These days ‘breaking news’ happens around the clock. Stories are relayed across the world in seconds. But only fifty years ago the idea of an ‘instant message’ was found only in science fiction.
According to Greek legend, in the year 490bc a messenger called Pheidippides ran from the town of Marathon to Athens
(a distance of about 42 km) to deliver an urgent and exciting message – the Persian army had been beaten by the Greeks.
Unfortunately, when he arrived he was so exhausted that he collapsed and died. The Marathon race, as it is called today, is dedicated to his memory. The first Marathon was held in Athens in1896 and has been run every year since then.
Until the early nineteenth century, communication was slow. Messages were delivered physically by messengers, postmen or even pigeons. However, after that the speed of communication increased dramatically.
The first big breakthrough was the telegraph machine. The earliest one was invented in 1809. Messages were transmitted instantly, through wires. Soon journalists started using the new technology. Then the telephone was invented at the beginning of the twentieth century and it quickly replaced the telegraph machine. After that came radio and television and with them live news reports and frequent updates.
Today, communication has been transformed again, this time by the internet. Now we are constantly exposed to news from a variety of sources, for example, blogs, email, social media, as well as online newspapers. People from around the world have been brought closer together. It’s hard to see how news could get any faster, or how the world could get any smaller – but today’s science fiction probably has the answer!
Exercise 2 2 DS 3 T 4 T 5 DS Exercise 1
Because messages were transmitted instantly for the first time.
Look
forward ❯ ❯ ❯
Draw Ss’ attention to the unit title In the news. Ask how they/their friends/
family get the news, e.g. online, printed newspaper, TV, radio, app, or through other possible sources, such as blogs, emails, social media.
If appropriate, bring in some of the day’s newspapers for Ss to read the headlines, and/or look at news online.
79
9a
Grammar
The passive: present simple, past simple, present perfect, past perfect
1 Stories are relayed across the world.
2 The Persian army had been beaten by the (SFFLT
3 The earliest one was inventedJO 4 Communication has been transformed again.
Match the passive sentences (1–4) to the passive tenses (a–d).
a) present simple b) present perfect c) past simple d) past perfect Complete the rules.
a) We form the passive with the verb and the participle of the main verb.
b) When we want to mention the person or thing that performed the action, we use the preposition .
Practice
3 Complete the text with the correct form of to be to form the passive.
Everyone has heard of Facebook. It 1was started JOBOERVJDLMZCFDBNFHMPCBM#VUJU wasn’t the first social networking site. Others 2 invented before, but they were not as successful.
Since Facebook, many other social networking sites 3 launched, including Twitter. The first tweet 4 TFOUJO5IFTFEBZTNJMMJPOTPG people 5 connected every day, thanks to the internet.
4 Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verb in brackets.
1 The story was reported last week (report).
2 You don’t need to tell people the news. A message to everybody (already/send).
3 Telephones (use) for a long time before the internet (invent).
4 When an email (send), a copy (keep) on the computer.
5 My grandparents (not teach) about computers at school.
6 My cousin is so lucky. He KVTUHJWFBOFX laptop by his parents.
7 Our post (deliver) at about 11 a.m. every day.
8 We’re nervous about our exam results. They (not announce) yet.
Vocabulary: The media
5a 029 Match the words from the box to the definitions (1–6).
rCSFBLJOHOFXTrBIFBEMJOF
rBMJWFSFQPSUrBOFXTCVMMFUJOBOVQEBUF rBOPOMJOFOFXTQBQFSrUIFQSFTT rTPDJBMNFEJB
1 news that is reported as it happens breaking news, a live report
2 a heading at the top of a news report 3 a short summary of the latest news 4 a publication that you download
5 online communities, such as Facebook and Twitter
OFXTQBQFSTBOEKPVSOBMJTUT
b Answer the questions in pairs.
1 What are the headlines in today’s newspapers?
2 Do you usually find out the news from the press or social media?
3 Do you ever read an online newspaper?
4 If you want a news update, do you choose TV, radio or the internet?
Pronunciation: Word stress in compound nouns
6 039 Go to page 111.
Listen
7 049 Listen to Becky and Jez talking about newspapers. Then complete the sentences.
1 Jez’s parents like getting a newspaper every day because .
2 Becky says it’s better to go online because . 3 Jez’s dad prefers newspapers because
and .
Extra practice
For more practice, go to page 105.
Extension
The media Write The media on the board. In pairs, Ss write down eight words connected with the media. (These can include vocabulary from the webpage on page 78 of the Students’ Book as well as the specific media vocabulary in Exercise 5.) Then put two pairs together and get each pair to take it in turns to describe their words. They mustn’t use the actual words. The other pair has to guess the words.
Extra practice
Page 125
MOTIVATOR 9a
Exercise 5a
2 a headline 3 a news bulletin/an update
4 an online newspaper 5 social media 6 the press Exercise 7
1 it’s delivered to the flat/it’s convenient 2 the news is more up-to-date
3 they give you more information and you have more time to think about it
Grammar 1 a) 2 d) 3 c) 4 b) a) be, past b) by Exercise 3
2 had been 3 have been 4 was 5 are Exercise 4
2 has already been sent
3 had been used, was invented 4 is sent, is kept 5 weren’t taught 6 ’s just been given
80
Grammar The passive: present continuous, past continuous and future simple Function (JWFPQJOJPOTBHSFFBOEEJTBHSFF
9b
Dialogue
1 059 Listen and read. Which actor is in Regent Street today?
