Unit 11 Knowledge and learning

11a Conserving languages

Listening enduring voices
1 % 3.1 Listen to a description of the work of
Dr K. David Harrison and the 'Enduring Voices'
team at National Geographic. W hich sentence (a-c)
best summarises their work?
a to help different people in the world to
communicate with each other
b to increase the number of languages spoken in
the world
c to save dying languages from extinction

2 % 3 .1 Read the questions. Then listen again and

choose the best option (a-c).
1 How many languages will there be in the world
in 2050?
a about 7,000
b about 3,500
c about 700
2 Bolivia is used as an example of a country with
many languages because . . . .
a they are so different
b it has a large population
c it has as many languages as Europe
3 Yuchi is a language spoken in Oklahoma 3 *§* 3.1 Complete the sentences from the
which . . . . description using the correct form of these verbs.
a has only 70 speakers Then listen again and check.
b is a dead language
document express record save seek out
c people are trying to revive
store trace
4 According to Dr Harrison, when we lose a
language, we lose a culture's ... . 1 He is part of a National Geographic project called
a knowledge of the world document
'Enduring Voices' whose aim is t o .........................
b important monuments languages which are little known.
c stories 2 trace
The race is on t o ........................ record
and .........................
5 Speakers of Yupik have helped us to these languages.
understand better . . . . 3 seeks out these language
Dr H arrison........................
a the geography of the Arctic 'hotspots'.
b their language and culture 4 express their genius through
All cultures........................
c the effects of climate change their languages and stories.
6 The speaker thinks that globalisation highlights 5 store
These languages....................... knowledge
the importance of ... . wTiich can be of huge benefit to people today.
a diversity 6 save . 1
Dr Harrison and his team aim t o .......................
b finding common interests as many languages as they can.
c saving dying languages

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Grammar could, was able to, Vocabulary learning
manage to and succeed in 6 Match the expressions (1-8) with the correct
definition (a-h).
4 Look at these sentences from the description.
Choose the correct option. 1 pick up c a become involved in
1 Studies in the Oklahoma region of the USA 2 take in f b not know about
could discover / succeeded in discovering 26 3 learn by trial and c learn as you go
languages. error h along
2 By highlighting this fact, researchers 4 inspire g d understand simply
could help / were able to help the community 5 have a basic grasp of d e know about
to keep this dying language alive.
6 engage with a f absorb
3 Some ancient cultures could build / managed
to build large monuments by which we can
7 be ignorant b g motivate
remember their achievements. 8 be aware of e h learn by making
4 A book written a few years ago by Yupik elders mistakes
and scientists was able to help / managed to help 7 Complete the sentences using a verb or expression
other scientists to understand how climate from Exercise 6.
change is affecting the polar ice.
1 Don't worry about explaining. I'm sure I'll
5 One of the original arguments for globalisation pick i t .....................
.................. up
was that it coidd bring / managed to bring us all
2 She's a great teacher. She really knows how to
closer together.
inspire
.............. ................ her students.
6 He coidd save / couldn't save Ubykh - a language ignorant
3 I used to be com pletely...............................about
spoken near the Black Sea - from extinction.
art, so I went on an art appreciation course.
5 Complete the sentences about learning a language 4 have a basic grasp car mechanics, but I
I ...............................of
using could, was/were able to, manage to or succeed couldn't repair an electronic fault.
in and the verb in brackets. Sometimes more than 5 Mathematics is a difficult subject for some people
one answer is possible. engage with
to ...............................because it's so theoretical.
1 The video I got was in Turkish, but 6 take in
Sorry, that's too much information t o ..................
managed to find
I .............................................................. (find) English ... .............. all at once. Can you go through it
subtitles on the main menu. more slowly?
2 My sister is an amazing linguist: she
was able to speak
.............................................................. (speak) four 8 Dictation languages
languages fluently by the time she was twelve.
a % 3.2 Listen to someone talking about languages,
3 Esperanto was invented to be a place names and words. Write the words that
world language, but supporters of it they spell.
never managed to convince (never /
..............................................................
Wappo
convince) enough people to use it. 1 a Munichi
..................................... b
2 a Swarthmore
..................................... b Pennsylvania
4 When I first moved to England,
couldn't understand
I .................................. ................... -.......(not / 3 a
Arunchal
..................................... b Koro
understand) native speakers because they 4 chary
.....................................................
seemed to mumble when they spoke. floccinaucinihilipilification
5 .....................................................
5 I had a friend who was brought up speaking
three different languages, but I was never sure b %3.2 Listen again and match the words from
could express -.............. . (express)
if h e .......................................... Exercise 8a with the correct meaning:
himself clearly in any of them! 5
a a very long word in E nglish..............................
6 I spent eight years learning Italian, but b the name of a college in the USA
when I tried to use it a couple of years ago, 2a
I wasI .................................................
found that able to remember c a word for an animal in a Siberian language
(remember) the grammar but not the 4
vocabulary. d an extinct language from the USA
1b
e a new language found in In d ia........................
3b
11b Memory loss
Reading memory loss 2 Read the descriptions again. Are the sentences true
(T) or false (F)? Or is there not enough information
1 Read the description of three types of memory (N) to say if the statements are true or false?
loss quickly Match the descriptions (1-3) with the
1 Lacunar amnesia is when people have had a
summaries (a-c). bad shock and don't remember what happened. T
a When you can't recognise someone you know 2 In these cases, the memory is erased from
2 the mind. F
b When your mind chooses to forget something it
3 Sarah only remembers the m om ent when the
1
doesn't want to rem em ber...................
truck hit the house. F
c When you deceive yourself with a false
3
m em o ry .................. 4 Prosopamnesia is a condition some people
inherit from their parents. N
5 Philippa was concerned that the man who
approached her was William Child. F
6 William Child was upset that she didn't
recognise him. N
7 In source amnesia, people intentionally change
the source of the memory. F
8 In Jon's profession it is common to meet people
with this condition. T
9 The woman wanted her neighbour to be
punished for the crime. T

