Peter Lucantoni
Introduction to
English as a Second Language Fourth edition
University Printing House, Cambridge cb2 8bs, United Kingdom Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. www.cambridge.org © Cambridge University Press 2014 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 2014 Printed in the United Kingdom by Latimer Trend isbn 978-1-107-68698-4 Paperback Additional resources for this publication at education.cambridge.org Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Information regarding prices, travel timetables, and other factual information given in this work is correct at the time of first printing but Cambridge University Press does not guarantee the accuracy of such information thereafter. notice to teachers in the uk It is illegal to reproduce any part of this work in material form (including photocopying and electronic storage) except under the following circumstances: (i) where you are abiding by a licence granted to your school or institution by the Copyright Licensing Agency; (ii) where no such licence exists, or where you wish to exceed the terms of a licence, and you have gained the written permission of Cambridge University Press; (iii) where you are allowed to reproduce without permission under the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, which covers, for example, the reproduction of short passages within certain types of educational anthology and reproduction for the purposes of setting examination questions. IGCSE® is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations dedication A big ‘thank you’ to my daughter, Emily, who provided plenty of useful comments during the initial writing stages. As always, this book is dedicated to three special people: Lydia, Sara and Emily.
Contents Menu Introduction
4 5
Part 1: The world around us
6
Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6 Unit 7 Unit 8
7 15 23 31 40 48 56 64
How many planets are there in space? What’s a living creature? What’s a hurricane? Are there any monsters in the ocean? What’s an ecosystem? Can bees scare elephants? Can penguins see under water? How hot are chilli peppers?
Part 2: Human endeavour
72
Unit 9 Unit 10 Unit 11 Unit 12 Unit 13 Unit 14 Unit 15 Unit 16 Unit 17 Unit 18
73 81 89 97 105 113 120 128 136 143
Who was Ibn Battuta? What’s the best job for a teenager? Who are the Maasai? What does a triathlete do? How much water do you use? How important is oil? How do you say ‘bridge’ in your language? Where are the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? What impact does fashion have on teenagers? What does that sign mean?
Appendix Audioscript of accompanying CD
150
Acknowledgements
159
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Menu PART 1 The world around us U1: How many planets
In this unit, you will: learn about the planets, do a project on space, read and write about space achievements
Language focus: passive verbs; Wh- questions
U2: What’s a living
In this unit, you will: talk about natural history, read about living things, do a project on living things, read and write about turtles
Language focus: adverbs; word building; ‘signpost’ words
U3: What’s a hurricane?
In this unit, you will talk about the weather and violent Earth, listen to a news item about hurricanes, read about avalanches, do a project on the weather, read about Pompeii
Language focus: abstract nouns; conditionals and if only
U4: Are there any
In this unit, you will: talk about water, read about the oceans, listen to a marine biologist talking about sea monsters, do a project on your nearest ocean, read about hot and cold places
Language focus: prepositional verbs; past simple and past perfect
U5: What’s an
In this unit, you will: talk about plants, read about ecosystems, draw an ecosystem diagram, do a project on an ecosystem
Language focus: word building; imperatives for instructions
U6: Can bees scare
In this unit, you will: talk about animals, read about elephants in Kenya, listen to a scientist talking about invertebrates, do a project on invertebrates, read about a science-fiction novel
Language focus: infinitives and -ing forms after verbs; question tags
U7: Can penguins see
In this unit you will: talk and read about human and animal senses, read about the game of chess, do a project on games, listen to an animal scientist, read about a musician, write an article
Language focus: comparative adverbs; -ing forms as subjects and after prepositions
U8: How hot are chilli
In this unit, you will: talk about ingredients, read about chilli peppers, listen to a talk about rainforest plants, do a project on food products, read about healthy foods
Language focus: referring words; quantifiers
are there in space? creature?
monsters in the ocean?
ecosystem? elephants?
under water?
peppers?
4
PART 2 Human endeavour U9: Who was Ibn Battuta?
In this unit, you will: talk and read about famous explorers, read about oceanographers, do a project on an explorer, listen to a radio programme about NASA
Language focus: countries, nationalities and languages; past perfect
U10: What’s the best job In this unit, you will: talk and read about jobs, do a project on jobs,
Language focus: direct and reported speech; sentence adverbs
U11: Who are the
In this unit, you will: talk about marathon running, read about sports shoes, listen to a report about Maasai warriors, do a project on the Maasai, read about unusual sports
Language focus: word building; -ing forms
U12: What does a
In this unit, you will: talk about your favourite sports, read about sports equipment, listen to a triathlete, do a project on sports equipment, read about different holidays
Language focus: sentence patterns with comparatives; ‘signpost’ words; future forms
U13: How much water
In this unit, you will: talk about Science at school, read some scientific definitions and about Leonardo da Vinci, listen to a scientist talking about water, do a project about water
Language focus: the passive; word building
U14: How important
In this unit, you will: talk about oil, read about products made of plastic, read about mobile phones, do a project on technology, listen to someone talking about inventions
Language focus: question forms; time references with different tenses
U15: How do you say
In this unit, you will: talk and read about bridges, read about a hotel made of ice, do a project on buildings and structures, read about the lost city of Atlantis
Language focus: verbs ending in -en; intensifying adjectives
for a teenager? Maasai?
triathlete do?
do you use?
is oil?
‘bridge’ in your language?
listen to a careers counsellor
U16: Where are the
In this unit, you will: talk and read about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Language focus: is thought/said/ Seven Wonders of World, listen to someone talking about the new seven wonders of the believed, etc.; compound nouns the Ancient World? world, do a project on modern wonders, read about the city of Mumbai and complex noun phrases
U17: What impact does
In this unit, you will: talk and read about free time and digital entertainment, read about mobile phones, do a project on clothes, listen to someone talking about clothes in history
Language focus: word building; modal verbs
U18: What does that
In this unit, you will: talk and read about signs and symbols, listen to someone talking about superheroes, do a project on messaging systems, read and write about sign language
Language focus: position of adjectives; semi-fixed and fixed expressions
fashion have on teenagers? sign mean?
