1 UNIT 4. 2 Task I Look at the timeline and listen to the audio. Number the four inventions in the...

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UNIT 4

2

Task ILook at the timeline and listen to the audio. Number the four inventions in the order in which they are described (1-4).

GETTING READY

1 24 3

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Task IIListen again. Fill in the details of the four inventions. Choose the inventors’ names from the box.

GETTING READY

No. 1 No. 2

Who discovered it?

How was it invented?

What is it used for?

Percy Spencer Dr. John Pemberton George de Mestral

Spencer Silver Frank Epperson Alexander Fleming

Dr. John Pemberton Spencer Silver

The doctor was trying to create a tonic for patients suffering from headaches. He changed his recipe many times to find the right combination.

Originally used as medicine, it was quickly adopted as a beverage.

The chemist invented a new glue that was both strong enough to adhere paper to a surface and weak enough that the paper could be easily removed.

It is the glue that is found on the back of Post-it Notes today.

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Task IIListen again. Fill in the details of the four inventions. Choose the inventors’ names from the box.

GETTING READY

No. 3 No. 4

Who discovered it?

How was it invented?

What is it used for?

Percy Spencer Dr. John Pemberton George de Mestral

Spencer Silver Frank Epperson Alexander Fleming

While in a lab, Percy Spencer noticed that his candy bar had melted. He realized that energy waves from a device were causing food to heat up.

As a child, Frank Epperson left a drink on his porch, and during the night, it froze. Later, he utilized his mistake to develop frozen treats.

The microwave oven is now used as a way to warm food.

Popsicles are a popular summertime refreshment.

Percy Spencer Frank Epperson

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Audio Transcripts:

No. 1

In 1886, Dr. John Pemberton of Atlanta, Georgia, formulated a tonic to cure

headaches. At first, the syrup was only carried at a local drugstore, but by the

turn of the century, it was being sold throughout the United States and Canada as

a soft drink. This invention is no longer considered medicine and is now a

worldwide sensation!

No. 2

Spencer Silver, a chemist, made a glue that could be used to attach papers

and be easily removed. No one was interested in the substance, but his

colleague Arthur Fry later found the perfect application for it. Fry was frustrated

with paper bookmarks that fell out of books, so he used Silver’s idea to create a

sticky note card. In 1980, the company they worked for began producing this

product, and the rest is history.

GETTING READY

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Audio Transcripts:

No. 3

One day, scientist Percy Spencer noticed something unusual: a candy bar in

his pocket had melted even though he hadn’t felt anything hot. He discovered that

a device that generated energy waves was responsible. He stuck a few corn

kernels next to the machine out of curiosity—and they popped into popcorn! This

gave him the inspiration for developing a new appliance in 1945. Now people use

it to cook up meals in minutes.

No. 4

Frank Epperson was just a kid when he made the discovery of a lifetime in

1905. One night, he accidentally left a drink outside with a stirring stick in the

glass. The drink froze overnight, and he was able to enjoy an interesting treat.

After he grew up, this childhood blunder inspired him to create an innovative ice-

cold dessert that everyone loves today.

GETTING READY

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VOCABULARY DRILL

A. Listen Up Look at the following chindōgu inventions. Fill in the blanks with words from the audio.

For women who have

tried to put on makeup

during the morning rush,

this may not seem like

a(n)

1. _________ creation. All

you need to do is fasten

the device behind your

head, put the stencil over

your mouth, and then

apply your favorite lipstick.

Although this invention

may never be

2. _________ by any

country, the dog wig

3. _________ has started a new trend in puppy

fashion. These colorful

wigs come in almost any

shape imaginable and are a very 4. _________ style

option for your beloved

pet!

Using some

5. _________, parents

can get their infants to

help with chores while

they crawl. Though most

baby clothes have little or

no 6. _________, The

Baby Mop assists with

housecleaning during

the course of normal

activities!

