Unit 8
Lesson 1
Student’s Book pages 64-65
Communication
Before you begin
1 How do blind people read? Discuss with a partner.
Answers
Students’ own answers
2 DW Read the words in the box. Which words refer to forms of communication? Check the meaning of any words you don’t know in the Activity Book glossary or in the dictionary.
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alphabet Braille drumbeat mass media newspaper picture signal software symbol |
These sounds are the vowel sounds of all the words in the yellow box, and that they should try to match as many of the words with their correct sounds.
Answer
They are all either ancient or modern forms of communication (e.g. mass media, Braille, newspaper).
3 Read and listen to the text and check your answers to exercise 1.
Blind people read using a system of raised dots called Braille. They can also use computer software and talking books to hear the text read aloud.
Comprehension
4 Read and listen to the text again. Answer the following questions.
1 What do the underlined words refer to?
2 How did mass media contribute to the invention of Braille?
3 Why do you think soldiers had to communicate without speaking?
4 What makes Braille an official system of communication?
5 How does technology nowadays help blind people communicate?
6 Do you think Braille is a practical way for the blind to communicate? Justify your answer.
7 In your opinion, could there be another way for the blind people to “read” in the future? Explain.
8 Do you think blind people should be able to go to the same schools as people who can see? Why / Why not?
Answers
1 He (line 20): the officer;
who (line 25): a young man/Louis Braille;
It (line 34): Braille
2 Mass media contributed to the invention of Braille by provoking the invention of a written raised dot system in order to enable the blind to ‘read’ newspapers and magazines.
3 Students’ own answers
4 It is used all over the world.
5 Text on a screen can be heard aloud, and talking books that also have the words in Braille are also available.
6 Suggested answer: I think Braille is practical for blind people because it uses a sense that they have. It could be very slow though, as ‘reading’ with your fingers might take longer.
7 Suggested answer: I think that, because technology is developing so fast, there will be many more efficient ways for blind people to communicate in the future.
8 Suggested answer: In my opinion, blind people should have the choice to go to the same schools as people who can see. If they want to go, and if they can cope with very little help, they should be given the right so that they can feel like they are leading a normal life.
Unit 8
Lesson 1
Activity Book page 44
Communication
Vocabulary
1 Complete the following paragraph with words related to written communication. You are given the first letter.
People first started written communication through (1) p……….. and drawings on cave walls. When the (2) a…………. was invented, it became a lot easier for people to communicate. This writing system was made up of letters and (3) s……………. which represented sounds. Then, when (4) m………………… m………….. prevailed, it introduced the whole world to (5) n……………. and magazines. However, the blind could not benefit from these forms of communication, and that’s when the language of (6) B……………….. was invented.
Answers
1 paintings
2 alphabet
3 symbols
4 mass media
5 newspapers
6 Braille