Introduction Introduction to English as a Second Language is a one-year, theme-based intermediate English course. It is for students who are not yet ready to start a demanding exam-focused course, such as the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSEŽ) in English as a Second Language (E2L). This book is an ideal foundation for studying Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language – a two-year exam course that will properly prepare you for the E2L examination. It is assumed that most of you who use this book will be studying English in order to improve your educational or employment prospects and it, therefore, includes a broad range of topics and themes relevant to this goal. You will find passages and activities based on a wide variety of stimulating, cross-curriculum topics and about people from all over the world, which I hope you will enjoy reading and discussing. The book is divided into two themed parts: The world around us and Human endeavour. Each themed part is subdivided into units, which focus on topics such as space (Unit 1), natural disasters (Unit 3), explorers (Unit 9) and wonders of the world (Unit 16). Each unit is further divided into sections covering all the language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as thinking skills, grammar, vocabulary, study skills and research. I hope you enjoy using this new edition and I wish you success in your studies! 5
Peter Lucantoni
Introduction to English as a Second Language
6
Part 1: The world around us
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space? Topics
A
■ space and space travel ■ the Hubble Space Telescope
1
Speaking and thinking Our solar system consists of the sun and the planets, their moons and other objects. Discuss what you know about the planets with a partner. Use these questions as a guide. a How many planets are there in our solar system?
Use of English
b Which planets are the biggest and smallest?
passive verbs, Wh- questions
c
2 VOCABULARY
dwarf planet an object that is similar to the eight planets in the solar system, but is smaller
The scrambled letters below are the names of the eight planets (plus Pluto, which is called a ‘dwarf planet’) in our solar system. Copy and unscramble the letters and then match the words to the planets 1–9 in the picture. Use these headings to record your answers in your notebook: Position/Name. Compare your answers with your partner’s. a teenpun
d lotup
g arms
b ripejut
e nevus
h heart
c
1
2
3
What are their names in your language? Do you know the names of the planets in English? Do any of the planets have similar names in your language and in English?
curryme
f
ratsun
i
urnusa
7
4
5
6 7 9 8
VOCABULARY
mythical not true or real, imaginary
3
Most of the planets are named after a mythical Greek or Roman god or goddess. a Do you and your partner know which ones are not? b Are there any myths behind the names of the planets in your own language?
What are they?
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Here is a list of gods and goddesses. Match them to the planets. Add the heading god/goddess next to Position/Name in your notebook and write your answers.
4
a God of farming and agriculture and father of Jupiter b God of the sea c
God of the sky and heavens and son of Saturn
d God of the underworld e God of war
Goddess of love and beauty g King of the gods h Winged messenger of the gods f
DID YOU KNOW?
8
81 kilometres
The planet Mars is the home of the largest volcano found in our solar system. The volcano, named ‘Olympus Mons’, is about 27 kilometres high and its crater (the bowl in the middle) is 81 kilometres wide. How does this compare with the height of Mount Everest on Earth?
Olympus Mons 27 kilometres Mount Everest
B
Listening
1
How do you and your partner think the planets got their names? Why is Mercury named after the winged messenger, for example? What is the connection between the colour or size of a planet and its name? Look at the information in your notebook and at the picture of the planets on page 7, and try to guess how the planets got their names.
2
Listen to Taran talking about how the planets got their names. Were your ideas in Activity B1 correct?
3
Listen again and answer these questions. Compare your answers with your partner’s. a When were the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury named? b Write the dates when these planets were discovered: c d e f g
(i) Uranus, (ii) Neptune, (iii) Pluto. Which planet travels around the sun in 88 days? What is the association between the planet Mars and the colour red? Which planet is the king of all the planets? Why is Neptune named after the mythical god of the sea? Which planet is always in the dark?
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
C Use of English: Passive verbs 1
Look at these sentences taken from Section B. What do you notice about the underlined verbs? Can you give the verbs a name? a … all of the planets, except for Earth, are named after Greek and Roman
gods and goddesses. Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus and Mercury were given their names thousands of years ago … b … Mars is red in colour and this colour was associated with blood in battles. c Pluto, which is no longer classified as a planet, is the furthest from the sun … 2
The underlined verbs are all forms of the passive. Who or what is the person or thing affected by each action? Do you know who the doer is?
DID YOU KNOW? The earth is not round; in fact, it is geoid. This means that the round shape has a slight bulge (or lump) towards the equator, the imaginary circle around the earth. What other ‘shape’ words do you know? 9
Passive verbs
We use the passive to focus on the person, or thing, affected by an action, rather than on the person, or thing, that performs that action (the doer). With your partner, look again at the three sentences in Activity C1. How is the passive formed? Copy and complete the following sentence. The passive is formed with the verb to … , followed by the … of a main verb.
3
Now copy the table and complete the ‘Tense’ column. To be
Past participle
Tense
are
named
present simple
were
given
…
was
associated
…
is
classified
…
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
How are the present perfect passive and the past perfect passive tenses formed? Look at the table on page 9 for help in working it out.
5
Have you heard of the Hubble Space Telescope? What do you and your class know about it?
6
Read the following text about the Hubble Space Telescope. In your notebook, write the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets.
the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) [1] The Hubble Space Telescope (a) … (launch) in 1990 by the space shuttle Discovery and it orbits the earth about 610 kilometres above us. Scientists and star gazers (b) … (delight) by Hubble’s pictures ever since its launch.
