Speaking. 1. Answer the following questions:

1. Answer the following questions:

 

(a) Would you like to have all home devices automated?

(b) Can you say about advantages and disadvantages of automation?

(c) If everything in the world was automated, would you be happy for this? Why?

(d) Can you say anything about influence of automation on environment?

(e) What do you think about automated things like tooth brush and knife? Do you think that they are very helpful in our daily life?

(f) Which automated device is more helpful in your opinion?

(g) What would you like to invent?

 

2. Ask your partner questions about:

 

(a) Automation; (b) robotization; (c) human intervention; (d) computers; (e) industrial; (f) industrial processes; (g) language recognition; (h) high-level tasks; (i) industrial tasks.

 

 

3. Retell the text.

 

4. How do you understand the joke? Discuss it with your partner.

 

A technician advised his customer to put his troubled floppy back in the drive and close the door. The customer asked the tech to hold on, and was heard putting the phone down, getting up and going across the room to close the door.

 

Grammar m odal verbs

All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. Unlike other auxiliary verbs modals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as the main verb in a sentence.

 

Be, do, and have also differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs in a given sentence.

 

The modal verbs are:

 

CAN / COULD / MAY / MIGHT / MUST / SHALL / SHOULD / OUGHT TO / WILL / WOULD

 

Can They can control their own budgets.

We can’t fix it.

Can I smoke here?

Can you help me?

 

Could Could I borrow your dictionary?

Could you say it again more slowly?

We could try to fix it ourselves.

I think we could have another Gulf War.

He gave up his old job so he could work for us.

 

May May I have another cup of coffee?

China may become a major economic power.

 

Might We'd better phone tomorrow, they might be eating their dinner now.

They might give us a 10% discount.

 

Must We must say good-bye now.

They mustn’t disrupt the work more than necessary.

 

Ought to We ought to employ a professional writer.

 

Shall Shall I help you with your luggage?

Shall we say 2.30 then?

Shall I do that or will you?

 

Should We should sort out this problem at once.

I think we should check everything again.

 

Will I can’t see any taxis so I’ll walk.

I'll do that for you if you like.

I’ll get back to you first thing on Monday.

Profits will increase next year.

 

Would Would you mind if I brought a colleague with me?

Would you pass the salt please?

Would you mind waiting a moment?

"Would three o’clock suit you?" - "That’d be fine."

Would you like to play golf this Friday?

"Would you prefer tea or coffee?" - "I’d like tea please."

 

Note!

The modal auxiliary verbs are always followed by the base form.