1 Lacunar amnesia University in California and another academic came

up and started chatting to me. I would have asked his
This literally means a gap in the memory. People
name, but knowing my inability to remember faces
who suffer from lacunar amnesia fail to remember
I didn’t in case he was someone I was supposed to
a very specific event. It usually occurs when a
know. Anyway, it turned out that we had a friend and
person has suffered a traumatic event and their
colleague in common. “Oh yes, I know Wiliam Child,”
mind chooses to blank this out. The memory is still
I said. “We collaborated on a research project last
there in fact, but our psychological defences stop us
year. He came to dinner at my house many times.
remembering the event to protect us from suffering
How do you know him?” “I am Willliam Child”, the
further psychological trauma.
man replied.’
Sarah’s story: ‘When I was a child, something
3 Source amnesia
extraordinary happened at our house. My sister
and I were just about to go to bed and I was Also called ‘memory distrust syndrome’, source
downstairs saying goodnight to our parents. My amnesia occurs when a person is unable to recall
sister was going to say goodnight to them too, but the context in which they learnt about something.
had gone to the kitchen to get a glass of water. At Subconsciously, they then attribute the fact to some
that moment, a truck ran into the ground floor of other, usually reliable, source. This can happen when
our house. I know that because my sister, who was the real source is not reliable and the person very
unhurt, told me afterwards. All I remember was much wants to believe that the fact is true.
saying goodnight, then waking up in hospital.’ Jon’s story: ‘I work as a lawyer, and in my line of work
2 Prosopamnesia I often come across people who have persuaded
themselves of a version of events that may not be
Prosopamnesia is an inability to remember faces. It is
true. I had a witness who was going to give evidence
something that many people have in a mild form, but
in court that her neighbour had thrown a brick at
in severe cases sufferers can forget the faces of even
her car. She clearly believed that this had happened,
close friends or associates. People can be born with
and was determined that her neighbour wouldn’t get
this syndrome or it can be acquired during their lives.
away with it. But it turned out that it was not her own
Philippa’s story: I ’m terrible at remembering memory of events, but what another neighbour had
faces. I recall being at a conference at Berkeley told her.’
 Unit 11 Knowledge and learning