10
[2] The Hubble Space Telescope is as large as a school bus and looks like a five-storey tower of silver cans. Each one of the cans holds important telescope equipment: the mirrors, computers, imaging instruments, and pointing and control machines. Solar panels (c) … (use) for generating electricity, and antennas communicate with scientists on Earth. [3] The 11,110-kilogram telescope collects starlight with a 2.4-metre-diameter mirror. The mirror, which (d) … (hide) inside a long, hollow tube that blocks the glare from the sun, Earth and the moon, (e) … (slightly curve) to focus and magnify light. [4] Hubble is not like a normal telescope on the ground because astronomers cannot look through Hubble’s lens to see the planets and stars.
Instead, Hubble’s scientific instruments are the astronomers’ electronic eyes. By closely studying the colours of light from a star, astronomers can understand the star’s temperature, its make) of and movements, what it (f) … (make) its age. [5] When Hubble collects pictures and data, information (g) … (turn)) into long strings of numbers that (h) … (transmit) as radio signals. This information, which (i) … (send) back to Earth, (j) … (stream) through a series of satellite relays to the Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, USA, and then by telephone line to the Space Telescope Science Institute, where the numbers (k) … (turn) back into pictures and data. [6] The information, which (l) … (collect) daily by Hubble, (m) … (store) on computer disks. A single day’s worth of observations would fill an encyclopaedia! The constantly growing collection of Hubble pictures and data is a unique scientific resource for current and future astronomers. Adapted from www.stsci.edu
DID YOU KNOW? The Hubble Space Telescope moves at a speed of more than 28,150 kilometres per hour! Nothing on land or water can beat this. Do you know what living thing moves at the fastest speed on Earth?
D 1
Reading Before humans went into space, animals were used as the first space travellers. In small groups, discuss these questions. a Why do you think this happened? b What do you think about sending animals into space?
Do you think it is acceptable to send some animals but not others? Which ones? Why? d Some planets are so far away that it is impossible for animals (or humans) to travel to them. What is the solution to this problem? c
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
2
Look at the picture above. What does it show you? What do you think it is called? Where is it? What can it do?
3
Here are five dimensions for the machine in the picture. Decide what each one refers to. 2 metres 3 metres by 2.8 metres 2.1 metres 900 kilograms 50.8-centimetre diameter
4
You are going to read about NASA’s Mars rover, Curiosity. First, work with a partner and use paper or digital reference sources to check the meaning of the following words. altitude ambitious centrepiece manoeuvres obstacles severed
5
DID YOU KNOW? On 12th April 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. Gagarin’s spacecraft, Vostok 1, completed one orbit of Earth and landed about two hours later. Gagarin had to jump out and land using his parachute because Vostok 1 was designed to crash land! Do you know who the most recent space traveller is?
daring habitable withstand zap
Copy the following table and complete it using the words from Activity D4. Word
Translation
Grammar
Example sentence
altitude
…
noun
The spacecraft flew at an altitude of 5 kilometres above Earth.
6
Skim the text, Mars Curiosity: Facts and information on page 12 to check your answers to Activity D3. Do not worry about the gaps for the moment.
7
Complete the gaps a–j in the text using the words from Activity D4.
8
Answer these questions about the text. a What are the two main objectives of the Mars Curiosity mission? b Why is Curiosity’s large size an advantage? c What is the difference between a Martian year and an Earth year? d How long did it take MSL to reach Mars? e Which word describes MSL’s entry into Mars’s atmosphere? f What three things were used to slow down MSL before it landed on the surface of Mars?
11
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Mars Curiosity: Facts and information [1] The Mars Science Laboratory and its rover (a) … , Curiosity, is the most (b) … Mars mission ever flown by NASA. The rover’s primary mission is to find out if Mars is, or was, suitable for life. Another objective is to learn more about the red planet’s environment. [2] Curiosity’s large size allows it to carry many scientific experiments that will be able to (c) … , analyse and take pictures of any rock within reach of its 2-metre arm. Curiosity is about the size of a small sports utility vehicle (SUV). It is 3 metres by 2.8 metres wide, about 2.1 metres high and weighs 900 kilograms. Curiosity’s wheels have a 50.8-centimetre diameter.
12
[3] Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory designed the rover to roll over (d) … up to 65 centimetres high and to travel about 200 metres per day. The rover’s power comes from a multi-mission power generator, which produces electricity from the heat of plutonium-238’s radioactive decay. The power supply should last a full Martian year (687 Earth days) or more.
A complicated landing [4] The $2.5-billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 26th November 2011, and arrived on Mars on 6th August 2012, after a (e) … landing sequence that NASA called ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’. Because of Curiosity’s weight, the rover had to go through an extremely complicated sequence of (f) … to land. [5] Firstly, from a fiery entry into the atmosphere, a supersonic parachute was needed to slow down MSL. NASA officials said the parachute would need to (g) … 29,480 kilograms to break the spacecraft’s fall to the surface. Under the parachute, MSL let go of the bottom of its heat shield, so that it could get a radar fix on the surface and calculate its (h) … . The parachute could only slow the spacecraft to 322 kilometres per hour, which was still far too fast
for landing. To solve the problem, engineers designed the assembly to cut off the parachute and use rockets for the final part of the landing sequence. [6] Then, about 18 metres above the surface, MSL’s ‘skycrane’ was used. The landing assembly dangled the rover 6 metres below the rockets. Falling now at 2.4 kilometres per hour, MSL gently touched the ground at about the same moment the skycrane (i) … the link and flew away, crashing into the surface. NASA personnel tensely watched the rover’s descent on live television. When they received confirmation that Curiosity was safe, engineers pumped fists and jumped up and down in jubilation. News of the landing spread through social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, and traditional outlets, such as newspapers and television.