The Lipstick StencilDog Wigs

The Baby Mop

useless

patented

prototype

feasible

creativity

utility

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VOCABULARY DRILL

Audio Transcripts:

Wendy: I’m reporter Wendy Schiller, and I’m attending an exhibition of chindōgu, which is Japanese for the art of weird and useless inventions. Let’s interview a few artists. Hello, sir. Can you tell us the history of chindōgu?

Male Artist: It started in the 1980s, when the amateur inventor Kenji Kawakami had the idea of celebrating brilliant inventions that had little or no utility. A new movement was born!

Wendy: Thanks for the explanation. Now let’s meet the artist standing next to you. (pause) Pardon me. Would you like to demonstrate your

creation?

Female Artist: Sure. This fork can prevent overeating. Whenever it senses that you’ve consumed too many calories, an alarm goes off.

Wendy: Who would ever use that?

Female Artist: That’s the point. Chindōgu items are invented for the sake of creativity. We only have a few rules: it has to be feasible to use, you have to produce a prototype but can’t get it patented, and it can’t be made simply for amusement.

Wendy: Well, we’ve seen how ingenious the idea of chindōgu really is. Reporting live, I’m Wendy Schiller.

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VOCABULARY DRILL

B. Word Focus: Synonyms for CreateCan you determine the usage of the words in orange? Choose the appropriate word for each sentence.

1. In the 1820s, Louis Braille originated / produced a method that enabled blind

people to read by using their sense of touch.

2. Toyota devises / manufactures the highest volume of vehicles of any

automaker in the world.

3. The Chinese originally developed / formulated fireworks for celebrations and to

ward off evil spirits. Later, they were adapted for military use.

4. Secretary Bette Graham manufactured / invented the first type of correction

fluid that could be used to cover up typing mistakes.

Fast Facts About Inventions:

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VOCABULARY DRILL

C. Speak Out Loud Rank the inventions below from 1–10 (most important to least important). Discuss the reasoning behind your rankings with the suggested vocabulary.

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CONVERSATION CORNER—REVIEW

A. Word GroupsCircle the choice that has a different meaning from the word or phrase in bold.

1. out of order a. faulty b. broken c. operational d. out of commission

2. annoyance a. irritation b. distress c. enjoyment d. frustration

3. trigger a. cause b. provoke c. spur d. prevent

4. backbreaking a. effortless b. demanding c. tiring d. exhausting

5. ingenious a. creative b. awkward c. inventive d. innovative

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B. Understand from the ContextMatch the sentences.

1. Liz is always acting like a drama queen. _____

2. This helmet is a real pain in the neck. _____

3. Samantha’s children nagged her to let them eat junk food. _____

4. The family hit the jackpot this year. _____

5. When the founder retired, there wasn’t anyone left to carry on his legacy. _____

6. I’m so sick of being tormented by these mosquitoes! _____

a. It’s really troublesome to tighten.

b. The oil deposit under their house made them extremely wealthy.

c. She reacts to every situation in an exaggerated manner.

d. They irritated her by constantly complaining about her rules.

e. Their bites are bothering me!

f. No one was capable of building on his previous successes.

a

c

d

b

f

e

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C. Multiple ChoiceCircle the answers.

1. What exaggeration does Bradley make?

a. Taking the stairs might result in a heart attack.

b. He has difficulty breathing because he ran up

four flights of stairs.

c. Nagging is an effective way to get help from

someone.

d. Intensive labor tired out the king’s servants.

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2. What is Courtney’s opinion about laziness?

a. Lazy people often exaggerate their fatigue.

b. Laziness cannot be attributed to inventions.

c. Laziness can be a motivator for inventiveness.

d. Lazy people would never walk up a flight of stairs.

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3. What is TRUE about the first passenger elevator?

a. Otis’s sons constructed it according to their

father’s plans.

b. The elevator didn’t rely on laborers for its

operation.

c. Modern elevators adopted its brake system

design.

d. The device was invented for one particular

person.

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4. Why does Bradley want to become an elevator

engineer?

a. He would be able to secure a high income in

that profession.

b. He would be assured of always having an

elevator to ride.

c. He may win the contest held by Otis Elevator

Company.

d. He would like to copy the Otis business model.

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1. Whenever my daughter doesn’t get her way, she starts kicking and screaming.

