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Scientists test WiTricity – wireless electricity

Unit 1

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

appliances fields distances come transmission breakthrough source dubbed beam unplug struck plugs ensure tangled poor fruition

Scientists test WiTricity – wireless electricity

A team of US researchers has __1__ up with an electricity system that does not need wires. This is a __2__ in what will hopefully be a wireless future. The scientists, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lit a 60-watt light bulb using magnetic __3__. In the test, the power __4__ was just two metres away from the light, but the team hopes they will soon be able to send electricity longer __5__ through the air. They have __6___ their new invention “WiTricity”, or wireless electricity. Although wi-fi has been around for some years now, it has been limited to the ___7___ of information, especially between computers and modems, printers and scanners. This is the first time electrical ___8__ have been powered wirelessly.

This new development means that our houses may be free from ___9___ wires. Gone will be the days of having to ___10___ the vacuum to go from room to room, and of having countless ___11__ hidden behind the TV and stereo. The new source of delivering power to gadgets remotely may also reduce the number of fires caused by __12__ wiring and overloaded sockets. It turns out the concept is not so new. A century ago, inventor Nikola Tesla ___13___ upon the idea of building a huge tower in New York that would wirelessly ___14___ power to the city. Unfortunately, his idea never came to ___15___, until today, that is. It will still be a while before we have wireless homes and offices. Safety experts will be checking closely to ___16___ the power source causes us no harm.

 

UNIT 1

WIRELESS ELECTRICITY

Vocabulary:translate these words using a dictionary.


a light bulb

a wire

wiring

a breakthrough

an appliance

a plug

a power cord

a socket

science fiction


Warming up

1. ELECTRICITY: do you have any “electricity stories”?

2. CHAT: decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring:

researchers / wires / breakthroughs / light bulbs / ‘wirelessness’ / appliances/ developments / vacuums / plugs / wiring / inventors / safety experts / harm

3. WI-TRICITY: decide which of these things you would like to have no power cords. How would ‘wirelessness’ make using these things better?


· lamps

· vacuum cleaners

· fridges

· TVs

· computers

· games consoles

· telephones/fax machines

· other _____________



4. FUTURE HEADLINES: Talk about these future headlines. Talk about the stories behind the headlines. Discuss when these headlines might come true:

• Entire language downloaded into the brain in 25 seconds

• London to Sydney in a minute on new SuperJet

• Last office closes. World population now working from home



• DoctorBots arrive – heart surgery via an easy-to-swallow pill

• McDonalds opens first moon restaurant

• iPod becomes latest addition to Antique Technology Museum

5. ELECTRICITY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with electricity.

6. QUICK DEBATE: Students A strongly believe WiTricity will be dangerous – too much electricity in the air; Students B think WiTricity will revolutionize our lives.

Before listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

Scientists test WiTricity – wireless electricity

a. Scientists have tested a radio that doesn’t have wires inside it.

b. In another test, scientists lit 60 different light bulbs.

c. Scientists have sent electricity two metres through the air.

d. Wi-fi is a concept that first originated at the end of last year.

e. The invention of WiTricity signals the end of vacuum cleaners.

f. WiTricity may reduce the number of household electrical fires.

g. An inventor struck upon the idea of WiTricity a hundred years ago.

h. Wireless offices and homes will be with us before the year is out.

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

1. come up with a. completion
2. breakthrough b. gadgets
3. dubbed c. spread
4. transmission d. jumbled
5. appliances e. faulty
6. tangled f. invented
7. poor g. send out
8. struck upon h. called
9. beam i. revolution
10. fruition j. thought of

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article

1. A team of US researchers has come a. appliances have been powered
2. a breakthrough in what b. wiring and overloaded sockets
3. lit a c. from tangled wires
4. They have dubbed d. will hopefully be a wireless future
5. the first time electrical e. up with an electricity system
6. our houses may be free f. 60-watt light bulb
7. having countless g. upon the idea
8. fires caused by poor h. their new invention “WiTricity”
9. inventor Nikola Tesla struck i. fruition, until today
10. his idea never came to j. plugs hidden behind the TV

Listening

Listen and check your answers for exercises 1 and 3.

After listening

1. WRITING: write the main idea of the article “Scientists test WiTricity – wireless electricity” using phrases from the Phrase Match exercise.

2. DISCUSSION:discuss the following questions.

1. What do you think about the idea of WiTricity?

2. Is your room full of plugs, cables and wires?

3. How much of a breakthrough do you think WiTricity is?

4. Do you think WiTricity means we will be living in a science fiction world?

5. Will WiTricity make your daily life easier?

6. Do you already make use of wi-fi devices?

7. What do you think of the name “WiTricity”?

8. Why do you think Nikola Tesla’s idea of wireless electricity never came to fruition?

HOMEWORK: Read the article (see the supplements) and fill in the gaps. Be ready to retell it next lesson.

 


Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1240


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