Primary mission: Can, or could, Mars support life? [7] Curiosity’s main mission is to determine if Mars is, or was, suitable for life. While it is not designed to find life itself, the rover carries a number of instruments on board that can bring back information about the surrounding environment. Scientists were excited when the rover beamed back information showing that Mars had had (j) … conditions in the past. Powder from the first samples that Curiosity obtained included the elements of sulphur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon, which are all considered ‘building blocks’ or fundamental elements that could support life. While this is not evidence of life itself, the find was still exciting to the scientists involved in the mission. ‘A fundamental question for this mission is whether Mars could have supported a habitable environment,’ stated Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. ‘From what we know now, the answer is yes.’ And the search continues … Adapted from www.space.com
Unit 1: How many planets are there in space?
E Use of English Wh- questions When you want to get a more detailed answer you should use a whquestion. To make a wh- question in English, use this word order: question word (who, when, etc.) + auxiliary verb (were, have, did, etc.) + subject (she, we, astronauts, etc.) + main verb (go, know, fly, etc.) If who, what or which is the subject subject, it is not possible to use do. What slowed down the MSL spacecraft? If who, what or which is the object object, use do. What did MSL transmit back to Earth?
PREFIXES We can add prefixes to the beginning of words in order to change their meaning. A prefix can be a letter or group of letters. Look at these examples from the texts in this unit: discovered, telescopes, kilometres, diameter, radioactive, supersonic. What do you think these prefixes mean? Use a dictionary, or other reference source (paper or digital), to help you find out. Do you use similar words in your own language? Can you think of any other English words that begin with these prefixes? Start keeping a list of commonly used prefixes.
1
Decide if who, what or which is the subject or the object in each of the questions below. Then answer the questions. The first one is an example. a What did NASA engineers design the rover to do? b c d e f
2
Example: What = object. Engineers designed the rover to roll over obstacles. Who called MSL’s landing sequence ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’? What was needed to slow down MSL? Who watched the rover’s landing on television? Which social media spread the news about the landing? What samples do you think Curiosity collected?
In your notebook, write questions for the following answers. Compare your questions with a partner’s. The first one is an example. a Its heat shield. b c d e f
F 1
Example: What did MSL let go of? Engineers. Who designed the assembly to … ? The skycrane. What severed … ? Rockets. What was … ? If Mars is suitable for life. They felt excited.
Writing In the three listening and reading texts there have been many expressions that tell us when something happened. Look at these examples of time sequencers. Listening text: … thousands of years ago … , … until much later … , … more recently … , … as recently as 1930 … . Out of this world text: … in 1990 … , … ever since its launch … . Look at the Mars Curiosity text and find examples of time sequencers.
13
Introduction to English as a Second Language
2
Look at these notes about space achievements: ■ 12th April 1961 – first human in space, 320 kilometres above Earth ■ 18th March 1965 – first spacewalk (12 minutes) ■ 11th October 1968 – first live television pictures from space ■ 20th July 1969 – first man on moon, collected 21 kilograms of lunar rock ■ 17th July 1975 – first international space meeting between USA and Russian astronauts Look again at the listening and reading texts in this unit. Choose at least four more important space achievements and add them to the list above.
3
For each note (you should have nine or ten now), write a sentence. Then put the sentences into a paragraph. Try to use the time sequencers from this section, plus any others that are appropriate.
4
Look at the following notes about missions into space. Use the notes to write a paragraph. Look at the example first. a early 1960s / many attempts made / USSR / reach Mars / but / all ended /
failure / for different reasons
DID YOU KNOW?
14
b
Mars is mostly a very cold desert. Even in the warmest parts, its maximum temperature is about –5 °C. The minimum temperature is about –87 °C. Water cannot exist in liquid form on Mars, although it is believed there might have once been rivers and streams on the planet. What is the temperature on the other planets? Find out!
c d e f g h i
G 1
Example: During the early 1960s, many attempts were made by the USSR to reach Mars, but all ended in failure for different reasons. first success / 1964 / USA Mariner 4 / sent back 21 images late 1960s / more USSR attempts / none successful / because / launch failure 1971 / USSR first success / Mars 3 Orbiter-Lander / sent back data for eight months / and landed on Mars / but / only 20 seconds of data mid 1970s / USA Viking 1 and 2 Orbiter-lander / 16,000 images returned / large quantity of data and soil experiments 1980s and 1990s / mostly failures / USA, USSR, Japan 1985 / Sultan bin Salman Al Saud / join / international crew / on Discovery / launch satellite / space early to mid 2000s / plenty of USA success / sending back enormous amounts of data 2012 / Chinese astronauts / eat / fresh vegetables / gardens / extraterrestrial bases in space
Project work You have learned a lot about the planets and space in general in this unit. what do you think is the most interesting thing you have learned? Why? Use the Internet and reference books to find out as much as you can about your choice, then produce an illustrated poster that you can display in your classroom. Be prepared to present your research to your class and to answer any questions.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature? Topics
A
■ natural history ■ living things ■ turtles
1
Work with a partner. Look at this information about the Natural History Museum in London, then decide if it is true or false. a The museum has more than 70 million natural history specimens in its collections. b There are more than 6 million rare books and manuscripts in the museum. c Five million people visit the museum every year. d You can see material from the dodo, meteorites from Mars and a full-size blue whale skeleton in the museum. e The building for the Natural History Museum first opened in 1881. f The museum is home to the largest and most important natural history collection in the world.
2
Quickly read this paragraph about the Natural History Museum and check your answers to Activity A1.
Use of English adverbs, word building, ‘signpost’ words
Speaking and thinking
Athough the natural history collection had existed for some time, it was in 1881 that the new building was opened. Today it is the home of in excess of 70 million natural history specimens, including material from the now-extinct dodo, as well as meteorites from the planet Mars and a complete skeleton from a blue whale. This collection of natural history items is the largest and most important in the world. The 5 million people who visit the museum every year can also see some of the more than 6 million books and documents that are displayed and stored in the museum.
