English for

Information Technology 2
Vocational English
Teacher’s Book

A2-B1

David Hill
Pearson Education Limited
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First published 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4082-5203-1

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Contents

Unit 1 Working in IT page 3

Unit 2 IT systems page 12

Unit 3 Data communication page 21

Unit 4 Administration page 30

Unit 5 Choice page 39

Unit 6 Interactions page 48

Unit 7 Development page 57

Unit 8 IT solutions page 65

 1 Working in IT

support to external users (business as well as

Briefing consumer) of the company’s products.
• Systems analyst: for tailor-made IT solutions
This unit provides an introduction to the workplace
such as software written for a specific business
contexts of IT. It ensures that all students using the
need, the systems analyst liaises with the client
book, whether experienced in IT or not, have some
to understand their requirements and then
common shared vocabulary that is used throughout
ensures that the solution is prepared to those
the book. It is a little different from the other units in
specifications.
that it is less technical and thus provides a gentle
lead-in to English for IT. IT organisations
Language is mostly for talking about present
This section looks at the activities of IT companies,
routines and situations such as the work of
such as manufacturing, designing and selling. Little
individuals and organisations in IT: the present
specialist knowledge of IT is needed; the only
simple and adverbs of frequency are dealt with, as
general knowledge required is basic knowledge of
are imperatives for rules and modal verbs for rules
some well-known IT companies such as Apple,
and suggestions.
Google and Microsoft, and what they do.
IT jobs and duties Companies often hold product launches to promote
new products. These can range from small, local
In this section the focus is on typical IT-related jobs
events to major media events. Apple is particularly
and the duties performed by people holding those
well known for these. Once a popular product is
jobs. Jobs mentioned here include:
ready for launch to the public, people sometimes
• Software developer, otherwise known as
queue overnight outside shops to be one of the first
programmer: this person writes, tests and
to purchase it.
debugs computer programs, usually as part of
a team. Most company websites have a company profile
• Helpdesk supervisor: this person supervises which gives general information about what the
technical support staff, who may be working company does.
in a telephone call centre.
• Database administrator: this person designs, IT workplace rules
develops and maintains databases. Databases
As with the previous section, this requires little
are used as part of many kinds of software, as
technical knowledge. Internet security and
well as online, to store information such as
passwords are mentioned in the reading. The only
personal details and the data that the program
technical word is alphanumeric, meaning
uses. Databases are covered in more detail in
‘comprised only of letters and numbers and not
Unit 4. A database administrator does not
including spaces or punctuation symbols’.
usually do the data entry for databases; rather,
the job involves quite a high level of technical Meetings
skill and is somewhat similar to programming.
• Project manager: within an IT context, a project Central to this section is a roleplay of a formal
manager co-ordinates projects such as software meeting held by videoconference with a
development or major equipment renewal. He chairperson, agenda and minutes being taken.
or she is responsible for ensuring that the Videoconferences and teleconferences are often
intended components of a project are finished used to hold meetings when the participants are in
on time and within budget. different physical locations. The difference is that
• Support technician: this person sets up new with videoconferencing, the participants can see as
computers, installs software and provides help well as hear each other, while teleconferences only
with IT problems. A support technician may use sound.
provide internal IT support within a company
covering a range of IT uses, or may work for a
hardware or software vendor and provide

Working in IT 1 3
 Business matters
In this section students complete a job advert,
roleplay a job interview and write their own job
advert. It applies the key vocabulary and grammar
of this unit.

Further reading
Use the following keywords to search the internet
for websites which give more in-depth information
about the topics covered in this unit: database
administrator, systems analyst, Apple, Google,
Microsoft.

Working in IT 1 4
 Alternatively, the questions and table could be
Teacher’s Notes handed out in written form. If appropriate to
your teaching situation, consider asking
Warm-up students to complete it in their own language
While quite a lot of vocabulary is introduced in this so that lack of English ability isn’t a barrier to
unit, many of the words are reviewed from Book 1 completeness and accuracy.
(for those who are moving from that book). One of
the aims of this unit is to bring out IT-specific Listening
vocabulary of which the rest of the book assumes
knowledge. The unit assumes that students already Extra activity
know the following vocabulary: software, hardware. If students are relatively confident with English
or have some prior work experience in an
IT jobs and duties environment involving IT, they could be asked
to brainstorm, in pairs or small groups, IT jobs
Speaking and the duties associated with each, as a
lead-in to Activities 2 and 3.
1 Ask students to share their previous experience
of IT, including both software and hardware, in 2 ► 02 Students listen to people describing their
pairs or small groups. This allows them to get to jobs and match the jobs to the speakers’ pictures.
know something about each other, as well as
giving you the opportunity to find out about 1 software developer 2 helpdesk supervisor
their prior IT experience and whether there is 3 project manager 4 support technician
subject-related expertise that can be drawn upon 5 database administrator 6 systems analyst
later, if this is not already known.
3 Students listen again and complete verb–noun
Activities throughout this book, including this collocations describing the duties and tasks that
one, should be varied according to your teaching the people mention.
situation and student needs. For example, it
would be useful in this activity for students to 1 a team 2 a problem 3 for 4 after
have conversations with more than one other 5 software 6 the problem/a problem/
student; this could be done by changing pairs problems 7 databases 8 databases
every few minutes or by organising this activity 9 specifications
as a mingle.
Write vocabulary that you hear students Pronunciation
produce on the board. Half-way through or at 4 The focus here is on stress (and, consequently,
the end of the activity, ask students who rhythm) within the collocations in the previous
produced the vocabulary to explain the meaning activity. In pairs or small groups, students first
to the others. This will encourage students to predict where the stress lies – from prior
learn from each other. experience with English and their memory,
conscious or otherwise, of the recording.
Extra activity
Depending on your class, this would be an
If there has not yet been an opportunity to
appropriate place to discuss the pronunciation
carry out a proper needs analysis, ask students
of weak forms, in other words, how to produce
to mingle (or work in pairs/groups) and write
an unstressed syllable and how to produce
down answers from other students to some of
stress (make the syllable longer, slightly louder
these questions, chosen according to
and change to a different pitch).
appropriateness to your teaching situation, in
a table: 1 supervise a team 2 have a problem
What is your name? 3 be responsible for IT projects 4 look after
Why are you doing this course? computers 5 install software 6 diagnose
Why is this course important to you? the/a problem/problems 7 design databases
What do you want to learn in this course? 8 maintain databases 9 write specifications
for software

Working in IT 1 5
 Vocabulary Robert is a support technician. (Similar job
titles, such as technician or support staff would
5 In pairs, students make new collocations using
also be acceptable.)
the verbs in Activity 3. Encourage them to think
of as many collocations as they can that might 9 Ask students to look at the sentences with tick
work, and check with you whether they do. boxes. They then listen again and tick the items
that happen regularly (‘usually happen’) in
Suggested answers
Robert’s work routine.
supervise people/[any job title]
be responsible for a team/computers
1, 2, 3
look after databases/a team
install databases/software 10 Students now put the phrases in the box in the
design software/databases
correct place in the sentences in Activity 9.
maintain computers
Depending on your class, you could ask
students to do this in pairs before listening. This
Speaking activity provides a ‘way in’ to the language
focus on expressing frequency.
6 Students now use collocations from Activity 3
(and possibly 5) to describe what the people in 1 Robert generally checks emails./Generally,
Activity 2 do in their jobs. Robert checks emails.
2 Robert usually has emails waiting for him.
Suggested answers 3 Robert normally visits people at their
1 A software developer writes software. desks./Normally, Robert visits people at
2 A helpdesk supervisor is responsible for/ their desks.
supervises/looks after a team. 4 Sales people occasionally have problems./
3 A project manager supervises people/ Occasionally, sales people have problems.
projects. 5 From time to time, Robert attends
4 A support technician looks after computers/ meetings./Robert attends meetings from
installs software/diagnoses problems. time to time.
5 A database administrator looks after/is 6 Robert hardly ever visits other companies.
responsible for/installs/designs/maintains/
writes databases.
6 A systems analyst supervises software Language
developers/writes specifications.
The Language box focuses on two language
7 In small groups, ask students to think of other points useful for talking about jobs and their
IT-related jobs and tasks associated with those associated duties: adverbs of frequency and
jobs. Also ask them to share ideas about adverbial phrases of frequency (called ‘time
which jobs they would or would not like to do, expressions’ here). Students at this level are
giving reasons. likely to have encountered these points before,
so for most, this will be review.
Suggested answers
For reference, here are some points that go
website administrator, website developer,
network technician, e-commerce specialist; beyond the information in the Language box.
A website developer develops/maintains/looks Teachers should use their discretion about
after/tests websites. whether to cover the third point, to avoid
Answers to the other parts of the question will overloading students with information.
depend on students’ own personal opinions. Adverbs of frequency normally go before the
main verb (as stated in the Language box).
Listening However, a significant exception to this is where
the main verb is be, when they go after the main
8 ► 03 Students now listen to an IT worker verb (for example, He is usually late.).
(Robert) talking to his new manager about his
job. Ask them to listen and guess which person Some common student mistakes are: mixing up
is the manager. During this initial gist listening, hardly and hardly ever (for example, I hardly arrive
they simply check their prediction and decide early instead of I hardly ever arrive early.) and
what Robert’s job title might be. mixing up almost and almost always (for example,
I almost work hard instead of I almost always work
hard.). Both of these can cause significant

Working in IT 1 6
 misunderstandings, so highlighting them is 1 provider, suppliers 2 manufacturers
worthwhile. 3 production facilities 4 products 5 cloud
When adverbs are placed at the beginning of a computing 6 clients 7 launch
sentence, the meaning of the adverb is
emphasised. Reading
You may want to ask students to generate their 3 Students read the company profiles again and
own time expressions: three times a year, twice a answer some specific information questions
month, once an hour, etc. This will help them get about the companies’ operations.
used to the sequence once, twice, three times, etc.
1 IBGroup 2 IBGroup, Digital World
Speaking 3 Futachiba 4 Digital World 5 IBGroup

11 In pairs, students imagine they are doing a job of 4 Students now underline five types of software
their choice from Activity 2. They ask and mentioned in the company profiles (there are
answer questions about the job, the tasks they actually six, though students don’t need to find
undertake in the job and how often they do all of them). Then they try, from prior
those tasks. experience, to think of examples of each and
what people might use them for. Typically,
Extra activity students will know the name of the software (for
If your students are currently working in IT, example, Microsoft Word). What is more likely
they could ask and answer questions, in pairs to be new to them are the names of the types of
or as a mingle, about the duties in their job software (for example, word processing). This
and how often they undertake them. They second stage could be done in pairs or even
may need to ask you for some additional small groups. If students are not sure what a
vocabulary. spreadsheet is, refer them to the screenshot on
page 28.
IT organisations
word processing program
examples: Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer
Speaking used for: writing
spreadsheet program
1 In pairs, students choose technology companies examples: Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc
they know about and say what they think those used for: doing things with numbers
companies do. Students can be warmed up to presentation program
this by asking them in open class for the names examples: Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice
of some technology companies. Impress
used for: making presentations, making slides
A lot of vocabulary from the previous section database program
could come out here (for example, Microsoft examples: Microsoft Access, OpenOffice
develops software; Apple designs devices such as the Base, FileMakerPro
iPad and iPhone. Other answers might include: used for: doing things with/processing
Dell makes computers. Samsung makes many things: information/data
mobile phones, disk drives, computers and cameras. games
examples: World of Warcraft, Grand Theft Auto
Vocabulary used for: having fun
operating system
2 Students read profiles of three companies. Gist examples: Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android
questions can be provided: Which company (all mentioned in the texts), Linux, UNIX
produces software? Which produces hardware? used for: operating/controlling computers
(Answers: IBGroup and Digital World produce
software. Futachiba produces hardware.). Speaking
Students then find words in these profiles that
match the definitions given. The matching part 5 This activity personalises the topic and
of this activity can be done effectively in pairs. vocabulary, allowing it to be applied to real life.
When you have gone through the answers, make In small groups, students list some real IT
sure that students know what feedback means companies, such as Apple and Google, and say
(second line of the Digital World profile). which they would like to work for and why.

Working in IT 1 7
 Listening Pronunciation
6 ► 04 As a lead-in to the Language box on 8 To build awareness of the points about question
present simple questions, students read a intonation at the end of the Language box,
conversation between two people working in students listen to the questions in track 4 again
different IT companies and complete the gapped to identify the intonation pattern before
questions in pairs. They then listen to the practising the intonation themselves.
conversation to check their answers. Most
students at this level will have encountered this 1Ì 2Ì 3Ê 4Ì 5Ê
grammar point before (even if they make a lot of
mistakes with it), so will be able to have a good Writing
go at completing the gaps before listening.
However, if your students are weaker or less 9 Students practise present simple question
confident in this language area, you may want to formation by writing questions, imagining that
have them read without completing the gaps, they are writing the questions for a magazine
then listen to the turns one by one, completing questionnaire, in order to find out what some
the gaps as they go and comparing with a local IT companies do. This can be done in pairs
partner after each. or individually.

1 ... what does your company do? Suggested answers

2 ... who are your customers? What does your company do?
3 Does your company produce any hardware? Does your company sell software or hardware?
4 ... what are your future plans? Does your company have a service centre?
5 Do you want to come? Where is it?
Who are your customers?
What does your company sell?
Speaking What are your company’s products?
What do you do in the company?
7 Students answer some questions about product
launches, a concept mentioned in the listening.
Speaking
Suggested answers
A product launch is something/an event for a 10 Students think of answers to the questions they
new product, maybe to advertise it. wrote in Activity 9. This can be either for a
Product launches help people to find out about company they know (which, if they are currently
the product. working in different companies from each other,
Apple holds big product launches. could be their own company) or an imaginary
They have talks and online presentations. company. They then ask and answer their
They open their shops early and customers questions in pairs or as a mingle.
often queue/stand in line for hours to buy the
new product. 11 Students now practise present simple questions
and the section’s vocabulary by asking questions
about the companies mentioned in Activity 2.
Language They should use appropriate intonation as well
The language focus here is questions in the as trying to form the questions correctly.
present simple. The majority of students at this
level will have encountered this grammar point IT workplace rules
previously, so this is intended as review and an
opportunity to improve accuracy. Note that Speaking
subject questions (questions that do not use
auxiliary verbs, for example, Who met you?) are 1 In pairs or small groups, students look at some
not dealt with in the Language box. You may signs and work out the rules they express. At
want to deal with these if your students are this stage they would not be expected to express
quite confident with present simple questions them in a sophisticated way – imperatives are
already. Explain to your students that if the fine – though it’s likely that many students will
answer is the subject of a sentence, the auxiliary have encountered the language of rules before.
verb is not used in the question.

Working in IT 1 8
 Suggested answers Suggested answers for the first situation
no drinks near the computer (installing new software)
no mobile phones/Don’t use mobile phones Rule: You mustn’t install new software.
here. Reason: The IT staff need to check that the
Switch off the monitor. new software is OK.

2 Students now say whether they have the same

rules in their place of work or study and Listening
whether they think the rules are good or bad. It 6 ► 05 Students listen to two people, Lateefa and
is best to hold off from discussing further rules Ivan, talking informally after work about rules
at this point; there will be plenty of opportunity in their different workplaces. While listening,
later for students to use the target language with students complete a table to show what the
different rules. speakers are and are not allowed to do. Warn
students that these do not come up in question
Vocabulary number order.
3 Students read a short memo about some Lateefa
workplace rules relating to IT security and use 9
context to match words from the text to the Ask a technician to install software.
definitions given. Work from home (occasionally).
×
1 CIO 2 security 3 data 4 password Make personal phone calls.
5 network 6 alphanumeric 7 characters Install/Update software.
8 colleagues Ivan
9
Use email.
Language Install apps.
4 As a discovery activity in anticipation of the ×
Language box, students underline words and Make personal phone calls.
phrases in the memo that they think are used to
express rules. They can then read the Language
7 This activity asks some follow-up questions
box to check their answers.
from the listening about Lateefa’s feelings about
Don’t use common words or numbers as the rules she mentions. The skill practised is
passwords, such as ... listening for attitude – an important skill for
Passwords must be alphanumeric ... functioning well in any workplace. Students are
You need to change your password every ... also asked to identify reasons for their answers.
Also, you should not share it ...
Suggested answers
The Language box deals with modal verbs and She’s not happy about the rules in her
imperatives to express rules. Imperatives take workplace – she’s complaining about them.
the form: verb (+ object) or do not/don’t + verb + She doesn’t seem to like her manager – she’s
object. There is no subject. For even stronger happy to work from home because she doesn’t
see her manager then.
rules, we can use always at the beginning of
positive statements and never instead of don’t for
negative statements (for example, Always keep Speaking
your anti-virus software up to date. Never install
8 This is a pairwork information gap activity:
your own software.). To help students avoid some
Student A’s information is on page 9 and
common mistakes, point out that don’t have to
Student B’s is at the back, on page 69. To begin
and don’t need to are not used for rules.
with, A Students use prompts to explain
company rules to B Students, who play the role
Speaking
of employees new to the company. Then they
5 In pairs or small groups, students generate their swap roles.
own rules for some of the activities. They then
compare their ideas with other pairs or groups,
and discuss possible reasons for their rules.

Working in IT 1 9
9 Students now discuss real rules in their own Suggested answers
workplace or place of study. They also discuss chairperson: the person who controls
their opinions about the rules and indicate meetings; useful for running the meeting
which ones they would like to change. smoothly and keeping it focused
agenda: a list of points to talk about at a
Writing meeting; useful so that people can prepare for
the meeting before it starts and to keep the
10 As a consolidation activity, students write a list meeting focused
of rules for a computer room in a college, which minutes: a record of what people talked about
may be where they are currently studying or, if and decided at a meeting; useful so that people
not in a college, an imaginary college or one at can remember the decisions
which they previously studied. Alternatively, teleconference: a meeting where people are
depending on their prior experiences, they could in different places; uses telephones; useful
write them for a current or previous workplace. because people don’t have to travel, thus
If appropriate to do so in your teaching context, saving time and money
videoconference: like a teleconference, but
you may want to suggest they make their rules
with video; useful for the same reasons as
humorous. At the end of the activity, students teleconferences and because it’s easier to
could compare answers in pairs or small groups. understand people when you can see their
faces
Meetings
Listening
Speaking
3 ► 06 Before listening, students read the
1 Most students will have experienced meetings of
meeting agenda. It is useful here to teach attend.
some kind. Even if they have no prior work
Draw attention, perhaps through eliciting, to the
experience, they may have participated in
fact that the attendees are in different locations
meetings in clubs they were members of at
(head office and local office). Elicit also the first
school, taken part in sports team meetings or
topic the participants will be heard talking about
seen workplace meetings in TV shows. Before
on the recording (replacing old computers).
commencing Activity 1, you could discuss such
Students should read the questions before the
prior experiences with the class. This will lead
recording is played.
nicely into the questions provided for small
group discussion. While monitoring discussions, 1 He suggested upgrading to a new version of
listen out for the concepts behind the words in windows/a new operating system.
Activity 2 being mentioned; if you hear them, 2 The computers won’t run the new Windows
this is a good opportunity to supply the well. They’re too old.
vocabulary at the point where students want 3 buying more memory
to use it. 4 They can’t put any more memory in. The
computers are already full.
Suggested answers 5 replacing four computers for now and the
1 People discuss ideas and problems, try to other four later
find solutions and make decisions. 6 Ulrik’s
2 Answers will depend on students’
experience.
Language
Vocabulary More modal verbs are looked at here, this time
for making suggestions, agreeing and
2 Students discuss what the five provided words disagreeing in meetings. Other language for this
mean and speculate about why the meeting- function is also included, as well as ‘softeners’
related concepts they represent are useful. If the that help to avoid disagreements sounding too
words have not come up during or in feedback harsh or argumentative.
from Activity 1, you may wish to go through the
4 So that students see examples of the language
meanings at the beginning of this activity or
from the Language box in context, they look at
have students look up the words in a good
the audio script and underline the softeners in
dictionary. This would be a good opportunity
the responses (not the suggestions).
for some work on dictionary skills such as
checking pronunciation and parts of speech.

Working in IT 1 10
 ... Speaking
U: Um ... well ... I’m afraid there might be a
2 As a lead-in, brainstorm with students some
problem. Unfortunately, the computers just
won’t run the new Windows well. They’re questions that might be asked in a job interview,
just too old. using the advertisement they have just read as
F: OK ...Could we buy more memory then? context. Students could write down the
U: That wouldn’t work either, unfortunately. We questions they think of. They then roleplay the
can’t put any more memory in. They’re interviews, then swap roles and repeat, ideally
already full. I really don’t think that with a different partner. Further work on job
upgrading will work. interviews is in Unit 8.
...
Writing
Speaking 3 This activity looks at basic text organisation;
5 For controlled practice, students make and students decide which of four patterns of
respond to suggestions they think of themselves. organisation are followed by the texts on
Depending on students’ level and ability to the page.
generate their own ideas, you may want to give As a follow-up activity, ask students whether
them situations to choose from (for example, they think texts in their own language(s) often
people in the company are asking for new follow the same pattern. They may need to think
computers; the General Manager wants to cut IT about specific examples, such as reports they
costs) and/or ask them to write their wrote at school/work. With confident students,
suggestions before the pairwork begins. you may also want to ask them if they notice a
6 In this pairwork information gap activity, difference in the formality of the writing in the
students roleplay meetings. With lower-level company profile and the advert. The profile uses
learners, it could be useful to get two of them to more formal vocabulary (for example, provide,
demonstrate the activity, with help from the supply), whereas the advert addresses the reader
other students and from you. more directly by using you and questions.

