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Learning English with CBC

Edmonton

Monthly Feature Story

Our Edmonton: The Science edition

January 2014 Learning plan created by Kim Chaba‐Armstrong & Justine Light

http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/learning‐english/ www.alberta.ca


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Feature Story Objectives

Our Edmonton: The Science edition

CLB competency outcomes Listening: Reading: Speaking: Writing:

L: Identifies main ideas, supporting details and implied meanings in extended narration L: May use contextual clues to enhance comprehension R: Identifies main ideas, key details and some implied meanings S: Produces intelligible and communicatively effective pronunciation W: Develops control over complex sentence structures W: Writes a summary

Language skills Vocabulary: Use vocabulary words and idiomatic expressions in context.

Grammar: Identify and use relative clauses.

Pronunciation: Understand and practice the pronunciation of –ed endings.

Language Activities (in order of appearance in materials) Answering comprehension questions and discussion questions about

a short background text on space exploration Completing pre‐listening activities to build vocabulary and prepare learners for audio Listening to the audio to identify facts and details Listening to audio to recognize which speakers expressed different facts and opinions Identifying the use of relative clauses in the audio Using relative clauses in writing Recognizing different patterns of pronunciation related to –ed endings Completing pre‐reading vocabulary activity Using information to answer true/false and short answer questions & understand implied meaning using context clues Evaluating information in a written text Writing a summary based on a written text


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Introduction ‐ Background Reading

Since 1957, humans have been sending machines, animals and people into space. In 1957, the

Soviet Union was the first country to send a man‐made object into space. Yuri Gagarin was the first

human to go into space when his ship launched from the Soviet Union in 1961. According to the

Canadian Space Agency,* as the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union competed with each other over who

would be the first to do great accomplishments in space, there were many failures, including

sacrificed lives, and successes. In 1969, the U.S.A. sent a spaceship to the moon, and Neil

Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon.

Canada also has a space program and has sent people into space; men and women.

Do you have perfect eyesight, blood pressure and hearing? Are you between 149.5 cm and 190.5 cm

tall? At the time of application, will you be a Canadian citizen, and most importantly, are you a scientist,

engineer and/or medical doctor as recognized by Canadian standards? If so, perhaps you could apply to

be a Canadian astronaut! For more information on becoming an astronaut, or to read about space

flight, life and training, please visit the Canadian Space Agency Website*.

Food for thought:

1. Does your home country have a space program?

2. Why do you think humans have the need to explore space?

3. You have to have a science, medical and/or engineering degree to be an astronaut. Why do you think the space program looks for these qualifications? Check the Canadian Space Agency website* for the answer.

4. If you could ask a Canadian astronaut any question, what would it be and why?

*Please see the Canadian Space Agency website http://www.asc‐csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/default.asp for more information.


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The Audio

In this audio, you will hear a variety of CBC news personnel, such as, “Our Edmonton” reporter

Adrienne Lamb, Edmonton AM host Mark Connolly, meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe, and

cameraman John Robertson. You will also hear from two Canadian astronauts; recently retired Chris

Hadfield, and currently active Jeremy Henson. Finally, the University of Alberta Engineering Chair and

professor talks about a few of the expectations of Canadian engineering students.

Before you listen:

How do you think seeing astronauts on the news, Facebook, twitter, etc. might interest adults and

inspire younger generations?

Getting Started

TIME SPEAKER SPEECH

0:00 Adrienne

Lamb

In the west end, at the Telus World of Science, I’m Adrienne Lamb, and this is “Our

Edmonton” on CBC.

0:17 Adrienne

Lamb

Coming up… (singing)… He’s the man, the space man, and he was recently in our city.

We’ll spend some time with Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield.

0:33 Adrienne

Lamb

Space, it’s been on the radar for many of us lately, mostly as a result of this guy,

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. He was recently in town chatting with our Mark

Connolly on Edmonton AM.

0:47 Mark

Connolly

What was the best part about being in space?

Listen to the audio to hear Chris Hadfield’s answer.


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Pre‐listening Vocabulary The words below are from the audio. The definitions are next to the words. Read the definitions then complete the sentences on the following page.

