- •Module II
- •Engineering
- •Lesson 1
- •Engineering - what's it all about?
- •It’s time to have fun!
- •Lesson 2 engineering materials
- •Metals and alloys
- •Lesson 3 mechanisms
- •Mechanisms
- •Scissors
- •Lesson 4 safety at work
- •Safety signs and colour at work
- •Accident investigation
- •Lesson 5 lasers
- •We have the solution! our new 1500 watt cnc-controlled laser cutter is at your disposal
- •We have the solution! our new 1500 watt cnc-controlled laser cutter is at your disposal
- •Lesson 2 bizarre inventions
- •Bizarre inventions
- •Student a
- •Student b
- •Lesson 3
- •Inventors
- •Who invented the X-ray?
- •Patent protection
- •What you can patent
- •Lesson 4 robots - the future is now
- •Lesson 5 practical innovations
- •Cork floors, old pickle barrels
- •Technology
- •Lesson 1
- •Modern technology
- •The advantages and disadvantages of technology
- •Anonymous no more You can’t hide—from anybody
- •It’s time to have fun!
- •Lesson 2 nanotechnology
- •Ibm discoveries add promise for nanotech
- •Nanotechnology unfolds futuristic green cars
- •Lesson 3 alternate fuel
- •Asu professors working on cost effective fuel conversion process
- •Alternative fuel sources
- •Solar powered cars
- •Lesson 4 space
- •Life in space
- •Lesson 5 home movie
- •Home movie viewing gets jumstart with new technologies
- •Communication
- •Lesson 1
- •Mobile television
- •Lessons from south korea’s experiment with mobile tv
- •The advantages of mobile tv
- •Estimates peg digital mobile television to reach two-thirds of us homes by 2012
- •Lesson 2 radio
- •Wireless takes many forms
- •What is a wireless device?
- •Lesson 3 a world of connections
- •A world of connections
- •Lesson 4 mobile phones
- •Building the green mobile phone
- •To do with the price of fish
- •Lesson 5 the means of communication in the past, today and the future
- •Is the tide turning for twitter and facebook? one in four young people is 'bored' with social media
- •The blackberry riots Rioters used BlackBerrys against the police; can police use them against rioters?
- •Technical progress and the environment
- •Lesson 1
- •We and the environment
- •Lesson 2 paying for environmental damage
- •Paying for environmental damage
- •Lesson 3 protecting the environment
- •China plan to protect environment
- •Lesson 4 green technology
- •Green day
- •Lesson 5 technological disasters
- •Hungary threatened by 'ecological catastrophe' as toxic sludge escapes factory
- •Japan's nuclear catastrophe
- •Additional lessons
- •Appendix 1 making a presentation
- •Introduction
- •Conclusion
- •Questions
- •Appendix 2 writing a summary
- •Useful phrases
Technical progress and the environment
Lesson 1
We and the environment
Task 1. Discuss the questions.
What are the most urgent and important environmental issues nowadays?
What is the greenhouse effect?
Do you know the basic mechanism of the greenhouse effect? What problems can the greenhouse effect cause?
What have you heard about global warming in the news lately?
Is the scientific evidence for global warming in question?
Are politicians and world leaders doing enough to control carbon emissions?
Task 2. How much do you agree with these statements? Give them a mark out of 5 (1=completely disagree; 5=completely agree). Compare your opinions with your partner and discuss the statements.
We can’t stop global warming. It’s too late.
My government has been doing a lot to reduce global warming.
Nuclear power is the best way to replace fossil fuel power.
These should be an extra eco-tax on flights.
The way I live my life is bad for the environment.
Task 3. Watch the video “Global Warming” and complete the text.
For ______million years, the Earth’s climate has fluctuated, cycling from ice ages to warmer periods. But, in the last century, the planet’s temperature has risen unusually fast, about ____ to _______degrees_______. Scientists believe it’s human activity that’s driving the temperatures up, a process known as ‘________ ________’. Ever since the industrial revolution began, factories, power plants and eventually cars have burnt _____ _______such as ______and________, releasing huge amounts of _________ ________and other gases into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases trap heat near the Earth through a naturally occurring process called the ‘Greenhouse Effect’. The greenhouse effect begins with the sun, and the energy it radiates to the Earth. The Earth and the atmosphere absorb some of this energy, while the rest is radiated back into space. Naturally occurring gases in the atmosphere trap some of this energy and reflect it back, warming the Earth. Scientists now believe that the greenhouse effect is being intensified by the extra greenhouse gases that humans have released. Evidence for global warming includes a recent string of very warm periods. Scientists report that ______ was the warmest period in measured history with _______ coming in second. Meanwhile, radiants taken from ice cores show that the greenhouse carbon-dioxide and methane have hit their highest level in the past 420 thousand years. Arctic sea ice is also shrinking. According to NASA studies, the extent of arctic sea ice has declined about ___in the last 30 years. As long as industrialized nations consume energy and developing countries increase their fossil fuel consumption, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will continue to rise. Researchers predict that temperatures will increase about 2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. What is less certain is what rising temperatures mean for the planet. Some climate models predict subtle changes. Others forecast rising sea levels which could flood coastal areas around the world. Weather patterns could change, making hurricanes more frequent. Severe _____could become more common in warm areas. And species unable to adapt to the changing conditions would face _______.