→_______________________________________________________________

2. Most bloggers exaggerate what they write about.

→_______________________________________________________________

3. You should stop dwelling on your breakup so much.

→_______________________________________________________________

Rewrite the parts in bold using the expressions. Do not repeat any ofyour answer choices.

EXPRESSION PLAZA

• be / act like a drama queen

• make too much of (something)

• blow (something) out of proportion

• go overboard

A. Overreacting

Whenever my daughter doesn’t get her way, she acts like a drama queen.

Most bloggers blow things out of proportion.

You should stop making too much of your breakup.

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1. My faulty alarm clock __________________ because it always beeps at the

wrong time.

2. This stain spray __________________! Not only is it difficult to apply, but it

also doesn’t work well.

3. Todd __________________ his battered old car, so he decided to purchase a

brand-new one.

EXPRESSION PLAZA

(something / someone)

be (such) an annoyance

be a (total) pain in the neck

get on (one’s) nerves

(someone) be / get fed up with (something / someone)

B. Talking About Annoyances

Fill in the appropriate expressions.

is getting on my nerves

is such an annoyance

was fed up with

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With a classmate, practice talking about the situations below using the expressions above.

EXPRESSION PLAZA

Suddenly Becoming Rich

• hit the jackpot

• hit pay dirt

• strike it rich

Making Lots of Money

• make a killing

• make a fortune

• rake in the dough

C. Describing Financial Success

1. Someone marries into money or inherits a family fortune.

2. Someone patents an invention that becomes a top seller.

3. Someone wins a million dollars in a lottery.

4. Someone founds a very successful company.

Example:A: Kimberly Conrad struck it rich

when she married Playboy executive Hugh Hefner.

B: No kidding! Mr. Hefner has made a fortune in the

magazine business, so she’ll never have to work again.

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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

A. Fill Out the Public StatementFill in the blanks with words or expressions from the audio.

To My Dear Fans,

I would like to thank those who have supported me despite the 1. ___________

made by my ex-wife. Unfortunately, the media has 2. ___________ the incident

completely ________________. I never 3. ___________ Mary Reeses, physically

or 4. ___________, during our marriage. I believe she’s going through a tough time,

which has caused her to 5. ________________ regarding this matter. I truly hope

that she’ll get professional help and stop acting like 6. ________________. The

tabloids have 7. ________________ of what happened. In the future, they should

get their facts straight before disrupting the lives of others.

Sincerely,

Joey Doe

accusations

blown

abused

verbally

go overboard

a drama queen

made too much

out of proportion

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Audio Transcripts:

Headlining our news today are accusations that actor Joey Doe verbally

abused his ex-wife repeatedly during the couple’s marriage. Mary Reeses, who

divorced Doe last May, claims that the star would often go overboard about

trivial things. When asked to comment, Doe immediately began blaming the

media for spreading lies and making too much of the stories told by his ex-wife.

He stated that the reporters had not checked their facts and that they had blown

the whole thing out of proportion. Later, he accused his wife of being nothing

more than a drama queen. This incident has already damaged Doe’s career. He

has been pulled out of three big-budget projects, and there is no word about

when he will return to acting.

EXPRESSION PRACTICE

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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

B. Guess WhoMatch the speaker with the appropriate statement.

• I’m growing tired of how unreliable my car is.

• Train delays really irritate me, especially when I’m already late.

• I can’t tolerate leaving early to arrive somewhere promptly because I don’t have an automobile.

• The primary disadvantage of driving is getting stuck in traffic.

• I get annoyed by drivers who constantly honk their horns.

• In my opinion, public transportation has too many drawbacks.

• Not having a place to sit on a crammed bus makes me feel uncomfortable.

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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Audio Transcripts:

Seth: Are you OK, Betty? You’re all sweaty.

Betty: I’m fine, Seth. I had to ride my bicycle today because my car broke down again. It’s secondhand, and I’m getting fed up with it. It irritates me

whenever I have to take it to the mechanic.

Seth: I actually prefer riding my bicycle. After all, gas-fueled vehicles are damaging the environment.