Business matters 2

Here, students complete a job advert, roleplay 4 To practise writing using the pattern they
an interview for the job and go on to write an identified in the previous activity, students write
advert for their own job or one they would like. an advertisement for their own job or, if not
currently working, a job they would like to have.
Extra activity This is also an opportunity to recycle vocabulary
To review vocabulary from the first section, from the first two sections of this unit.
make up some cards before class (or have
students make them) with job titles and duties Extra activity
on them. Then, in class, students mingle, Students could write a profile for a company
asking and answering questions about the jobs they know using those on page 6 as models. If
and duties on the cards. they are currently working in IT, it could be for
their company.
Reading
Preparing for the next unit
1 A good lead-in to this activity is to have a class
discussion about applying for jobs, eliciting In Unit 2 students will be discussing hardware,
vocabulary such as job advert and talking about including the parts inside a computer and items that
the kind of information that job adverts contain. can be attached to a computer, and instructions for
Then students complete the gaps before using software (such as Double click here.). You can
discussing their answers in pairs. prepare students for this by brainstorming lists of
internal computer parts and external parts
1 supplies 2 service centres 3 provide (peripherals), and ask them to extend their lists
4 spreadsheet and database 5 launched before the next lesson for checking at that time.
6 client 7 installing 8 maintaining
9 diagnosing 10 from time to time

Working in IT 1 11
 2 IT systems

Activity 3 shows a photo of a motherboard, which is

Briefing the main circuit board inside a computer. Items that
plug into the motherboard are:
This unit aims to provide a foundation of language
• CPU (Central Processing Unit) or processor:
to be used throughout the book for talking about
the ‘brains’ of the computer, which carries out
basic computer hardware, and screen and software
the instructions that the software gives it.
operations. Students practise: large and small
CPUs may be single-core, dual-core or more.
numbers, as they relate to system specifications;
CPUs have a speed (‘clock speed’), which is
using imperatives to give instructions for using a
usually expressed in megahertz (MHz).
GUI; using prepositions in sentences with two
• DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module): this is a
objects to describe, for example, connecting and
small circuit board with a number of memory
disconnecting multimedia equipment; explaining
chips on it. Most computers have several of
OS installation using appropriate language to
these. Memory is sometimes called RAM
express reason and purpose.
(Random Access Memory).
• Ethernet cable: a standard network cable
System specifications
• Graphics card (video card): this circuit board
This section looks at basic hardware and numbers carries a separate processor, similar to the CPU
for hardware specifications. but designed specifically to process imagery,
mostly video.
The hardware is divided into three categories:
• SATA socket: hard drives, solid state drives and
peripherals (things that you plug into computers),
optical drives use SATA connections.
internal components and storage. Note that storage
is different from memory in that it keeps its data Some common prefixes for large numbers are
after being switched off, unlike most forms of mentioned. In relation to these, students may bring
memory, which lose data after being switched off. up an issue that is controversial in IT: while kilo-
Most storage components can be internal or external always means 1,000 in other fields, in IT a kilobyte
(peripherals), though nowadays external optical is sometimes 1,000 bytes and sometimes 1,024 bytes.
drives are rare. Similarly, the word megabyte can sometimes be
used to mean 1,000 kilobytes and sometimes 1,024
Below are explanations of some of the items
kilobytes. For simplicity, we’ve consistently used
mentioned:
1,000, etc. here; this follows an emerging convention
• A hard disk drive (HDD) is a storage device of using KB to represent 1,000 bytes and KiB to
that holds its data on spinning magnetised represent 1,024 bytes. Similarly, using the same
disks. At the time of writing, these were convention, MB represents 1,000 KB and MiB
beginning to be replaced by solid state drives represents 1,024 KiB, and so on.
(SSDs), which perform a similar function but
without moving parts. A byte is the smallest unit of memory used to store
• Optical drive is a generic name for devices that a single character.
read and write data from CDs, DVDs or Gigabyte is often abbreviated to gig when talking
Blu-ray. The name derives from the fact that about memory (for example, a four-gig memory
they use a laser, which is an optical device. module).
• While monitor and screen are often used
interchangeably, technically, the screen is the GUI operations
front part of the monitor on which the picture
appears. This section looks at language for giving and
• The power supply unit (PSU) is the box understanding instructions for using a GUI
inside a computer which converts mains (Graphical User Interface), which is the windows,
electricity into the appropriate voltages for the buttons, icons, menus and other elements which
internal components. most programs use to communicate with users and
accept input from them. GUI is pronounced ‘gooey’.

IT systems 2 12
Note that: • product key (or serial number): a code that is
• the activities are based on Windows, only supplied with an OS or software when
because it is the most common operating system purchased and which is entered the first time it
worldwide. If you are more familiar with is run, to verify that it was obtained legally.
another operating system, such as Apple’s Mac • user account: a security feature available on
OS X or Linux, you may want to do the activities many modern operating systems. When you log
in the book before teaching the lesson. on to a computer, you are actually logging in to
• Folders are often called directories by people in a user account; each user account has its own
the IT industry. username and password, and allows access to
• Dialogue box (AmE: dialog box) is a window different parts of a computer. There are often
that provides information as well as asking for some general user accounts, such as
input from the user. For example, when saving a Administrator, which allows access to almost
new document, a dialogue box shows folders everything, and Guest, which has much more
and asks the user which one to save to. restricted access.
• licence terms: the terms and conditions that you
Multimedia hardware agree to when you purchase software or sign up
to a website.
This section is about multimedia hardware and how
it connects to computers. Following on from the Business matters
previous section, there is work on providing help
and instructions in this area, for example, This section focuses on open source versus
connecting a laptop to a projector and transferring proprietary software, including operating systems.
photos from a digital camera to a computer. The Most well-known software is proprietary; in this, the
only item which needs explanation here is virtual programming instructions (code) are a commercial
reality goggles, which are glasses with monitors on secret. Examples include Office (by Microsoft) and
the inside which are connected to a computer, Photoshop (by Adobe). The code for open source
enabling the user to see a three-dimensional image. software, on the other hand, is freely available and
can be adapted by anyone. Examples are the Linux
Operating systems and Android operating systems, and the Chrome
and Firefox browsers.
An operating system (OS) is the software that
controls a computer. Its functions are wide-ranging Further reading
and include managing the GUI, memory, storage
Use the following keywords to search the internet
and other hardware. Examples are Microsoft
for websites which give more in-depth information
Windows, OS X (which runs on Apple computers)
about the topics covered in this unit: computer
and Linux. Other devices such as smartphones and
data storage, CPU, DIMM, binary prefix, GUI,
tablets also have operating systems; Android and
operating system, BIOS, booting, disk partitioning,
Apple iOS are examples. Other concepts mentioned
user (computing), open-source software.
in this section include:
• BIOS (Basic Input Output System): basic
software built into PCs that initialises the
computer and controls it before the OS starts.
Thus, it is the first program that runs when the
computer is switched on. You may be familiar
with it from the screen that first appears while
waiting for a computer to start.
• booting: the process a computer goes through
when it starts up. Thus, if we tell someone to
reboot a computer, it means to restart it.
• disk partitioning: when a hard drive is
partitioned, it is divided up into two or more
sections which each act like a separate drive.
• boot drive (or boot partition): the drive from
which the OS runs. When installing an OS, this
is set temporarily to where the OS is located: for
example, on a DVD.

IT systems 2 13
 Listening
Teacher’s Notes
3 ► 07 Students look at a photo of a
Warm-up motherboard, listen to someone explaining the
components on it and match the components to
Ask students to share, in small groups, their lists of parts of the picture. Allow students to read
internal computer parts and external parts through the supplied vocabulary before they
(peripherals) they made for homework. Then ask listen. They may need to listen a second time.
one person from each group to write words from Also allow opportunities to compare notes in
their lists on the board to make one long list. This pairs or small groups. If students need more
could be combined with Activity 1. help after a couple of listenings, you can refer
them to the audio script on page 73.
System specifications
1E 2A 3B 4F 5D 6C 7G
Speaking
Extra activity
1 In open class, if you think that students might
This activity is for stronger classes. In pairs,
know the difference between internal
one student explains the location of a
components and peripherals, elicit it from them.
component in their own words. The other
Otherwise, tell them. Then ask students to name
as many of each as they can, in small groups. If, student says what the component is.
while monitoring, you notice that a student can
describe the item or think of the word in their Language
own language, you can help them by pointing at
the word in Activity 2 or by providing the The focus here is two-fold: saying decimal
English word yourself. numbers and using prefixes common in IT for
expressing large numbers (for example, mega-
Peripherals connect to the outside of the for ‘million’). You could talk about conventions
computer. Internal hardware goes inside the in the writing of numbers that may be different
computer. in students’ own countries. For example, some
As well as the items mentioned in Activity 2, countries use a comma for the decimal point;
peripherals might include: microphone, memory this can be confusing to people from other
card reader and scanner. Internal hardware countries in which the comma is used to
might include: motherboard, cables, fans and separate groups of three digits to the left of the
floppy disk drive. Blue-ray drive, DVD drive and decimal point (for example, in 1,034.434). Point
CD drive can be external or internal but
out that the decimal point is not stressed.
nowadays are usually internal. They may be
combined into the same unit and usually go by 4 Students match prefixes to the numbers they
the umbrella term ‘optical drive’. represent. While students do this, make sure
they are saying the numbers correctly, following
Vocabulary the first focus of the Language box (for example,
nought point nought nought one). It may help
2 In pairs, students now decide whether some students to think of the abbreviation for the
listed items are internal, external (peripheral) numbers in their own language; KB is used for
and/or storage devices. Some will be one of ‘a thousand bytes’ in many languages.
these and others will fit into all of these
categories. Some are likely to have come up in 1 tera- 2 giga- 3 mega- 4 kilo- 5 nano-
Activity 1. This is mostly review of Book 1. If 6 micro- 7 milli- 8 quad- 9 dual-
your students have not completed that book, it
may be necessary to pre-teach some of the Pronunciation
vocabulary.
5 ► 08 Ask students to predict where the stress
1 P, S 2 I, P, S 3 P 4 I, P, S 5 P lies in the examples. They may have some
6 I, P, S 7 P 8 I 9 P 10 I 11 P 12 P instinct for this from previous listening; even if
not, the experimental aspect of doing this will
help make the stress patterns memorable. They
then listen to check their predictions.

IT systems 2 14
 1 a dual-core processor 2 a quad-speed 8 First, students write down some specifications,
Blu-ray drive 3 a 3.5-millimetre socket which might be completely made up, for their
4 a micrometre 5 18 nanometres own computer or their ideal computer. Then
6 a 26-kilobyte file 7 2.4 megahertz they ask and answer questions about these.
8 4 terabytes While the questions use the present simple and
are thus review from the previous unit, there are
Extra activity some features that may be a little tricky, so it
may be useful to model appropriate questions
Ask students to write down their own phrases
and answers in open class and/or put them on
similar to those in Activity 5, which could
the board (eliciting as appropriate):
represent their own computer or a computer
A: How much memory does it have?
they want. They then practise saying them in
B: It has 16 gigabytes.
pairs, with appropriate stress. A: How big is the hard drive?
B: It’s ...
Listening A: What is the screen resolution?
B: It’s 1280 x 1024
6 ► 09 Ask students, before they listen, to This activity can be done as a mingle.
familiarise themselves with the delivery slip.
They can practise saying the specifications with 9 In pairs, students suggest real-world
correct stress and with the correct way of saying specifications for computers in the given
the numbers. Then tell students that Dingle situations. Brochures (online or print) would be
Digital got the order wrong and delivered useful here, especially for those who do not have
computers with incorrect specifications. They a lot of IT knowledge. Below are some
then listen to a conversation between two people additional hints that may help those with less
working at Wood Publishing and mark the IT knowledge:
mistakes on the delivery slip. 1 Basic office software does not need powerful
computers.
Laptops 2 Powerful software such as Adobe Creative
• 1 x 390 GB SDD → 1 x 500 GB SDD Suite needs powerful computers with lots of
• 8 GB dual-channel DDR3 ... → 16 GB dual- memory and, probably, SSD drives. They
channel DDR3 ... often also need to fit large pictures and films
• ...WLED 1920 x 1080 screen → ... WLED on their screen.
1366 x 768 screen 3 Provides data and so on for other computers
Desktops but does not usually have people sitting at it
• Entel 3.4 GHz quad-core CPU → Entel 3.4
or doing work on it.
GHz eight-core CPU
• 1 x Eastern Digital 2 TB ... → 2 x Eastern 4 Sales people travel a lot to visit clients but
Digital 1 TB ... the software they use does not need a lot
• 4 x USB ports → 8 x USB ports of power.

A good follow-up question is: Why doesn’t the IT Suggested answers

manager want to complain about incorrect screen (Accept anything students can justify.)
resolution? (It’s better than the one they ordered.) 1 Quite basic. Large screen is useful for
viewing several documents at once.
If your students have some IT knowledge, you
Processor speed, memory and hard drive
could also ask: What is an advantage of having two
size are not so important.
1 GB drives compared with one 2 GB drive? (Users 2 Faster processor, much more memory,
can back up internally to the second hard drive. bigger (and probably more) hard drives,
Some software runs faster if the program is on bigger graphics card than 1. Such
one drive but the data on another.). computers often have dual monitors (a
useful expression to teach).
Speaking 3 Will also have a faster processor, more
memory and bigger hard drives but graphics
7 To further practise the language, students and screen are less important. Both might
roleplay the conversation that the Wood even be absent.
Publishing manager will have with the supplier, 4 Similar to 1 though more portable. Low
describing the problems with the order. specifications may be useful as they often
go hand in hand with longer battery life.

IT systems 2 15
 GUI operations 5 Students listen again, this time for specific
information: they number the boxes to indicate
the order they hear the information. Before
Speaking listening, students should familiarise themselves
1 Ideally, this activity would be carried out with a with the instructions.
computer screen visible to all students, though
4 Choose ‘Properties’ from the menu.
this is not essential. Ask students what they can
2 Just select ‘Manage’.
do with a computer window, giving an example 6 Select ‘Install date’.
(make it smaller) to get them started. They may 5 Choose the ‘Details’ tab.
respond with gestures, in which case you can 3 Just right-click where it says ‘Disk 0’.
supply the appropriate language. 1 Can you scroll up to the top?

Suggested answers
resize it, move it, open it, close it, make it Language
bigger, make it smaller
Students have already encountered imperatives
in Unit 1. Here, they use them for a different
Vocabulary purpose (giving instructions), with softeners to
make instructions sound more polite and
2 This activity looks at vocabulary for various
sequencers to show the order of instructions.
parts of windows and dialogue boxes.
Students annotate a screenshot of a window 6 Students use the information in the Language
and a dialogue box. The screenshot is from box to identify and underline the imperatives
Windows 7. in Activity 5. Ask students to look at the audio
script for the conversation in Activity 5 on page
1A 2L 3F 4G 5B 6K 7J 73, and find out whether only imperatives are
8C 9I 10 E 11 D 12 H used or other forms as well. They should notice
that requests are used as well (Can you ...? ).
3 Students now look at actions that can be carried
Point out that those using only imperatives can
out on windows. They match the beginnings and
sound rude, even if softeners are also used.
endings of imperative sentences. Note that:
• on after click may be missed out: it is possible Imperatives
to say click the title bar rather than click on the 2 Just select ‘Manage’.
title bar. 3 Just right-click where it says ‘Disk 0’.
• the new menu that appears in item a is called 4 Choose ‘Properties’ from the menu.
a context menu or a pop-up menu. 5 Choose the ‘Details’ tab.
6 Select ‘Install date’.
1b 2f 3a 4e 5d 6c 7g Softeners
Just, can you ...?
Extra activity
If students are familiar with other operating Speaking
systems such as Mac OS or varieties of Linux,
7 Students now roleplay conversations similar to
ask them to talk about how the actions are
the one they heard in Activity 5. An example
different in those operating systems. Students
and prompts are provided. If your class has
may need a model for how to express this: In
access to computers, this activity is best done in
Windows, you double click on the title bar to
front of a computer. The instructions work for
maximise the window. But on Mac OS X, you
Windows 7 with Mozilla Firefox and Google
double click the title bar to close the window.
Chrome installed.
8 Students now apply the language to real life by
Listening
explaining to their partner something they know
4 ► 10 Tell students that they will listen to a help how to do. Prompts are provided for common
desk technician talking to an IT user. For this actions most people who have used computers
first listening, they just listen for the main idea: can do. You may want students to think of their
what information does the technician want? own ideas or, as a class, come up with some
actions that students know how to do.
a date/the install date

IT systems 2 16
 Writing Vocabulary
9 To consolidate the work from this section and to 5 Using the email, students match words to their
practise some writing, students write an email synonyms. Pairwork may be useful here.
explaining the steps they roleplayed in Activity
7. They should use the organisation pattern that 1d 2c 3b 4f 5g 6a 7h 8e
they looked at in Unit 1: general information
first (the purpose of the email), with the more 6 Using the email, students add the appropriate
specific information later (the steps). preposition to the verbs. After checking answers,
elicit the pattern: to is used for connecting and
Multimedia hardware from is used for disconnecting.

1 connect to 2 plug into 3 unplug from

Speaking 4 disconnect from
1 To lead in to this activity and provide a link with
the previous section, ask students to say which Language
peripheral device they used most recently. Then
This focuses on the grammar of the vocabulary
ask them how often they use this device, as
above. Most of the verbs in Activities 5 and 6 can
review of the frequency expressions in Unit 1.
take two objects. Point out that we often use a
Students can then discuss the questions in
preposition between the two objects, as
Activity 1, using the frequency expressions.
described in the Language box.
Vocabulary 7 Students complete the gaps with one or two
objects and with appropriate prepositions. The
2 Ask students if they already know the words for first word is provided, so students have to
some of the items in the photos. Then ask them paraphrase rather than simply repeat parts of
to match the other items to the photos. the text, thus they have to focus on the meaning
of the words. Make sure that students are aware
1 speakers 2 projector 3 headphones
4 virtual reality goggles 5 microphone that they should write one object for some of the
6 video camera 7 webcam verbs and two objects for others.

Suggested answers
Speaking 1 Plug the projector cable into the laptop/
laptop’s video socket.
3 To practise the vocabulary and relate it to real 2 Plug the (projector’s) power cable into an
life, students talk in pairs about who might use electricity/a power socket.
the items in Activity 2. 3 Switch on the computer.
4 Push the ‘Function’/‘Fn’ key and the key with
Reading a screen picture at the same time.
5 When finished, turn off the computer and
4 Ask students how to connect multimedia projector.
peripherals to computers. This may review some 6 Disconnect the projector from the computer.
vocabulary from the first section (socket, USB
port, etc.) and also leads in to the reading, which
is about connecting a projector to a laptop
Writing
computer. Students skim the email to find out 8 In preparation for writing their own emails,
what Kamal wants to do. students look at the example email and identify
If students mention that on some computers some features: greeting (salutation), paragraphs
some of these steps are automated, you can and signing off. They then think of other phrases
point out that it is often the trickiest issues that could be used for the greeting and signing
involving older hardware that they will be asked off. If your students have only a little prior
about while working in IT jobs. experience of seeing emails written in English,
this could be done in open class rather than in
He wants to connect a projector to a laptop. pairs. If you feel it is appropriate, you could also
ask students to identify where the main idea of
each paragraph is (at the beginning, in what is
often called a topic sentence). This links with the

IT systems 2 17
 writing point from Unit 1 — that usually the 6 During the process, the computer will restart
more general ideas come first and the more by itself several times.
specific points later. 7 Near the end of the process, you can
partition the hard drives.
• the greeting = Hi Kamal 3 In the BIOS, set the first boot drive to DVD.
• Paragraphs are indicated by the gap Then reboot again.
between them. 8 At the end of the process, the operating
• signing off = Best wishes system will ask for the product key, time,
Other greetings could include: date, network type and details for user
• Dear (formal, such as when writing to accounts.
people much higher in the company 2 First, put the installation DVD into the optical
hierarchy; in some contexts this could be drive. Then, reboot the computer while you
overly formal and distant and thus indicate press the ‘F2’ key. The BIOS will now start.
a poor relationship between the sender and 4 This time, the computer will boot from the
the recipient.) DVD and installation will begin.
• Hello (unusual) 1 Before you start, back up everything.
5 Near the start of the process, it will ask you
Other ways to sign off could include: to agree to the licence terms.
• Kind regards,
• Best,
• Regards, Vocabulary

9 Students write an email explaining how to 2 Students use the context of the steps in Activity
transfer photographs from a digital camera to a 1 to find words there that match the definitions.
computer. Prompts are provided, though there
1 restart 2 partition 3 BIOS 4 boot drive
is more than one way to do this and students 5 product key 6 user account 7 reboot
may use a different procedure. You could 8 process 9 back up 10 licence terms
remind students about the sequencers from
earlier in this unit, which they could incorporate
into their emails. Language
Four ways of expressing reason and purpose are
Operating systems dealt with here. Most students at this level will
be aware of most of these. In addition to the
Reading points in the Language box, elicit, using
examples, that if the because-clause is the second
Before beginning this section, check how much
clause in a sentence, there isn’t a comma
your students know about operating systems.
between the clauses, whereas if it is the first
You could ask the following (depending on your
clause, a comma is required.
students’ prior IT experience):
• What operating systems can you name? What 3 Students match sentence halves, inserting
versions of these operating systems do you because, so, to or for between them as appropriate.
know?
• Which operating systems do you use most often? 1 d, for 2 e, so 3 a, to 4 f, because
• Which is your favourite? Why? 5 c, to 6 b, so
• Have you ever installed an operating system by
yourself? Was it easy or difficult? Speaking
1 Students put the steps in installing an operating 4 Students roleplay a conversation in which an IT
system in order. If only some of your students user is asking questions to an IT technician
have experience of doing this themselves, it will relating to the items in Activity 3.
help to put one with this experience in each
pair/group. However, even with no experience,
students working together should be able to use
clues such as sequencers.

IT systems 2 18
 Extra activity Suggested answers
Open source software is usually free, whereas
Students ask and answer the following
proprietary software usually has a price.
questions (or ones they write themselves) in
Open source software can be written by
pairs. Students with less IT experience will anyone, from people who program as a hobby
need time to think about their answers. to large companies.
1 Why might people change their operating Proprietary software is more common in
system? everyday computer applications than open
2 Why are windows useful? source software (though in some situations, for
3 Why might a sales person use a webcam? example, on servers, open source software is
4 Why is a large hard drive useful? quite common).
5 Why do some people use laptops, not desktops? Some names of open source software may be
mentioned, such as Linux (common varieties of
Suggested answers which are Ubuntu, SUSE, Red Hat),
1 To upgrade./Because they want new OpenOffice, Libre Office, Android (for mobile
features./So that they can have different phones) and GIMP (an open source alternative
features./For the new features. to Photoshop).
2 To see several files at the same time./To run
several programs at the same time./Because Listening
they help you run several programs at the
same time. 3 ► 11 Students listen to a spokesperson from a
3 For video calls./To communicate using company that sells proprietary operating
video./To make video calls. systems, giving the opposite point of view from
4 To store lots of data./For storing lots of the reading.
data./Because some people need to store Ask students to listen once before they answer
lots of data./So that you can store lots of the question and count the number of points
data. made (three). Then play the recording a second
5 Because they’re easy to carry./Because time for students to list the points they hear.
they’re not heavy./Because they need their
computer while travelling./To carry easily. cheaper training and free support
better quality: more features, better looking,
fewer bugs (because they pay their developers)
Business matters
more applications available
1 Elicit from students or provide some examples
of open source and proprietary software (see Speaking
Briefing section). In groups, students discuss
what they know about these different categories 4 Students go back to the article in Activity 2 and
of software. Some prompts are provided to help make a list of reasons to favour open source
them, though if your students’ IT knowledge is software, which should contrast with the list
limited, this might be best done in open class. they made in the previous activity. They then
compare answers in pairs or small groups,
Reading giving reasons, and discuss any differences.