Although much remains to be learned about global warming, many organizations advocate cutting greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the impact of global warming. Consumers can help, by saving energy around the house, switching to compact fluorescent light _____, and driving fewer miles in the car each week. These simple changes may help keep the Earth cooler in the future.
2005
Global Warming
1.2
oil
2.5
extinction
10%
carbon dioxide
1.4
Fahrenheit
fossil fuels
coal
1998
droughts
bulbs
Task 4. Discuss with a partner – What effects does Global Warming have on the Earth?
Task 5. Work with a partner to read about the consequences of Global Warming. Take notes in the table.
Weather Patterns
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Wildlife
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Health
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On Glaciers and Sea Levels
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This rise in average temperature will have far-reaching effects on the earth's climate patterns and on all living things. Many of these changes have already begun.
STUDENT A
Weather Patterns
More Powerful and Dangerous Hurricanes Warmer water in the oceans pumps more energy into tropical storms, making them stronger and potentially more destructive. Even with storms of the same intensity, future hurricanes will cause more damage as higher sea levels exacerbate storm surges, flooding, and erosion.
Warning signs today:
Drought and Wildfire Warmer temperatures could increase the probability of drought. Greater evaporation, particularly during summer and fall, could exacerbate drought conditions and increase the risk of wildfires.
Warning signs today:
Intense Rainstorms Warmer temperatures increase the energy of the climatic system and can lead to heavier rainfall in some areas. Scientist’s project that climate change will increase the frequency of heavy rainstorms, putting many communities at risk for devastation from floods.
Warning signs today:
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Health
Deadly Heat Waves More frequent and severe heat waves will result in a greater number of heat-related deaths.
Warning signs today:
Bad Air, Allergy and Asthma Global warming could increase smog pollution in some areas and intensify pollen allergies and asthma. Hotter conditions could also aggravate local air quality problems, already afflicting more than 100 million Americans.
Warning signs today:
Infectious Disease and Food and Waterborne Illness Outbreaks Warming temperatures, alternating periods of drought and deluges, and ecosystem disruption have contributed to more widespread outbreaks of infections like malaria, dengue fever, tick-borne encephalitis, and diarrheal illnesses. People living in poverty will be hardest hit by the global surge in infectious diseases.
Warning signs today:
Dangerous Weather Events A warmer atmosphere can hold -- and dump -- more moisture, contributing to more intense extreme weather events, which in turn put people's lives at risk.
Warning signs today:
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STUDENT B
Wildlife
Ecosystem Shifts and Species Die-Off Increasing global temperatures are expected to disrupt ecosystems, pushing to extinction those species that cannot adapt. The first comprehensive assessment of the extinction risk from global warming found that more than 1 million species could be obliterated by 2050 if the current trajectory continues.
Warning signs today:
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On Glaciers and Sea Levels
Melting Glaciers, Early Ice Thaw Rising global temperatures will speed the melting of glaciers and ice caps and cause early ice thaw on rivers and lakes.
Warning signs today:
Sea-Level Rise Current rates of sea-level rise are expected to increase as a result both of thermal expansion of the oceans and melting of most mountain glaciers and partial melting of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice caps. Consequences include loss of coastal wetlands and barrier islands, and a greater risk of flooding in coastal communities. Low-lying areas, such as the coastal region along the Gulf of Mexico and estuaries like the Chesapeake Bay, are especially vulnerable.
Warning signs today:
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Task 6. Summarize the main ideas from your parts to your partner. Complete all the parts of the chart.
Task 7. Work in groups. Think of some ways to slow down the global warming. Discuss your ideas with your partners. You may use the Internet to find necessary information.
Task 8. Present your ideas and findings to the class.
ADDITIONAL TASK.
Task 1a. Discuss. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Future generations will look back on ours as having ignored clear warnings about the harmful effects of climate change.
The unusually heavy snowfalls and cold weather are a sign that global warming is an illusion.
Despite the discovery of at least two mistakes in scientific work published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming is happening and is caused by the actions of humans.
The government does not need to do anything drastic right now to curtail climate change.