Betty: But leaving 30 minutes early so I can make it on time is such an annoyance.

Seth: Driving still has its drawbacks, like getting stuck in a traffic jam. Nothing gets on my nerves more than being trapped in a line of cars and listening to drivers honk at each other.

Betty: Yeah. Generally, though, driving is much more convenient, particularly when the weather’s bad.

Seth: What about public transportation? If I’m too exhausted to cycle, I just grab the bus.

Betty: I’ve considered that, but they can be a pain in the neck too. What if the bus arrives late, or all the seats are occupied and you have to stand the entire way?

Seth: Maybe we should just never leave home! (laughs)

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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

C. Complete the ReportSummarize the financial status of each client based on the audio. Use the hints provided.

George Fairweather

(make a killing, decline, non-essential)

Leo Snellar

(strike it rich, microscope, rake in the dough)

Steven Snorks

(hit pay dirt, mechanic)

The client’s bakery made a killing last year, but sales are starting to decline, as customers have been cutting down their expenditures on non-essential things.

The client owns a company that manufactures scientific instruments. He struck it rich with his invention of an impressive laboratory microscope a few years earlier. His booming business is raking in the dough.

The client seems indifferent towards investing his savings. He hit pay dirt with the sale of his business a while back, but now he is insistent that he likes just being an auto mechanic.

CLIENT PROFILES

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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Audio Transcripts:

Jennifer: Welcome to today’s meeting. I’d like to hear how our top clients are doing financially. Simon, you begin.

Simon: Sure. George Fairweather was our most successful client last year, but I’m worried about where his business is heading. His bakery used to make a killing, but due to the declining economy, consumers have stopped purchasing non-essential items like desserts.

Jennifer: What actions are you advocating he take?

Simon: I suggested decreasing his staff, but he insisted that his employees keep their jobs.

Jennifer: OK. We’ll discuss his situation later. Joe?

Joe: As you know, Leo Snellar hit pay dirt three years ago with his invention, the Mighty Microscope. His manufacturing company, Leo’s Laboratory Instruments, continues to rake in the dough.

Jennifer: Great! Jenna?

Jenna: Steven Snorks is doing OK. After he struck it rich many years ago with the lucrative sale of his business, I encouraged him to invest in another promising company. However, he seems to prefer working as a car mechanic.

Jennifer: Let’s see if we can come up with an investment package that’s attractive to him.

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GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT

Past PerfectWe can use the past perfect tense to tell a story or to explain how something occurred in sequence. The past perfect is often used with the simple past.

To express the idea that something

happened before another past

action or a specific time

• I had to move because my landlord had increased my rent.

• By 1873, over 2,000 Otis elevators had been installed across the United States.

To indicate that something began

in the past and continued for a period of time

• I had never realized what a total pain in the neck it is to take the stairs until

today.

• I wonder how long she had nagged him about the stairs before he had it built.

To form reported speech after verbs

such as asked, said, thought, told,

and wondered

• Candy said that Mike had relocated to Hong Kong.

• I thought they had discussed the terms of the agreement.

A. Usage

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GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT

Simple Past Past Perfect

We use the simple past to talk about

past events in the order they occur.

We look back from one time in the past

to tell what has happened previously.

• When Miles looked out the window, he

noticed someone stealing his car. He

called the police immediately.

• Before Christy met Harry, she had

never known what a real partnership

was like.


B. Simple Past vs. Past Perfect

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GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT


Signal words such as after, when, and before can be used with both simple past and past perfect tenses depending on what is being emphasized in the context.

Examples:

• Timmy had studied Chinese before he visited Taiwan.

(emphasizes Timmy’s previous study of Chinese)

• Edmund asked for a second helping of rice before he had finished his first bowl.

(emphasizes the fact that Edmund hadn’t eaten all his rice)

Usage Note

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1. By the time we ___________ (get) to the meeting, we ___________ (already

settle) our differences.

2. Anne was suffering from fatigue because she ___________ (work) too much

overtime.

3. The police ___________ (launch) an investigation on the incident before the

national TV ___________ (report) the news.

