1 Reading
a Read the web posts on the right and tick (✓) the correct answer.
a Bicycles have always been very cheap to buy.
b Cycling is a popular hobby for a lot of people.
c Cycling is bad for the environment.
d Streets with electric lighting were more dangerous.
The bicycle was invented in the 19th century. At first, bicycles were very expensive, but at the beginning of the 20th century, they were mass-produced in large factories. As a result of this, they became much cheaper and after that, most people could afford to buy one. Bicycles changed the way people travelled short distances. Because of the bicycle, people who didn’t have much money didn’t have to travel to work on buses or trains. As a result, they saved money and could get a job further away from where they lived. Today, bicycles are the most important form of transport for people in many countries in the developing world. Cycling is also a very popular sporting activity for many people, as it is a great way to stay t and healthy. In big cities, a lot of people cycle to work and this helps to reduce pollution and protect the environment. Because of this, it seems to me that the bicycle is one of the most important inventions of the last 200 years.
Martin Roberts
In my opinion, the most important invention is the electric light. The electric light bulb was invented in the 19th century and slowly replaced gas lighting in the streets of big cities and in people’s homes. With electric lights, the streets of big cities became safer and, as a result, there was less crime. Also, electric light bulbs improved the lighting in people’s houses. As a result, they could do more things when it got dark in the evenings, such as reading books or writing letters. Electric lights have greatly improved the quality of people’s lives and it is hard to imagine life without them.
Naomi Stevens
b Read the web posts again. Are the sentences true or false?
1 It was cheaper to have a bicycle than to travel on public transport.
2 Bicycles are not very popular in the developing world.
3 When lots of people cycle to work, cities become less polluted.
4 Gas lighting was invented after electric lighting.
5 Reading and writing at night was easier with electric lighting.
Answer
a b
b True: 1, 3, 5; False: 2, 4
2 Writing Skills – Expressing results and reasons
Underline the correct words to complete the sentences.
1 As a result of / As / Because better windows, new houses lose less heat in winter and people spend less money on keeping them warm.
2 In the 1960s, people couldn’t afford to go to the USA on holiday because of / as / as a result of air travel was so expensive.
3 People didn’t use their mobile phones when they were travelling abroad as a result of / because of / because phone calls were so expensive.
4 Computers are much smaller now as / because / because of the invention of the micro-chip.
5 As / As a result of / Because of you can travel by train from London to Paris in less than three hours now, I won’t need to catch the plane any more.
6 Nowadays, malaria is less common in Africa as / as a result of / because the new vaccination programme.
7 Because / As / Because of the terrible pollution, many European cities only allow people to drive their cars on certain days of the month.
8 She decided to buy a tablet because of / because / as a result of it was much easier to carry around than her old laptop.
Answer
2 as 3 because 4 because of 5 as
6 as a result of 7 Because of 8 because
3 Writing
Write a web post about the invention of mobile phones. Use the notes to help you.
Notes for web post about mobile phones
• most important invention = mobile phone
• before: had to be home, office or public phone box
• keep in contact with friends, family, colleagues
• speak wherever you are: street, supermarket, car, train
• stay in touch with children + elderly relatives
• useful if accident or to call the police
• not only calls and texts: also photos, videos, music, Internet, Facebook
• my phone = my most useful possession: where would I be without it?
Answer
Suggested answer
In my view, the most important invention of the last 25 years has been the mobile phone. Before it was invented, if you wanted to speak to somebody on the phone, you had to be at home, in the office or in a public phone box. With a mobile phone it is much easier to keep in contact with your friends, your family and your work colleagues than before. Because it is a mobile, you can have a conversation wherever you are – in the street, at the supermarket, in a car or on a train. Because of this, it is also easier for people to stay in touch with their children or with their elderly relatives. It is also very useful to have a mobile phone if you have an accident or if you need to call the police. These days, mobile phones are not only devices that let you make phone calls and send texts. You can also take photos, record videos, listen to music, surf the Internet and talk to your friends on Facebook. I believe it’s the most useful thing I have. In fact, I don’t know where I would be without it.
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