Upper-Intermediate Instant Lesson™

Super Appliances
Pre-Reading Activities

A: Discussion
Answer these questions in pairs:

1. Scientists often talk about inventing household machines that will do a variety of tasks.
Imagine that you are about to buy the machines below. Apart from the normal tasks, what
unusual tasks would you like them to do?

a. a microwave
b. a stereo system

2. Here is a list of features that a fridge might have in the future.

Which features in the list would you like? (Tick the column next to these.)
Which do you think are less important?
Give reasons for your answers. (Use the comments column to make brief notes.)

Features Features I'd like Comments

Keeps a list of the groceries it
contains which the owner types
in
Takes phone messages
Sends a shopping list to a
supermarket saying exactly
what food items need to be
bought
Shows when food is going bad
and needs to be thrown out
E-mails owner when it needs
servicing
Has an alarm that rings if
someone on a diet tries to take
fattening food from it
Keeps a record of appointments
Television
Downloads recipes from the
Internet and stores information
about healthy eating
Downloads music from the
Internet, and has stereo
speakers
 Sends and receives e-mail
Records video messages for
other members of the family
Self-cleans

Now compare your answers with a partner. Use your notes to help you explain the
reasons for your choices.

3. Do you like the idea of flat-screen televisions? Why or why not?

4. Where in your house do you have a television? (If you don't have a television in your
house, tell your partner your reasons for not having one.)

Reading Activities

A: True or False
Read Article 1 and decide whether the statements are true (T)
or false (F).

1. More than three-quarters of televisions sold around the

world are not ones with flat screens.
2. There is still room for growth in the flat screen television
market.
3. DVD players and MP3 players are popular with shoppers.
4. Intermediate High Definition television sets were introduced in 2005.
5. Most shoppers will be interested in buying one of the new High Definition flat
television sets.

Article 1

New Flat TVs Launched

AMSTERDAM/FRANKFURT
Wednesday August 31 (Reuters)
Although over 100 million households
in Europe and the United States have
moved to digital television, that is still
less than half of the homes in all
countries except the United Kingdom,
according to research group
Datamonitor.
Flat TVs...make up less than three out
of every 10 televisions currently sold
worldwide, said research group
DisplaySearch, meaning that growth
can continue unabated for many years.
ISuppli analyst Chris Crotty says:
"Consumers are more likely to buy a
second television or DVD player for
"The whole industry had expected
more," said Sharp's Kleis.
Nevertheless, LCD and plasma TV
unit sales increased 135 percent to 9.4
million units and 95 percent to 2.2
million units respectively in the
second quarter.
Sharp and others now plan to
introduce new flat televisions, many
of which will now be full High
Definition (HD), as opposed to the
intermediate HD television sets
launched last year. But these sets will
cost many thousands of euros, which
will be too much for most consumers
who are still waiting for Standard
 the bedroom or perhaps a second MP3 Definition flat TVs to become
player for the gym bag." affordable.

However, an extra boost that was "I'm happy with my normal TV. Flat
expected for liquid crystal display screens are just money down the
(LCD) television sales from the drain," said one 38-year-old Frankfurt
football World Cup in Germany in woman.
June and July failed to materialize.
Article © 2006 Reuters Limited. Lesson © 2006 www.english-to-go.com

B: Scanning
Read the questions below and then look quickly through Part One of Article 2 for the
answers. (Take about 20 seconds and do NOT try to read every word.)

1. What company has invented the first Internet fridge?

2. How big is the fridge?
3. Where was it launched?

Article 2 - Part One

Plugged In: an Internet Fridge That
Yields E-mail
By Jana Sanchez
AMSTERDAM Sun Nov 3 (Reuters) - Unfortunately, the machine cannot tell
Last month South Korea's LG if the milk is sour or almost gone; nor
Electronics launched the 26-cubic- can it order fresh milk.
foot fridge, featuring a 15-inch flat
touch screen display, in the United Still, future versions of the appliance
States and Europe last month. due out late next year are expected to
be able to scan bar codes on packaged
Using the fridge's screen and an foods as they enter the unit, or are
Internet connection, customers can tossed away, simplifying the chore of
view e-mail, download digital music, making up a grocery list.
watch television, leave video
messages for family members and The fridge could one day become the
keep track of dates and appointments. central hub of a home network,
connecting to Internet microwave
As expected, there are food-related ovens and Internet washing machines,
features as well -- it can keep an said LG Director of Marketing
inventory of groceries on its shelves, Communications Daniel Lee.
store nutritional information or
download recipes. The owner has to (Continued/...)
enter most of this information
manually, though it's a task that can
be done on any PC.
Glossary:
launched - made a new product available to the
public
manually - done with the hands
Article © 2002 Reuters Limited. Lesson © 2006 www.english-to-go.com
C: Reading and Checking Information
Look through the article again to find which features
the article says the LG Electronics fridge has.
When you find a feature which matches one of the
items on the list below, place a check next to the item.

