Final challenge: technology over time

Las preguntas de esta práctica

Puedes leerlas antes de empezar, hacerlas en un papel o repasarlas después. Cada una tiene su solución explicada.

1. 1 · Vehicles

   What pulled the first carts and wagons?

   Before engines.

   • a) People, oxen, donkeys or horses
   • b) Electric motors
   • c) Steam engines
   • d) Batteries
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) People, oxen, donkeys or horses

   The first wheeled vehicles were pushed by people or pulled by animals.

2. 2 · The Ford Model T

   What kind of wheels did the Ford Model T have?

   Very different from today.

   • a) Wooden spokes and solid rubber tyres
   • b) Air-filled tyres and metal wheels
   • c) No wheels
   • d) Plastic wheels
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) Wooden spokes and solid rubber tyres

   The Model T had wooden spokes and solid rubber tyres.

3. 3 · Modern cars

   Which cars don't use petrol at all?

   They have batteries.

   • a) Electric cars
   • b) The Ford Model T
   • c) Hybrid cars
   • d) Steam cars
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) Electric cars

   Electric cars have an electric motor and batteries. Hybrid cars have both an engine and a battery.

4. 4 · Self-driving cars

   What do self-driving cars use to see the road?

   Two technologies.

   • a) Sensors and artificial intelligence
   • b) Mirrors only
   • c) A horse
   • d) A compass
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) Sensors and artificial intelligence

   Sensors and artificial intelligence tell the car where the lanes and other cars are.

5. 5 · Pros and cons

   What are 'pros and cons'?

   Two sides of every invention.

   • a) Benefits and disadvantages
   • b) Old and new inventions
   • c) Inventions and discoveries
   • d) Cars and planes
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) Benefits and disadvantages

   Pros are benefits; cons are disadvantages.

6. 6 · E-waste

   Why is e-waste a problem?

   Think about old devices.

   • a) We change devices often and the old ones pollute if they aren't recycled
   • b) Because it is too expensive
   • c) Because computers are heavy
   • d) It isn't a problem
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) We change devices often and the old ones pollute if they aren't recycled

   Old electronic devices must be recycled; in a landfill they pollute.

7. 7 · Counting technology

   Match each counting tool with its description

   From old to new.

   1. Quipu
   2. Abacus
   3. Adding machine
   4. Calculator

   • a) Beads to calculate
   • b) Electronic, with batteries
   • c) Knots and coloured strings
   • d) Printed results on paper
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: Quipu → Knots and coloured strings · Abacus → Beads to calculate · Adding machine → Printed results on paper · Calculator → Electronic, with batteries

   Quipu (Incas) → abacus → adding machines → electronic calculators.

8. 8 · Be a detective

   In the experiment, what did we use to see the fingerprints?

   It comes from burnt toast.

   • a) Carbon powder
   • b) Salt
   • c) Flour
   • d) Sand
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) Carbon powder

   Heat turns bread into carbon; the black powder sticks to the oil of the fingerprint.

9. 9 · Be a detective

   How do forensic scientists compare fingerprints today?

   Modern technology.

   • a) With computers and a database
   • b) Only with a magnifying glass
   • c) By asking people
   • d) With a compass
   Ver la solución

   Respuesta: a) With computers and a database

   Computers compare a print with thousands of prints stored in a database.

10. 10 · Car factories

    What is an assembly line?

    Henry Ford's idea.

    • a) The car moves along a belt and workers add parts at each station
    • b) A line of cars in a traffic jam
    • c) A road for testing cars
    • d) A list of car parts
    Ver la solución

    Respuesta: a) The car moves along a belt and workers add parts at each station

    On an assembly line, each worker or robot adds parts as the car passes by.

11. 11 · Science English

    The robots ___ controlled by computers.

    Plural: robots.

    • a) is
    • b) are
    • c) was
    • d) be
    Ver la solución

    Respuesta: b) are

    Plural subject → are + past participle: the robots are controlled by computers.

12. 12 · Science English

    Röntgen ___ when he discovered X-rays.

    Past continuous: was/were + -ing.

    • a) was experimenting
    • b) experiments
    • c) is experimenting
    • d) were experiment
    Ver la solución

    Respuesta: a) was experimenting

    He was experimenting (past continuous) when he discovered X-rays (past simple).

13. 13 · Match

    Match the inventor with the invention or discovery

    Who did what?

    1. Thomas Edison
    2. The Wright brothers
    3. Wilhelm Röntgen
    4. Henry Ford

    • a) The aeroplane
    • b) The light bulb
    • c) The Model T assembly line
    • d) X-rays
    Ver la solución

    Respuesta: Thomas Edison → The light bulb · The Wright brothers → The aeroplane · Wilhelm Röntgen → X-rays · Henry Ford → The Model T assembly line

    Edison: light bulb · Wright brothers: aeroplane · Röntgen: X-rays · Ford: assembly line.

14. 14 · Timeline

    Which list is in the right order, from oldest to newest?

    Use the dates you learnt.

    • a) wheel → compass → light bulb → aeroplane → personal computer
    • b) compass → wheel → aeroplane → light bulb → computer
    • c) light bulb → wheel → computer → compass → aeroplane
    • d) computer → aeroplane → light bulb → compass → wheel
    Ver la solución

    Respuesta: a) wheel → compass → light bulb → aeroplane → personal computer

    Wheel (3500 BCE) → compass (2,000 years ago) → light bulb (1879) → aeroplane (1903) → PC (1970s).