2 Students read a short article about open source Suggested answers

software. While doing so, they check the points free
they discussed in Activity 1. The answers can freedom/independence from the vendor
then be discussed as a class. can add features
have control over data

IT systems 2 19
5 To help students prepare for this activity, ask
them to discuss the following questions in small
groups: Do you believe everything the company
spokesperson in 3 says? Why/Why not? (Answers
may include the point that a company
spokesperson is likely to prefer the company’s
products over others.) In total, which do you think
is cheaper: open source or proprietary software?
Consider purchase cost, support cost and training
cost. (Answers may include the points that open
source might be cheaper if little support or
training are needed. Otherwise, proprietary
software with free support and/or training
might be better.)
Students then read an email from a manager
about replacing computers in two departments.
In their groups, they decide whether to choose
open source or proprietary software in each
department. They may choose different
solutions for each department.

Writing
6 Students write an email in reply to the one in
Activity 5, giving their recommendations. They
should use the language of reason and purpose
from page 18 and the email conventions they
looked at in the previous section.

Preparing for the next unit

For homework, in preparation for Unit 3, ask
students to list as many ways of communicating
electronically as they can and to look up the English
words for each item.

IT systems 2 20
 3 Data communication

Laptops and tablet computers such as the iPad often

Briefing connect to the internet using wi-fi, a short-range
network that, like the mobile phone network, uses
This unit looks at ways in which data is transferred
radio signals. The hardware for connecting to wi-fi
between computers. Vocabulary for talking about
is usually built into laptop computers. For situations
networks and networked computing is covered, as
where a wi-fi signal is not available, a dongle (a
well as the following grammar points: present
small box which plugs into a USB or similar socket)
simple vs present continuous, defining relative
can be used to send and receive data over the mobile
clauses, zero and first conditionals, articles.
phone network instead. Networks that use radio
signals are known as wireless networks, while
Internet browsing
networks using cables (such as Ethernet cables,
This section looks at internet browsers and web mentioned in the previous unit) are wired.
addresses. While the terms the internet and the Networks are often categorised as two types: Local
World Wide Web (usually shortened to ‘the web’) Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks
are often used interchangeably, knowledgeable (WANs). As their names suggest, LANs establish
students may raise the point that there is actually a short-range (‘local’) connections, perhaps covering a
significant difference. Technically, the World Wide single office or company within a building, whereas
Web refers only to pages that can be viewed in a WANs cover much larger areas. Computers in a
browser, whereas the internet includes email along home sharing the same network connection are on
with several other ways of sending information, LANs, while the internet is the most obvious
data and files between computers such as VoIP example of a WAN. LANs and WANs can both be
(Voice over Internet Protocol), which services such wired or wireless.
as Skype use. The internet developed from 1960s
computer networks such as ARPANET (used by the Discussion about wired networks often involves
US military) and networks in the UK and France. network topology; that is, the way networks are
One of the systems for transferring data used on the connected. Various topologies exist, including star
internet (called protocols), HTTP (hypertext transfer networks, ring networks, bus networks and mesh
protocol), developed by Tim Berners-Lee and Robert networks: see the text on page 22 for details. Note
Cailliau at a research institution in Europe, became that this mostly does not apply to wireless networks,
the basis of the World Wide Web. though it is sometimes said that wireless networks
are mesh networks.
Some other items mentioned in this section are: web
addresses (for example, www.google.com), which Many interactions between computers on networks
are technically known as URLs (Uniform Resource involve a client–server relationship. In this, the
Locators); bookmarks, sometimes known as client requests information from the server, then the
‘favourites’ (usually in AmE: favorites). server processes the information and sends it to the
client. An example is email: email client software
Networks such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird
regularly asks the email server whether there are
Computer networks are at the heart of many any new messages. The email server checks whether
applications of IT in our everyday lives. Examples any new messages have been received and if so,
are numerous. Bank ATMs communicate securely forwards (‘serves’) them to the email client. This is
with the bank’s main computer to ensure that each why you will often hear IT workers referring to
transaction is recorded and that rules such as software such as Outlook as an email client rather
withdrawing more than the daily limit are not than an email program. In a workplace, a server is
broken. Emergency services vehicles have often on the premises; this can be an ordinary
computers which communicate with headquarters. desktop computer or might be larger, similar to the
On a possibly more familiar level, smartphones send one in photograph 4 on page 4 of the Course Book.
and receive data using the mobile phone network
(which is referred to in a variety of ways, including Security is an important issue with networks and the
‘the 3G network’, ‘4G network’, ‘cellular network’, internet. One way to enhance security is to use
‘GPRS’, ‘CDMA’, ‘HSPDA’ and so on). encryption; that is, data sent across the network is

Data communication 3 21
encoded so that even if it is intercepted, it cannot Business matters
easily be read. A further level of security can be
provided through a Virtual Private Network (VPN), This involves a scenario in which students prepare a
which is often described as being analogous to proposal to upgrade the electronic communications
‘tunnelling’ through the internet. It may be used systems of an architecture firm. It applies the key
between different offices of a company or by vocabulary and grammar of this unit.
employees ‘on the road’ using their laptops to
communicate with their office. Further reading
Use the following keywords to search the internet
Mobile computing for websites which give more in-depth information
This section looks at mobile devices such as mobile about the topics covered in this unit: web browser,
phones and tablets (iPad and similar), and custom internet, World Wide Web, network, LAN, WAN,
devices such as those that traffic wardens, train wi-fi, VPN, GPS, OCR, accelerometer, smartphone,
conductors and courier company drivers use. There email.
is a focus on how these make workers more efficient
and flexible. Various features of mobile devices are
mentioned, including:
• GPS (Global Positioning System), which uses
signals from satellites orbiting Earth to work
out the position of the device to a high degree
of accuracy.
• USB recharger, which allows the device’s
battery to be recharged from any computer that
has a USB socket. These are usually less bulky
than the rechargers that plug into the mains
(sometimes they are just a small cable) and are
very convenient.
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software,
which converts images, perhaps from the
device’s camera, to data (words, characters,
numbers, etc.) that a computer can understand
and use.
• Accelerometer, which detects and measures
motion – for example, if the device is dropped or
rotated. It is this that enables tablets and
smartphones to change the orientation of the
screen as it is turned around. Accelerometers
should not be confused with motion sensors:
accelerometers detect motion of themselves,
whereas motion detectors are stationary and
detect motion of other bodies. Motion sensors
are used, for example, in burglar alarms.

Email
Most students will already be familiar with email in
their own language. In case students ask, the
screenshots from the unit are based on the Mozilla
Thunderbird email.
In the screenshot, CC stands for ‘Carbon Copy’ and
BCC stands for ‘Blind Carbon Copy’.

Data communication 3 22
 1 finding the search bar 2 opening a tab
Teacher’s Notes 3 finding menus

Warm-up
Language
Ask students to share the lists of electronic
communication methods that they made for This Language box contrasts the present simple
homework. During feedback, put the words on the and present continuous tenses, as used for
board to make one long list. current (not future) actions, and also looks at
stative verbs.
Internet browsing Stronger students might be interested to know
that some verbs are sometimes stative and
Speaking sometimes not, depending on how they are
used. For example, have is only stative when
1 Begin by asking students about accessing used to indicate possession. But we often say, for
websites in general, before they discuss the example, I’m having breakfast.
questions in pairs. Check that they know that
we often refer to the World Wide Web as ‘the 7 Students identify the tenses in two example
web’ and point out that we use the before sentences and decide why those tenses were
internet, web and World Wide Web. used by the speaker.

1 I’m having trouble with the new browser

Vocabulary
we’re using on our PCs. (Present
2 In pairs, students match words for parts of a continuous in both cases: actions happening
browser to a screenshot of Google’s Chrome now. The first example could also be
browser. After they finish, ask them to say what assumed to be a temporary situation.)
each item does (for example, the ‘refresh’ button 2 I understand that now. But something else
reloads the page). is confusing me. (first verb: present simple:
a stative verb; second verb: present
1D 2E 3B 4A 5F 6C continuous: a situation in progress now)

3 Students match verbs and nouns to form useful 8 For further practice, students choose the correct
collocations related to web browsing. forms of the verbs in the box to complete a
telephone conversation between an IT help desk
1h 2d 3a 4c 5g 6e 7f 8b assistant and an employee seeking help.

1 type in 2 opens 3 isn’t working 4 know

Speaking 5 am checking
4 Students tell a partner what they do on the
internet, using vocabulary and collocations from Speaking
Activities 2 and 3. Encourage them to say as
much as they can, changing partners or as a 9 For freer practice, students roleplay telephone
mingle to facilitate this. conversations for three different situations,
using the conversation in the previous activity as
Listening a model.

5 ► 12 Students listen to an administration Listening

assistant telephoning an IT specialist for help
with a new browser, then answer the questions. 10 ► 13 This activity and the two which follow
focus on saying web addresses, especially the
Yes, the IT specialist solves his problem. symbols within them. Before students listen, put
He likes the fact that he can see all his a common web address (for example,
bookmarks now. www.google.com) on the board and ask how they
think it is said in English (www and dot com are
6 Students listen again, this time for more detailed said in a similar way in many languages.). Then
information: the three things the admin assistant see how many other symbols used in web
needs help with. addresses, such as slash, they already know.
Finally, see how much of the example web

Data communication 3 23
 address in the Course Book they can say. Check After going through the example with students,
that they can recognise items 1–5 being spoken ask them to find the words in the text that the
before they begin listening. linking words refer to. Students could then
check their answers in pairs.
Students then listen to the example being spoken
and write the symbols next to the words. 1 type of wired network 2 star system
3 type of wired network 4 bus 5 mesh
1- 2. 3/ 4_ 5? 6 the link to several other computers
11 ► 14 Students hear a web address being 4 Students match diagrams to types of networks
spoken and choose the correct option. described in the text. (Reading to relate text
content to diagrams is a very useful skill for
3
technical areas of ESP.)

Speaking 1 ring 2 star 3 mesh 4 bus

12 In this information gap activity, students read

web addresses to each other and write down Speaking
what they hear. 5 Students now apply the information from the
web page to answer some questions. Question 1
Networks
uses information from the first paragraph (main
types of network) and question 2 uses the final
Speaking paragraph (the client–server distinction). Point
1 For students with little IT knowledge, the out to students that they will not find the
discussion questions provide a lead-in to the answers directly in the text; rather, they have to
topic as they relate networking concepts to real understand what LANs, WANs, clients and
life. More knowledgeable students could also servers are from the text and then use that
suggest other networks in everyday life, such as information to answer the questions.
cash registers and credit card machines in
1
supermarkets, and mobile phones. a LAN (The computers are close together/in
the same building.)
Reading b WAN (They need to send data to the bank’s
main computer to know how much money
2 Students read a web page about networks and someone can take out, for example.)
match the main ideas to the three paragraphs. c WAN (Police cars can go anywhere.)
The information in the web page ensures that all 2
students, whatever the extent of their IT b, c and e are clients. They need to send data
across a network to do their job.
knowledge, have the same basic information
needed to talk about networks. If the
development of reading skills is important to Language
your students (for example, if they need to read
Care should be taken with this grammar point:
long texts in English at work), you could set a
while relative clauses are not too difficult to
time limit to practise the skill of skimming.
understand, they are tricky to produce. Many
a3 b1 c2 students at this level will not have been formally
taught relative clauses before. For the sake of
3 This activity looks at a type of cohesion, the simplicity, some points have not been made in
linking of ideas in a written or spoken text so the box: for example, the box only includes
that it forms a cohesive whole without defining relative clauses (sometimes called
unnecessary repetition. Cohesion can be restrictive relative clauses), not non-defining
achieved in several different ways; this activity relative clauses. Thus, if students encounter an
looks at the linking of ideas between sentences example of a non-defining relative clause and
using words such as this, it, he and another. For ask about it here, explain simply that it is a
example, in line 5 of this text, They refers to different kind of relative clause. There are some
computers, a word which appeared in the differences: for example, that is not used in
previous line. non-defining relative clauses. Non-defining

Data communication 3 24
 relative clauses are usually set between commas. also that students remember what connecting,
A further simplification is that students only plug into and secure/security from the previous
need generate subject relative clauses, that is, unit mean. Wi-fi is also mentioned; as this is a
those where the verb follows immediately after trademark used around the world, it may be
the relative pronoun, with the relative pronoun familiar to students already.
acting as the subject of the relative clause.
Students then listen and answer general
6 Students identify the relative pronouns in the questions on the conversation.
web page in Activity 2 and decide which word
they refer to. This could be done in pairs. If you 1 not very secure 2 very secure
think your students will need help with this, you 3 as easy as the current system
could draw their attention to the first relative
9 Students listen more closely this time, and take
pronoun in the text (that) and the word it refers
notes about the three items listed. They could
to (networks).
compare their notes in pairs and then listen a
There are two kinds of networks that are in third time to check and expand their notes to
common use. (That refers to networks.) practise using relative clauses. Less confident
students could read the audio script on page 74.
This is a network that has each computer
linked to two others. (That refers to network.) Suggested answers
In a bus system there is a central cable which 1 A dongle is a device that plugs into laptop
is called a bus ... (Which refers to central computers. You can send data through the
cable.) mobile phone system with it.
2 Wi-fi is a type of network that doesn’t use
In this, servers are special computers that store cables.
data ... (That refers to special computers.) 3 A VPN is a type of network that is very
... the browser (the client) will ask the server for secure.
a web page, which then sends the web page
back (Which refers to server.) 10 For further practice of relative clauses, students
read their answers from Activity 9 randomly to a
partner, who then says which device they are
Speaking describing. This activity could also include the
7 Explain to students that the words and phrases items mentioned in Activity 7.
in the box can be used with relative clauses to 11 This discussion question encourages students to
describe various concepts covered in the first address the bigger picture of the conversation
three units. In pairs, students match these to they heard, not just the details.
items 1–6 and use them to describe the items.
Less confident students may need to write these Suggested answers
down before speaking. I disagree. You do have to think about security.
People sometimes choose passwords that are
Suggested answers easy to guess (e.g. 1234 or their birthday),
1 It’s a program that shows internet pages. write down their passwords, laptops can be
2 It’s a part of a browser that helps you find stolen and the data found that way, etc.
things.
3 It’s a cable that links computers in a bus
network. Writing
4 It’s a type of network that covers a wide 12 To prepare, students look at the three
area.
paragraphs of the web page in Activity 2 and
5 It’s a network that uses cables.
decide where the topic of each paragraph is
6 It’s a (peripheral) device that prints.
clearly stated. Not every language organises
writing in the same way, so this may be new to
Listening your students. Even if they are from a language
background with similar patterns of text
8 ► 15 Before students listen, ask what jobs the
organisation to English, this way of looking at
people in the photograph might have. If they
writing may be new and helpful.
suggest sales person, discuss alternative words or
abbreviations for this job, such as sales a
representative, as here, sales rep and rep. Check

Data communication 3 25
13 Students practise writing a paragraph with a 3 This activity follows on from item 3 of the
topic sentence using some of the information previous activity, looking at workflow for an
from the listening: what a VPN is and how it entertainment systems installer. Students put
works. You could refer them to audio script 15 steps a–f into a basic flowchart. Point out that
on page 74, though they should not copy the steps are given in note form, not full
phrases or sentences from there. sentences. Elicit from students what they think
paperwork means (the documents associated with
Extra activity work, such as order forms and invoices). Also
Students could write further paragraphs on point out that admin is short for administration
other topics, possibly of their own choosing. If and that admin staff are the office workers who
they are currently working in IT, they may do the administration. This activity can be done
already know the kinds of topics and writing in the same pairs as before.
tasks they need to do in their jobs and thus
they might be able to choose their own topics 1a 2e 3d 4c 5f 6b
(as long as this is not too difficult for their
4 In pairs, students discuss how the workflow
level). If suggestions are needed, here are some
might change if the technician uses a mobile
ideas from the previous unit:
device. Students will listen to a similar workflow
• CPU
being described in the next activity, so this
• motherboard
provides pre-listening prediction.
• operating system
Suggested answers
1 admin staff send instructions to technician’s
mobile device
Mobile computing 2 technician reads instructions
3 technician finds client and installs system
Speaking 4 client signs paperwork using mobile device
5 technician sends information back to office
1 These general questions ask students about their electronically
usage of mobile devices such as mobile phones 6 admin staff send invoice asking for payment
and tablet computers. This should draw out
vocabulary from their group discussions such as
Listening
smartphone, tablet, laptop, netbook. If all of your
students use smartphones, you could extend this 5 ► 16 Students now listen to an IT specialist and
so that they also discuss their favourite apps. a manager talking about new tablets and how
these will affect the technician’s workflow.
2 Students now look at three scenarios involving
While listening, students compare what they
people at work and discuss how mobile devices
hear with the workflow they discussed in
might make these people’s jobs easier. Check
Activity 4. Emphasise that their discussions and
that they understand the scenarios before
flowchart may differ from what is said here. All
commencing the discussion; the photograph
they are doing here is comparing their thoughts
may help with item 3. In case students ask: the
with the listening.
device on the screen is a colourimeter, used to
ensure that the colours it displays are the same With less confident students, you may want to
as other TVs that have been calibrated in this have them listen one time for gist, then a second
way (in most TVs there is a variation in the time to compare.
colour from one to another).
Language
Suggested answers
Sales people might use mobile devices to take The zero and first conditionals are contrasted
orders, check orders, update the customer here. Ask students to look at the examples and
database or keep track of expenses. work out which tenses are used in the first as
Delivery drivers might use mobile devices to opposed to the zero conditional (Both use
take signatures and find addresses. present simple in the if-clause. The zero
Entertainment systems installation technicians conditional also uses the same tense in the main
might use mobile devices to find customers or
clause, whereas the first conditional uses future).
keep each customer’s (specific) requirements.
From here, guide students to see the link
between the tense usage and the usage of the

Data communication 3 26
 conditionals: present simple is used for actions Suggested answers
that happen regularly and predictably, as is the If the phone has a calculator, people can deal
zero conditional. Will is used for actions that you with money easily.
expect to happen in the future, as is the first
If the device has a calendar, people won’t
conditional. You may want to point out that
forget appointments.
when can be substituted for if in zero conditional
sentences. If the phone has a camera, people don’t need
to carry another camera.
Also point out the pattern of commas: if the if-
clause comes first, there is a comma between the If the phone has an e-book reader, users can
two clauses. If it comes second, there is no read books anywhere.
comma. A common mistake is to put a full stop If the device has a GPS, users can find their
between the two clauses. Make sure that way to and from places more easily.
students are aware they shouldn’t do this. If the battery life is long, we can use it for a
6 This gap-fill activity is based on the scenario in long time/on long aeroplane flights.
the listening and provides controlled practice of If the phone has a torch, users can see what
the zero conditional. they are doing if the electricity stops working.

1 doesn’t know, uses 2 is, signs If the device has a USB recharger, people can
3 changes, updates 4 needs, sends recharge it from their laptops.

9 The topic now switches from installation

Speaking technicians to other mobile workers such as
traffic wardens. In this activity, students simply
7 Words for two key concepts that are highly
speculate about what the person in the
relevant to technology use are introduced here:
photograph is doing and how a mobile device
efficiency and flexibility. Students will need
might help her. As not every country has traffic
explanations: efficiency is improved when the
wardens (their job might be done by police, for
same work can be done in less time or by fewer
example), students might need some hints.
people, and flexibility is improved when it is
easy to change decisions or do things in a Suggested answers
different way. She’s using a mobile device.
For freer practice of the zero conditional, She’s a traffic warden.
If she uses a mobile device, she won’t have to
students use the flowcharts they created in
carry much paper.
Activities 3 and 4 to suggest ways in which
tablets will improve the company’s efficiency
and flexibility. Vocabulary
If your students might be working with speakers 10 Students read an advertisement for a company
of American English, point out that a torch is that produces customised mobile devices for
called a flashlight in American English. mobile workers. They use context to match
words to their definitions. Before students do the
Suggested answer main activity here, you could do some reading
In the old system, if a customer changes their work by putting the following gist and
order, the office can’t send the new details comprehension questions on the board.
easily. But with the tablets, if a customer 1 Who is the advertisement for: consumers or
changes their order, the office can update the
businesses? (businesses)
installer’s instructions straight away.
2 Are the company’s devices only for traffic wardens,
8 Students use conditionals to discuss how or for other people as well? (They’re for other
various functions and features common in people as well.)
mobile devices are useful. 3 How does the device improve traffic wardens’
efficiency and safety? (Efficiency: the traffic
warden doesn’t have to enter data. Checking
registration number, etc. is automated. Safety: if
the traffic warden falls, the device sends a
message to the control centre.)

Data communication 3 27
 1 customise 2 tag 3 location 4 optical Suggested answers
character recognition 5 report 6 exactly giving own contact details, job title, etc.;
7 record/data 8 accelerometer sending big files; checking spelling; sending the
email to another person who didn’t get it
before; sending the email to a person without
Speaking showing their email address; sending a reply;
11 Students now imagine that they work for the sending to more than one person; deleting the
company that produced the advertisement in email.
Activity 10. In groups, they think of ways in
which mobile devices can be customised for the Language
three jobs listed. This activity recycles the
vocabulary of mobile phone features and also Articles are an area of grammar where mistakes
gives more opportunity to talk about efficiency are made at many levels. With most classes, it
and flexibility. will be possible to elicit the rules given here by
putting the examples from the Language box on
Extra activity the board, with books closed. Note that email can
Students discuss how mobile devices help be both countable and uncountable: I get a lot of
them in their work or studies. email/emails.
4 This intranet post about email use guidelines
Email provides accuracy practice of articles in context.
You could also ask students to decide which rule
Speaking from the box applies to each instance of a
definite article.
1 The scene for this section is set through
introductory questions for small group 1 an 2 the 3 the 4 the 5 an 6a
discussion. 7 the 8 the

Vocabulary Extra activity

In pairs or groups, students discuss which of
2 In pairs or small groups, students match some
the guidelines in Activity 4 are the most useful
email-related vocabulary to screenshots of
and which, if any, they disagree with. They
emails. After feedback, check that students have
could also think of other guidelines. If your
worked out correctly that the recipient is the
students are confident but in need of accuracy
person who receives the email. If students do not
practice, this activity (and many others) could
already know, explain that the difference
be conducted in groups of three, with two
between the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) and CC
people doing the talking and the other
(Carbon Copy) addresses is that recipients can
monitoring for use of the grammar point (in
see the CC addresses but not the BCC addresses.
this case, articles). The monitor role would then
Thus BCC addresses are used for privacy.
be rotated.
1I 2C 3F 4B 5A 6G 7E A further alternative for confident students is
8J 9D 10 H to ask them to record the conversation (for
example, on their mobile phones if they have a
3 To practise the vocabulary in the previous
recording feature), play back the recording at
activity, students make notes of the steps in
the end of the activity and check for errors in
sending an email. Then they explain their notes
the use of articles.
to each other and discuss any differences.