- Keeps a list of the groceries it contains which the

owner types in
- Takes phone messages
- Sends a shopping list to a supermarket saying
exactly what food items need to be bought
- Shows when food is going bad and needs to be thrown out
- E-mails owner when it needs servicing
- Has an alarm that rings if someone on a diet tries to take fattening food from it
- Keeps a record of appointments
- Television
- Downloads recipes from the Internet and stores information about healthy eating
- Downloads music from the Internet, and has stereo speakers
- Sends and receives e-mail
- Records video messages for other members of the family
- Self-cleans

Compare your answers with a partner. If there are any differences between you, show
your partner the part of the article that helped you to decide.

D: Making Notes
Use Part Two of Article 2 to complete the table with information about another Internet
refrigerator.

Name of Refrigerator:
Name of Manufacturer:
Size of display pad:
Is it similar to the LG refrigerator?: Yes / No
Differences:
Future special offers:
Target customer:

Part Two

(Continued/...) With the built-in videocam, a family

NOT ONE-OFF could e-mail dinner-table images to
Samsung began selling its own friends or relatives.
Internet refrigerator, called HomePAD
fridges in the United States in
Samsung is planning special offers
September 2002.
such as recipe services and
customized news based on the zip
Samsung's HomePAD is similar to code of the customer.
LG's product, except that the 12-inch
display pad is detachable and able to
Samsung's target customer is a family
communicate wirelessly with the
of four or more with an annual income
fridge.
of more than $100,000. Typically,
 "The HomePAD offers many
possibilities. Parents leaving home
early in the morning for work can
leave a loving message for their
children," Samsung's Senior
Marketing Manager Benjamin An
said.
Article © 2002 Reuters Limited. Lesson © 2006 www.english-to-go.com
they will already have high-speed
Internet access and use Internet
banking, which is why the Samsung
fridge, unlike LG's, has no dial-up
modem.
Glossary:
detachable - can be removed
built-in - made to form part of a larger structure

Tell your partner which of the two fridges you would prefer to buy. Why?

D: Language
Read this information about different verb tenses used in today's articles.

The present simple tense is sometimes used to talk about something that is true in
general. The articles have factual information about new fridges and consumers' habits.

...it can keep an inventory of groceries on its shelves, store nutritional information or
download recipes.
Consumers are more likely to buy a second television or DVD player for the bedroom...

The past simple tense is used to talk about finished actions in the past.

Last month South Korea's LG Electronics launched the 26-cubic-foot fridge in the United
States and Europe last month.
LCD and plasma TV unit sales increased 135 percent to 9.4 million units...

The present perfect simple is used to give new information and announce the news of
something that has happened recently.

Although over 100 million households in Europe and the United States have moved to
digital television...
I have bought an MP3 player to go in my gym bag.

Now choose the correct form in each of the sentences below.

My parents 1. bought / have bought / buy a new fridge last October. They 2. were /
have been / are very excited about it when they 3. bought / have bought / buy it. The
new fridge 4. had / has had / has a touch screen display so they 5. could download / can
download their e-mail or digital music.

Unfortunately we 6. had / have had lots of arguments about it. Yesterday, for example,
my brother 7. wanted / has wanted / wants to download some music but I 8. wanted /
has wanted / wants to check my e-mail at the same time.

Now we 9. had / have a new rule. We can only use it if we help prepare the meal or clean
the kitchen afterwards. I 10. decided / have decided / decide that this is a good rule. My
brother 11. decided / has decided / decides that he will use the computer in his bedroom
more. He 12. hated / has hated / hates doing any kind of housework so he 13. didn't
want / doesn't want to use the Internet fridge now. The kitchen 14. became / has
become / becomes a peaceful place again.

Post-Reading Activities
You may do one or more of these.

A: Sell Your Product!

Divide into two groups, Group One are refrigerator manufacturers OR flat screen
television manufacturers and Group Two are potential customers.
Read the instructions for your group below.