3
Look at the pictures 1–8 below and the names a–h on page 16. All of these can be found in the Natural History Museum, but what are they? Match the correct name to each picture.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
15
Introduction to English as a Second Language
(a) porcupine fish, (b) super crocodile, (c) dinosaurs, (d) parrot, (e) human bones, (f) giant sequoia tree, (g) butterflies, (h) millipedes and centipedes 4
What would you like to see in the museum – something from the list in Activity A3 or something different? Why? What does your partner think?
B 1
Listening You are going to listen to a Natural History Museum volunteer being interviewed about what she thinks is the most amazing thing in the museum. Before you listen, work with your partner and use paper or digital reference sources to check you understand the following words. colossal appropriate juvenile impressive gills donated tentacle glimpse
2
Which animal do you think the volunteer is going to talk about? Why?
3
Complete this information about squid, using numbers from the box. Be careful – there are three extra numbers that you do not need to use. 500 kilograms 200 kilograms
16
2.5 metres 2200 metres 1500 metres 30–40 centimetres 8.62 metres 6.93 metres
DID YOU KNOW?
a The juvenile squid specimen is about … long.
The giant squid is able to regenerate its tentacles! This means that if a squid loses a tentacle in an accident or a fight, it will eventually re-grow the lost tentacle.
c
b A specimen was caught in 2007 which weighed nearly … .
They live in the deep ocean at depths of at least … . d The colossal squid has the largest eyes of any known living animal, between … . e The museum has a giant squid specimen that is … in length. 4
Listen to the interview and check your answers to Activities B2 and B3.
5
Listen again and answer these questions. How did the Natural History Museum get the colossal squid specimen? What is missing from the squid specimen? Why are scientists unsure about the exact size of the colossal squid? What is the difference between the eyes of a colossal squid and the eyes of a giant squid? How can museum visitors get to see the giant squid? Name three things that can be seen on the 27 kilometres of shelves. Why is it important for the museum to have complete specimens? What do scientists hope to find out about the giant squid from DNA analysis?
a b c d e f g h 6
Here are some of Jonathan’s questions. Work with a partner and try to remember Caroline’s answers. Then check the audioscript on pages 150–1. a Caroline, what do you think is the most amazing thing in the museum’s collection? b So, how enormous is it? c But some of it is definitely missing, right?
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
d OK, but why don’t you know for sure?
LEARNING SKILLS
e So what do we know about this monster squid?
Think about topic words When you know the listening topic, and before you listen, try to make a list of any words that you think are connected with the topic. This will make you more confident when you listen. If you know some connected words in your own language, find out what they are in English. Start a bilingual dictionary and add these words to it.
Excuse me, did you say 27 kilometres of shelves? g So what type of scientific work is done at the museum? f
C Use of English Adverbs Adverbs can modify (= tell us more about) a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a phrase. They usually answer questions such as how?, where?, when?, how often? and how much? Many adverbs (but not all of them) can be recognised by their -ly ending. Some common adjectives also end in -ly, for example lovely, friendly, cowardly. Adverbs can appear at the beginning, middle or end of a phrase or sentence, depending on their function. 1
Look at these sentences taken from Section B and find the adverb in each one. Then decide if each adverb is modifying a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a phrase. a But some of it is definitely missing, right? b It’s really quite simple … c Spirit Collection Tour? What’s that, exactly? d Unfortunately, yes, quite a lot of the squid is missing. e Despite its size and weight, it can move incredibly fast.
2
Here are some more words and sentences from the Listening section, but the words have been jumbled up. Rearrange the words into the right order and write out the sentences in your notebook. Then decide if the underlined adverb is modifying a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a phrase. Check your answers with a partner and look at the audioscript on pages 150–1. a difficult / question / a very / that’s / to answer b donated / it / generously / was c their eyes / strangely / of the head / the side / are on d blood / one / pumps / heart / constantly e important / extremely / having / is / complete specimens / really
3
Look at these pictures. What are they? Do any of them live in your country?
17
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
Work with a partner and find out what the following are. Use paper or digital reference sources for help. lizard
5
Desert
beetle
butterfly
wasp
Skim the newspaper article Desert springs to life after rainy spell and find the names for the five animals in Activity C3. Do not worry about the gaps in the text at the moment.