4. After Mom ___________ (eat) the seafood dish, she ___________ (break) out

in a terrible rash.

5. His passport ___________ (expire) on March 31, so he ___________ (not

board) the airplane.

6. In yesterday’s announcement, the restaurant owner ___________ (assert) that

they ___________ (improve) their hygiene standards.

GRAMMAR WORKOUT

A. Complete the SentencesFill in the correct tenses of the verbs. Some blanks may have more than one possible answer.

had already settled

had worked / worked

had launched / launched

had eaten / ate

had expired

got

broke

couldn’t board

asserted

had improved

reported

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1. I had asked Nancy to write up an estimate of the building costs, ______

2. Bill said he hadn’t passed by the wharf ______

3. Although Sheila had immediately offered to compensate him for the damage, ______

4. When they said they owned a cottage, ______

5. Eunice wasn’t able to breathe a sigh of relief ______

6. Alice had just purchased the house ______

a. until the doctor informed her that her surgery had been successful.

b. I had no idea they were talking about this impressive mansion!

c. the first time he visited San Francisco.

d. but she didn’t get the information to me before the meeting.

e. when a hurricane destroyed her roof.

f. Kent didn’t accept until months later.

GRAMMAR WORKOUT

B. MatchMatch the sentence parts.

d

c

f

b

a

e

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The Wampanoag Indians lived in Massachusetts for thousands of years when the

Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth Rock. Conditions in the New World were demanding, and

within a year, the newcomers lose 46 people. Luckily, the Wampanoag have noticed their

troubles and introduced suitable crops to them. In the autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims having

their first decent harvest. Until this time, they never known prosperity, and they are now

hopeful about the future. To celebrate, they decide to have a party and invite the

Wampanoag. Each year, another celebration was held on the anniversary of that feast. By

the 1860s, Thanksgiving has become an official national holiday. Historians are uncertain

about whether or not America’s ancestors had been having turkey at the first Thanksgiving.

Today, it’s impossible to have a Thanksgiving meal without including this symbolic dish.

GRAMMAR WORKOUT

C. Correct the MistakesFix the ten errors in the passage. There may be more than one possible answer.

had lived

landed

had lost / lost had noticed / noticed

had

decided

had become

had had / had

had never known were

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Scan the article below. Write the paragraph number (1-4) next to the matching main

idea. There are two extra choices.

READING─PRE-READING TASK

Numerous devices are invented in Japan every year.

Germans have an excellent education system, especially when it comes to science.

Most countries work hard to be considered inventive.

1

Israel is striving to prove that it can innovate as well as larger countries.

The Japanese are most concerned about the future of robots.

Throughout history, Germans have been responsible for the invention of many useful things.

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2

33

It’s hard to imagine that televisions had been unavailable to the

public until 100 years ago, but now we can carry portable phones in

our pockets. Inventions will continue to change the world, and

countries will pull out all the stops to be the most innovative.

READING

p.40

Paragraph 1

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GERMANY

Germany had proved its inventiveness long before the modern era. Many

inventions that are used every day, including the printing press and the gas-

powered engine, can be attributed to German inventors. Also notable are their

breakthroughs in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. Have a headache? Aspirin,

one of the most commonly used medicines in the world, was created in this

northern European nation. Break a bone? It’s because of German ingenuity that we

have X-rays. Unsurprisingly, when education systems are ranked, Germany’s

science programs are frequently placed in the top ten.

READING

p.40

Paragraph 2

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READING

JAPAN

For years, Japan has been second only to the US in the number of patents filed.

Hundreds of thousands of patent applications, from the bizarre to the practical, are

submitted each year in this Asian country. Japanese inventors show a talent for the

imaginative, but they are perhaps most well-known for their obsession with robots.

