Close-up p 29. Science and Technology. Oral Mediation

A friend of yours from England is going to write a newspaper article about the use of new technologies in different parts of the world. While doing his research, he came across these pictures of Spain on Google. He shares them with you and asks you some questions about them. You decide to send your friend a voice message with an explanation of 3 minutes.

1. Could you please comment on the pictures I have sent you?
2. What aspects of new technologies are Spanish people most attracted to? Why?
3. What technological gadgets or apps have taken off in Spain? Why?
4. Does your country invest a lot in scientific research? Why? Why not?
5. The development of genetically modified (GM) food has been a matter of considerable interest and worldwide public controversy. What ‘uncertainties’, ‘risks’ and ‘benefits’ do Spaniards discuss?
6. What are, in your opinion, the major scientific breakthroughs of recent times in Spain?
7. What new contributions do Spanish citizens expect or hope to see happen in the near future in Spain?
8. What aspects of science might be controversial for some people in today’s Spanish society? Why?
9. Could Spanish children live without the Internet? How important is it for them? How has the Internet changed the way Spanish people live? What aspects of new technologies do Spanish people struggle to get to grips with?
10. Do Spaniards make a good use of mobiles? Do smartphones provide a stimulus for learning in Spain? Are smartphones making your citizens smarter? or can they be counterproductive?
11. What are the advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites like Facebook or Instagram for Spanish people?
12. What are the uses of AI in Spain? Have Spanish people embraced it?
13. What role do the new technologies play in education in Spain nowadays? Have traditional teaching methods outlived their usefulness in your classrooms? How do Spanish children learn best? What does a modern classroom look like in Spain?
14. Do Spanish companies offer their employees the possibility of working from home via a computer? What are its benefits and drawbacks in Spain?
15. What major technological breakthrough do you think has had the greatest impact on Spanish society? Why? In what ways has technology improved your lives? In what ways has it made life worse?

 Useful language to describe a chart:
 
This chart illustrates how...
This chart compares...
The results that are shown in the chart are...
As can be seen from these results, ...
According to this chart, 
From the data in the above chart, it is apparent that ...
We can see on this chart how... 
The chart indicates that...
The chart represents...
The information given in the chart...
The percentage of people who... is shown on the chart.  
The chart shows quite clearly the impact of...

Close-up p 29. Key Word Transformations

1  Our final exams are likely to take place soon
LOOMING
Our final exams______________________________________________ horizon.




KEY
Our final exams are looming on the horizon.



2. A storm was developing far away.
BREWING
A storm _____________________________ distance.



KEY
A storm was brewing in the distance.



3. You've done so much work—I am sure you are going to do very well in the exam.
BOUND
You've done so much work—______________________________________ colours.



KEY
You've done so much work—you're bound to pass the exam with flying colours.


4. He is afraid of checking his exam results online as he might have failed.  
DREADS
He______________________________________________ case he's failed.



KEY
He dreads checking his exam results online in case he's failed. 



5. There are signs that a solution is on the cards.
OFFING
There are signs that a solution is ________________________________________________ .


KEY
There are signs that a solution is in the offing.
 
 Write two more sentences using words and expressions from our last session:
6. ______________
7._______________

Close-up p 28. Key Word Transformations

1  People said that the police had managed to retrieve some of the stolen money.
SUCCEEDED
The police ______________________________________________ some of the stolen money.




KEY
The police were said to have succeeded in retrieving some of the stolen money



2. If you need more time to do the assignments you didn't have time to do, please let me know.
CATCH
Should ________________________________________ your assignments, please let me know.



KEY
Should you need more time to catch up on your assignments, let me know.



3. As soon as my phone had been stolen, I erased all its data from a distance
REMOTELY
Hardly __________________________________________________ erased all its data 



KEY
Hardly had my phone been stolen than I remotely erased all its data.



4. It's a shame your phone failed when I was trying to reach you.  
SOONER
I______________________________________________ down when I was trying to reach you.



KEY
I would sooner  your phone hadn't let you down when I was trying to reach you.  



5. Although he has been moving parts of his phone, he failed to make it work.
FIDDLED
Despite ________________________________________________ making it work 



KEY
Despite having fiddled with his phone, he didn't succeed in making it work 
 
 Write two more sentences using words and expressions from our last session:
6. ______________
7._______________