springs to life after rainy spell
Wildlife survey spots animals and plants ‘not seen for years’ that reappeared after winter showers
18
scorpion
[1] Animals and plants that had (a) … vanished from Dubai for years have been spotted again (b) … , a new desert wildlife survey has found. They (c) … reappeared after a five-year dry spell was broken by winter rains. The sightings include those of the UAE’s deadliest snake, the saw-scaled viper, and the country’s smallest bat, the Sind Batina Serotine. Also found were grass varieties, which provide much-needed food for the Arabian oryx, gazelle and hare. [suddenly, apparently, delicately, recently] [2] Many local flowering plants have also made a comeback, attracting birds and insects that (d) … depend on them, followed by their predators. Also resurfacing were a variety of lizards, beetles, scorpions, butterflies and wasps. [completely, very] [3] According to Dr Reza Khan, the survey supervisor, and a wildlife and zoo management specialist at Dubai Municipality, this chain reaction was sparked by (e) … heavy rain that washed away top layers of sand, (f) … exposing seeds that had lain dormant for years. Dr Khan added that many life forms had (g) … died out and disappeared in areas around Dubai, such as Jebel Ali and Bab Al Shams, but
6
that recent rains had re-injected life. [carefully, finally, extremely, virtually] [4] During the course of one day in the survey, Dr Khan said he found the (h) … tiny bats, as well as the viper snake. The bats were (i) … dead but, in fact, were in a condition known as torpid, a deep state of rest, which is similar to hibernation. Heated by the sun, they flew away and then landed (j) … nearby. Each bat was about eight centimetres long. [safely, incredibly, apparently, obviously] [5] Plants have (k) … adapted themselves for life in the deserts of the UAE. Many can remain (l) … dormant for long periods of time and then bloom within a fortnight of rain. The flowers and young shoots of these plants are food for birds and insects, and the seeds of some are carried away and spread over large areas of desert. (m) … , once in the desert, they may remain dormant without rain for many years, but as soon as rain falls, the seeds near the surface soon germinate, grow to mature plants, which then flower, and the process continues for generations. The seeds which are buried deeper in the sand require much heavier rainfall that moves the sand and (n) … reaches the seeds. [totally, successfully, eventually, amazingly, very] Adapted from www.gulfnews.com
The paragraphs in the text contain some gaps where the adverbs have been removed. These adverbs are given in brackets at the end of each paragraph. Read the text again and decide which of the given adverbs fits each gap. Sometimes there may be more than one possible adverb for a gap. Be careful – there is one extra adverb for each paragraph that you do not need to use. Write your answers in your notebook.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
D 1
Reading You are going to read about things that we know exist: living things. Before you read the text, work with your partner and find out what the words below mean. Try to find a picture or diagram of each one on the Internet, in an encyclopaedia or other reference book. Perhaps you can use your school Biology or Science book? organisms cells germinate substances glucose waste toxic embryo foetus toddler adolescent stimulus
2
What is life? While it is hard to give a clear definition of ‘life’, most biologists agree that living things have many characteristics in common. If something has these characteristics, it is considered ‘living’. Here are seven basic characteristics of living things. What do you and your partner think they mean? ■ ■
3
movement sensitivity
■ ■
nutrition respiration
■ ■
excretion growth
■
reproduction
Skim read the following text and, in your notebook, match each of the seven characteristics to a suitable paragraph (1–7).
Definition of living things [1] All living organisms need to take substances from their environment to gain energy, to make new cells and to stay healthy.
[5] All living things must remove waste from their bodies. This process is called excretion. If the waste remained in the body, it could become toxic. Humans produce a liquid waste called urine. We also excrete waste when we breathe out.
[2] Organisms make new organisms and all living things produce young. Birds lay eggs, dogs have puppies and humans have babies. Plants also reproduce. Many of them make seeds that can germinate and grow into new plants.
[6] When living things feed, they gain energy. Some of this energy is used to help the organism grow. All organisms begin small and get larger by the growth of their cells and by adding new cells to their bodies. For example, a human begins life as a fertilised egg, developing into an embryo, a foetus and then a baby. Later, the baby grows into a toddler, an adolescent and adult.
[3] All living things move in one way or another. Living organisms also have internal movement, which means that they can move substances from one part of their body to another. Many living organisms show external movement as well – they can move from place to place by walking, flying or swimming. [4] All living things exchange gases with their environment. Animals take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Organisms break down glucose and other substances inside their cells to produce energy, which they use to live.
[7] Living things react to changes around them, such as touch, light, heat, cold and sound. For example, if a stimulus causes you pain, you respond by moving away from that object. If you place a plant near a well-lit window, the branches or leaves grow towards the light (phototropism). For protection, some animals change colour to hide in their surroundings (camouflage).
19
Introduction to English as a Second Language
4
Read the text again and answer these questions. a Why do living things need to take substances from their environment? b What happens to a plant seed after it germinates?
What does ‘internal movement’ in living organisms mean? d Why do living things exchange gases with their environment? e Why is it important for living things to remove waste from their bodies? f How do organisms increase in size? g What do stimuli cause living organisms to do? c
DID YOU KNOW?
E Use of English
The Mexican free-tailed bat can fly up to 100 kilometres an hour (with a little bit of help from the wind giving it a push!) and can go as high as 3050 metres, where planes fly! Do you know anything else about bats? Find out something amazing and tell your class!
Word building We can form new parts of speech and change the meanings of words by adding prefixes or suffixes (and sometimes both) to a word. Look at this example: satisfy (verb), satisfied/satisfying (adjectives), unsatisfied/unsatisfying (opposite adjectives), satisfaction (noun). Throughout this book, you will have an opportunity to ‘build words’ and to practise using them. You will also sometimes be asked to find equivalent words in your own language and to add them to your bilingual dictionary.
20
1
The two sentences below are taken from the text you have just read. Look at the underlined words – they are both adjectives. Copy the table, using the words supplied to help you complete it. Then choose your own words from the text and add them to the table. Remember that you may not be able to complete all the parts of the table. All living organisms need to take substances from their environment to obtain energy, to make new cells and to stay healthy. … a human begins life as a fertilised egg, … Verb
Noun
Adjective
Adverb
Noun translation
…
health
healthy
healthily
…
fertilise
fertility
fertilised
…
…
…
…
…
produce
2
…
movement
…
…
…
…
energy
…
…
…
respond
…
…
…
…
…
protection
…
…
…
Compare your answers with a partner’s and decide together on the best equivalent in your language for the words in the Noun column. Add the words to your bilingual dictionary.
Unit 2: What’s a living creature?
‘SIGNPOST’ WORDS Effective writers and speakers use ‘signpost’ words (linking words) to show the reader or listener which direction they are going in. Examples: firstly, although, furthermore Different signpost words give different information to the reader or listener. Example: ‘firstly’ tells us when What do although and furthermore tell us? Copy and complete the table below, and add more signpost words as you come across them. When
?
?
firstly
F
Writing
1
Before you write anything, you are going to read a newspaper article about sea turtles in India. Before you read, look at the pictures, which illustrate the life cycle of the turtles. With your partner, decide what happens in the cycle.