The robot teacher Saya was an immediate worldwide sensation when “she” was

launched. Saya can fluently speak multiple languages and is able to recognize if

students make mistakes. One Japanese inventor has even devised a robot with 24

“fingers” that can shampoo, condition, and blow-dry a person’s hair.

p.40

Paragraph 3

36

READING

ISRAEL

Despite being one of the smallest countries on the planet, Israel is working

earnestly to prove that it can be a center for innovation, especially in the technology

sector. Israel is already the birthplace of the USB flash drive, a device that has

become synonymous with convenient digital storage. Furthermore, network security

companies in Israel have gained the reputation of being the best in the industry. In

order to spur more development, the Israeli government invests a large percentage

of the nation’s GDP* in research. Thanks to these funds, Israel boasts one start-up*

company for every 1,800 people. With all of these independent businesses, this

Middle Eastern country is sure to be at the forefront of future technological

advancements. For Your Reference* GDP: gross domestic product; the total value of the goods and services produced by a country

For Your Reference* start-up: a new small businessp.40

Paragraph 4

37

READING

Without these countries, we wouldn’t have access to many of the

conveniences and luxuries that we enjoy today!

p.40

Paragraph 5

38

READING

Patent systems have been in use in various countries for

hundreds of years. The first patents only granted an inventor

exclusivity of rights for a few years, but modern ones can last for

decades. Do today’s patents give too few or too many rights to their

owners? Are there some things that shouldn’t be allowed to be

patented?

Discussion

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READING ─AFTER YOU READ

A. Complete the SentencesFill in the blanks with words or expressions from the article. Use the hints to help you.

1. There have been many ___________ in cancer research during the past decade; however, the medical community is still far from finding a cure. (important new discovery)

2. Because the number of elderly people is increasing, the ___________ industry is creating drugs that tackle their health ailments. (relating to the production of medicine)

3. The current fad of 3D movies can ___________ the release of the film Avatar. (be credited to)

4. Applications won’t be accepted if they’re not ___________ by the deadline. (send for consideration)

5. Japanese automobile companies are ___________ the electric car market. Other nations are behind them in terms of development. (in a leading position)

breakthroughs

pharmaceutical

be attributed to

submitted

at the forefront of

p.34

p.35

p.36

p.37

p.38

40

innovate note ingenuity obsession medicine digit synonym sensation technology


B. Use the AdjectivesChange the words below into adjectives by using the suffixes provided.

-al -able -ive -ous

notable innovativeobsessive

ingenioussynonymous

medical digital sensationaltechnological

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B. Use the AdjectivesFinish the passage using the adjectives you created. There may be more than one possible answer.

It would be hard to find someone who doesn’t own an MP3 player. Many believe

it is the most 1. ___________ music-related product ever created. What’s most

2. ___________ about the first MP3 player, which was produced in 1998, is that it

could store just six songs! Over the years, companies have become more

3. ___________ with their devices. However, it is the iPod that is 4. ___________

with the term “MP3 player” today. Sales of the first generation iPods were

5. ___________, and the new versions are still the dominant MP3 players on the

market. In fact, many Apple fans are 6. ___________ about upgrading whenever

the latest model is released. Certainly, the 7. ___________ advances Apple makes

in the world of MP3 players will help the company continue to lead the industry.

ingenious

notable

innovative synonymous

sensational

obsessive

technological

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C. ClassificationWrite G for Germany, J for Japan, or I for Israel next to the matching description.

_____ 1. The country is responsible for the invention of what is usually used to treat headaches.

_____ 2. The government invests a large amount of money in small enterprises to boost the economy.

_____ 3. Scientific achievements are associated with the quality of the education system here.

_____ 4. Computer system innovations are some of this country’s most notable contributions.

_____ 5. The bulk of this nation’s inventions take care of tasks that humans would normally complete.

G

I

G

J

J

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WRITING SKILLS

Unity and Coherence

In a unified paragraph, every sentence should be related to the topic.

Look at this topic sentence: The brains of scientists and inventors usually have the most activity occurring on the right side.

Now read the following sentences.

1. An individual whose right brain is dominant seems to be organized and goal oriented.

2. The brain is continuously active, never stopping even for a moment.

Sentence 1 refers to the topic and sentence 2 does not.

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WRITING SKILLS

Unity and Coherence

In a coherent paragraph, sentences should logically flow from one idea to the next.