3 Find phrasal verbs in the text on page 86 with the 6 Pronunciation contrastive sentence stress
following meanings:
*§# Underline the words in the first half of the
1 erase (especially a memory) (para 1) sentences that are most strongly stressed. Then
Black out listen and check.
2 ran into
collided with (para 2 ) ...............................................
1 I was going to email him, but I decided it
3 came up
approached (para 4 ) .................................................. would better to speak face to face.
4 turned out
was found (para 4 ) ............................................... 2 He was supposed to get here early, but he's
5 find something (without expecting to) (para 6) already ten minutes late.
come cross 3 I would have come by train, but there's a strike
6 escape without punishment (para 6) on at the moment.
get away with 4 She said she would be pleased if I talked to
him, but she seemed really angry.
Grammar future in the past 5 I was about to buy a flat, but Katie said I could
rent hers for six months while she was away.
4 There are six examples of the 'future in the past'
6 Liz was going to be in charge of the project, but
forms in the text on page 86. Underline the
now she's just acting as an advisor.
examples. W hich of the other future in the past
forms could be used in each case? b : Underline the words in the second half
of the sentences that are most strongly stressed.
was/were about to do was/were going to
Practise saying each sentence. Then listen again
was supposed to would do would have done
and check.

1 M y sister and I were just about to go to bed ... or

were just going to go to bed ...
7 Grammar extra future phrases
My sister..............................................................
2 .................... was going to say goodnight   FUTURE PHRASES
Notice that we use other phrases with the infinitive to
3 I would have asked his name talk about the future.
She's bound to want to leave early.
He's likely to change his mind.
4 I was supposed to know You're unlikely to find the information here.

who was going to give evidence in court Look at the grammar box. Then look at phrases
(1-5) which talk about the future. Match the
phrases to the correct definition (a-e).
her neighbour wouldn't get away with it
1 I'm sorry, but I always thought it was a terrible
5 Complete the sentences using a future in the past idea. It was bound to fail. c
form. Sometimes more than one form is possible. 2 The plane was due to take off at 7 a.m., but
would have written .............. poor weather meant it was delayed. d
1 'I'm so sorry. I ...............................................
(write) you a letter, but I lost your address.' 3 We thought that it was unlikely to be cold, so
we didn't take any warm clothes with us. a
2 was just about to book
' I .............................................................. (just / book)
tickets to visit Munich, but then I remembered 4 It was about to rain so we decided to eat inside, e
that it was Oktoberfest and all the hotels 5 The political situation was likely to get worse,
would be full
..............................................................(be) full.' so we left the country for our own safety. b
3 would speak
'I promised her I .......................................................... a not probable
(speak) to my boss about finding her a job, but
b probable
I forgot.'
c certain
4 was supposed to last
'The m eetin g..............................................................
(last) only an hour, but just as we d scheduled / expected
were about to finish
.............................................................. (finish), Julian e on the point of
remembered that we hadn't discussed the
move to our new offices.'
5 was going
' I .................. to take
........................................... (take) my
driving test sooner, but I didn't feel ready.'
6 was just going to ask
'That's funny. I .............................................................
(just / ask) you exactly the same question.'

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11c Intelligent animals
Listening 3 % 3.4 Listen again and write the number of the
description next to the intelligent action each
1 M atch the name of the animal with the correct animal did.
picture. 2
a found a clever way to reach some food
Bonobo monkey border collie crow b did acrobatics in time with one another 3
dolphin scrub-jay
c made food disappear 5
d learned to match a two-dimensional image 1
to a real object
e cooked himself a treat 4
4 M atch the words from the descriptions w ith the
adjectives below (1-5).

inventive mischievous smart expressive playful

border collie crow
smart
1 intelligent............................ .........
2 inventive ..
creative ...................................
3 playful
fun-loving.....................................
1 expressive
com m unicative.....................................
5 n a u g h ty ..... mischevious
........... ....................

Word focus learn

3 .. dolphin 5 Complete the sentences using expressions with learn.
1 alk
You have to learn to w .......................................before you
can run.
2 ate
It's never too 1 ........................to learn.
3 In life, you have to learn from your
m istakes
..........................
4 I learnt a few t ricks of the trade.
5 Never again. I've learnt my 1 esson
6 Just learn to 1 ive with it!
Bonobo monkey scrub-jay
7 ay
I learnt the hard w..........................
8 eart
I've learnt the whole poem by h.................
% 3.4 Listen to a description of five intelligent
animals. Write the num ber of the description (1-5)
next to the intelligent behaviour that this type of
animal is known for.
a They are good at copying what they see. 3
b They are good at communicating. 4
c They like to follow instructions. 1
d They make plans for the future. 5
e They make implements to get different 2
jobs done.