2
Look at these words taken from the article. Match the words to the pictures below. Use a dictionary, or other reference source (paper or digital), to help you. Then, with your partner, describe the life cycle again. dig eggshells flippers hatchlings incubate laying eggs nest nesting grounds sand
3
Now read the article on page 22 and find out about the turtles. How well did you and your partner describe their life cycle?
4
Read the article again and answer these questions. a Which paragraph/s tells you where? b Which paragraph/s tells you how many? c
Which paragraph/s tells you how?
21
Introduction to English as a Second Language
Millions of olive ridley hatchlings emerge from nests in Orissa
flippers, deposit at least 100 eggs, cover and conceal the eggs and nest, and then return to the sea. The eggs incubate in the warm sand and the females never visit the nest again to take care of the eggs or the hatchlings.
[1] In what is one of the most breathtaking sights in
nature, millions of olive ridley baby turtles broke out of their eggshells under the sand at one of their mass nesting grounds in coastal Orissa, India. After emerging from their nests in the Rushikulya River mouth, in the southern district of Ganjam, some 175 kilometres from Bhubaneswar, the hatchlings started their journey towards the Bay of Bengal.
[2] Orissa is home to three mass nesting sites of the
[4] The hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45–60
days, and it is one of nature’s rare phenomena that the babies grow without their mother. It is believed that the females return to the same beach where they themselves were born to lay their eggs.
[5] In recent years, sea erosion has led to many
endangered olive ridley turtles, one of which, Gahirmatha, is considered one of the world’s largest nesting sites, with around 700,000 to 800,000 turtles laying eggs on the beach every year.
[3] The female turtles drag their great weight up the
beach from the sea, dig a nest with their back
IRREGULAR PLURALS 22
Look at the word phenomena in paragraph 4. This is one of a few words in English that have an irregular plural form -a. The singular is phenomenon. Can you think of any other plural words that end in -a? What is the singular?
5
turtles’ nests being damaged or wiped out. Also, predators such as dogs, jackals and birds have reduced the number of nesting turtles. And of course man has also had a negative impact by using engine-powered fishing boats near the turtles’ nesting grounds.
Adapted from Oman Daily Observer, 27th April 2008.
Find words in the text that have a similar meaning to the following. a amazing, incredible (paragraph 1)
e hide (3)
b very large (1)
f
incredible events (4) g destroyed (5) h animals killing for food (5)
coming out (1) d in great danger (2) c
6
Write a paragraph about the life cycle of the turtle. Use the information in the newspaper article and your ideas from the previous activities. Write four or five sentences, beginning each sentence with an appropriate signpost word. Start like this: Firstly, the female turtle drags herself …
G 1
2
Project work You are going to research some animals and find out how they demonstrate three of the seven characteristics of something ‘living’ (growth, movement, nutrition, excretion, reproduction, sensitivity, respiration). Choose any three living things, then copy and complete the table below. How
Example
1
2
3
name
fish
…
…
…
grows from small to large
eggs develop into fish
…
…
…
responsive to stimuli
some fish can change colour to hide
…
…
…
comfortable in its environment
fish breathe in water using gills
…
…
…
Choose one of the living things from Activity G1. Design an information leaflet that describes its characteristics. Use the information you have researched, and include pictures and other visuals.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane? Topics
■ the weather ■ natural disasters ■ Pompeii
A 1
Speaking and thinking Earth can be a very violent place, with natural disasters happening frequently. Try to find a picture of each of these events below on the Internet, or in an encyclopaedia or other reference book.
Use of English
a volcano
e tsunami
abstract nouns, conditionals, if only
b hailstorm
f
c
avalanche d flood
g drought
2
DID YOU KNOW? The planet Jupiter has a hurricane that has been going on for over 300 years. The hurricane can be seen as a red spot on the planet and is bigger than Earth! So, how big is Jupiter’s hurricane?
3
earthquake j tornado k sandstorm i
mudslide
h hurricane
What are the characteristics of the events in Activity A1? Which events are to do with the weather? Which ones are not? In pairs, use a table like the one below to sort the events into two groups and write a note about each one. Do any belong in both groups? Violent weather
Violent Earth
…
earthquake – ground moves, buildings fall down
In many ways, hurricanes are the most awesome of Earth’s violent activities. How do they form? Look at the diagram below and describe the five stages to your partner. Remember to use ‘signpost’ words (page 21) in your description.
4 What do you know about hurricanes? Read the following information.
With your partner, decide whether each statement is true or false. You can check your answers in the next section. a Hurricanes can be up to 1000 kilometres across. b Hurricanes can last for over a week. c Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons are all the same thing.
23
Introduction to English as a Second Language
SIMILAR AND OPPOSITE MEANINGS Words that have a similar meaning are often called synonyms, while words that are opposite in meaning are often called antonyms. ‘Synonym’ and ‘antonym’ are both Greek words: συνώνυμο and αντώνυμο. The ‘onym’ (‘ώνυμο’) part of the two words means ‘name’. What do you think the ‘syn’ (‘συν’) and ‘ant’ (‘αντ’) mean? Knowing a synonym or an antonym for a word can help you remember what it means, so why not add this to your dictionary?
B 1
Listening You are going to listen to John Devonport, a meteorologist, talking about hurricanes. Before you listen, complete the following vocabulary activities. a When you see or hear the word hurricane, what other words and phrases
do you think of? For example strong winds, sea, destruction. Work with a partner and make a list. Try to think of at least five words and phrases.
b A hurricane is a big storm. Which five of these adjectives have a similar
meaning to big? What do the other six words mean? huge large
c
24
strong powerful heavy light massive gigantic
enormous weak active
Match the verbs from the list in column A with a suitable meaning in column B. A: Verb
B: Meaning
spiral
collect
lasts
go around and around
gather
continues for a period of time
rotate
happen
occur
turn
d What is the meaning of the following words? Work with your partner and
use a dictionary, or other reference source (paper or digital), to find out. Then, think of equivalents for these words in your own language and add them to your bilingual dictionary. evaporation hemisphere anticlockwise calm (adjective) surge (noun) flood (noun)
2
Listen to John Devonport. Check your answers to Activity A4 and whether he says any of the words and phrases you thought of in Activity B1a above. How do you think John Devonport feels about the subject of hurricanes? Why?