1 Right-sided thinkers are devoted to solving problems. 2 They are often at risk

of collapsing due to an intense workload. 3 Sometimes, they get so focused on

resolving other people’s issues that they overwork themselves.

In this paragraph, sentence 2 should be placed after sentence 3.

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WRITING SKILLS

Task Write the letter of the sentence next to the main idea it develops.

Topic Sentence Supporting Idea

1. Helen Keller overcame being blind and deaf to graduate college with

honors.

2. Sybilla Masters became the first official female inventor in 1715, but

women had been inventing before without recognition.

3. Gunpei Yokoi created the Game Boy, one of Nintendo’s best-selling

devices.

a. Her patent was unfairly issued in her

husband’s name, as women weren’t

allowed to own patents.

b. Since its release in 1980, the game has

sold over 118 million units!

c. Anne Sullivan taught her how to speak

and read Braille, preparing her for further

academic accomplishments.

d. Before this moneymaker, he invented The

Ultrahand, the first toy the company ever

manufactured.

e. She created a method to preserve corn, a

common dish for American people.

f. By age seven, she had invented over 60

signs that enabled her to communicate

with others.

c, f

a, e

b, d

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WRITING SKILLS─BEFORE YOU WRITE

Visit the site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro to research the topics below. Write four related sentences about each topic.

The Creation of Velcro 1.

2.

3.

4.

George de Mestral, a Swiss electrical engineer, was inspired to invent Velcro in 1948 after picking off seeds that were hooked into his pants.

De Mestral had noticed that the seeds were strongly attached to the loops of the fabric.

At first, he copied this design idea using cotton, but it weakened quickly, so he began using synthetic fibers instead.

Because of this and other delays, it took ten years to create a process that worked. He received a patent for his invention in 1955.

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WRITING SKILLS─BEFORE YOU WRITE

Visit the site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro to research the topics below. Write four related sentences about each topic.

The Uses of Velcro 1.

2.

3.

4.

Amazingly, a two-inch-square piece of Velcro is strong enough to support a 175-pound person.

Because of this strength, Velcro was used to hold together a human heart during the first artificial heart surgery.

As Velcro is both durable and easy to use, it is often used as a replacement for buttons or zippers.

It is especially popular to apply to clothing designed for those who do not have the skills to use more complicated fasteners, such as children or the elderly.

48

George de Mestral, a Swiss electrical engineer, invented Velcro in 1948. He

was inspired after ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________.

He realized this idea could be an effective method of fastening clothes. At first, he

copied the design using cotton, _________________________________________

_____________________________________________. Then he had to create a

special loom to weave the Velcro. _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________.

Now, people all over the world use Velcro!

WRITING SKILLS─WRITE IT UP

Complete the passage. Then write another 120-word essay about the uses of Velcro. Make sure the flow of your piece is coherent.

Taking a Cue from Mother Nature

returning from a hunting trip and finding seeds hooked into his

pants. He had noticed that the seeds were strongly attached to the loops of the

fabric

but it weakened quickly, so he began using

synthetic fibers instead

Because of this and other delays, it took ten

years to come up with a process that worked. He received a patent for his invention

in 1955

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__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

As Velcro is sturdy and simple, it has many practical uses. Amazingly, a two-

inch-square piece of Velcro is strong enough to support a 175-pound person.

Because of this strength, Velcro was used to hold together a human heart during

the first artificial heart surgery. In addition, it’s easy to use, so it often replaces

buttons or zippers. It is especially popular to apply to clothing designed for those

who do not have the skills to use more complicated fasteners, such as children

or the elderly. Look to see which items you own that are attached with Velcro—

you might be surprised at how many you find!

WRITING SKILLS─WRITE IT UP

Complete the passage. Then write another 120-word essay about the uses of Velcro. Make sure the flow of your piece is coherent.

Velcro Is Amazing!

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The End

1 UNIT 4. 2 Task I Look at the timeline and listen to the audio. Number the four inventions in the...

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Transcript of 1 UNIT 4. 2 Task I Look at the timeline and listen to the audio. Number the four inventions in the...