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GENERAL ENGLISH · BREAKING NEWS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

BRITISH COMPANY
CREATES
INVISIBILITY
SHIELDS
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1 Warm up
Discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. Have you ever wished you were invisible, or had a dream in which you were invisible?
2. What is the most unusual gadget you have ever bought?
3. Do you think that human beings will ever develop a way to turn each other entirely invisible?
Would this be a good or bad idea?
4. If you had an idea for an invention that you thought might make a lot of money, how would you
fund your new business?
5. Have you ever invested in a business, or given money to a start-up to help them to develop a
product you were interested in?

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

2 Pre-listening task: vocabulary focus

Part A: Match words with the correct definitions.

1. invisibility (n) a. describing something that you can see through

2. shield (n) b. the fact that light, radio waves etc. change direction when they go
through water, air, glass etc. at an angle
3. at first glance (ph.) c. the action or process of sending back light, heat, sound etc. from a
surface
4. transparent (adj.) d. a large piece of metal, plastic or other material historically used to
protect the body in battle
5. crowdfunding (n) e. describing something that is easy to carry or to move

6. portable (adj.) f. the fact or state of not being able to be seen

7. reflection (n) g. when you first look at or think about something, often rather
quickly
8. refraction (n) h. the act of making a light shine less brightly by spreading it in many
directions
9. diffusion (n) i. the practice of raising small amounts of money for a project from a
large number of people, usually online

Part B: Complete the sentences with the missing words from Part A. You may need to change the
form of the word.

1. We used to raise money for my uncle’s operation.

2. , I thought the bird was an eagle, but it turned out to be a pigeon.

3. of light allows us to see our own images in mirrors.

4. Special types of mirrors, often popular in fairgrounds, use to create a strange effect
when you look into them.

5. The oldest mobile phones could barely be called – they were huge!

6. In science fiction films, aliens sometimes have access to technology that makes
them very hard to fight.

7. Knights used to use to protect themselves.

8. In some countries, bridges are popular, although people often find them a little
scary to walk over.

9. The of the evening light as the sunset spread over the lake was beautiful.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

3 Listening for specific information

Listen to the report. Match the numbers mentioned with the things they relate to.
Video

25 299 49 5000 9

a. The number of shields that have already been created

b. The price, in pounds, for a full-sized shield

c. The price, in pounds, for a smaller shield

d. The figure, in pounds, that was the original funding target

e. The approximate weight of the shield in pounds

Audio

4 Listening for comprehension

Listen to the report again. Answer the questions true, false or not given.

1. The invisibility shields are made out of plastic panels.

2. The shields are entirely transparent.

3. The effect is much stronger when the observer is further away.

4. People who contribute funding to the project will be able to buy a shield at a discount price.

5. Using Kickstarter seems to have worked out well for Invisibility Shield Co.

6. Although portable, the shields require an external power supply in order to function.

7. The shields work the same way in every kind of environment.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

5 Reading: general vocabulary

Part A: Match the words and phrases in bold with the correct definitions.

1. Before raincoats were invented, people would often use cloaks to protect themselves from bad
weather.

2. Many cinema fans saw the 3-D trend as a bit of a gimmick.

3. Some alternative treatments have been described as pseudoscience, and experts believe they may
even be harmful.

4. When I got in trouble as a child, my parents would send me to my room. Sometimes I would sneak
out and go for a walk. Nobody ever noticed.

5. A good teacher should nurture a love of their specialist subject in their students.

6. I’m hoping that the film adaptation of my novel will be a success.

7. The most humiliating experience of my life was when I discovered I’d been fired from my job at
the office Christmas party.

8. Some people believe that the Moon landings were faked with the help of camera trickery, although
this viewpoint is widely criticised.

9. My friends call me a nerd because I spend several hours a day playing online video games.

a. a type of coat that has no arms, fastens at the neck and hangs from the shoulders, worn especially
in the past

b. a person who is very interested in computers and technology

c. a film, television series or play that is based on a particular book or play

d. a set of theories, beliefs or methods that some people claim are based on scientific fact even
though they are not in reality

e. the use of dishonest methods to deceive others

f. leave somewhere secretly, trying to avoid being seen

g. something that is not serious or of real value that is used to attract people’s attention, especially
to make them buy something

h. describing something that makes somebody feel ashamed or stupid

i. encourage a feeling, idea or plan to develop over a long time

Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. If invisibility cloaks existed, would you want to buy one?

2. Did you ever sneak out of school as a child?
3. Can you think of an adaptation of a novel that was better than the original book?
4. Do you have any friends or family members that you would describe as nerds?
5. Can you think of any product that is popular at the moment that you would describe as a gimmick?

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

6 Reading for general understanding

You are going to read a text (page 6) about people’s reactions to the invisibility shield news story. Scan
the text quickly and match the profession with the correct speaker. One of the professions can’t be
matched with any of the speakers, and should be marked ‘Not given’.