Comprehension 2 Answer the questions.
1 What are they filming in Regent Street?
The new James Bond film.
2 Where is the scene taking place?
3 Who is following James Bond?
4 What did Sophie think of the last Bond film?
5 Why isn’t Lisa very keen on Daniel Craig?
6 What does Ryan think of him?
7 Which part in a Bond film would Sophie like?
Sophie: Hey, what’s happening over there?
Ryan: Let’s ask this guy. Excuse me. What’s going on?
Man: They’re filming a scene for the new James Bond film. It’s being shot behind that store. I think James Bond and his girlfriend are being followed by an assassin.
Sophie: I’m not too keen on Bond films. I thought the last one was boring.
Lisa: Me, too. There was one good bit where James Bond was being chased over the roof tops, but apart from that it was a bit dull.
Ryan: No way! How can you say that?
Lisa: Well, I don’t like Daniel Craig that much. He never smiles in his films and I don’t think he’s particularly good-looking.
Ryan: That’s rubbish. He’s cool and he’s tough. What more do you want?
Josh: Stop arguing, guys. Here’s one of the film crew.
Sophie: Maybe we’ll be asked to be the new Bond girls!
Josh: Dream on!
Phrases
r What’s going on?
r that much
r What more do you want?
r Dream on!
Exercise 2
2 Behind a (department) store 3 An assassin
4 It was boring.
5 He never smiles and she doesn’t think he’s particularly good-looking.
6 He’s cool and he’s tough.
7 A Bond girl Exercise 1
Daniel Craig
Look back ❮ ❮ ❮
The passive:
present perfect Get a pair of Ss to go out of the classroom. Move, turn off, open or cover up something in the classroom.
Then ask the Ss back into the room.
They look around and try to work out what change or changes have been made, using the passive, e.g.
The books on your table have been moved.
The window has been opened.
Repeat two or three more times with different Ss.
Background notes
Regent Street:
At the heart of London’s West End, famous for its high- quality stores such as Liberty. It runs from Oxford Street at the north end to Piccadilly Circus at the south end.
Daniel Craig:
A British actor, born in 1968. Films include the James Bond films, Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012), and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).
81
9b
Grammar
The passive: present continuous, past continuous and future simple
Present continuous passive It’s being shot behind that store.
They are being followed by an assassin.
Past continuous passive
Bond was being chased over the roof tops.
Some scenes were being shot in Oxford Street.
Future simple passive
Maybe we’ll be asked to be the new Bond girls.
Make a rule .
Which word is always used in the continuous passive forms?
Practice
3 Read about the day the film was shot in Regent Street. Change the sentences into the passive form.
Use your English: Give opinions, agree and disagree
Give an opinion
In my opinion … /I think …
I think it’s right/good/great/brilliant that … I think it’s a good/great/brilliant idea.
I think it’s wrong/bad/terrible/unfair that … I think it’s a bad/terrible idea.
Agree
I agree./I think so, too.
I think you’re right.
Me, too.*/Right!*
Disagree
I’m not sure I agree.
I’m sorry, I don’t agree.
Sorry, I think you’re wrong.
No way!*/That’s rubbish!*
How can you say that?*
Concede I take your point.
I see what you mean.
Maybe you’re right.
OK. You win!*
* = Informal use
4 069 Listen to part of the dialogue from Exercise 1. Then discuss the school rules below in groups of three.
A: I think it’s right that sports will be made compulsory. Playing sport is … B: I think so, too. Everyone should … C: Sorry, but I think you’re wrong. …
Extra practice
For more practice, go to page 105.
New school rules
1 Sports will be made compulsory.
2 Students will be sent home if they use a mobile phone.
3 Pizzas will be replaced by salads in the school canteen.
4 Students will be fined for dropping litter.
What was happening a few hours ago?
1 A man was interviewing Daniel Craig.
Daniel Craig was being interviewed.
2 They were writing a new scene for Daniel Craig.
3 They were closing some of the roads.
What is happening now?
4 They are telling people to be quiet.
5 They are turning on special lights.
6 They are shooting a scene behind the store.
What will happen next?
7 They will edit the scenes.
8 They won’t release the film until next March.
9 A woman from Hello! magazine will photograph Daniel Craig.
Extension
Give opinions, agree and disagree Write questions on the board to prompt a discussion of ‘rules’
in the Ss’ own school, e.g.
1 Which rule(s) do you think should be dropped completely?
2 Which rule(s) do you think should be changed?
Write the new version of the rule(s).
3 Are there any completely new rule(s) you think would be good?
Write the new rule(s).
In groups of four or five, Ss discuss the questions, give their opinions and agree the new rules. Monitor and help with vocabulary as necessary.
The groups feed back to the class.
Extra practice
Page 125
MOTIVATOR 9a
7 The scenes will be edited.
8 The film won’t be released until next March.
9 Daniel Craig will be photographed by a woman from Hello! magazine.
Grammar
The word being is always used in the continuous passive forms.
Exercise 3
2 A new scene was being written for Daniel Craig.
3 Some of the roads were being closed.
4 People are being told to be quiet.
5 Special lights are being turned on.
6 A scene is being shot behind the store.
9c
Grammar The passive: modals, gerund (-ing form) and infinitive Vocabulary "EKFDUJWFBOEOPVOGPSNBUJPO
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1 If you were ruler of the world for a year, what would you change?
I’d make sure every child in every country got a free education.