Extra activity
Students ask and answer questions about what
the items in Activity 2 are for, for example:
A: What is the subject line for?
B: It’s for giving the topic of the email.
Before they start, point out the for + gerund
structure (similar to the for + noun structure on
page 18 of the Course Book). Business matters

Data communication 3 28
 This section revolves around a scenario in which In preparation for Unit 4, students could:
students prepare and present a proposal for an • look at a catalogue of a seller of computer
IT upgrade for an architecture company. hardware such as DELL and list all the
peripherals they can find (this will also review
Speaking some vocabulary from Unit 2).
• try out a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel,
1 Students read a company profile and six to find out what it does, if they do not know
comments from company employees about their already.
needs and wants, then discuss and make • list some uses of databases.
decisions about possible hardware and software. • look on Wikipedia to find out what a systems
These steps should bring out much of the administrator does (the simple English version
vocabulary from this unit. of Wikipedia, www.simple.wikipedia.org, might
The final step provides a typical outline for a be easier for self-study at this level).
basic presentation: introduction, body and
conclusion. If you think your students might
need practice with this before embarking on the
scenario activity, they can practise with basic,
familiar topics such as their current job or
favourite social activity. They should be given
time to prepare; preparing in groups can help to
build confidence.
The task itself has been deliberately left quite
open so that changes in technology can be
accommodated and to allow an opportunity for
internet research, if facilities are available. The
Course Book suggests presenting to the class.
However, if your class is large, it may be better
to have each group present to a small number of
other groups.

Suggested answers
1
• tablets: don’t work well due to security (C)
• software to show images and plans of new
homes: needs video (D)
• email: sales rep gets too many (E)
• cameras: time-consuming to upload (F).
2
• suggested new hardware requirements:
mobile devices for sales reps with: large
screen (so customers can see more detail),
GPS (to report back the location), network
connectivity with VPN (network required for
the reporting that people want; VPN needed
for security), camera (to photograph sites,
documents, etc.)
• suggested new software requirements:
display software (to help with the
requirement that customers can see more
detail), OCR software (to turn photographs
into documents), calendar software (to
record appointments), cloud computing
capability (to ensure that info is synced to
meet everyone’s requirements)

Preparing for the next unit

Data communication 3 29
 4 Administration

use databases to store the history of the sites visited,

Briefing bookmarks, etc.

This unit looks at two aspects of administration: the At the heart of databases are tables. The columns of
use of spreadsheets and databases, and the the table are called fields and the rows are called
administration of IT systems. Peripherals are also records. For example, a database containing contact
mentioned. Students practise: talking about details might have fields for family name, given
spreadsheet formulae, using the past simple to name, phone number and email address. Each
describe past problems; talking about databases, person in the database will have their own record.
using by + -ing to state concisely how things are Entering data into a large table can be a tricky
done; describing various system administration process. To make it easier, database management
tasks; describing the order of events using while, software such as Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro
before and after; further vocabulary for peripherals; allows the creation of forms (see screenshot A on
describing the background to problems, using the page 30 of the Course Book).
past continuous and past simple.
For output, reports are used. These are
Spreadsheets and formulae well-formatted documents, suitable for printing or
emailing, which show a selection of the data in the
IT staff may be asked to help administration staff database. For example, the data may be sorted in a
who are having problems with spreadsheets and particular order such as alphabetical by family
will often find spreadsheets useful in their own name, or it may be filtered so that only selected data,
work. Only very basic formulae are mentioned here, such as only the contact details for people living in a
using arithmetical expressions and a function. particular city, appears in the report.
Formulae use cell references: spreadsheet columns
Many databases are relational databases. In these,
have letters and rows have numbers, so, for
tables are linked so that users do not have to enter
example, cell D7 is where column D and row 7 meet
the same data multiple times. An example is the
(see the Course Book for further explanation).
student database of an English language college.
An important function is SUM, which adds up the There might be a table that lists students in each
contents of all the cells referenced in the brackets class. But if a student moves to a different class,
after it. When a colon is placed between two cell there will then be two records for the same student
references, a range of cells is specified. Thus (simply moving the student’s data to the table for
=SUM(B1:B4) will add up the contents of cells B1, another class will not work because then there
B2, B3 and B4 in column B. Similarly, SUM(C4:F4) would be no record of which class the student was
will add the contents of cells C4, D4, E4 and F4 in in previously). It is much more efficient to have a
row 4. Other basic formulae include AVERAGE and separate table for student details. Then the class list
COUNT. =AVERAGE(C4:C20) will give the average table can simply refer to the student details table.
of all the values in cells C4 to C20. For this to work, though, there must be one field in
=COUNT(C4:C20) will give the number of items in each table which is unique for each student.
the same cell range (it will not count empty cells). Otherwise, the database would not be able to keep
If you have not used formulae in a spreadsheet track of students when, for example, two students
before, it is suggested that you play with some of the have the same family name. The unique field is
formulae from here in a real spreadsheet before called the primary key and could be something
teaching this lesson. specially created for the database to use, such as a
student number.
Databases A further point to note is that, technically, database
software such as Microsoft Access is a database
Databases are behind many different applications.
management system (DBMS) and is designed so that
For example, email software uses one database to
relatively inexperienced people can set up and
store messages and another one to store email
manage a small-scale database without too much
addresses; any website that you register for will
specialist knowledge. However, it is not particularly
store the registration details in a database. Browsers

Administration 4 30
robust and, for larger applications, more technical • Backups: Systems administrators are usually the
approaches are usually used. At this level, setting up people responsible for the company’s backup
and maintaining databases becomes a very technical and restore strategies. In many cases, data from
process akin to programming. all computers will be automatically backed up to
a server and also to offsite storage, so that if a
Systems administration disaster hits the building, the data will be safe.
• Checking logs: Logs are files created during the
The stereotype of a systems administrator is of
operation of software or hardware that tell a
someone hidden away in a server room surrounded
technician what is happening. For example, an
by technical equipment, only emerging when
operating system might add an entry to a log file
absolutely necessary. While this is unlikely to be the
every time a different user logs on or a fault is
truth, this does give some flavour of the job. Systems
detected. Logs can be very useful in
administration is a highly technical job involving
troubleshooting problems and also in detecting
responsibility for a company’s computers, servers,
potential problems before they occur.
websites and so on. Duties are wide-ranging and,
while they vary from company to company, they Systems administration is a source of plenty of
generally cover researching, purchasing, setting up, humour: a quick internet search will show up songs
maintaining, updating and dealing with problems and cartoons about it, though they are not
with IT equipment. Some of the duties and necessarily suitable for class!
responsibilities mentioned in the unit are:
Peripherals
• Deploying software: in larger companies, rather
than going to each computer and individually This section extends the work on hardware from
installing software, updates and operating Unit 2 with a focus on peripherals (devices which
systems, it is often possible to ‘push out’ attach to computers and are controlled by them).
upgrades remotely from the server to all Some of the items considered here are:
relevant computers at the same time. • NAS (network attached storage) device: a set of
• Networks, network security and websites: hard drives in a single box, which is attached to
some companies host the websites on their own a network in the same way as a computer. Thus,
servers. Where this is the case, the systems it is accessible from any computer and provides
administrator is often responsible for ensuring a convenient place to store files accessed by
that the website is secure and that it is several people, backups and so on.
constantly working (i.e. there is no downtime). • Graphics tablet and stylus: often used by
This also applies to internal websites for staff designers and others who use software such as
use only (intranets) and the company network. Photoshop to manipulate objects in images, as it
• User accounts: Many operating systems have can be more efficient than using a mouse for
several levels of user account, each of which this purpose.
allows access to different areas of the network
and gives different degrees of control over the Business matters
computer. For example, a guest account allows
This involves a scenario in which students discuss
access to only the least sensitive information and
administration problems and possible solutions
might not even allow the user to create new
designed to bring out some of the vocabulary and
folders. On the other hand, an administrator
grammar from this and earlier units.
account gives a high degree of control over the
computer; for example, it usually allows the
Further reading
installation of new software. Companies will
often create different types of user account for Use the following keywords to search the internet
different types of staff. For instance, accounting for websites which give more in-depth information
staff may have access to financial data that sales about the topics covered in this unit: spreadsheets,
staff do not have access to. Access may be read- relational database, Microsoft Access, network
only or read-write. attached storage.
• Setting permissions: This refers to setting up or
adjusting a user account so that permission to
access certain places or do certain things is given
or denied.

Administration 4 31
 Before playing the recording, make sure that
Teacher’s Notes students have heard the words in 1–6 so that
they can recognise them when they hear them.
Warm-up In particular, draw their attention to the fact that
the c in cell is pronounced /s/. Note that
Go through any information students found in students may encounter formulas in place of
preparation for this unit (for example, on formulae. While some maintain that this usage is
spreadsheets, peripherals or databases). incorrect, it does appear to be gaining ground.
Spreadsheets and formulae 1F 2E 3A 4B 5C 6D
The formula adds up some numbers.
Speaking
1 The discussion questions here, which introduce Speaking
this section, ask about how people use 5 This is an information gap activity to practise
spreadsheets generally and about students’ own saying formulae, with Student B’s information
experiences with spreadsheets. on page 70.

Vocabulary Extra activity

2 Students match some basic sums written as If your students have some knowledge of
words with the equivalent sums in symbols to spreadsheets, elicit from them other common
obtain the basic vocabulary of arithmetic, a functions they know in their own language but
necessary step towards being able to say not in English. Then have them dictate
spreadsheet formulae. They then rewrite the formulae containing these to each other.
sums in a different way, using the words given
in brackets and the pattern provided: 8 divided by Language
2 is 4.
The past simple is a grammar point that students
Point out to students that both ways of saying at this level will have encountered before.
sums are fine. In addition, we can also say: If we However, many will still be making mistakes, so
add 8 and 2, we get 10 as an alternative to item 4, further accuracy-focused practice is usually
and 8 over 2 as an alternative to 8 divided by 2. needed.
Also point out that the way that some of these
sums are written by hand is different from how 6 Students read audio script 17 and identify the
they are often written on a computer in tenses used. They also complete a sentence
spreadsheets: / is used instead of ÷ and * describing when the different tenses are used.
(asterisk) is used instead of x. This will help them to relate the points made in
the Language box to real use of language.
1 c 2 b; 8 minus 2 is 6. 3 d; 8 times 2 is 16.
4 a; 8 plus 2 is 10. The past simple and present simple are used.
present simple, past simple
Speaking
Listening
3 To practise the language in Activity 2, students
write down a number of sums of their choosing, 7 ► 18 One way to introduce this activity is to
then say them randomly to a partner, who says ask students to describe past problems they have
the answer (or, alternatively, writes down the had with a spreadsheet (or, if they have not used
sum that he/she hears). This could be repeated spreadsheets before, with other software or
in a later lesson for review. hardware). Guide them towards using the
correct tense while they describe the problems.
Listening Students now listen to four IT employees
4 ► 17 Vocabulary to describe spreadsheets is describing scenarios involving spreadsheet
presented here: students listen to a trainer problems. Each describes both a past action and
explaining a spreadsheet to a trainee and match a present action or situation. While listening,
words to items on the screenshot of a Microsoft students complete a table to show the past and
Excel spreadsheet. present actions.

Administration 4 32
 2 saved a spreadsheet (in the main folder); them do this, they listen to a database
can’t find it administrator explaining the structure of a
3 designed a spreadsheet; it doesn’t work company database to a trainee.
4 typed a date (into a cell); it shows a number
(instead) 1B 2C 3A

3 Students listen again, this time to practise

Speaking listening for more detailed information. They
decide which of the three options best describes
8 Students match possible solutions to the
what the database keeps track of. Before
problems in the previous activity. They then use
listening, check understanding of the vocabulary
this information for roleplays in which they
in the options: clients came up in Unit 1 but
describe the situations but also propose
orders, stock and accounts might be new.
solutions. Students will need to know the
meaning of function. This is the word in the
a
formulae they have previously seen, such as
SUM. Other vocabulary items such as folder and
right-click are review from Unit 2. Vocabulary
Before commencing the activity, choose two 4 Students now read an extract from a database
strong students to model the first conversation, manual and complete gaps with vocabulary
using the example as a starting point. provided, which also appear in audio script 19.
This activity is best done with students helping
a2 c4 d3 each other, that is, in pairs or small groups.

9 This activity brings the language of the section As a further reading activity, students can refer
into the real world. Students take turns to to the audio script on page 75 to check their
describe to a partner an IT problem that answers. After feedback, check that students
happened to them, and the solution. Ideally, this know the meaning of the vocabulary as defined
would be a problem with a spreadsheet but if in the manual.
they have had little experience with
spreadsheets, any IT problem will do, especially 1 objects 2 record 3 fields 4 unique
5 primary key 6 form 7 report 8 retrieve
if it relates to the topic of a previous unit.
a record 9 query the database
Further practice is provided by asking students
to form new pairs and describe the problem they Speaking
heard, not the one they themselves described.
This will help them focus on both understanding 5 Students are presented with descriptions of
and communicating meaning from the three database tables. In small groups (or pairs if
beginning of this activity. you feel this is more appropriate for your class),
they decide which field is an appropriate
Databases primary key. The aim of this activity is to
practise vocabulary from Activity 4; this is far
Speaking more important than whether or not they choose
primary keys correctly, and monitoring should
1 Students begin by sharing their knowledge of focus on encouraging use of this vocabulary.
databases. For those who are new to IT, some
prompting may be necessary: you could point Check first that students know the vocabulary in
out that even a popular website such as each description. Product is review from Unit 1.
Facebook stores user information, posts and so An example of a barcode can be found on the
on in a database. From there, students will be back of the Course Book. Also, draw their
able to speculate about what other websites attention to the example.
might use databases for.

Listening
2 ► 19 Students match vocabulary relating to
databases with three screenshots (a form, a table
and a report) from Microsoft Access. To help

Administration 4 33
 Good primary keys are: Language
1 Membership number
by + -ing is a useful language point, which
2 Barcode
3 Case number/National identity card number should present few challenges to students at
this level.
In each case, the reason is that these are the
most likely fields to be unique (email address 8 Students ask and answer questions about how to
would not be ideal, even though it’s unique to do several tasks involving databases, using the
each person, because many people have more language from the Language box. An example is
than one) provided as a model.

6–7Students now see four more situations. In Suggested answers

groups (or pairs for stronger classes or if groups 1 You can do that by retrieving a record,
are not appropriate in your context), they choose querying the database or running a report.
tables, fields and primary keys for each 2 You can do that by using the ‘sum’ function
situation. When finished, they compare their (in a formula).
answers with another group and discuss any 3 You can do that by using a primary key.
4 You can do that by running a report.
differences. As with the previous activity, the
aim here is practice of the vocabulary.
Speaking
With stronger classes, an alternative to Activity 7
is for each member of the original group to form 9 A scenario is provided in which a company’s
a pair with another student; this will result in problems are described and possible solutions
more practice. are mentioned. The scenario also reviews recent
vocabulary. Students work in small groups (or
Suggested answers in pairs) to discuss possible solutions to the
1 tables: patient’s details, treatment details problems, using this section’s target language.
patient details table fields: patient’s name,
mailing address, telephone number, email Suggested answers
address, patient’s identity number (primary By using OCR, your company will save time on
key). data entry.
treatment details table fields: date of
treatment, type of treatment, result, By using a database, you only have to enter
follow-up treatment, treatment number data once.
(primary key; none of the others are By running reports from a database, you won’t
necessarily unique) need to copy and paste data into word
2 tables: student details, class information, processing documents. The data will be ready
assessment information for printing.
student details table fields: student name,
student ID (primary key), start date, current
class, previous classes, fee paid Extra activity
class information table fields: name of class This activity assumes that students have some
(primary key), class members’ names, basic IT experience. Give a list of basic
teacher’s name, classroom number operations common to most software (for
assessment information table fields: date example cut, copy, paste, undo, open, close). In
and time of assessment (primary key), pairs, students ask and answer questions with
names of students assessed, results
how, which can be answered using the by + -ing
3 tables: airlines, flights
structure (for example, ‘How do I open a
airlines table fields: airline name, airline
code (primary key), airline contact details document?’ ‘By clicking on this button.’).
flights table fields: flight number (primary In a later lesson, for review, paired students
key), departure airport, destination airport, could say, for example: By clicking this button,
departure time, number of seats you can open a new document. The partner then
4 tables: players, games points to the appropriate button on the screen
players table fields: player’s name, email or on a screenshot of the software chosen.
address, player’s identity number (primary
key)
games table fields: players’ names, game ID
number (primary key), time started, time
stopped, current score

Administration 4 34
 Systems administration 4 On this second listening, students complete a
table listing tasks, some of which appeared in
Activity 1. The table has columns to be ticked to
Speaking indicate whether the task worked fine, a
1 This activity is a little different from other problem was found or whether it was not
introductions to sections in the book because mentioned. Students are also asked whether
many students will have little knowledge of the there were any big problems. Before listening,
topic (systems administration), thus making it give them time to read the table. They can check
difficult to elicit prior knowledge or experience. their answers by looking at the audio script on
Instead, a definition of what a systems page 75.
administrator does is given and students, in
1 Worked fine
pairs, place some tasks provided in a table
2 Not mentioned
according to whether or not they fit the 3 Worked fine
definition. Much of the vocabulary in these tasks 4 Problem found
is review from earlier units. 5 Worked fine
If, however, your students have some experience 6 Problem found
of working in the IT industry, you could begin 7 Problem found
No, there weren’t any big problems.
this section by asking them to tell you (or make
lists in pairs or groups) as many tasks a systems
administrator might perform as they can. If this Vocabulary
does not bring out all of the vocabulary in the
5 In pairs, students match words from the table in
box in Activity 1, point students to it and ask
Activity 4 with their meanings.
them to include appropriate items in their lists.
Students with an intermediate level of 1 reset 2 deploy 3 permissions 4 logs
knowledge can start off by completing the task
in the book, then adding ideas of their own. 6 If feasible in your classroom, combine pairs from
the previous activity to make groups of four;
A systems administrator’s task: deploys new otherwise, continue in pairs. Ask students to
software, looks after network security, sets up complete collocations that they heard in the
user accounts, updates software across an audio. Some may be able to do this from prior
organisation knowledge and others may have an impression
Not a systems administrator’s task: designs of which ones fit together from the audio.
databases, works on a help desk, writes
software to sell to other companies 1 smoothly 2 crash 3 running again
4 out of 5 out 6 smoothly
2 For each item in Activity 1 that is not the task of
a systems administrator, students, in the same
pairs, choose a job title from page 4. Language
As in the previous section, gerunds are the
designs databases: database administrator
language focus here but this time they are used
works on a help desk: help desk supervisor
in conjunction with time words: while, before and
writes software to sell to other companies:
software developer after. An alternative is also provided, using a
subject and the present simple form of the verb.

Listening Make sure students are aware that punctuation

is important with these words: the commas in
3 ► 20 Students listen to a systems administrator the examples cannot be substituted with full
asking a technician about the status of the stops, which is a common mistake. Also make
company’s computer systems. On this first sure that, in the second example, students realise
listening, in order to build confidence with it, that what happens in the second clause (back
students are asked just two questions. everything up) occurs earlier than the clause with
before (Before you reinstall the OS). OS in these
No, it isn’t. There are several departments. examples stands for Operating System.

Administration 4 35
7 Students use the prompts to write sentences Speaking
with while, before and after. They will have to
work out which action occurs first or whether 10 In pairs, students use prompts to produce
they occur simultaneously in order to decide instructions for their partner. Make sure they are
which word to use. Ask students to write both aware that there may be several ways to respond
possible answers for those prompts that can take to each prompt. They will have to think logically
either a gerund or subject + verb after the about which action comes first.
conjunction.
Suggested answers
1 While you install/While installing an 1 Before you finish work for the day, could you
operating system, the computer may reboot check the logs?/After you check the logs,
several times. you can finish work for the day.
2 Before you deploy/Before deploying major 2 After you start work tomorrow, please check
software upgrades, (you need/have to) train out the database problem.
the users. 3 While you’re in the server room, could you
3 After you replace/After replacing the hard check the network cables?
drive, everything will go smoothly. 4 After the new designer arrives, could you set
4 After someone forgets a password, (you permissions on his computer?
need/have to) reset it.
11 Students use further prompts to state some
precautions to do with systems administration.
Listening Giving precautions is a useful function for
before + clause/gerund.
8 ► 21 Students listen to five extracts from
conversations and write the action that should Suggested answers
happen first in each case. The aim here is to 1 Before upgrading some software, check that
develop awareness of the effect of the time no one is using it!
conjunction on the order of events; the events do 2 Before remote accessing someone’s
not necessarily occur in the order they are heard. computer, you should ask their permission/
let them know what you’re doing.
2 partition the hard drive 3 check (your/the) 3 Before switching off a server with users’
schedule 4 get access to (your/the) machine computers networked to it, check that
5 ask (them) if it’s OK/ask for permission they’re not using the network/accessing
the server.
4 Before deploying new software, give the
Pronunciation users training with it.
9 Students mark the intonation of the five extracts
from conversations in the previous activity on Writing
the audio script.
12 Using the prompts provided, students write an
1 Dalya, before you close the database, could email explaining a basic procedure. This is
you email me a report on last month’s another useful function that utilises this section’s
sales? Ê language point.
2 After partitioning the hard drive, could you
run a memory check? Ê Extra activity
3 Yoshi, check your schedule before you re-
install the operating system. Ì For students already working in or studying IT,
4 After I get access to your machine, you’ll ask them to write an email giving a procedure
see the cursor moving around the screen. Ì related to their work or recent studies. The
5 Before remote accessing anyone’s email should incorporate language from the
computer, you should always ask them if Language box.
it’s OK. Ì
Intonation generally rises at the end of yes/no
questions and falls at the end of statements.

