CHAPTER SIX READING Page 93
VIRTUAL REALITY
Ever since I was a little girl,I have wanted to fly like a bird.
I'd love to glide over the harbour,looking down on the ships below,
or fly in and out of the buildings in the centre of our city.
I have other dreams,too.I'd like to walk around on the moon.
I'd like to go back in time and meet Marco Polo.
I'd also like to win the gold medal in the marathon at the Olympic Games.
Soon all of these dreams will come true thanks to the magic of Virtual Reality.
What is Virtual,or VR?It's a computer system with a special headset.
When you put on the headset,you look at two tiny television screens.
They are so close to your eyes that your mind will see the image as one picture
When you play a game in a video arcade today,
you just sit and watch an imaginary world.
But,in the future,when you play a VR game,
you will be right inside that world.
If you turn your head,you will see a different view of the world,
just as in real life.
In some systems,you also wear a special'data glove'on one hand.
With this glove you can reach out and touch things in the artificial world.
It is an amazing experience.
Before long,Virtual Reality is going to be part of all our lives.
The first VR games are now being introduced into video arcades around the world
These enable you to drive a sports car,fly a plane,or fight an enemy.
They are similar to present arcade games but much more realistic.
They are just the beginning.
As the technology develops,the games will become more and more amazing.
Within a few years,you will be able to go into a complete fantasy world
and have the most exciting adventures you could imagine.
However,VR is not just for entertainment.
One day,
children will learn geography by observing foreign countries without leaving their classroom
They will learn history by visiting the pyramids of Egypt,
or by hand feeding friendly dinosaurs,
all in the security of VR.
In addition,business and industry will be using VR for many tasks.
Cars will be designed and tested as'virtual'machines first,
before they are manufactured in metal.
Architects will be able to build'virtual'buildings
which they can walk around and inspect,before building them.
VR can help us in hundreds of ways.
Despite this,some people have suggested
that there are dangers in this powerful new medium.
Will we have VR games in which we can commit'virtual'murders?
After people get used to VR,they will not want to return to reality.
Will we all forget how to live and work with real people?
On the other hand,some people think that VR will help to save the world
By experimenting harmlessly inside a VR world,
we will be able to see the dangers which may face the world.
Then we will be able to avoid them in real life.
No doubt there will be some problems with VR,
as there are with all new inventions.
But one thing is for sure.VR in here to stay.
And I'm certainly going to enjoy flying around the world!
INTEGRATED SKILLS
Page 97
Using statistics
Exercise A
Listen and complete the answers to questions 1 to 3.
A:Mary,can you help me,please?
B:OK,Gezen.What do you want me to do?
A:Just help me with these figures.
I'm trying to complete these tables,to show the results of our survey.
Here,just read out these figures.
B:Right,so No.1,these are about leisure activities.
The number students who choose reading books was nine.
The number for playing a musical instrument is just six.That's not many,is it?And the number for playing a sport was 35,wow?
A:Yes,that was the most popular.
B:I thought video games would be most popular.
A:No,a lot of people still prefer sports.
Anyway go on with the results.
B:Then watching TV,videos or films,28 people,and playing video games,22 people
A:Right,so that came third,and the one above it was second.
Books were fourth,and musical instruments,fifth.Now,let's do No.2
B:You mean these bar chart?
A:Yes,I've drawn the boxes,but I want to write the numbers after the boxes
B:OK!So the people who play more than three hours a day Boys:9,and girls:3Then the next line,people playing between 2 and 3 hours a day,
24 boys and 14 girls.
A:Right,and the next line?
B:48 boys and 35 girls.
And then the last one,people who play between 0 and 1 hour a day,
19 boys and 47 girls
So this shows that girls are much less interested in video games than boys
A:Yes,you are right.Now,there's just number 3 the pie chart.
This is interesting.
We wondered whether people are actually spending
more or less time playing video games than they did one year ago.
B:So here are the results,let's see.
18% of the people said they spent more time playing games
35% of the people said they spent about the same time,
and.A:Wait a minute,that's 35% and I write,about the same.
B:Yes,and 47% said less time.
A:47%,less time.Right,that's all.Thanks for your help.
B:You're welcome.
SPEAKING
Page 104
A Silent letters:h,g,k and gh
Silent letters are letters which are written but not pronounced.
The letters in bold type are not pronounced in these words.
Exercise A1
h honest honour
rhyme vehicle
whale
g sign foreign
resign design
k knee knock
knowledge knot
unknown
gh although through
daughter high
sight
Excise A3
1 He might come in an hour.
2.She taught me chemistry.
3.The king reigned for eight years.
4.My neighbour knits all night.
5.Our naughty daughter whispered in school.
6.She has rheumatism in her knuckles.
7.The slaughter of the rhinoceros was sad.
8.When I knocked on the door,the knob fell off.
9.What white wheels on your vehicle!
10.The exhausted knight knelt on the ground.
TERM PROGRESS FILE
A Listening
Page 107
Exercise A1
Listen to the conversations,
and write the letters of the four places in the spaces provided.
1.A:Excuse me,could you tell me where is the toilet,please?
B:Yes,just turn to your left,here by the florists.
Go pass the Cashiers and take the second turning on your left.
The toilet is down there,at the end of the corridor.
A:Thanks very much.
2.A:Can you tell me where's the bakery,please?
B:Yes,it's at the back of the shop.
Go straight ahead to the fruit counter,turn left and go all the way along
then you'll see the bakery on your right in the corner.A:Oh,thanks very much.
B:You're welcome.
3.A:Can you tell me where I can find a box of chocolates?
B:Oh,the chocolates are in the middle.
Go straight ahead and turn left at the end,
the chocolates are about half way down on your left,
they're opposite the fresh meat counter,they're on the end near to the cashiers
B:Thanks.
4.A:Excuse me,where is the ice cream kept?
B:Ice cream,oh,it's over on the left side,OK?
Go straight ahead and then turn left just after the cashiers.
Go along to the end of the store,
and you'll find the ice cream in the corner there next to the drink's.
A:Oh,good thanks for your help.
B:That's all right.
Exercise A2
Listen and write the answers to the questions in the spaces provided.
5.Which city is in the highest part of Trevonia?
6.Which city is the furthest North?
7.Which city is between the Jungle and the Desert?
8.Which city is near a river in the south west corner of Trevonia?
Exercise A3
Listen to these conversations and complete the notes.
A:Yes,my wife and I are looking forward to visiting your family next Sunday
But we are not sure how we get there if we don't have a carB:Right,I'll give you directions.Do you have a pen and paper?
A:Yes,go ahead.
B:Well,take the underground out to New Station,and get off there.
A:New Station,Yes.
B:Then come out of the station turn left,and walk for about 100 metres,
Then you'll see a minibus stand.
A:Yes,which minibus?
B:Take minibus No.79 to Small Town.
A:Right.
B:The journey takes about 15 minutes.
Get out in small town,walk to the cinema and you'll find some taxis.
Take a taxi to Tiny Village.
A:Taxi to Tiny Village,yes.
B:Walk into the village and our house is the third on the right.
It's the only blue house in the village.
A:Third on the right,a blue house.Good!I've got all that thanks very much
We'll look forward to seeing you on Sunday,then.
B:Fine,I'll help you manage to find it,all right?
A:I'm sure we will.Good0bye for now.
B:Good0bye.