教材试题 Unit 3 Comprehending

Unit 3 Inventors and inventionsComprehending1 Read the passage and answer the questions. 1 What are the three creative steps that the writer takes to catch the snakes without hurting them?1_2_3_2 Why did cooling the snakes make them less active?_3 Discuss with your partner what the advantages might be of getting a patent. 1 _2 _3 _2 In pairs look at these problems. Choose one and use the scientific stages to design a new invention to solve it. Remember to include one change to your invention in case it doesnt work the first time. If you want, you can choose your own problem for No 4. Problem 1: The apples growing on your Problem 2: You need to make a house apple tree are too high for you to reach them, but you only have fishing nets and many What can you invent to pick your apples in plastic bottles. How can you solve it? comfort?Problem 3: You want to catch fish but not Problem 4: hurt them when you do so. Design a fishing rod that will solve this problem. Exchange your ideas with another pair and evaluate each others ideas. Finally after more changes, be prepared to give your ideas to the class. 3 Now pretend you are a patent officer and it is your job to decide whether an application should be considered valid or not. Look at these inventions. Do you think they should get patents? Give your reasons. 1 Healthier meat: In Japan scientists have managed to produce pigs that have a plant gene inserted into their DNA. This means the fat in the meat is better for human health. Should this method of inserting plant genes in animals be given a patent?2 Helpful rats: The “future rats” will be trained using a new computer program to clear landmines or join in the rescue of people after earthquakes or hurricanes. Do you think this training should get a patent?3 Mapping the stars: Scientists have found a new star system that is millions of light years away. This information is very important to astronomers. Do you think this should be given a patent?4 A trap for insects: You and your friends have invented a new way to prevent insects coming into the house without hurting them. They cannot enter the house and will be caught ready to be taken back to the wild. Do you think this should be given a patent?5 New book: I have written a new book and my publisher says it will be a best seller. Do you think it can be given a patent?Answer key for Exercise 1: 1 The three creative steps are: to put the frozen bowl over the snakes habitat in the morning. to put the frozen bowl over the snakes habitatto put the frozen bowl over the snakes habitat in the evening and carry a net to collect the snakes without harming them the next morning. 2 The cooling made the snakes less active because they are reptiles and their body temperature depends on the heat around them. 3 Various answers are possible. But the main advantages of getting a patent are thatyou are able to prove that you were the first person to make the invention. you are recognized as a real inventor. you can make money if you sell your invention to others. Instruction for Exercise 2: The aim of this exercise is to provide a chance for Ss to apply their creative skills to real tasks. Remind them to go through the stages of the invention process and include at least one alteration in case their invention does not work the first time. If none of the problems in the textbook appeal to them, Ss are given the opportunity to devise their own problem and solve it themselves. Be sure that they check with you first before beginning their solution. Suggested solution to problem 2: Problem 2 involves trying to build a house using only plastic bottles and fishing nets. This is a real problem devised by an engineer in France who wanted to make better use of the numerous plastic bottles he saw on rubbish tips. This is his solution. 1 Remove the bottom from each of the bottles. 2 Stick the bottles together with the glue to form a solid wall. 3 Cover them with the fishing net to hold them secure. 4 Pour water down the bottles to encourage plants to grow up inside them. The plants will make a vegetable wall which will keep the sunshine out and protect the people inside from anyone who wants to look in. 5 Make a roof of empty bottles. This means it will not be too heavy. 6 Put the roof on after the plants have grown so that the walls are very secure and steady. Instruction for Exercise 3: The aim of this task is to apply criteria correctly. Ss are asked to decide whether various designs and discoveries are true inventions or not. The rules have already been set out in the reading passage so Ss only have to apply the criteria carefully. Suggested answers to Exercise 3: l Healthier meat: This is a new kind of meat produced by introducing plant genes into traditional animal meat genes. As this can be considered as a new variety of animal, it cannot receive a patent. 2 Helpful rats: These future rats have received training to help people in difficult or dangerous situations. The new part of this is the computer program training, so it cannot receive a patent. 3 Mapping the stars: The new star system that scientists have discovered is very important. But it is a discovery and not an invention. So it cannot receive a patent. 4