Administration 4 36
 Peripherals Language
The past continuous and past simple are
Speaking contrasted here. The second point in the
Language box, about interrupted actions, should
1 Explain that a peripheral is a device that plugs
be emphasised as this is the point practised in
into a computer, such as a printer or a screen.
later activities.
Then, with books closed, ask pairs of students to
list as many peripherals as they can. They will
remember some from Unit 2. They may be able
Speaking
to think of more. If they think of something in 5 Students use the prompts provided to explain
their own language but do not know the English problems to their partner. Before beginning the
word, encourage them to explain it to you in activity, choose two students and elicit a
English and supply the word to them. conversation similar to this:
An alternative introduction is to ask students to A: Albert, I’ve got a problem. Could you help me?
B: Sure, what’s the matter?
discuss these questions in pairs or small groups:
A: Well, the printer’s jammed. This morning I was
1 What kinds of peripherals have you used most
printing a report when it stopped suddenly. Half of
recently?
the report didn’t print properly.
2 What’s the most unusual peripheral device you’ve
heard of? With less confident students, it will help to put
Either activity could become a competition by this conversation on the board as a model.
giving a time limit for the pairs/groups to
produce their lists and, when finished, see who Writing
has the longest list. 6 For further consolidation of the language point,
students write an email to a company IT support
Vocabulary office explaining a problem of their choice from
2 In pairs, students match photos of peripherals to Activity 5. If your students need more practice,
descriptions of what the peripherals do. Note you could ask them to write more than one
that all-in-one devices are also referred to as email, for homework or in a later lesson.
multifunction devices (MFD) and multifunction
Business matters
printers, and that these also come in sizes that
will fit on a desk (i.e. smaller than the one In this section students discuss and propose
illustrated). solutions to some IT problems related to the unit
topics. They go on to write an email
A1 B5 C7 D2 E4 F3 G8 H6 summarising the problems and solutions.
3 In the same pairs, students decide whether the
devices in Activity 2 are output devices, input Speaking
devices, both or neither, writing I or O as 1 First, students read the scenario. Then, in small
appropriate next to each. groups, they choose four of the problems
mentioned and complete a log with those
1 neither 2I 3I 4I 5 I, O 6O 7 I, O
problems and the actions taken. If your students
8O
are knowledgeable about IT, instead of reading
the scenario, they can simply choose four
Listening problems that are relevant to their work or
study, though, ideally, they would have some
4 ► 22 Students listen to an assistant systems
relevance to this unit.
administrator explaining a problem to his
manager and complete the table. Explain that in
progress means happening.
Writing
2 Students now work individually and write
The accountant was trying to save a solutions to the problems chosen in Activity 1 in
spreadsheet to the NAS device.
the log provided (for space reasons, it may be
1 got an error message better for them to use a copy of the log in their
2 couldn’t connect to it (from anywhere) own notebooks). This forms the basis for
3 maybe a problem with the network cable discussion in the next activity.

Administration 4 37
 Speaking
3 Students explain the problems from the ‘action
taken’ column in their logs, using language from
earlier in this unit.

Writing
4 Students write an email to the systems
administrator as requested in the scenario in
Activity 1, explaining the problems they
encountered and how they solved them.

Preparing for the next unit

In preparation for Unit 5, ask students to think
about an electronic gadget or item of IT equipment
they have purchased recently, then make some notes
about other options they considered at the time of
purchase and the reasons for making their choice.

Administration 4 38
 5 Choice

IT costs
Briefing
A task that many IT workers perform is to evaluate
Many workers in the IT industry will be involved
the costs of IT equipment to decide which is most
with sourcing, comparing and selecting IT-related
cost-effective for their company to purchase.
equipment and software. This unit provides the
Usually, rather than just looking at the obvious
language for dealing with these tasks.
upfront costs, consideration is given to TCO (Total
Students practise: comparatives and superlatives Cost of Ownership), the total of all the costs of
through product comparison; language used to talk owning something. For example, a smartphone may
about money when evaluating the costs of different or may not come with an upfront cost, depending on
IT equipment; asking polite questions when doing the deal, but there will be usage costs such as
product research; making recommendations based charges for phone calls, data and messages (or, in
on product summaries. some countries, a monthly charge which covers all
of these up to certain limits). Other items that may
Web hosting contribute to TCO include training, maintenance,
servicing, insurance, consumables such as printer
The main technological point in this section is web
ink, electricity and warranties.
hosting. When a company has a website, it has to be
stored (‘hosted’) on a server. There are several ways Product research
to do this. The cheapest is to use a commercial
hosting service to store the website on its own Before high speed internet connections were
computer along with several other companies’ common, software was generally sold in physical
websites. This is called shared hosting. With this, packages: for example, on CDs. This traditional
each website may be quite slow because the server method still exists but in most cases, it is also
has to deal with many websites at the same time possible to download the software over the internet.
(especially if another website on the same server is Either way, generally, the user pays a price for the
heavily used). To overcome this problem, the initial purpose, which allows usage of that version
company can buy its own server to put on its own for as long as desired. Then every time there is a
premises. The downside is that the company is major upgrade to the software, the user can choose
completely responsible for ensuring the server is to pay an additional fee (usually significantly less
working continuously. If a problem occurs during than the initial purchase price). This pricing model is
the night, an employee must be able to deal with it known as traditional pricing.
at short notice. Not every company finds it efficient
Nowadays though, as high speed internet
to do this, so a common solution is to use a
connections are becoming the norm, new ways to
dedicated hosting service. This is similar to shared
price and sell software have appeared. Many new
hosting, except that the company effectively hires a
companies are providing their software only on the
single computer in the hosting service’s data centre,
cloud, meaning that much of the processing done by
together with 24-7 support, and retains the speed
the software occurs on the company’s servers rather
advantages of having no other sites on the server.
than the local computer, and data is stored on the
Hosting services are often priced according to the
software vendor’s servers. This system is also called
server specifications, bandwidth (maximum amount
software as a service (SaaS). Usually the user pays
of data transfer allowed) and the number of IP
monthly rather than a one-off fee; this is called
addresses allowed. An IP (Internet Protocol)
subscription pricing. There are often several levels
address is a sequence of numbers and letters that is
of service, with higher levels carrying higher
unique to each server or website and which can be
monthly fees. This is called tiered pricing.
used to identify it on the internet.
Sometimes the lowest level is free in order to tempt
people to try it and upgrade later for more features;
the pricing model where there is a free version as
well as a paid version is called freemium pricing.

Choice 5 39
A final pricing model is to offer the software for free
but to include advertisements within it to fund it.
This is called freeware or, sometimes, adware.

Making recommendations
CAD (Computer Aided Design) software is used in
a variety of industries, including engineering,
architecture and filmmaking, to replace traditional
hand-drawn technical drawings, blueprints and
animations. It is often very versatile and in addition
to two-dimensional representations it can also be
used in three dimensions. Output can include
technical drawings for builders and others to follow,
though this feature is not so useful for graphic
design. CAD software can often also work out the
amounts of material that are needed and in some
cases can send instructions to machines to make the
components that it has been used to design, this
function being especially useful for manufacturing
uses. To do this, though, it needs to output data in a
format that the machines can understand; file
format compatibility is thus important here.

Business matters
In this section students make recommendations for
hosting services and a web content management
system (web CMS). There is work on the language of
presentations, while students give presentations in
which they make and explain recommendations.

Further reading
Use the following keywords to search the internet
for websites which give more in-depth information
about the topics covered in this unit: dedicated
hosting, TCO, pricing models, CAD, web content
management system.

Choice 5 40
 Language
Teacher’s Notes
Most students at this level will be familiar with
Warm-up basic comparative and superlative structures.
Here, this knowledge is extended by looking at
Ask students to discuss the notes they made for as ... as, less, the least and comparison of nouns.
homework from the previous lesson about factors in
4 For controlled practice, students complete the
their choice of recently purchased items of IT
gaps in the product comparison, using the
equipment.
words in brackets and grammar from the
Web hosting Language box. Before they begin, make sure
they are aware that more than one word goes in
each gap.
Speaking
1 To introduce this section, ask students to discuss 1 the most powerful 2 more drives than
3 the same uptime 4 less bandwidth than
in small groups how much time they spend
5 the most bandwidth 6 the same set-up fees
choosing between IT items that they want to 7 higher than 8 the highest 9 the most
buy: do they make quick decisions or spend time expensive
considering all options?

Vocabulary Pronunciation

2 Before reading the web page, find out how much 5 ► 23 Students listen to four sentences
students know about website hosting. If they containing language from the Language box and
know nothing about this, explain what it is (see mark the stressed words. This activity also
Briefing section) and that one of these is being prepares students for Speaking Activity 6.
advertised here.
1 Dedicated hosting is more secure than
Students read the web page and match shared hosting.
vocabulary from it to definitions. The first of 2 The Basic plan gives you more bandwidth
these (dedicated hosting) is important because it is than the Superior plan.
key to what the advertisement is about. For item 3 Websites run faster on dedicated servers
than on shared servers.
3 you could elicit from students what they think
4 Of the three, the Basic plan has the least
the opposite is (downtime: time when the service
powerful processor.
is not working, something the provider would
want to minimise).
Speaking
1 dedicated hosting 2 guarantee 3 uptime
4 minimum 5 bandwidth 6 IP address 6 In pairs, students use the language from the
Language box and the prompts given to ask and
answer questions about the hosting service in
Reading the HostElite advertisement. Remind them to
3 Now that students have the vocabulary needed use appropriate stress. During feedback, you
to understand the advertisement, they answer could ask a more confident pair to model for the
some comprehension questions. rest of the class. An example may be useful:
A: Which plan has the largest disk capacity?
1 We can send our specifications to them. B: The Premier plan. It has a larger disk capacity
2 guarantees: will replace hardware within than the others.
twenty-four hours; 99.99% uptime;
support: 24-7 (available any time)
3 Yes, we can use our current server OS
licence.
4 Yes. With all plans, you can have an
unlimited number of websites on the server.
5 No. Plans are for a minimum of six months.
6 It depends on the plan: up to 2 TB, 5 TB or
25 TB.

Choice 5 41
 Extra activity Vocabulary
Ask each student to make a list of specifications 2 Students match words to form collocations
of their mobile phone. Then, in pairs, they relating to IT accessories, costs and services.
compare each other’s specifications. Make sure they are aware that more than one
Alternatively, they could use equipment other answer is possible. Some of the words will have
than mobile phones (especially if they can already come up in the last part of the previous
prepare, perhaps for homework, by looking up activity. Also, some of the vocabulary, such as
specifications in manuals or brochures or by licence, is review from earlier units but check that
checking them online). students know extended, charger (recharger came
up in Unit 3), reader, battery and spare.
Listening 1 internet 2 card 3 USB 4 training
7 ► 24 Tell students that they are going to listen 5 spare 6 battery 7 purchase
to two workers in an IT company talking about 8 technical 9 memory 10 software
11 extended
the dedicated hosting service advertised in
Activity 2. Ask them to read the questions in
Note that other answers may also be possible
preparation. This activity practises listening for but are less common or are weaker
specific information and also, in a small way, collocations. Examples include: extended
for inference. cables, technical course, extended battery,
When students have finished, you could ask USB charger, spare charger, training cost,
software cost, extended support, software
them, in pairs, to discuss which plan is most
support, spare card, extended licence, training
suitable for the company. They should be
licence, battery warranty, memory warranty.
prepared to give reasons for their answers.

1b 2b 3b 4c 5a 6b Speaking
Question 2: Students know from earlier that
dedicated hosting isn’t cheap, so the company 3 Students apply the vocabulary from the
is unlikely to be small. previous activity to the devices they discussed in
Question 6: The fact that they had over 10,000 Activity 1 by discussing the questions in small
customers in the previous month indicates that groups or with a partner.
the customers are more likely to be individual
consumers than other companies. Listening

Extra activity 4 ► 25 Tell students that they will listen to a

manager talking about costs. The first time they
To consolidate the work in this section, ask listen, they simply work out from inference the
students to write an email to their manager, kind of gadget she is talking about.
explaining the most important differences
between HostElite’s hosting services and a digital camera
recommending one plan for the company in the
recording. They should give reasons for their 5 Students listen again, this time for specific
recommendation. information, and complete the sentences.

1 cost 2 spent, on 3 was, for 4 pay

IT costs 5 in
total cost over one year: €694
Speaking
1 This activity, the lead-in for this section, asks Language
students about the electronic devices that they
This Language box covers lexical aspects of
own and would like to own. Consider running
talking about money that are often confused by
this activity with books closed so that students
students at this level. One way to introduce this
do not use clues from the next activity. The
is to ask students, in pairs, to work out a
questions can be written on the board or even
question for each item in Activity 5, then
form a running dictation.
compare their questions with the information in
the Language box. For example:

Choice 5 42
 1 How much did it cost? activity in the previous paragraph could be
2 How much did you spend (on the memory cards)? elicited in open class before commencing the
3 How much was it/the case? book work. If further practice is needed, ask
4 How much do you pay (a month)? students, in pairs, to work out the TCO of other
5 How much is it/does it come to/does it cost equipment they own (for example, a laptop
in total? computer). They can make up their own figures
if necessary.
6 For controlled practice of the language focus,
students use the prompts to ask and answer Samiba DR750
questions about what they spend on various Initial purchase cost: $540
aspects of IT. If there is a possibility in your Software costs: $379.95
teaching context that this might be a sensitive Warranty: $0.00 (included in purchase cost)
issue or if students are too young to be spending Technical support costs: $0.00
their own money on such gadgets, students can Training: $0.00 (not required)
instead make up their own figures. If you choose Other items: $79.80 (spare battery)
this option, give them time to prepare their Total cost of ownership: $999.75
figures before the pairwork begins.
Sundai TB10.6
1 How much do you spend on your internet Initial purchase cost: $499.90
connection? Software costs: $295 ($45/year x 3 years +
2 What was your total spending on software $160)
last year? Warranty: $39.90 (free for 2 years; $39.90 for
3 How much do you pay for your mobile an extra year)
phone service? Technical support costs: $0.00
4 What was the purchase cost of your Training: $179 per person
computer in total? Other items: $35.75 (case)
Total cost of ownership: $1049.55

Speaking 8 In pairs, students talk about the differences

between the items in the previous activity,
7 In this activity, each student has some details
thereby recycling the language of comparisons
about costs for a particular item, as well as a
from the previous section.
TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculation
worksheet with a column for both students’
items. They share their information and then Writing
help each other to complete the worksheet. 9 Using the model email, students work in pairs to
Before starting the activity, make it clear to identify some useful features common to many
students that they should use the language in text types in English: the topic of the email
the Language box and check that they know (usually at the beginning) and discourse markers
what initial means in initial purchase cost. Many (words showing the relationship between ideas)
students are likely to have mobile phones with a for adding a similar idea, adding a contrasting
calculator function built in, so it is unlikely to be idea and indicating a summary.
necessary to provide calculators.
With stronger students, you could ask them to
One way to make clear the meaning of TCO is to think of other words with the same functions as
ask students to think about their mobile phone. those they identify in questions 2 and 3 (possible
Ask them how much they spend on it in a year, answers: and, in addition and furthermore for
including all the items associated with it that adding similar ideas; but, in contrast and on the
they mentioned in Activity 1, question 3. Then other hand for adding contrasting ideas; in
ask them to compare this with the initial summary for indicating summaries).
purchase cost (if any). Finally, you could ask
them about other items, such as printers and 1 the first sentence 2 also, however
software, to elicit other items that can contribute 3 overall
to TCO.
10 Students write an email incorporating the
This activity recycles the language of features they discovered in the previous activity.
calculations from Unit 4, so consider reviewing This also recycles language of comparisons from
this language area. For example, some basic the previous section.
calculations such as those that came up in the

Choice 5 43
 Extra activity Language
Students choose one device they talked about When researching products for potential
in Activity 1 and write down estimates of the purchase, IT workers will often have to speak
costs of each item associated with it. They then with people they have not previously met in
work in pairs and ask their partner about their order to obtain information. As they are
list. They should use language from Activity 2 representing their company, they have to pay
and the Language box. more attention to politeness than normal.
Indirect questions, such as those they just heard
Product research in the listening, are useful for this.
With books closed, ask students, in pairs, to
Speaking work out the rules for forming indirect questions
by looking at the sentences in Activity 4. Then
1 In the first section students were asked about
ask them to read the Language box to check.
how quickly they made purchase decisions for
electronic items. Now that they have the
Pronunciation
vocabulary from the previous two sections, they
expand on this point by talking about the factors 5 ► 27 Play the recording and ask students to
they consider during these deliberations. In their mark the intonation as rising or falling in the
responses, students may mention reliability and audio script on page 76. Then ask them to
performance, among other things. practise asking and answering the questions (or
indirect questions they generate themselves)
Reading with a partner, paying attention to their own
and their partner’s intonation.
2 Students read a web page about pricing models
commonly used for software and match them to 1Ê 2Ê 3Ê
the features listed.

1 freeware 2 subscription pricing Reading

3 traditional pricing 4 tiered pricing/freemium
6 Students read two specification sheets for
pricing 5 subscription pricing 6 freemium
pricing databases and answer some questions about
them. A further question for stronger students
could be to decide whether each is cloud-based
Extra activity software or software to be installed on
Ask students to work in small groups and individual computers (cloud computing for
think about software they have bought or used. Microforce Hypernamic – monthly pricing is
What pricing model(s) did they use? They feasible for cloud-based services but not for
should be prepared to explain their decisions. locally installed software; locally installed
software for Jozo Premier – it has a fixed price
Listening per version).

3 ► 26 Students listen to three salespeople 1 Microforce: Freemium; Jozo: traditional

describing software that they sell and decide 2 Microforce: depending on the plan, on the
which of the pricing models from the reading internet, by email and/or by telephone; Jozo:
each person describes. on all plans: web, telephone and/or email
3 a one location b one location
1 traditional 2 freemium 3 tiered,
subscription Speaking
4 In preparation for the language work that 7 In pairs, students look at three different people
follows, students listen again and complete or organisations – a freelancer, a small company
the questions. and a large government department – and
discuss which of the packages they just read
1 how much it costs 2 if there’s a 3 what about is most suitable for each.
the price is 4 how many

Choice 5 44
 Suggested answers Making recommendations
a freelance person: Microforce’s Free plan,
because of the low cost and because features
are likely to be OK for one person.
Speaking
a small company: Again, Microforce’s Free plan 1 This section begins by asking students to think
as three users at one site are allowed. If larger of a device or a software package they have used
features are required, the Microforce standard and tell the rest of their group whether or not
plan is still likely to be cheaper at $120/year
they would recommend it to others, with
than Jozo at $699 until an upgrade is needed.
a large government department: The choice is reasons (what they say is picked up again in the
between Microforce’s Enterprise plan at $300 extra activity at the end of this section).
per year or Jozo at $699 until an upgrade is 2 If your students are likely to already know what
necessary. Microforce will probably be better if CAD (Computer Aided Design) is and does, elicit
the department has more than one site, as the
as many of the things it can do as they can come
price includes unlimited site licences.
up with, providing vocabulary as necessary. If
8 In pairs, students practise the language from the your students are unlikely to know, the Course
Language box by roleplaying a customer and a Book provides a glossary explanation of CAD.
software provider’s representative. They ask Either way, make sure that the items in the box
and answer questions about the software in are covered (note that OCR, audio, and browser
Activity 6. are recycled from earlier in the book). Ensure
that students understand the meaning of all the
vocabulary in the box.
Reading
9 Students read an email about the freelance These features would be useful for CAD: 2-D
person mentioned in activity 7. They find and drawing tools, 3-D drawing tools, good
correct a mistake. In addition, to review the compatibility with file formats from other
software, network capabilities. Opinions may
writing work from the previous section, you
vary about the others.
could also ask them which sentence introduces
the topic of the email (it’s the first sentence).
Listening
They have a free plan which allows up to three
users at one site. 3 ► 28 Students now listen to three people
talking about their companies’ requirements for
CAD software. On this initial listening, they
Writing simply identify how large each company is.
10 Students write an email to the manager of the
1 small company (1 person)
government department or the small company
2 small company (14 people in total)
mentioned in Activity 7, advising on which
3 medium-sized company
package is suitable. Alternatively, they could
write emails to both. They should make sure that 4 There are two stages to this activity. First, play
the topic of their emails is indicated clearly the recording again and ask students to take
through a topic sentence. notes on each company’s CAD requirements.
Depending on your students, you may want to
Extra activity play it twice, with an opportunity for pairs to
For homework, students could be asked to find compare and modify their notes in between.
an item of software that matches each pricing
When students have satisfactory notes, draw
model in Activity 2. In the next lesson, they
their attention to the CAD product summary.
can compare the results of their research in
Discuss with them how useful such summaries
small groups.
are when evaluating software or hardware.
Check that they understand the vocabulary;
some of it, such as licence, open source, support
and forums, is recycled from earlier in the book.
Then put students in pairs and ask them to use
their notes to decide which software is best for
each company. Note that they are not expected

Choice 5 45
 to express their decisions as recommendations Writing
just yet. The important point is not that students
choose the answers given below but that they 6 Students write an email to a person of their
can justify their decision well. choice from this section’s listening, giving their
recommendations for CAD software.
Suggested answers
(To reflect thinking through answers. Use as a Extra activity
guide only.) Students choose a device or software, perhaps
1 SuperCAD, as it’s free (and he is looking for the one they spoke about in Activity 1. They
something low-cost). Most of his work is in then roleplay recommending it to a partner. At
2D and as he is not certain he will need 3D your discretion, students can change partners
in the future, it’s not necessarily a good idea and choose additional devices or software.
to pay for it. This package does have limited
3D tools, though. SuperCAD does not have
Business matters
good training but this isn’t a problem
because he is good at working out how to This section focuses on presentations. Students
use software by himself. The only problem read some information about a company and its
might be if he needs support; the forum may
website needs, listen to an example presentation
provide quick answers but might not. As he
and extract some presentation skills from it and,
is working by himself, networking
capabilities are not so important. finally, give their own presentations.
2 CADmium Pro. This and CAD 8-8-8 would
both be reasonably suitable but as the Speaking
company does not have a lot of money at
the moment, the pay-per-month solution 1 Put students in groups and ask them to discuss
might work best. It does everything they presentations they have previously heard or
need but their main issue is training. given. While doing this, they should come up
CADmium Pro has plenty of that. with three items of advice for presenters. Then,
3 Their main issue is file compatibility. in open class feedback, you could build up on
CAD 8-8-8 has the highest ranking for this. the board a list of advice from each group. If
As for cost, she says they are happy to circumstances allow, you could do this by
spend money if necessary. asking a representative from each group to write
their ideas on the board and then discuss them
Language as a class.

