report
5. Books must be returned in good conditions. f. A scientific material
6. The seminar on Artificial Intelligence will be held
on April 21st .

Task 2. Match the words and expressions in column A with those in--8. and then make sentences, using the
verbs in the box in the passive voice.

!A ;B
Verbs
i 1. Chn�topher Columbus ; a. cubic art
: 2. Johannes Gutenberg b. internal combustion cars : invent * discover * make
3. Charlie Chaplin c. __ the printing press : found * introduce * wnte
4. Pablo Picasso d. __ the Theory of Relativity produce * develop
: 5. Henry Ford i e. __ 'Romeo and Juliet' t_.-----. -----·. -. ---. -··----.. -----. -·--. --.. -··-··--·-.. ----_;
6. Bill Gates f. __ Microsoft, the giant
: 7. William Shakespeare , computer company,
8. Albert Einstein ! g. _1_ America
i h. __ great silent films
;
·-·· -·· --· -·---·-··-··-··-··-·· ----·· -·· -·· -----·-·· -··-··- · · --· -·· _! ,_ ··-··-··-··-- --· -----·-·--··-··-··-··-· ·-· -·--··-··-··-··-··-··-··-·

Example: Am.e-Yu::.a,,Wat:d.ltco:vered-by ChY�he,v c�.

Task 3. Read the article below and underline all the passive structu res you can find. Then decide what tense
they are.

When the word laser is mentioned to a group of teenagers, their natural

reaction is to think of discotheques, coloured lights which are used in rock
concerts, and super-destructive weapons shown in science fiction films, but the
truth is that much more things can be done by lasers than the ones mentioned
above. For instance, a laser beam is used in a compact disc player. In this case the
music is 'read' from a point just below the surface of the disc. That is why the
sound quality is unaffected by dust or scratches as would be the case with an
ordinary music record.
The word 'laser' is an acronym for 'light amplffication through stimulated emission of
radiation'. Lasers have so many uses nowadays that it is hard to imagine the modern
world without them. However, the most important recent advances have been
made in the field of medicine. Lasers are increasingly used in the treatment of
wow1ds, rhewnatoid arthritis, torn muscles and dental problems.
A new lightweight machine has recently been developed by Omega Universal of
London. It works with low intensity light which is applied to alleviate pain and
reduce inflammation. The healing process can also be accelerated by as much as
fifty per cent. Exactly why laser light can heal is not fully understood. Apparently it
provides energy which is absorbed by chemicals in the skin, so the production of
scar tissue is stimulated, thus speeding up the healing process.

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Task 4. Common passive beginnings. Here are some common sentence beginnings used frequently in
technical articles. Read and translate them with a partner.
1. It is hoped that... . ......... Se, e¼pe,Yev que,. ....... . .
2. It has frequently said that...
3. It will be remembered that .. .
4. It has been decided tl1at ...
5. It has often been questioned that ...
6. It was always assumed that .. .
7. It is generally agreed that...
8. It must be emphasised that.. .
9. It has been suggested tl1at .. .
10. It was proved tl1at...
11. It was clearly understood tl1at .. .
12. It should be considered tl1at...

KEYWORDS
The words on this table are very useful to help you understand technical English materials, so you need to
learn and revise them regularly using a dictionary if necessary. Write any other new words and their
meanings in the spaces provided. Remember that a good vocabulary is essential for reading.

save survey
prevent, avoid issue
pick up diseases
provide, supply otl1erwise
heat journev
go tl1rough road
seem smart
weigh power
carry out roof
store plentv (of)
lead - led - led footprints
fit dust
allow surface
record spacecraft, spaceship
risk shuttle
heal crew
reliable
actual(ly)
witness
speed
goal, aim, objective
network
spelling
mistake
leisure
assembly line
gadget