1. Business owner

2. Filmmaker

3. Influencer

4. Academic

5. Charity worker

7 Reading comprehension

Read the article again. Match statements with the correct speakers. Some statements can be matched
to more than one speaker. One of the statements cannot be matched to any of the speakers and
should be marked ‘Not given’.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

Disappearing from view

Members of the public discuss invisibility devices

1. Christopher, 53

There has been a lot of talk at the university on the topic of invisibility cloaks. Of course, many of my colleagues
refuse to take the idea seriously, seeing it as something of a gimmick at best, or at worst, pseudoscience, but
recently we received news that a former lecturer, Charles, had joined a small company that is working on an
invisibility device. Around the canteen, I’ve detected more than a little jealousy – apparently, Charles is making a
very handsome amount of money. From my point of view, the idea is impractical and unlikely to ever take off. I
do, however, think that these are the kinds of stories that science needs in order to increase public interest, and I
have been known to cover similar topics in my own lectures. My students connect well to this sort of thing, and
if it can help to nurture an interest in the sciences, then I believe there should be more conversation about it.

2. Danielle, 34

I remember sitting back on my chair daydreaming that I was invisible, and that nobody else in the classroom could
see me. It was near the end of the school year, too hot to be revising for exams, and I just wanted to sneak out
under an invisibility cloak and find some ice cream. I’d just finished reading the latest Harry Potter novel, and
I thought the idea of a blanket that could turn you invisible was amazing. As teenagers, we’d often talk about
what superpowers we could have. My friends would choose the ability to fly or super strength, but for me, the
idea of being able to be unseen by everyone around you appealed to me the most. Nowadays, I’m the CEO of a
medium-sized company and have three kids at home. Apart from when I’m asleep, I’m constantly surrounded by
other people, all with their own needs and demands. Sometimes I wish I could just disappear for a while!

3. Marcel, 38

It’s an idea that we’ve been preoccupied with since stories began. It was popular in *Celtic mythology, fairy tales
and Japanese legends. We’re still making stories about invisibility, from Tolkien to Rowling, and you can find the
concept throughout cinema, from early films like The Invisible Man in 1933 right up to the modern adaptation,
which came out in 2020. We see it in science fiction and action movies – think of Predator or Jurassic World – and
in horror, fantasy, and comedy. It’s everywhere, and as a filmmaker myself, it’s an idea I’m particularly fascinated
with. My current project is loosely titled Nobody Can See Me, and is about a popular high school student who
becomes invisible after appearing in a humiliating video which ends up going viral. It’s great fun to direct, with lots
of camera trickery to create the illusion of someone disappearing, and we’re hoping it’ll be a hit when it comes
out next year.

4. Mia, 17

My Dad is a tech enthusiast, or at least that’s how he describes himself. My friends think he’s a massive nerd.
He collects all kinds of useless gadgets, some of them quite expensive. Do you remember Google Glass? Those
glasses that allowed people to read their emails while walking around? Total failure, commercially. Anyway, he
bought a pair of those, of course. I don’t know if he’s seen the news story about these new invisibility shields, but
I’m sure that, if he has, he’s already ordered one. Maybe two or three. I know it’s harmless, and that everyone has
their hobbies, but I honestly think there are better things to spend money on. I’m still at school, but I work for a
charity in my spare time. We’re trying to raise money so that people can afford to feed their families. There’s a lot
of poverty in my country and it’s on the rise. If people like my father stopped buying overpriced, useless junk and
gave a little to the poor instead, I think the world would be a better place.

Glossary
• Celtic mythology: legends and myths relating to the Celts, a group of people from western Europe
who settled in Britain before the Romans arrived

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8 Talking point
In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. Why do you think people are so fascinated with the idea of turning themselves invisible?
2. Can you think of any kind of invisibility device in fiction that hasn’t been mentioned in the lesson?
3. Do you think that devices such as invisibility shields are a waste of money?
4. Should we spend our money on more important things, or is it up to each person to decide how
to spend their salary?
5. If you could choose any superpower, would you choose invisibility, or a different power?

9 Additional task/homework: vocabulary practice

Complete the short text with the correct words below. You may need to change the form of the
words.

My favourite book of all time is Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first of the series.
1
It helped to my love of reading, and I’m not sure that I would have studied English
Literature at university if I hadn’t read it. When it first came out, I remember taking the book
2
to school. My classmates said I was a and that boys should
be playing football. I ignored them. In between lessons, I got lost in Harry’s magical world.
Later on, when I was doing my exams, I wrote a comparison of the novel with Tolkien’s The
3
Lord of the Rings. Both books have important scenes involving special that can hide
4
the wearer from sight. They have both received film , although
I think the Harry Potter movies are a little less interesting than the books.

In my opinion, the success of Harry Potter lies in the way in which Rowling writes about
5
childhood. The ways in which kids like to from school, the
6
scenes that we all know so well from our own schooldays, such
as being told off by a teacher in front of the whole class and the simple joys of spending time
with friends. The cultural impact has been huge – just yesterday, I found a company online
that had claimed to have created an invisibility blanket inspired by the books! Of course,
7
experts insisted that this was a and even accused the creators
8
of , stating that it was nothing more than an effect created by
9
camera , but it made me think of my time at school, wishing
I could escape, like Harry.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

10 Extended activity/writing homework

Write an opinion essay on the topic below. Your essay should either agree or disagree with the
statement, and should be between 240 – 280 words.