Many students will have seen some of the Suggested answers

language of recommendations previously. One Speak clearly so the audience can hear you.
way to present this is to ask students to try to Prepare well.
express recommendations from Activity 4, Leave time for questions at the end.
writing what they say on the board and eliciting Use notes.
Don’t memorise the talk word for word.
corrections as necessary. While doing this, make
Make sure you know the topic well.
sure that all the language in the Language box is
covered. Students may come up with other ideas
as well. Reading
2 Students read information about a fashion
Speaking company and two services that it might benefit
5 Using the language from the Language box, from: web hosting and a web content
students roleplay conversations with the management system (web CMS). When they
speakers from Activities 3 and 4, making have done this, put them in pairs or groups to
recommendations for the best CAD software. discuss which systems to recommend. Do not
Depending on your class, it may help to ask give feedback just yet; they will hear one view of
students to prepare by writing out the the answers in the next activity.
conversations, possibly in pairs.
Accept any answers that students can justify.

Choice 5 46
 Listening 6 Using the information from the previous
activity, students prepare a presentation. How
3 ► 29 Play the recording. The presenter is an IT you organise this will depend on the size of your
consultant to the company mentioned in the class and the time available for the presentations
previous activity. Recommendations are given (note that the presentations do not have to be
about the web server and the web CMS. completed before starting the next unit). Options
Students compare their recommendations from include only selecting a few students to present,
the previous activity with what they hear. asking students to present to small groups or
having students prepare in groups but having
Server: option 2 CMS: option 2
only one or two people from each group present,
4 Explain to students that there were three stages perhaps jointly.
to the presentation: the introduction (which It is important to give students a task while
gives the topic of the talk and usually lists the listening to others’ presentations: in this case,
main points), the main body (which gives more they could be asked to note down the
detail about each main point in turn) and the recommendations.
conclusion. Then play the recording again, this
time so that students can complete the middle Preparing for the next unit
column of the table. With weaker or less
confident students, it may help to play it In preparation for Unit 6, ask students to list all the
through once before this, asking students to ways they communicate electronically and to think
listen out for each stage. about how each of these could be used within an
organisation, before the next lesson.
Finally, put students in pairs and ask them to
compare what they wrote. Stronger students
could also be asked to complete the final column
of the table with other suitable expressions.

Expressions in presentation
Introduction: First I’ll give ..., Then I’ll talk
about ...
Body: Let’s look at ... first, As for ...
Conclusion: So, in conclusion, ...

Suggested answers for further ideas

Introduction: First, I’ll look at ..., Finally, I’ll ...
Body: Let’s talk about ..., Now ... is our next
topic
Conclusion: To conclude, ...

Speaking
5 Students read a company profile for a new
company. Then, in pairs, they decide which
server options and web CMS systems from
Activity 2 to recommend.

Suggested answers
(Accept any answers that students can justify.)
server: option 2
This is cheaper. There is no need for extra
power. As the website content is mostly small
files, large bandwidth is not very important. The
company wants to keep costs low.
CMS: option 1
This has a lower cost. There is no need for the
extra feature of option 2.

Choice 5 47
 6 Interactions

Video conferencing
Briefing
Video conferencing can be a great time and money
The focus of this unit is the use of information
saver for business as it can avoid the need to travel.
technology to mediate interactions, including social
However, equipment can be expensive and often a
networking in a workplace context, video
dedicated room (sometimes called a telepresence
conferencing, e-commerce (interactions between
room) is necessary. The photo on page 46 and audio
business and consumers) and the training of users.
script 32 on page 77 give further information.
Students practise: language used to describe current
Videophones are a much cheaper solution, yet still
changes, especially as it applies to social networking
have video conferencing’s advantage over
systems; the second conditional, through discussing
telephones of allowing the participants to see each
different video conferencing systems; explaining the
other’s facial expressions and body language.
meaning of technical words; making requests with
However, they cannot easily be used to connect
regard to training needs.
more than two people, especially if they are in more
Enterprise social media than two different places. Internet-based services
such as Skype also allow video calls but they do not
Social networking sites such as Facebook and their provide the same immersive experience as a full
equivalents in other parts of the world are becoming video conferencing set-up which is designed to give
very common. Business-focused equivalents of these the closest impression possible of being in the same
also exist, designed to improve communication room as the other participants.
within companies, especially large ones. These are
One technology that is essential for video
known as enterprise social media, one example
conferencing (and other systems using large
being Yammer. Some common features of these
amounts of data) to work well is data compression.
systems include:
There are many different ways to do this but they all
• instant messaging: while systems such as ICQ
involve coding information so that it takes up a
and Microsoft Messenger are going out of
smaller amount of storage or bandwidth. Some
fashion in many countries for social purposes,
examples include MP3, which is commonly used for
such systems are considered very effective for
audio, jpeg for images and zip for many other types
communication within companies.
of files, from images to documents.
• forums: these enable people to write questions
which are viewable and answerable by anyone E-commerce
with access to the system.
• document management: this allows documents E-commerce systems have to overcome various
to be shared, edited and/or archived by people challenges. They have to be secure – customers have
with the relevant permissions. They are useful to be able to trust that their personal and payment
for storing policies and procedures, sales details are not at risk of being found out by others.
literature, specification sheets for products the Ease of use is also very important, as is the customer
company produces and so on. This may also be experience; the user interface, the part of the system
associated with a comments feature, which that users see, is important for both of these points.
allows people to make comments about And they have to integrate with other systems such
documents, thus aiding collaboration. as the company’s accounting and inventory
management systems so that the website does not
There may even be a speech-to-text or text-to-
sell the customer items that are out of stock and so
speech capability, allowing the system to accept
that staff can be informed if the company is running
voice input or provide output in spoken form
low on an item. Also, the system has to tell the staff
respectively. Nowadays, most systems use
(or robots) that pick items off warehouse shelves
encryption (see Unit 3) to improve security. When
which items to pick and tell the packers where the
messages and data are encrypted, even if a hacker
items must be sent to.
accesses them, they will not be readable.

Interactions 6 48
Although acronyms are used throughout the book
due to their ubiquity in IT, this section is the first
place where the word acronym appears.
A lexical point of note is that the term shopping
basket is preferred in the UK and is sometimes
shortened to basket, while shopping cart (or cart) is
more common in the USA. However, because many
websites use third-party applications for their
shopping basket which may have been developed in
another country, this distinction may not always be
apparent when using a particular site.
The listening in this section mentions an e-wallet
(also known as a digital wallet). As its name
suggests, this is like a physical wallet but carries
such things as cash or credit card details
electronically, usually on a mobile phone. To spend
money, the user simply swipes the mobile phone
across a sensor near the cash register of a shop (see
the photograph on page 49 of the Course Book). It
relies on a technology called NFC (Near Field
Communication), built into many smart phones,
which transmits data over very short distances.

Training users
Training is an often-overlooked but very important
aspect of any new IT system. The full benefits of IT
systems can only be enjoyed if users know the most
efficient way to use them and this is unlikely to be
picked up quickly without instruction.
Most teachers, especially in the ESP field, will
already be familiar with the concept of a training
needs analysis – finding out through questionnaires
and other methods what a specific group of students
needs to learn as the start to the process of
developing a syllabus that meets their needs. This is
done in most areas of adult education, not just in
ELT, and is particularly relevant in the workplace as
training must be highly targeted in order to be
cost-effective.

Business matters
In this section students work in groups to decide on
technological solutions to a company’s problems
and then write a short, appropriately formatted
report to present and explain their group’s decision.

Further reading
Use the following keywords to search the internet
for websites which give more in-depth information
about the topics covered in this unit: enterprise
social networking, Yammer, video conferencing,
data compression, digital wallet, near field
communication.

Interactions 6 49
 Suggested answers
Teacher’s Notes 1 Twitter only allows short messages but
Facebook and Linkedin allow much longer
Warm-up messages. Linkedin is for work and
business but Facebook is for friends.
Put students in pairs or small groups. Ask them to 2 for work: more about getting information and
compare the notes they made for homework about selling things; with friends: more about being
how they communicate electronically and how the friendly, discussing things, giving opinions,
forms of communication they use might be useful at making arrangements, etc.
work. Put relevant vocabulary on the board and 3 security: people might give away company
make sure that all students know their meanings by information; privacy: if people use them for
eliciting them from students who used them. social reasons, the company might see
something about the worker’s private life.
Enterprise social media There’s a record that the company can keep
for a long time, and people can search.
Speaking
Listening
1 This unit looks at ways in which IT facilitates
interactions, including electronic 4 ► 30 The focus now switches to describing
communication. This opening activity asks current changes. Students listen to five people
students to discuss, in pairs, how they describing trends and decide whether each is
communicate electronically with family and best represented by graph A or graph B.
friends, and about advantages of each form for
different purposes. 1A 2B 3A 4B 5A

Vocabulary Language
2 In pairs, students match three online services Students may need help with forming the
and websites to their categories. The previous subject of sentences using increase and decrease.
activity is likely to have brought up other Providing a common model (the number of .../
examples; students can match these and any the amount of ..., depending on whether the
others they can think of to the same categories. quantity is countable or uncountable) can assist
with this.
Students’ examples of each may vary depending
on where they are from. For example, Mixi You could also point out that more and more is
(Japan) is a social networking service and more informal and spoken in style, while
WordPress (most ‘western’ countries and many decrease and increase are more likely in writing.
others) is a blogging and web CMS service. This distinction is quite important. You may also
wish to mention that fewer and fewer is used with
1c 2d 3a countable nouns and less and less with
uncountable nouns.
Speaking 5 Students now look at audio script 30 on page 77
3 Students discuss the differences between the and underline the parts of the sentences
websites/services mentioned in Activity 2 and showing change. Note that this activity can
how they might be used differently in a work equally well be done before the language is
environment from a social one. They should also introduced; this would result in a discovery
consider other similar websites or services, such approach, in which students make hypotheses
as those whose logos are shown in the Course about how the language relates to meaning,
Book. They also speculate about possible which are then checked. This can be a highly
security and privacy issues. effective approach.

Interactions 6 50
 1 Our website is getting more and more visits. 9 Students listen for a third time and mark the
We’ll need more bandwidth soon. trends listed as upward or downward. Before
2 My colleague gave me some good news. playing the recording, check that all students
Laptops are getting cheaper! I’ll buy one understand the items.
soon.
3 The number of companies using a social 1Ì 2Ê 3Ê 4Ê 5Ê 6Ê
networking system is increasing.
4 The number of visits to our website is going
Language
down. This isn’t good. We need to look at
this. 10 As a continuation of the previous sequence of
5 More and more staff are asking for mobile activities, students work in pairs to write
access in order to work from home. sentences which represent the trends they
identified in the previous activity. Emphasise
6 For controlled practice, students complete the
that what they write does not have to be the
gaps in the short conversations using the words
same as what they heard; it only has to have the
in brackets and language from the Language
same meaning.
box. Several alternatives are possible for each.
To provide some variety in feedback, and if your
Suggested answers students are trusting of each other, you could
1 Hard drives are getting cheaper. ask them to swap their answers, check against
2 Our website is getting slower. the audio script on page 77 and then discuss the
3 Our forum is becoming more and more answers with the other student.
popular.
Speaking
Listening
11 Students work in groups to discuss two
7 ► 31 The focus now moves back to social questions. The first provides freer practice of the
networking, more specifically, enterprise social language point for this section. The second
networking. By picking up on points that allows an opportunity for some basic critical
students made in Activity 3, explain that thinking around the topic of the section, as well
enterprise social networking is a type of social as recycling of vocabulary relating to enterprise
networking system designed specifically for the social networking systems.
workplace. Depending on your students’
knowledge of IT and the world of business, you Video conferencing
may be able to elicit from them some examples
and their features and capabilities. Speaking
Students now listen to a company’s general
1 The lead-in questions here guide students to talk
manager talking to an IT officer about replacing
about advantages and disadvantages of visual as
the company’s current but rather limited
opposed to audio-only communication and
enterprise social networking system. For this
introduce the topic of video conferencing.
first listening, students answer a gist question.
Suggested answers
Easy. Most of the requested features are 3 no need to travel, lower cost, less time
common. wasted, more flexibility
8 Before this second listening, which is for a more 2 Students now look at a photo of a video
detailed understanding, go through the features conferencing set-up and decide which items
of enterprise social networking systems listed in from the list they can see in it. This is best done
the table. Students have to tick the appropriate collaboratively, for example, in pairs. Most of
column in a table to indicate whether each is in the vocabulary here is new. An interesting point
the current system or is a new feature that the is that some of the items that logically must be
manager wants in the new system. present, such as cables and video cameras,
cannot be seen. You could ask students to
Current system: 1, 2, 3, 6
New system: 4, 5, 7, 8 speculate about where those items might be
(cables might be ducted through the furniture
and video cameras might be small and above the

Interactions 6 51
 monitors). The control panels can be seen: 5 Students identify second conditionals and the
they are the screens in front of each of the local tenses used within them in audio script 32 on
participants. page 77.

control panels, high-definition monitors, local If we had one of those now, we could connect
participants, remote participants to our Tokyo, Dubai and Paris offices!
If we had a video conferencing system, we
Listening would save in other areas.

3 ► 32 This recording, in which two technicians We use the past simple in the if clause and
have a conversation, introduces some slightly would or could in the main clause.
technical information about video conferencing.
The gist question asks which two types of video
Listening
conferencing systems the woman talks about.
6 ► 33 To practise identifying conditionals and
dedicated systems and desktop systems relating them to meaning, students listen to five
people talking about video conferencing. They
4 Put students in pairs and ask them to attempt to
decide whether the situation being talked about
complete the glossary. Then play the recording
is likely (first conditional) or hypothetical/
again to allow them to check their answers,
unlikely (second conditional).
and/or ask them to check against the audio
script on page 77. Make sure they understand 1 likely 2 unlikely 3 unlikely 4 likely
the meaning of location before doing this. 5 unlikely
1 dedicated system 2 remote control
3 MCU 4 (data) compression Speaking
7 Ask students to guess the function of the item in
Language the photo (a videophone) and to talk about
whether they have seen or used one before, and
One way to introduce the language focus here is
what they would do if they had one.
to ask students what will happen if there is no
remote control, putting their responses on the Then, if your students are good at listening, play
board and eliciting adjustments until they are recording 32 again (from Activity 3) and ask
grammatically correct. Then the same could be students to complete the middle column of the
done for something that is not currently true in table in their books. Otherwise, ask them to use
your classroom. For example: What would happen the script on page 77 to accomplish this task.
if we didn’t have a whiteboard? The difference in
When the middle column is complete and has
situations when the two forms could be used
been checked, students are ready for the main
could then be highlighted. Whichever way you
part of this activity: using second conditionals to
introduce the second conditional, it is important
compare what they would be able to do with the
that the first conditional is reviewed, as this is
video conferencing system as opposed to a
needed for Activity 6.
videophone.
It is also important to point out that in spoken
second conditionals, would is often shortened to How many locations of participants?
’d, which can be hard to hear. Can changes to more than two
could or would/’d be able to. How many participants in each location?
more than one
A further point is that, after introducing a topic
with a second conditional, speakers continue to Cost?
indicate the hypothetical nature of the situation more expensive
through the use of would. For example, the Room
speaker of the first example in the Language box special room
might continue by saying, ‘That would help us
Equipment needed
save a lot of money because people wouldn’t
HD monitors, video cameras, remote controls,
have to travel’. MCU

Interactions 6 52
8 In pairs, students complete a table which 3 If doctors working in a small hospital a long
indicates the problems that could occur if a way from the city could use video
video conferencing system did not have the conferencing facilities, they’d be able to
listed items. They then go on to say these communicate with doctors in the city more
problems in complete sentences. easily.
4 If a company director who doesn’t have time
Suggested answers to visit clients overseas could use video
2 maintenance would be expensive conferencing facilities, she’d be able to
3 data wouldn’t transfer quickly enough; there communicate with her clients more easily.
wouldn’t be enough bandwidth; video
wouldn’t transfer properly Extra activity
4 video conferencing would only work with two Students write a paragraph for two of the
locations
situations in Activity 10, explaining the
5 people wouldn’t know how to use the
system properly problems that would be avoided by choosing
6 there would be nowhere to go for the video particular features. It may be helpful to build
conference; would have to hire a room each up a model paragraph on the board by asking
time students for their suggestions, writing them on
7 data would use too much bandwidth; the board and carefully guiding students to
bandwidth charges would be high suggest appropriate changes until you are
satisfied with it.
9 Students roleplay conversations between a
general manager and an IT worker in which the
E-commerce
IT worker attempts to persuade the manager to
purchase a feature from Activity 8. By using the
second conditional to explain the problems that Speaking
would happen if the purchase is not made, the 1 Students discuss whether they do any shopping
IT worker tries to overcome the general using the internet, and the advantages and
manager’s reluctance to spend money. disadvantages of doing so.
To maximise practice, either tell students to
swap partners at regular intervals or run the Reading
activity as a mingle.
2 The text describes the experiences of someone
10 In pairs, students speculate about how the who sets up e-commerce systems. Two gist
people mentioned would benefit from access to questions are provided for this initial reading.
video conferencing facilities. If a further
situation is wanted, you could also ask students The three parts of an e-commerce system are:
to consider two employees of a company which user interface, shopping basket and payment
has offices in several different countries. system. Dalya finds the payment system the
most difficult to set up.
In a later lesson, valuable recycling of the
language in this section could be achieved by 3 Students match meanings to words in the text.
asking students to roleplay selling video
conferencing equipment. They would explain 1 integrate 2 components 3 code
the benefits and how it could help to solve 4 processing 5 delivery address 6 order
problems. 7 accounting

4 These comprehension questions encourage more

Suggested answers
1 If a deaf person could use video in-depth understanding of the text.
conferencing facilities, they’d be able to use
sign language/do things that they wouldn’t 1 the user interface
be able to do by telephone. 2 the shopping basket
2 If a child could use video conferencing 3 to track/for tracking items in the basket
facilities, they’d be able to study from 4 the shopping basket
home/wouldn’t have to go to boarding 5 the payment system
school/live at school. 6 the payment processing system
7 Several kinds of software can accept data
from it.

Interactions 6 53
5 Explain what an acronym is and elicit some The product is an e-wallet system. It solves the
examples. Then, in preparation for the language problem of slow speed of using e-commerce/
section, ask students to find three acronyms in people not buying things because e-commerce
the text and underline their meanings. is too slow.
During feedback, make sure students
8 Students listen again and answer more detailed
understand that, while the words they have
questions.
underlined explain what the acronym stands for,
they may need to read around those words to 1 They type in their information once. The
understand what it means. For example, to information is then stored in the system. When
understand what EDI means, they need to know customers want to buy something, they log on,
what this in which makes this easier refers back to enter a password and their information is sent
(integrating the payment system into several to the vendor company.
different systems) and they also need to read the 2 They pass their mobile phones over a sensor
next sentence. when they want to pay and type in a password.
3 Security: it sends data straight to the
B2B (business-to-business) accounting system/it integrates with accounting
B2C (business-to-consumer) systems.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
Speaking
Language
9 From their memory of the listening, students
Before reading the Language box, you could ask write a definition of an e-wallet. They then
students to underline the parts of the text that compare what they wrote in pairs and negotiate
give the meaning of the following technical to jointly construct a single definition,
words: user interface, cookies and payment combining the best of each other’s ideas. This
processing system. Then ask them to match them can then be shared and compared with the class.
to the points in the Language box. 10 To allow personalisation and critical thinking,
students discuss whether or not they personally
Speaking would use an e-wallet system, giving their
6 In this information gap activity, students listen reasons.
to each other giving some definitions and match 11 In pairs, students write definitions of three
what they hear to phrases and acronyms. words from the article in Activity 2. Then they
read the definitions to a partner, who guesses
Student A the word being defined. Alternatively, students
a DRM b bricks and clicks c NFC
could choose words from earlier in the book to
Student B define for their partner to guess. For students
a SSL b B2G c bricks and mortar store currently working in or studying IT, a further
alternative is to ask them to use definitions that
are relevant to their work or study. Either way,
Extra activity
this activity could be run as a mingle.
Write the words defined in Activity 6 on the
board and ask students to close their books. The variations could also be used in a later
Then ask them to write their own definitions lesson for review and recycling.
before checking with each other and the book.
Training users
Listening Speaking
7 ► 34 Students will hear a conversation between
1 If your students are not already familiar with
a customer and a salesperson talking about a
e-learning, begin by discussing as a class how
new product. The initial gist questions here
computers might help people to learn in a
involve identifying the product and the problem workplace environment. Any experiences that
it solves. individuals have had of e-learning will help
here. This will lead nicely to the initial
discussion questions in the Course Book.

Interactions 6 54
 Suggested answers first speaker’s turn with the students before
1 It’s very important. Without training, they will putting them in pairs to look at the others.
waste a lot of time trying to work out how to 2 Elicit one of the requests students heard in the
use it, or just not use it, or not use it audio in Activity 3, then ask them, in pairs, to
efficiently/properly. write it in as many different ways as they can.
2 E-learning saves travel costs. People in They could then check their ideas against the
many different company departments/ audio script.
locations can be involved in the training.
Some people will find it more motivating/ 4 Students write polite requests for training in
interesting. each area mentioned in the prompts. These
could be developed into conversations similar to
those they just heard.
Vocabulary
2 Ask students what they remember about Suggested answers
1 It would be great to know how to use instant
enterprise social networking (ESN) systems from
messaging.
the first section of this unit. Then ask them to
2 Could you tell me how to use document
match the words to the definitions. collaboration features?
During feedback, if you are in a company, ask 3 Could we learn about document archiving?
students to think of an example of a policy, a 4 It would be good to learn about finding
procedure and an announcement. In preparation information.
for the next activity, make sure that students
know that instant messaging is also called chat: Speaking
both terms are used on the recording.
5 Students use the prompts to have conversations
1c 2d 3b 4g 5a 6f 7h 8e similar to those they recently heard. As these
relate to concepts dealt with in previous units, it
may be useful to do a little review first. This
Listening activity could be a mingle. An alternative, for
3 ► 35 Find out how much students already added realism, would be for students to ask
know, if anything, about the concept of a about things that they feel they need training in
training needs analysis. If they do not know, in real life. Make sure that your students are
explain what it is. Then give them time to read having a proper go at talking about their needs,
the checklist; you may need to explain what and not just saying Could I have some training
access means but the rest of the words should be in ...?
review from earlier in the book or covered in the
previous activity. While listening, they tick the Extra activity
items in the checklist each time one of the Stronger classes could be asked to roleplay
speakers mentions a need for that point. Be persuading a manager to provide more
prepared to pause the recording after each training by explaining the advantages of doing
speaker if necessary. so. This could review the recently studied
second conditional; for example, students
The following areas/features should be ticked: might say: If we had more training, the admin staff
increasing efficiency, document collaboration, would be able to work more efficiently. Two things
finding messages, smartphone syncing, that may help with this are:
threaded view, archiving of old messages, • deciding on a specific item of software or
tagging of messages, files and documents
hardware on which to provide training,
ideally something relevant to students in
Language real life.
• making a list of advantages of training at the
Two alternative ways to lead into this language
end of Activity 1.
point are:
1 Ask students, in pairs, to look at audio script
35 on page 78 and identify the requests, then
compare them with the Language box. Point
out first that requests do not always have to
be questions. It may help to go through the

Interactions 6 55
 Business matters Suggested answers
Enterprise social networking systems
In this section students read a report, make If the company had an ESN system now,
decisions based on the recommendations therein communication between departments and
and write their own short reports in response. countries would be easier and more efficient.
Collaboration would be easier.
Reading E-wallet
If they had an e-wallet now, customers would
1 Students look only at the headings and use them be able to use the e-commerce system more
to identify the main points of the report. easily and quickly, and perhaps more would
Reading headings first is a useful reading complete their transactions.
strategy – an aspect of skimming – which
students should be encouraged to embrace. Writing
problems (with communication and internet 4 Students identify features of reports by
sales) and recommendations for IT solutions answering questions about the report in
Activity 1.
2 Students read the report again, this time in more
detail, and answer the questions. Additional 1 headings
questions that could be written on the board for 2 a the introduction b the middle part
students to answer are: (‘Problems: communication and internet
1 What kind of people or organisations does the sales’) c the final part
company sell to? (Businesses and consumers: it (‘Recommendations for IT solutions’)
mentions B2B and B2C sales.) 3 at the beginning
2 What is going better for the company: face-to-face
5 Students write reports explaining the decisions
sales or e-commerce sales? (Face-to-face: the
they made in Activity 3 and using the features
report mentions that their bricks and mortar
they identified in Activity 4.
stores are doing well.)