Group One - Refrigerator Manufacturers OR flat screen television manufacturers :

Work in groups of two or three. You are a manufacturer making high-quality, futuristic
refrigerators or flat screen televisions. In your group decide what features your product
has. Use today's articles to give you ideas. Also decide on these things:

- the name of your product

- the price
- the size
- who your target customer is
- what your advertising slogan is for this product
- any special offers

After you have finished deciding these things, get ready to sell your product. You are
attending an 'Expo' where different companies are promoting their products. Set up your
'stand' (a place where you promote your product) and get ready to talk to potential
customers who will visit your stand. Try to persuade them to buy your product. Good
luck!

Group Two - Potential Customers: Work in pairs. You are members of a family (e.g.
husband and wife, mother and daughter, father and daughter etc.) who want to buy a new
refrigerator OR a flat screen television. You are going to attend an 'Expo' where different
companies are promoting their products. They will try to persuade you to buy their
product.

With your partner decide what you want to buy. Use today's articles to give you ideas.

When you are ready, attend the Expo and visit all the stands. Ask the manufacturers lots
of questions and then decide what you will buy. Happy shopping!

B: Write a Description
Do ONE of these writing tasks...

Choose a machine of some kind (from your home or your classroom) and write an
advertisement for it. Your advertisement should include a description of the machine,
including its name, size, country of manufacture and features. When you have finished,
work in small groups. Present your advertisement to each other.
OR

Write a short description of a machine or device you are familiar with but do NOT
include its name. After you have finished, work in small groups and read your piece of
writing to each other. Get the other students to guess the name of your machine or device.

OR

Write an advertisement for one of the fridges described in today's article. Your
advertisement should include a description of the fridge, including its name, size, country
of manufacture and features. Use Article 2 to help you write it.
 TEACHERS' NOTES AND ANSWER KEY

Pre-Reading Activities

A: Discussion - Notes
You may like to do the first machine (the microwave ) as a class discussion to give students the idea of
what they have to do. Encourage them to use their imagination to think of features that would be useful to
them. They can then continue the discussion in pairs. A flat screen television offer a 160-degree viewing,
whereas older models of televisions had a curved screen which may then reflect other light sources in a
room.

Reading Activities

A: True Or False - Notes

You may want to tell your students that high definition television gives extremely clear quality wide-screen
pictures with compact disc-quality surround sound.

A: True Or False - Answers

1. F, (more than two thirds), 2. T, 3. T, 4. T, 5. F (They will be too expensive for most consumers.)

B: Scanning - Answers
1. South Korea's LG Electronics.
2. 26 cubic feet.
3. The United States and Europe.

B: Reading and Checking Information - Answers

Keeps a list of the groceries it contains which the owner types in
Keeps a record of appointments
Television
Downloads recipes from the Internet and stores information about healthy eating
(Stereo)*
Downloads music from the Internet
(Sends and) receives e-mail**
Records video messages for other members of the family

* Students may argue that since the fridge can download digital music, it would also have a good system to
play it. The article doesn't say this but is quite likely.
** If people can view their e-mail, they may be able to send it too although the article doesn't say this.

D: Making Notes - Answers

Name of Refrigerator: HomePAD
Name of Manufacturer: Samsung
Size of display pad: 12 inches
Is it similar to the LG refrigerator?: Yes
Differences: detachable display pad that can communicate wirelessly with fridge, no dial-up modem
Future special offers: recipe officers, customized news
Target customer: Family of four or more with annual income of $100,000 who will probably have high-
speed Internet access

E: Language - Answers
1. bought, 2. were, 3. bought, 4. has, 5. can download, 6. have had, 7. wanted, 8. wanted, 9. have, 10. have
decided, 11. has decided, 12. hates, 13. doesn't want, 14. has become.

Post-Reading Activities

A: Sell Your Product! - Notes

This activity can be as elaborate or as simple as you and your students want it to be. It could be done on a
different day, allowing students lots of time to prepare. Students could prepare artwork (leaflets, posters
etc.) for their fridges or televisions. You could spend a little time looking at the language of selling and
buying.
Before beginning the Expo, manufacturers could survey customers to find out what they want before they
'design' their fridge or television.
You may like to give the customers a budget: a particular amount of money that they have to spend on their
fridge or television. At the end, ask the customers to report to the class on what fridge or television they
have decided to buy and what 'sold' them on this fridge or television.