3
Listen again and complete the following notes about hurricanes. Check your answers with your partner and with the audioscript on page 151.
My notes about hurricanes Size of hurricanes: up to (a) … kilometres across. Wind speeds: (b) … kilometres per hour to (c) … . Over open sea, hurricanes travel (d) … – (e) … . kilometres per hour. (f) … makes hurricanes more powerful. Hurricanes turn (g) … in Northern Hemisphere.
Storm surge can cause a (h) … . Hurricane season in Eastern Pacific from (i) … to ( j) … . Tropical storms are called (k) … in the Atlantic Ocean, (l) … in Australia.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane?
TAKING NOTES When you listen to someone, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of jotting down notes, as these can help you with any questions you may have to answer later. The only person who is going to see your notes is you, so use any abbreviations or symbols that you are comfortable with – just make sure you remember what they mean! 4
John Devonport mentions the following places: (a) the Atlantic Ocean, (b) Australia, (c) the Bay of Bengal, (d) the Eastern Pacific Ocean, (e) the Gulf of Mexico, (f) the Indian Ocean and (g) the Western Pacific Ocean. Find these places on the map below and write them out with ‘H’ for hurricane, ‘T’ for typhoon, or ‘C’ for cyclone next to each place.
25
C Use of English Abstract nouns
Abstract nouns are words for things that cannot be experienced by any of the five senses: they cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted or touched. Words for feelings, concepts and ideas are abstract nouns – for example bravery, fear, fairness, success, hate, trust, and so on. Abstract nouns are very common and important. They are often (but not always) formed by adding an ending to the root word. Child is a concrete noun, for example, but childhood is an abstract noun. Nouns with the following endings are often abstract: -tion, -ism, -ity, -ment, -ness, -age, -ence, -ship, -al, -acy, -hood.
Introduction to English as a Second Language
1
Make five abstract nouns from these root words. Then read the audioscript on page 151 and check your answers. move
2
advice anger apple art beach beauty book business computer confidence courage crime danger
energy enjoyment entertainment freedom friendship fun grammar hate health help history homework honesty
26
evaporate
survive
differ
Look at the following nouns. Which ones are abstract nouns? Work with your partner and see who can finish first in the class! house hurricane importance information injection insurance intelligence interest knowledge laughter law library life
3
direct
love luck music news noise nose opportunity patience peace permission piano planet politics
practice pride progress proof responsibility screen secrecy shoe sleep table telephone time traffic
travel trouble truth unemployment violence vocabulary wallet wealth work
Choose any abstract noun you want and then think of a time when you experienced it. Next, write a poem describing the abstract noun using your five senses. You can put the senses in any order you want. Here is an example using danger:
Danger is dark red
It sounds like a stormy night
It smells like something old and rotten
It feels as hot as fire It looks dark and spooky
It tastes like onions and garlic
D 1
All that is necessary for an avalanche to occur is a mass of snow and a slope for it to slide down. But what is snow? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
2
Find out what the following words mean. Work with your partner and try to find a picture of each one on the Internet, or in an encyclopaedia or other reference book.
DID YOU KNOW? There are about 250,000 avalanches each year in the Alps, the highest mountain range in Europe. In which country, or countries, can you find the Alps? Are there are any avalanche areas in your country?
Reading
snowflakes 3
snowballs
ice
rain
clouds
Now check the meaning of each of these words. cylindrical
4
crystals
hexagonal
identical
moist
melt
hillside
field
Look at pictures 1–5 opposite. Find a word or phrase in the Safety tips text to match each one.
Unit 3: What’s a hurricane? 1
2
FOLLOW THESE SAFETY TIPS TO HELP STAY SAFE WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MOUNTAINS. SAFETY FIRST
CAUGHT
If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of warning signs. Stay alert in the countryside and never travel alone. Travel single file (not side by side).
If you are caught in the path of an avalanche, try to get to the side of it. If you can’t do this, hold on to an anchor, such as a tree.
EQUIPMENT
SWEPT AWAY
If you are in an avalanche area, always carry safety equipment, including a long stick, a small spade and a personal tracking device that signals your location.
If you are hit by an avalanche, ‘swim’ with the snow to stay as close to the surface as you can.
4
5
Adapted from www.nationalgeographic.com
3
E Use of English Conditionals and if only In the text above, there are several examples of conditional sentences. A conditional sentence usually has two parts or clauses. Look at the safety tips and copy out the conditional sentences. In each one, underline the part containing if and double underline the second part of the sentence. Example: If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of warning signs. 1
Circle the verb in each clause and say which form of the verb is used. Example: If you are in an avalanche area, take notice of warning signs. present imperative
2
Why do we use this type of conditional here? Choose the correct option. a to talk about something we regret, or to criticise b to talk about something that is always true or a scientific fact c to give an instruction, some advice or a warning d to talk about a strong possibility or something that is likely to happen e to talk about something that is unlikely, not very probable
3
Complete the conditional sentences about extreme weather. What advice or suggestions can you give for each one? Example: If a hurricane approaches, hide in the basement . a If you have an emergency radio, … b If you don’t have a basement, … c If you know a hurricane is coming, … d If you live in a hurricane area, … e If you live in a mobile home, …
If you live on a boat, … g If you see a broken power cable, … f
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