1 The company has more than one location. Extra activity

(An ‘overseas office’ is mentioned.) Depending on your students’ needs, they could
2 Communication isn’t very efficient, also give presentations to explain their
especially for international locations. decisions in Activity 3. This would give further
3 Internet sales are going down. Customers practice of the presentation strategies from the
don’t like the system because it’s hard to previous unit. Students listening would need to
use. have a task to do while listening; you could ask
4 a Find technology to help with the problems.
them to identify the IT solution in each
b Find out the prices and features of
presentation and make a list of its benefits.
appropriate systems.

Preparing for the next unit

Speaking
If your students are familiar with programming or
3 In pairs, students decide which items of
website development, ask them to make a list of
technology mentioned in the unit could help the
stages in writing a program in preparation for Unit
company in the report. They say how things
7. Students could be asked to look at a few websites
would be different if the company had the items
and identify some features they have in common.
now, thereby recycling second conditionals.

Interactions 6 56
 7 Development

Website design and architecture

Briefing
Several aspects of website architecture are common
The common theme throughout this unit is the
to most websites: most have menus near the top of
development of software and websites. Students
each page, copyright and links to legal disclaimers at
will talk about determining the scope and
the bottom, links to other pages down the left or
specifications of a project (requirements analysis),
right side and so on. Also, similar menu items
the structure of websites, programming and how
appear in many websites: there are usually items for
projects are managed.
contact details, ‘about us’ (which gives information
Students practise: language to express user about the organisation), FAQs (Frequently Asked
requirements; the passive, in the context of a web Questions) and ‘contact us’ or ‘contact details’.
developer’s work; make and cause to explain how Text in websites is often called hypertext, that is,
something controls something else; the language of text containing links (hyperlinks) which can be
schedules. clicked on to go to other pages within the site or
external websites.
If you are unfamiliar with programming, it is
recommended that you check through the Briefing Website development can involve a range of
notes below and the audio script for the third section programming technologies. The most basic of these
(Software development) carefully before the lesson. is HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). Version 5
Rest assured, though, that the topic is dealt with at a of this (HTML5) includes provision for video and
very basic level. animations; older pre-HTML5 websites had to use
other technologies such as Flash to display moving
Requirements analysis images. Many websites use databases to store such
things as user login details; one that is commonly
This section begins by looking at the process of
used is MySQL (pronounced either ‘my S, Q, L’ or
writing software and websites to meet client needs
‘my sequel’). Many websites generate pages ‘on the
but the main focus is the initial stages of this
fly’, that is, rather than being pre-written, pages are
process: working out the requirements and
created in response to user input. These are called
producing a set of specifications, a process often
dynamic web pages. Facebook pages are a good
known as requirements analysis. The rest of the
example: every time someone accesses their
unit will look at the other parts of the process.
Facebook page, it may appear different because it
The person who is responsible for the requirements shows content from other people’s pages that may
analysis process is the systems analyst. The process have been updated since the last visit. Generation of
that the software or website needs to follow has to these is often carried out by a kind of programming
be documented in minute detail so that the language called a scripting language that is
programmers know exactly what to do. It needs to embedded in the HTML of the web page;
cater for every eventuality that might occur. An examples include PHP (open source) and ASP
early step is to identify the stakeholders, which is (a Microsoft product).
anyone who will directly or indirectly be affected by
Website designers often have to pay attention to
the software. This could include, for example,
search engine optimisation (SEO); that is, they have
customers of the client who will use the software, as
to design the site and the text within it such that it is
well as employees of the client. In most cases these
seen as an important website by the major search
people are then interviewed (see the interview on
engines such as Google, and thus appears near the
page 52 of the Course Book for more information.)
top of search results (i.e. has a high search ranking).
The result of the process is a specifications
document which the client is generally asked to
check and agree to before the programming
commences.

Development 7 57
 Software development Project management
A large number of programming languages exist. Software development projects are notorious for
Some common ones are Java (often used for web taking much longer and being more expensive than
applications) and the C family of languages, which originally anticipated. For this reason, project
includes C, C++ and C# (C sharp). Students may management within programming is very
have been exposed to languages such as BASIC at important. Most project management software
school. The examples used in this unit are from C. produces Gantt charts, which generally show time
across the horizontal axis and parts of the project
An important concept in any programming
down the side. Thus, people involved in the project
language is the variable. Variables are represented
can see at a glance where each aspect of the project
by names that are one or more characters long and
should be at any particular time and how a delay in
they have a value which can be a number, a
any part of the project could affect other aspects of
character or a string of characters. As their name
the project.
suggests, their value can vary; this occurs in
response to instructions (otherwise known as A typical software development project has several
commands) within the program. Two examples of stages. After the requirements analysis (see the first
short sections of programs (or source code, often section of this unit), the programmers do the coding,
just called code) are provided on page 56 of the that is, writing the software. When they have a
Course Book. working prototype of the application, alpha testing
commences. This is usually done internally, without
The first gives the value 3 to a variable called ‘a’ in
client involvement, and focuses on the basic
the first line, then the value 2 to another variable
functionality of the software. Any major bugs
called ‘b’ in line 02. It then adds them together,
identified are then ironed out by the programming
putting the result of this sum into another variable,
team and the software then goes to beta testing.
‘x’. The final instruction outputs the value of x (5) to
This generally involves end users using the software
the screen.
and reporting on any problems they find. After a
The second section of code is part of a program that further round of debugging and perhaps further
allows a robot to be controlled from a mobile phone: testing, a release candidate is produced. If there are
the key that is pressed on the phone determines the no significant problems with this, the release
direction of the robot’s movement. The code begins candidate becomes the final version.
by setting two variables, ‘g_Move’ and ‘g_Turn’, to
zero. After that, another variable called ‘key_Press’ Business matters
comes into play; this takes the value of the key that
In this section students read a scenario involving a
is pressed on the mobile phone (to avoid
website development project. They make decisions
complication, the exact means through which this is
about the content of the website, plan the project
done is not discussed). Then there are four lines
using a Gantt chart and write a report about it.
beginning with ‘if’; these all work in a similar way to
each other. The first one checks the value of
Further reading
‘key_Press’; if the value is ‘a’, i.e. if the ‘a’ key has
been pressed on the mobile phone, then the value of Use the following keywords to search the internet
‘g_Move’ is changed to 1. As we hear on the audio, for websites which give more in-depth information
this means that the robot moves forward (how it about the topics covered in this unit: systems
does this would be dealt with later in the program, analyst, requirements analysis, web design, HTML,
and again, for simplicity, is not discussed in the Adobe Flash, MySQL, dynamic web page, PHP,
unit). The next line sets ‘g_Move’ to 2, programming language, C (programming
corresponding to the robot moving backwards, and language), software development, software testing.
so on.

Development 7 58
 through (or elicit from them) any other parts of
Teacher’s Notes speech of these words: for example, the noun
form of analyse is analysis.
Warm-up
1 detail 2 analyse 3 approve 4 interview
Ask students to share the homework they did at the 5 debug
end of the previous unit: the stages in writing a
program and/or the common features of websites Extra activity
that they looked at.
Ask students to close their books. Write the
Requirements analysis vocabulary from Activity 4 on the board. Then
put students in pairs and ask them to explain
1 If your students are familiar with software the software development stages to their
development, discuss with them the stages in partner using the vocabulary on the board.
the process, writing them on the board as you This activity is a good way to review and
go, or ask them to come up with a sequence of recycle vocabulary and can be applied to many
stages in pairs. Otherwise, ask them to work in situations throughout this book.
pairs, open their books and put the stages
provided in order. Some vocabulary appears
Listening
here for the first time. It is dealt with in Activity
4; students should be able to do Activities 1, 2 5 ► 36 This and the next three activities involve a
and 3 without it. scenario in which an IT company is developing a
website for a pizza shop to enable its customers
5 The customer checks and approves the final to order pizza online. If your students are not
version. from a part of the world where pizza shops
1 Speak with the people who will use the new exist, it will help to show them photos of pizzas
software and analyse how they will use it.
and pizza shops; there may be local food that is
2 Plan the project, write the specifications and
prepare instructions for the programmers. similar. Make sure that they know the words
4 Test and debug the code. topping and base and that pizza shops usually
3 Write the code. offer a few standard toppings such as
Margherita (a basic one with cheese and
tomato); also, that customers can often
Reading choose their own combinations of ingredients
2 The work of a systems analyst is explained as a topping.
through an online magazine interview. Students Students will hear a systems analyst for the IT
skim it to decide which of the stages from company talking to a worker. At this point, they
Activity 1 are mentioned. listen for gist: which stage in the software
development process (see Activity 1) is he at?
She mentions 1, 2 and 3.
He is at the interview stage.
3 Students now answer some more detailed
questions about the interview in Activity 2. 6 Draw students’ attention to the flow chart,
which the systems analyst will create during the
1 to find out who the users will be
requirements analysis process. Note that it has
2 They have to look at every step in the
been significantly simplified to avoid too much
process carefully and in a lot of detail.
3 flow charts and drawings of the user complexity in the lesson – in real life, a flow
interface chart such as this would be much more complex.
4 to be sure they are happy with it (for example, there is no mention of payment).
In pairs, students try to match 1–4 in the flow
Vocabulary chart with the steps in the box before listening
again; logic will help. Then they listen again and
4 Students match words from the interview to check their answers.
their definitions.
After the feedback stage, ask students to guess
what bug means from the meaning of debug.
With stronger students, it would be helpful to go

Development 7 59
 1 Customer wants standard pizza? 10 Students compare the list they made in Activity
2 Ask which toppings. 9 with another group’s list. In addition, you
3 Ask which type of standard pizza. could ask them to discuss any differences
4 Write order on order sheet. between their respective lists, then compile a
new list bringing together the agreed most
7 ► 37 Students listen to the next track and important requirements from both groups.
complete the rest of the flow chart. As with the
previous activity, they can try to do this in pairs Website design and architecture
before listening.
Speaking
5 Customer wants another pizza?
6 Ask for delivery address. 1 Students will have seen many websites; this
7 Calculate delivery time. initial activity builds on that familiarity by
8 Tell customer delivery time. asking them to discuss in pairs some general
questions about websites.
Extra activity
Ask students, in pairs or small groups, to Suggested answers
1 contact details, about us, home (page),
discuss which shapes of boxes in the flow chart
FAQs
represent the following: 2 menus, title, links
1 yes/no questions 3 easy to use: clear menus, not too much text,
2 input/output important things such as a search box in
3 thinking (for humans) or processing (for easy-to-find places, etc.; interesting: photos,
computers) videos, things to do (not just read)

Answers:
Vocabulary
1 the diamond-shaped boxes with Yes and No
arrows coming from them 2 Students match common website menu items to
2 the rhomboids a typical website. Make sure they understand
3 the rectangles that they will be putting the menu items under
the most appropriate heading. There is not
Language necessarily only one possible solution – any
arrangement that can be justified should be fine.
The Language box brings together some
language points that can be used to express user 1 FAQs 2 How to play 3 Images
requirements. Students will be familiar with 4 Videos 5 How to pay 6 Prices
their form but perhaps not with using them for 7 Company blog 8 Contact us 9 Players’
this function. To elicit the language in the top forum 10 Login
Items in any particular column are
row, you could ask them to tell you what a pizza
interchangeable. Other answers may be
shop’s website should do as well as take orders
possible as long as they can be justified.
(for example, it should show pictures of the
pizzas available). By asking students to express
these from the shop owner’s point of view, the Reading
language in the bottom row of the Language box 3 Students read a case study about a website
can also be elicited. development project and answer the gist
questions. There is some technical information
Speaking within the text, such as the names of various
8 In pairs, students use the flow chart in Activity 6 technologies frequently used in website
and language from the Language box to express development (PHP, HTML5, etc.). Make sure
the requirements for the pizza shop website. students are aware that they do not need to
know what all of these are to understand the
9 The situation switches from a pizza outlet to a text. They need to get used to the fact that many
different kind of shop: a clothes shop. Using of the documents they will be reading in the
language from the Language box, students work workplace will contain a lot of these.
in small groups (or pairs) to list requirements for
their online ordering system.

Development 7 60
 Suggested answers 1 A problem was found.
A fan site is a site for people who play a 2 A dynamic, exciting website is required.
particular game/for fans of a game. 3 PHP was used for this website.
4 Videos can be watched on this website.
Yes, the project was successful: we know
5 Useful PDFs can be downloaded from this
because the customer was very pleased with
website.
the end result (final paragraph).

Vocabulary Speaking
6 Here students are introduced to a website
4 Using context within the case study in Activity
navigation chart: a diagram that shows how
3, students find vocabulary that matches the
pages in a website are linked. Some terminology
definitions provided.
for the different levels derives from the chart’s
1 public 2 content 3 premium resemblance to a family tree; point this out to
4 combination 5 versatile 6 challenges students and elicit from them an example of a
7 viewable 8 search rankings parent node, a child node and a grandchild node
from the diagram. Then put them in pairs to
continue the activity.
Language
One way to introduce the passive is to find an ‘News’ and ‘About SL8’ are linked to the home
example in the case study and ask students to page.
‘Home’ is the parent node.
say who carried out the action and whether that
‘News’ and ‘About SL8’ are the child nodes.
information is stated in the sentence (for ‘History of SL8’, ‘FAQ’ and ‘Join the club’ are
example: PHP was chosen to keep costs down. The the grandchild nodes.
developers carried out the action (chose PHP)
but they are not mentioned in the sentence.). 7 In this information gap activity, each student in
Passive forms of the present and past simple are a pair has half of a website navigation chart.
dealt with here, along with one modal verb: can. They describe what they can see to each other
Check that students are aware of the form of the and complete their chart using the information
passive: be (in the appropriate tense) + past they hear, without looking at their partner’s
participle. Where can is used, it goes before be. chart. At the end, they can check their answers
by looking at their partner’s chart.
With stronger students, you could also bring in
the point that the ‘doer’ of the action (often Writing
called the agent) can, if appropriate, be
mentioned by placing it after by later in the 8 Students see the beginning of an email
sentence (for example: A website was developed by summarising what was done to build the
Andrea.). However, this is not necessary for the website in the case study in Activity 3. They
activities in the book. complete it after re-reading the case study, using
the passive.
Extra activity
Suggested answers
Ask students to identify examples of the
• PHP was chosen for its low cost.
passive in the case study in Activity 3 that have • HTML5 was chosen because it works with
not already been mentioned. This could be many systems.
done in pairs. Students could also be asked to • MySQL was chosen for the private area.
decide who carried out the action. • The site was made viewable on mobile
phones (and smaller tablets).
5 For controlled practice, students rewrite some • SEO was worked on.
active sentences in the passive. These could be
checked in pairs.

Development 7 61
 Software development While listening, students write numbers in the
boxes below the code to indicate the order they
hear these variables mentioned.
Speaking
1 g_Move 2 g_Turn 3 key_Press
1 The introductory questions for this section allow
those with little experience of programming to 4 Students complete the sentences to indicate what
begin to talk about the topic. Those with more happens when the variables have certain values,
experience could discuss a different set of then listen again to check their answers.
questions depending on experience, such as:
1 Which programming languages have you heard of? This is a good place to review the zero
2 What programming have you done before? conditional from Unit 3 if you feel your students
3 Which language(s) did you use? need it.
4 Which programming language do you prefer?
Why? 1 doesn’t move 2 doesn’t turn 3x

2 Here students look at a basic example of 5 ► 39 Students listen to the rest of the
programming code and explanations of two key conversation and identify the lines of code the
terms: programming instruction (which can also speakers are now talking about.
be called command or simply instruction) and
variable. Line of code is also mentioned but this They are talking about the four lines beginning
should be quite straightforward. Students read with ‘if’.
the explanations and, in pairs, answer the
comprehension questions. If you think that your 6 Students can either listen again and write down
students already know vary, then pointing out the keys that correspond to the robot’s direction
the connection with variable will be useful. of travel as indicated in the diagrams (as per the
instructions in the Course Book), or write the
Note that cout is pronounced as the letter c answers without listening and, if necessary,
followed by out (/si:/ + out). check their answers while listening. Make sure
If students have difficulty understanding what is they understand that the arrow in 1 points
going on here, write this on the board: forward and the one in 3 points backward.
a=7
1a 2d 3f 4s
b=3
x=a+b
Then ask: What is x? The answer is 10. Then Speaking
adjust the values of a and b and get students to
7 The purpose of this activity is to provide further
tell you what x becomes.
reinforcement of what the code in Activity 3
1 The constants are 3 and 2. does, so if your students understood the code
2 x becomes 5 (a is 3 and b is 2; c is a + b, i.e. readily, the activity can be skipped. Students
c is 3 + 2, which is 5. simply write the appropriate values for the
variables in the gaps in the flowchart.
Listening 1a 2f
3 ► 38 Explain to students that the next section This part of the flowchart represents the first
two instructions beginning with ‘if’.
of code is part of a program that controls a robot
from a mobile phone. Pressing different keys on
the number pad makes the robot move forward, Extra activity
backward, or turn left or right. Students complete the flowchart to represent
all four lines of code with if instructions.
Ask students to look at the code (which is in the
C programming language). Tell them they do
not need to understand it yet but they will hear Language
two programmers talking about it and will have
Ask students what the ‘f’ key does. If they have
to identify features while listening. Elicit from
encountered make and cause previously, it should
students that g_Turn, g_Move and key_Press
not be difficult to guide them towards
are variables.
producing the target language, though you may

Development 7 62
 have to help them to choose the correct verb Suggested answer
form. Otherwise, simply provide them with this. People might use Gantt charts to plan projects
To help make the meaning clear, you could also or tell people when to start and finish things.
point out the parallels with the zero conditional:
the first example could also be written as: If you
press the ‘f’ key, the robot goes backwards. Vocabulary
8 For controlled practice of the language point, 2 Students match words from the Gantt chart to
students produce sentences to represent what the definitions provided.
the robot does in response to each key press.
1 coding 2 milestone 3 alpha testing
‘f’ makes the robot go/causes the robot to go 4 beta testing 5 feedback 6 release
backward. candidate
‘d’ makes the robot turn/causes the robot to
turn right. Listening
‘s’ makes the robot turn/causes the robot to
turn left. 3 ► 40 Tell students that they will hear a
software developer (programmer) and a project
manager discussing the project in the Gantt
Speaking
chart. Ask them to decide whether they are near
9 Students are presented with some further the beginning or end of the project.
programming instructions and explanations of
what they do. In pairs, they use make and cause near the beginning
to ask and answer questions about what the
4 Ask students to look at the Gantt chart again.
instructions do. Before they begin the activity,
They will listen to the conversation a second
draw their attention to the example conversation
time, identify the mistake in the chart and
at the bottom of the activity, which they can use
correct it. After that, they can discuss their
as a model.
answers in pairs and, if there is some
10 The prompts here include vocabulary from uncertainty, listen again to check.
earlier in the book. Students say what each item
does, using make and cause, thereby extending The programmers should have two weeks, not
the language point to other contexts. one week, after the beta testing (weeks 15 and
16)./The beta testing should last two weeks,
Suggested answers not three./The beta testing should finish at the
1 The ‘Maximise’ button makes the end of week 14, not week 15.
window/causes the window to fill the screen.
2 A right click makes a pop-up menu/causes a
Language
pop-up menu to appear.
3 A double click on a file icon makes the Various ways of expressing future scheduled
file/causes the file to open. actions are given here. There are several ways to
4 The ‘Off’ switch makes the computer/causes introduce the language. One is to discuss with
the computer to switch off. students how the future is expressed in English,
5 The ‘Send’ button makes an email/causes
elicit as many forms as you can, then ask them to
an email to go to the recipient.
6 The ‘Save’ button makes the program/ identify the future expressions in audio script 40
causes the program to save the file. on page 79 and finally check what they found
against the Language box. Note that this
approach incorporates Activity 5.
Note that, in addition to the points in the
Project management Language box, in the audio script should is also
used to talk about something that is expected to
Speaking happen. Also, there is one example of a verb
1 Students look at a Gantt chart and, in pairs or (start) used in the present simple to indicate a
small groups, speculate about (or, if they are timetabled event. How much time you spend on
already familiar with the concept, describe) what these will depend on how strong your class is;
it is used for. They should use the notes at the with many classes it will be best for now to focus
bottom of the chart to help them. just on the language in the Language box.

Development 7 63
5 Students look at audio script 40 on page 79 and Business matters
underline all examples of the language from the
Language box. In this section, students read a scenario
involving a website development project. They
The systems analysts are finishing their tasks then work together to make decisions about the
at the end of ... content of the website, plan the project using a
... your team is scheduled to start coding ... Gantt chart and write a report about it. Much of
the language from this unit is recycled here.
... the second milestone, being ready for alpha
testing, is due in week 9.
Speaking
... the alpha testing is due to finish at the
end of ... 1 Students read the scenario and, in small groups,
... you’re scheduled to deal with the feedback answer two focus questions.
from that ...
1 It has a version of the game that people can
play online/try out on the website.
Pronunciation 2 designing/developing the special online
feature (the game)
6 ► 41 Students look at the audio script on page
79, listen to the two short conversations and 2 Students work together in the same groups to
mark the stressed words on the script. After discuss and make decisions about appropriate
feedback, they practise these conversations with content for the website. They also draw a
a partner, using the appropriate sentence stress. navigation chart for the website.