If effective invisibility devices existed in reality, they would only be used

for bad purposes. We shouldn’t create such technology.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

Transcripts

3. Listening for specific information

Newsreader: A British start-up claims to have created a working invisibility shield. Invisibility Shield
Co, a UK-based company, has created a plastic panel that appears, at first glance, to
be transparent.

Newsreader: However, in reality, observers are seeing a blurred version of whatever lies behind the
shield.

Newsreader: The company claims that the effect isn’t affected by distance. They say that, whether
viewed from 5 metres or 100 metres away, the illusion should remain the same.

Newsreader: According to the start-up, 25 shields have already been created. The company is relying
on crowdfunding through Kickstarter in order to fund their invention. Supporters of
the project are being offered the chance to purchase a full-sized shield for £299.

Newsreader: Smaller shields will be available for £49. They have already exceeded their original
funding target of £5000, and have received widespread attention from news sources
around the world.

Newsreader: The shields are portable and require no external power supply. They weigh less than
9 pounds, and are made entirely from recyclable materials.

Newsreader: To create the illusion of invisibility, the shields use a combination of reflection,
refraction and diffusion and work best when used in environments with defined
horizontal lines, whether natural or man-made.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
Tell the students they will be listening to a report about a company that has invented an invisibility shield, and
reading an article giving opinions on the topic from members of the public. This discussion activity is suitable for
pairs or small groups.

2. Pre-listening task: vocabulary focus

10 mins.
Ask students to match the words with the correct definitions. For the second part, students should fill in the gaps
in the sentences in pairs or individually. Ensure students know how to pronounce target vocabulary.
Part A

1. → f. 2. → d. 3. → g. 4. → a. 5. → i. 6. → e. 7. → c. 8. → b. 9. → h.
Part B

1. crowdfunding 2. At first glance 3. Reflection

4. refraction 5. portable 6. invisibility
7. shields 8. transparent 9. diffusion

3. Listening for specific information

5 mins.
Individually or in pairs, ask students to listen to the report and match the numbers they hear mentioned with the
correct answer.

a. 25 b. 299 c. 49 d. 5000 e. 9

4. Listening for comprehension

5 mins.
Students should answer the questions true, false or not given.

1. True.
2. False. Although they appear transparent, in reality, observers are seeing a blurred version of whatever lies
behind the shield.
3. False. The company claims that the effect is not affected by distance.
4. Not given. We don’t know whether the price of £299 is cheaper than the retail price will be.
5. True. They have already exceeded their original funding target, and have received widespread media attention.
6. False. The shields require no external power supply.
7. False. They work best when used in environments with defined horizontal lines.

5. Reading: general vocabulary

5 mins.

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

Students should match the words in bold with the correct definitions. Ensure students know how to pronounce
target vocabulary.

1. → a. 2. → g. 3. → d. 4. → f. 5. → i. 6. → c. 7. → h. 8. → e. 9. → b.
Discussion
Allow sufficient time for students to discuss questions in pairs or small groups.

6. Reading for general understanding

5 mins.
Ask students to skim through the text quickly to match the professions to the correct speakers. You may want to
do this as a strictly-timed exercise.

1. Danielle 2. Marcel 3. Not given 4. Christopher 5. Mia

7. Reading comprehension

10 mins.
Students should complete the task individually or in pairs.
For part A, encourage students to closely read the text and match the statements to the correct speakers.

Part A
Key
(a): Danielle, Marcel
(b): Christopher
(c): Not given
(d): Mia
(e): Christopher
Sources:
www.iflscience.com/technology/real-invisibility-shield-created-by-british-startup/
www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-19661503
www.kickstarter.com/projects/invisibility-shield/invisibility-shield/description
www.reutersconnect.com

8. Talking point

10 mins.
Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

9. Additional task/homework: vocabulary practice

5 mins.
Students should read through the short text and choose the most suitable word for each space. Students may
need to change the form of the word. For the discussion activity, students can complete the task in pairs or groups.

1. nurture
2. nerd

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BRITISH COMPANY CREATES INVISIBILITY SHIELDS

3. cloaks
4. adaptations
5. sneak out
6. humiliating
7. gimmick
8. pseudoscience
9. trickery

10. Extended activity/writing homework

At least 40 mins.
For the first option, explain to students that they are going to be writing an opinion essay based on the statement
below. Encourage students to either agree or disagree with the statement in their response. For the second
option, students should imagine that they have invented a new product and would like to start producing it for
retail. Encourage students to look at examples from Kickstarter (such as the Invisibility Shield) and explain that
they should describe the product and encourage potential investors as part of the exercise. This exercise could
be done as a group activity, with pitches being presented to the class. Essays and pitches should be between 240
– 280 words.

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