This Changing World

1. What our world 1) (be) like in the 21^st century? Scientists today 2) (analyze) statistics that show how the world 3) (change) in previous years and using them 4) (try) to predict the future. They want to know what sort of jobs we 5) (do), what technology we 6) (use) in our daily lives, what kind of homes we will be living in and what our world will look like in the 21st century. There are some growing trends and the scientists’ predictions for the future.

2. As you know the first computers appeared right after World War II and since then they 7) (change) the lives of millions of people all over the world. Computers already 8) (become) the foundation of the modern working world. Today, virtually all types of jobs use them to some degree and all the countries are affected by the ‘computer revolution.’ In the 21^st century most families 9) (use) computers in the home to do a wide variety of tasks. The vast bulk of the technology we will be using a generation from now already exists in some form. Over 3 million British households have personal computers today and a further 650,000 are expected to acquire them in the next year. In 25 years’ time computers will be a million times faster than they are today and will work in a way that resembles the human brain. They will have become easier to use, but anyone who not 10) (learn) how to use the new technology will be seriously disadvantaged, particularly in the field of employment.

3. In the 21^st century we almost certainly 11) (live) in a warmer world. The world 12) (continue) to use fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming. Damage done to the ozone layer by man-made chemicals will mean that our children will have an increased risk of developing skin cancer. We will be living in a world with less energy available and we will be forced to reduce our energy consumption.

4. In the 21^st century a population explosion 13) (take) place in the developing world. In developed countries, the size of the population will have established, but the proportion of older people 14) (increase) dramatically and there will be problems associated with care of the elderly and increasing pressure on the medical services. It may no longer be possible for the government to provide pensions for everybody.

5. Statistics show that society 15) (become) more violent. 95% of Britons think that it is unsafe to walk the streets at night; 85% believe that it used to be safer 30 years ago. The average person’s risk of becoming a victim of violent crime has trebled since 1979. This trend will almost certainly continue. Rising crime will be one of the main problems that people in the 21^st century will have to deal with.

Discuss: The 21^st century: for better or worse.

Use the following words and phrases in your discussion:

Ex. 10.Open the brackets using the correct form of the verb. Retell the text.

In the Countryside

I (come) from a large family and recently my parents (decide) that they (spend) enough living in an overcrowded house in London. ‘We (move) to the country,’ my father (announce) one evening. ‘I (sell) this house, and we (live) on a farm.’ So last week we (load) all our possessions into two hired vans and for the last few days we (try) to organize ourselves in our new home. The house (be situated) among beautiful scenery, two miles from the nearest village surrounded by fields. On a hill a short distance from the house is a wood, and a small stream (flow) past the end of the garden, which also (contain) a small pond. The name of the house, Rose Cottage, is on the garden gate from which a path (lead) to the front door. The village nearby (have) a post office, pub and supermarket, and there (be) a railway station three miles away. Unfortunately the school in the village (close down) two years ago, and my parents (not to find) another school for us yet. But, fortunately, the surroundings (be) really very beautiful. As the days (be) very hot, we (look) forward to cool evenings. My parents (spend) a lot of time in the garden. Yesterday my mother (hurt) herself on a thorn while she (pick) some roses. I (dream) to see our garden in spring, when all apple trees (be) covered in white blossom. Father (just become) a member of the fish club. My elder brother (work) as a car mechanic in a local garage for a week already and he says he (earn) a high salary. Mother (think) about getting a job as a typist. Mrs Grant, our neighbour, (be) a good employer and (pay) her staff well. I (be) afraid we (have to go) to the nearest school by bus, as our parents (be) very busy to drive us there in the car.

Revision Box

(Tenses in the Active Voice)

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1927