1 3 In the same groups, students plan their project

A: When are we due to finish? using a Gantt chart and the stages in the box.
B: Tomorrow, I think. 4 Each group of students joins another group, and
2
each explains their own group’s decisions and
A: What’s your schedule next week?
B: Well, I’m starting a new project on Monday! plans and discusses the differences. To increase
the amount of speaking practice, pairs could be
formed comprising one member of each of the
Extra activity original groups.
Ask students how the meaning would change
if different words were stressed in the Writing
conversations in Activity 6.
5 Review the features of reports mentioned in Unit
Answer 6. Then have students write a short report to a
The stressed word generally carries a stronger manager describing their website design and
meaning, so by changing the stress, you can project plan, using the headings provided. If
change the emphasis. they have time, they could include the site map
and Gantt chart their group produced in
Activity 3 in their reports. Writing could be done
Speaking individually or in pairs. Feedback could involve
7 In pairs, students practise the language from the peer review: students swap reports with another
Language box by asking and answering student and decide whether the stages in the
questions about the schedule in the Gantt chart report have been followed as specified.
in Activity 1.
Preparing for the next unit
8 Focus now turns to real life for some
personalised practice: in pairs, students ask In preparation for Unit 8, ask students to think of a
and answer questions about any schedule they story from their own experience about a problem
may have associated with their work and/or with IT equipment. Where possible, it should be
their study. relevant to their study or work life outside English
classes but, if necessary, an item of consumer
equipment would be acceptable. They should be
prepared to tell their story at the beginning of the
next lesson.

Development 7 64
 8 IT solutions

entered into a form. Not only does this allow data to

Briefing be collected about the types of problems that occur
most frequently but it also allows information to be
This final unit of the book is less technical than most
supplied by the higher tiers of support personnel as
of the previous units. Topics have been chosen for
required, to save them asking the client questions
their potential for review and recycling of language
that have already been answered. It also
from earlier in the book. The language focus is on
automatically monitors issues to avoid them being
problems and solutions: present perfect vs. past
left unattended for too long, can help balance
simple; modals of speculation and deduction;
workloads by passing the issues to the people who
proposing solutions. The final section focuses on
are least busy and can efficiently allocate work to
applying for jobs, something that many users of this
people with the appropriate skills. Issue tracking
book will be doing at the end of their course.
systems can also be used to track bugs in software
during the development process.
Investigations
This section introduces students to the vocabulary of Solutions
faults that occur with software and hardware. A
This section looks at the language for proposing
distinction is made between a hang (in which a
solutions to IT problems. The first page looks mostly
computer or program appears to come to a halt,
at situations that recycle vocabulary from earlier in
stops accepting input but does not close or switch
the book. One issue new to this section is bloatware.
off) and a crash (in which the program or computer
This is software that is often put on computers and
shuts down). Another word that is often used for
mobile phones when they are new and whose sole
hang is freeze. Often when a program hangs, its
purpose is advertising: they are generally cut-down
windows become grey and the title bar may say ‘not
versions of full programs which are intended to
responding’ or something similar.
tempt the user to use them, become interested and
then buy the full version. Sometimes the company
Diagnosis
producing the bloatware pays the manufacturer to
While the diagnosis of problems occurs in many include the software, thus reducing the price of the
situations in IT-related workplaces, this section hardware to the consumer. However, these
focuses on a call centre/help desk situation. Call programs may slow down the device and take up
centres and help desks may take calls from the space, so are often seen as undesirable.
general public (if the company sells products to the Some health and safety issues also appear in this
general public) or workers inside a company. In section:
such an environment, calls are often answered by • Correct posture: sitting at a computer for long
workers with relatively little knowledge of IT. This periods of time with a bent back can lead to
is called tier 1, level 1 or first line support. The backache, which can become severe and
purpose is to deal with the problems that occur most debilitating.
frequently, and the majority of problems will be • RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury): people for whom
successfully solved at this level. The operator typing is a core part of their job need to be
usually follows a script. If by following the careful to keep their wrists straight while typing
suggestions in the script the problem is not solved, it to avoid strain caused by excessively repeating
can be escalated to tier 2 support. Operators at this motions for which the body has not evolved. RSI
level have a higher level of technical knowledge. If can be severe. Sometimes even surgery is not
they are unsuccessful, the problem can be escalated enough to deal with it properly and it can lead
further to tier 3 and sometimes even tier 4, where to people having to change career. There are
that exists. many different varieties of RSI. Various
A particular kind of software, known as an issue alternatives to conventional keyboards and
tracking system (also known as a support ticket mice have been designed to reduce the
system) is important for the efficient operation of a possibility of RSI.
help desk or call centre. When a call is first received,
information about the caller and the problem is

IT solutions 8 65
• Spilling drinks on computers can cause electrical
signals to go the wrong way, causing damage to
the computer. Such problems are called short
circuits.
• Toner cartridges, the ‘ink’ in laser printers and
photocopiers, can get very hot during use. Thus,
if they need replacing, it is safest to give the
cartridge time to cool down before opening the
printer or photocopier, to avoid burns.

Your future in IT
This section looks at CVs and provides a good
opportunity for review of language from throughout
the book. The Business Matters section goes on to
look at job interviews.
Students often ask what the difference is between a
CV and a resume. The answer often given is that CV
is preferred in the UK, while resume is the preferred
word in the USA for the same kind of document and
that both are used interchangeably in some
countries such as Australia.
Note that different jobs and industries often require
different types of CV. For example, highly technical
jobs within IT may be associated with CVs that have
long lists of technical skills, such as the
programming languages in which the applicant is
fluent, the operating systems with which they are
familiar and so on. If you are teaching in a college
environment, your Careers Department might be
able to supply advice about this.
The example CV is of the Europass style, which is a
standard used across Europe. If your students are
not European and have little reason to want to apply
for jobs in Europe, you may want to use a more
locally appropriate format.

Business matters
This involves a scenario in which students discuss
jobs and job interviews and go on to roleplay an
interview. It is designed to bring out some of the
vocabulary and grammar from this and earlier units.

Further reading
Use the following keywords to search the internet
for websites which give more in-depth information
about the topics covered in this unit: hang, crash,
technical support, issue tracking system, repetitive
strain injury (RSI).

IT solutions 8 66
 1 The application is hanging.
Teacher’s Notes
Warm-up Speaking
Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them 4 To practise the vocabulary in Activity 2,
to tell each other the stories about faulty IT students describe a problem to a partner and
equipment that they thought about in preparation the partner responds with the word or phrase
for this unit. While taking their turn to listen, for the problem.
students should note down any vocabulary they
hear that is new to them and that they feel might be Listening
useful. They should ask the speaker about the 5 ► 43 This activity is based around a
meaning. At the end, you could ask your students conversation that would typically occur when
to share their stories with the class. They could someone calls a help desk with an IT problem –
identify common problems, discuss unusual ones the situation could be an employee in a large
and share vocabulary. corporation calling their IT help desk or a
consumer contacting the call centre of a
Investigations
company that has sold them a computer or some
software. The turns in the conversation are
Speaking mixed up. In pairs, students put them in the
1 Here students talk about their experiences of correct order.
problems with electronic devices and brainstorm
(The numbers on the left are the answers to
ideas for other issues that could occur. Question Activity 5. The underlined words are the
1 can be skipped if the Warm-up activity has answers to Activity 7.)
been completed.
7 Ah. Have you tried restarting your
Listening computer?
9 Could you do that? And if you still have a
2 ► 42 Students listen to six people describing problem, just call me again.
IT-related problems. While listening, they use 5 Does it say anything else?
words and expressions from the box to complete 1 Hi, help desk here. My name is Suki. How
sentences which describe some common can I help you?
computer problems, thereby being introduced to 8 Er ... no, I haven’t.
vocabulary which is central to this unit. 3 OK. Can you tell me exactly what happens?
10 OK. Thanks very much. I’ll do that.
1 hanging 2 crashes 3 connection error 4 Sure. When I press ‘Send’, I get an error
4 running slowly 5 failure 6 fault message saying ‘This program has found a
problem and needs to close’.
2 Yes, hi. I’ve got a problem with my email.
Extra activity Whenever I try to send a message, the
Audio script 42 page 79 provides a good program crashes.
opportunity for a review of tenses. Put students 6 Well, something about sending an error
in pairs and ask them to identify the tenses report to the software company. Oh, and an
used by the speakers and the reasons for their error code: it says ‘Error 35A4’.
choice of tense. Then ask them to speak to a
person from a different pair and compare their 6 Students are asked two basic comprehension
answers. Given that the grammar point in this questions about the conversation: What is the
section is the present perfect, this is a useful problem? What is the solution?
place at which to review tenses.
Problem: The email program crashes when the
user tries to send an email.
3 To clarify the difference between crash (when a
Solution: Restart the computer.
computer switches off by itself or a program
stops running) and hang (when the computer or
program appears to still be running but will not
accept input), students are asked a further
question. If necessary, they can look at the audio
script to help them.

IT solutions 8 67
 Language 1 Have you checked the manual yet?
Yes, I have.
This box looks at the present perfect used for
2 Did they contact support last week?
actions in unfinished periods of time, where the No, they didn’t.
focus is on the result of the action. In this 3 Have you checked the cable yet?
situation, the present perfect is often used with Yes, I have.
yet and already. This use contrasts with the past 4 Did you test the broken computer
simple, used for actions that were completed in a yesterday?
finished period of time. To avoid too much No, I didn’t.
complexity, other uses of the present perfect are 5 Have you tried inserting another DVD?
not mentioned here. Yes, I have.
To introduce the language, you could ask
students questions about what they have done Pronunciation
today and what they did yesterday. Elicit 10 ► 44 While listening to some sentences that use
answers, put them on the board and guide them the present simple, students mark the stressed
towards making any corrections necessary. Then syllables.
ask them to decide which relate to unfinished
time (today) and which relate to finished time 1 The computer’s crashed three times today!
(yesterday). Finally, ask them to write, in pairs, 2 I’ve rebooted the computer.
similar questions about this year and last year. 3 Have you re-installed the software?
They should use the present perfect for this year 4 I haven’t had time to finish the repair.
and the past simple for last year.
7 If you have not done so already while working Speaking
through the grammar point, ask students to
11 Students use prompts to ask and answer
identify and underline examples of the present
questions about their own experiences of IT
perfect in the conversation in Activity 5 or, if
problems, for personalised, freer speaking
they prefer, the audio script on page 79, which is
practice. This extends the grammar point to a
in the correct order.
slightly different use of the present perfect,
See Activity 5 above. though the idea of ‘unfinished time period’ from
the Language box still applies: the unfinished
8 For controlled practice of the present perfect vs. time is the student’s lifetime; in other words, this
the past simple, students complete the covers lifetime experiences.
conversations using the appropriate tense of the 12 In pairs, students now have conversations using
verbs in brackets. Answers can be checked and the prompts in the Partner Files section at the
discussed in pairs. back of the Course Book.
1 Have you charged, charged
Diagnosis
2 Did you repair, I didn’t
3 have you tried, restarted
4 Have you received, haven’t received, Have Speaking
you checked
1 Students look at two photos and discuss what
9 Students now ask and answer questions using is happening. Then they discuss any personal
the prompts, thus performing further controlled experiences they may have of calling a help
practice. Stronger classes can do this in purely desk.
spoken form as a mingle. If so, you may want to
do Activity 10 first. Weaker students could write 1 Students’ answers will vary, but the man is
probably calling the help desk about a
the questions and answers first.
problem with his computer. The woman is
answering the phone in a call centre.
2 Students’ own answers

IT solutions 8 68
 Vocabulary • Ask: Was the technician sure about the cause of
the problem? How do we know? (No. She said
2 Ask students to look at the form and explain that might, not is).
it is a form that might appear on an operator’s • Elicit other language that conveys the same
screen in a call centre. The form is for recording lack of certainty, such as I think ..., and the
details of the caller, the problem and the action language in the Language box.
taken. In pairs, students use context to match
words from the form to the definitions given. 5 In pairs, students look at six situations and
speculate about what the problem might be,
1 issue tracking system 2 ticket 3 tier using language from the Language box.
4 escalate
Suggested answers
1 The computer might have a virus.
Listening 2 You must have saved it somewhere else./
3 ► 45 Students now listen to a conversation Someone might have cleaned up the server.
3 He could be helping someone, somewhere
between a help desk technician and a customer.
else in the building.
While listening, they complete the form in 4 The battery must be flat by now.
Activity 2. Before listening, make sure that 5 It/The problem can’t be the cables.
students know missing and accounting 6 The network cables might not be plugged in.
(accounting appeared earlier in the book). During
feedback, elicit from students whether the
problem has been solved at this stage (It hasn’t, Reading
which is the reason for it being escalated to the 6 Students read a troubleshooting guide or ‘script’
next tier.). of the kind that could be used by a help desk
technician working in the call centre of a
1 Marten Schwarz 2 Account Office 37
computer monitor vendor. It presents a series of
4 can’t/won’t install 5 error type 3
questions that the worker might ask when
6 downloaded again and reinstalled
7 Escalate to Tier 2 someone calls with a particular problem. The
guide also indicates the action to take in
4 Students listen a second time and answer three response to the caller’s answers.
comprehension questions. Students read the guide and complete the gaps
with language from the Language box. This
1 a missing file on the caller’s computer
2 The problem will be escalated to tier 2 could be done in pairs or individually, with
support. A software engineer will call back pairs then comparing their answers, to provide
within twenty-four hours. discussion and peer feedback.
3 tier 1
1 must be switched on
2 may/might not be connected
Language 3 may/might not be switched on
4 can’t be a power problem
The language of speculation and deduction is 5 may/might not be connected
useful for diagnosis, the topic of this section. 6 may/might be faulty
Diagnosis is often carried out through a trial- 7 must be faulty
and-error process: the first step is to speculate 8 may/might be faulty
about what might be the cause of the problem,
then checks are made to see if this is correct. If
not, another round of speculation and checking
Speaking
begins. 7 In pairs, students roleplay using the
To introduce the language, you could follow troubleshooting guide: one is the caller and the
this procedure: other is the help desk technician. Students
• Play track 45 again from OK. Have you tried should have at least one turn in each role. They
downloading ... (A’s second turn from the end). could change partners between turns. For each
Ask students to write down what the turn, they have the same problem (the blank
technician actually said about the cause of the monitor screen in the troubleshooting guide) but
problem (there might be a missing file). the caller will need to decide what the
symptoms of his/her problem are before

IT solutions 8 69
 commencing. Alternatively, you could give 3 Decide which of the possible solutions is the
students the suggestions below. most likely.
1 Can’t see any lights on the computer or hear any 5 If that doesn’t work, try another solution.
sound from it. Cables are fine. No spare computer 1 Check what the symptoms of the problem
available. are.
2 Can see lights on the computer. Can’t see lights on 6 Continue this process until something
the monitor but it’s switched on and plugged in. works.
No spare monitor available. 2 Think of some possible solutions.
3 Can hear the computer and see lights on the 4 Try the most likely solution.
monitor. Spare monitor also doesn’t work.
The results students should reach from Listening
these are:
2 ► 46 Tell students that they will listen to two
1 unknown fault; site technician will visit
repair technicians in a computer shop talking
2 unknown fault; site technician will visit
about a computer that a customer has brought in
3 escalate to site technician; video card may be faulty
for repair. Ask them to decide, while listening,
Extra activity whether they have solved the problem yet. If
necessary, draw attention to this use of the
Ask students to work together to write their
present perfect from earlier in this unit.
own troubleshooting guide (similar to the one
in the Course Book) to solve a problem of their no
own choosing. This could be done in pairs or
small groups and would work well for 3 Students listen again and tick the box or boxes
students currently working in IT or studying IT corresponding to the tests the speakers have
because they can choose a problem relevant to already tried. All three are mentioned, so
their own work or study. students will have to pay attention to the tenses
When they have finished, students could swap they hear.
their guides with another group, who would
After feedback, for review and further practice
then try to follow them. Any problems they
of the language point from the previous section,
find could be discussed with the original
you could play the recording again, this time
authors who would then amend the guide as
asking students to identify the points of
necessary. Finally, if appropriate, the guides
speculation and deduction made by the
could be put on the classroom walls so that
speakers. Students with IT knowledge may be
they can be shared (this is unlikely to be
able to mention other possibilities using the
appropriate if your class is in a formal business
same language.
environment).
If this is done for homework, students could test memory, replace memory
use their guides in a later lesson as the basis for
roleplays similar to activity 7.
Language
Solutions This box covers two ways in which suggestions
can be made, beyond the language of
Speaking suggestions covered in Unit 1: try + noun/-ing
and first conditionals with modal verbs to
1 To introduce the activity, you could elicit from express consequences of a suggestion. These
students the steps they generally take to solve a could be introduced by asking students to
problem: if they are very familiar with IT, this underline the suggestions in audio script 46 on
could be an IT problem but otherwise, non-IT page 79, or by eliciting suggestions (and
problems are fine. Then ask students to look in consequences of a suggestion) about a problem
their books and, in pairs, put the steps there in (not necessarily IT-related) that is of relevance to
the correct order. your students.
4 Students complete the sentences in four
conversations using the grammar in the
Language box.

IT solutions 8 70
 1 If you change your settings, your phone app Suggested answers
should update soon. A If you bend your back sitting at a desk, you
2 Try checking the network and connections might get backache.
settings. B Unplug the computer before working inside
3 Try removing it. it. If you don’t, you might get an electric
4 If you check your usage regularly, you shock.
should be OK. C If you don’t keep your wrists straight while
typing, you could get RSI.
5 Students use context to match the bold words in D Don’t spill your drink on your computer. If
Activity 4 to their definitions. you do, your computer might short circuit.
E When you change the toner in the printer, let
1 usage 2 bloatware 3 bill it cool down first. If you don’t, you might
burn your fingers.
F Don’t leave cables where people walk. If you
Speaking do this, they might trip and fall.
6 In pairs, students take the role of technicians
discussing a problem and practise a Speaking
conversation using the prompts provided. They
should take both roles, changing partners in 9 Students have conversations in which they warn
between, if possible. each other of dangers from Activity 7. They
should follow the pattern provided and should
Extra activity use language from the Language box. Below is
Have students roleplay similar conversations an example, with advice for illustration A:
based around problems they have experienced. A: Be careful! You shouldn’t sit like that, with a
bent back!
They may need time to write down some
B: Why not? What’s the problem?
prompts first.
A: If you sit like that, you might get backache.
B: Oh! That’s not good! What should I do?
Vocabulary A: It’s better to sit straight.
B: Oh, OK! Thanks very much.
7 The topic now switches to occupational health
and safety. Students match illustrations A–F to Extra activity
dangers 1–6 in the leaflet, then match the
With students, come up with several IT issues
dangers to the appropriate advice, a–f. For
relevant to their work, study or lives. Then
maximum speaking practice and to provide the
put them in pairs and ask them to have
opportunity to learn from each other, run this as
conversations similar to those in recording
a pairwork activity. Before starting, make sure
46, in which they speculate about what the
students are aware that illustration E shows
cause of the problem might be and suggest
toner cartridges in a colour printer and that
possible solutions.
these cartridges can get very hot.

A1 B2 C3 D5 E6 F4 Your future in IT
1b 2d 3e 4a 5f 6c
Speaking
Writing
1 You could lead in to the topic of this section by
8 Ask students to write sentences expressing talking with your students about their work
suggestions about (and, where appropriate, aspirations, then ask them to continue their
consequences of) not following the advice in discussions in small groups. One question is
Activity 7. They should write one piece of advice provided that will work for most users of this
for each item in 7. book but you could also provide more based on
your students’ situation. Examples include:
What job do you think you will do? Is it the same or
different from what you most want to do?
Think about your current job. What duties do you
most enjoy? Least enjoy? Why?

IT solutions 8 71
 Reading Business matters
2 Ask students to skim-read the CV and then In this section students discuss jobs and job
match the headings to the gaps. interviews and then roleplay a job interview.
1d 2j 3f 4b 5a 6i 7g 8e
9c 10 h Speaking
1 Questions are provided for students to discuss
Speaking their experiences of interviews. Younger
students may not have experienced a job
3 Students now look in more depth at two of the interview previously; instead, they can talk
headings in the CV, Technical skills and Personal about other interviews they have had experience
skills, and personalise the concepts in discussion of (for example, at school) or about interviews
with another student by relating them to their they have seen on TV.
own lives. With stronger classes, encourage
students to take this as far as they can beyond Extra activity
the language on the page – they may be able to
This is for students with some experience of the
think of a wide range of personal and technical
workplace. Ask them to discuss questions such
skills. Where there are things they wish to say
as these, as appropriate to your context, in
but for which they are struggling with the
pairs or small groups:
language, supply them with the correct words:
1 How should you prepare for a job interview?
providing language when the student has a need 2 What are your experiences of job interviews?
to know it and have an interest in it is one of the How did you prepare? How did you feel before
best ways to ensure learning occurs. it? During it? After it?
3 Have you ever interviewed anyone for a job?
Writing What did you do well in the interview? What
didn’t go so well?
4 Students use the model in Activity 2 to write
4 What advice would you give a young person
their own CV. Alternatively, provide another
applying for a job?
model if your students require a different style
of CV, such as one with a personal statement. 2 Ask students to work in the same groups as in
the previous activity to discuss what personal
Language and technical skills they might need for the jobs
Ask students to talk about their plans for after in the box. This will review some of the
the course. Write responses on the board and try vocabulary from the previous page.
to elicit a range of different future forms, 3 Students now speculate and/or share
including the ones from the Language box on knowledge about what kinds of questions are
schedules in the previous unit (page 58), and commonly asked in a job interview and when in
discuss the differences between them. the interview it is usual for the interviewee to
ask questions.
Speaking
4 Students first read the job advertisement at the
5 Students use the language in the Language box bottom of the page, then decide which of the
to talk about their own career plans. This can be jobs listed to apply for. If students are already in
done in pairs, and each student from these pairs an area of IT or know what career they are
can later report what they heard to another heading for, they should be encouraged to
student. Interesting points from willing students choose the job most closely related to that.
can be shared with the class in feedback.
Then ask students to follow the steps provided:
first, they prepare for the interview by thinking
Extra activity
of questions and answers (depending on their
Ask students to write six or more sentences role) that are appropriate for the chosen job role.
expressing their future plans, using language Then they roleplay the interviews. Finally, they
from the Language box. If students need help swap roles and repeat, with a different partner
to think of ideas, put the following on the if possible.
board as prompts: further qualifications, personal
skills, technical skills, positions.

IT solutions 8 72