Word/Phrase Definition

1. on someone’s radar Idiom: to be noticed by someone; to watch/study something because it is interesting

2. chatting Verb: speaking casually with someone

3. a toss‐up Noun: not being sure which choice you are going to make when deciding between two things

4. Gravity Name: a recent Hollywood movie about astronauts in space starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

5. hemisphere Noun: one of two halves of the world as divided by scientists with an imaginary centre line called the equator

6. Canada Arm II Noun: the second Canadian‐made robotic arm built for the International Space Station which was put in place in 2001

7. meteorologist Noun: someone who studies the weather

8. fiber optic Noun: glass threads used to carry data; usually bundled into a cable of threads

9. launch Noun: the event of sending a machine or people into space

10. probe Noun: a machine sent into space, to the moon or another planet, which will send information about the place back to earth

11. orbit Noun: the circular path a smaller object makes around a larger object, i.e. the earth around the sun; the moon around the earth

12. morphology & geology Nouns: the study of an object and how it was made & the study of rocks and soil and how it changes over time

13. Movember Name: an event where men don’t shave for the month of November in order to raise money for men’s health research

14. resonated Verb: an event or speech that people think was good or valuable

15. fabricating Verb: making or producing something


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Use the vocabulary words to complete the following sentences. Answers can be found in the appendix.

1. The ________________________ is used to catch unpiloted spacecraft and to move supplies. 2. Chris Hadfield likes his moustache, so while he thinks ___________________ is a good cause, he

doesn’t participate in those events. 3. If want to educate people about the weather and how it is formed, perhaps you should become a

______________________. 4. Humans have sent many ________________ into deep space, and while we have gotten

information from them, no other beings from deep space have sent any to us. 5. I’m not sure which one I’d prefer. It’s a _____________________ between talking with visiting

aliens here on earth, or visiting aliens on their planet. 6. Astronauts need to know a lot about science, so all of them probably took _______________ or

____________________ classes at university. 7. The space program is busy _____________________ new technology to be used on the

International Space Station and in space. 8. Canada is in the northern _______________________ of the world, and Brazil is in the south. 9. I haven’t seen ____________________ yet, but Chris Hadfield says it captures some of what it’s

really like to be in space. 10. NASA is an organization that ______________________ many spaceships and probes into space

from the United States. 11. If you want to be an astronaut, you probably need to be on the selection committee’s

________________, so you should do something special or create something that is unique. 12. There are 8 planets that ______________ the sun in our solar system; Mars, Venus, Earth,

Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Pluto is no longer considered a planet. 13. ____________________ with famous astronauts inspired many people because the message that

they gave about doing your best and working hard to reach your dreams really _________________ with them.

14. _____________________ cables can carry more data than metal cables, but they are more fragile

and more expensive than metal ones.


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Listening for Meaning

Listen to the interview and answer the following questions. Answers can be found in the appendix.

1. What two things are in competition as the “best part about being in space” for Chris Hadfield?

2. According to this listening, make a list of the jobs that Chris Hadfield has had.

3. What does the Microflow do? (see the resource section for more after you answer)

4. Does Hadfield believe the use of the Microflow is limited? Quote Hadfield to support your answer.

5. What will the probe from India hopefully tell us about Mars?

6. Using the context around it, what does “bellwether” mean in the segment, “…to be able to study

Mars is a really good bellwether in understanding all planets including our own?”

7. Given what reporter Johanna Wagstaffe said, what do you think a group of Air Cadets is?

a. a club for youth that teaches them about aircrafts and discipline

b. a club for adults that teaches them about flying

c. a club for youth who want to dress like pilots for Halloween

8. “Would have otherwise” implies there are two sides; two choices, what is the other side Hadfield is

referring to in this text?

9. T / F Johanna was making fun of Hadfield by wearing a costume that looked like him.

10. T / F Jeremy Hanson inspired many Edmonton youth to become astronauts when he visited.

11. T / F Because of Chris Hadfield, more people are aware of the Canadian space program.

12. Why did cameraman John Robertson go in front of the camera instead of behind it?

13. If you were a student engineer, what would you need to be careful of?

14. According to this video, define innovation/innovators.

15. What is the purpose of the hacky sack robot project?


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Listening Strategies: The goal of the listening strategies section of the monthly feature lesson is to help you to improve your listening skills for all listening situations, not just this audio.

When an audio is quite long, and there are a variety of speakers, can you keep track of who said what? Try to take notes while you are listening. Be sure to summarize a speaker’s main ideas in your own words or take short quotes, and note the name of the speakers and important details about them. Listen to the audio again. Give one or two details about each speaker. Put a check mark in the column for who the speaker was. The ideas below are not in order. A couple of the answers have been given. Answers can be found in the appendix.

Adrienne Mark Johanna Chris Jeremy John Brian

Speaker Details Edmonton AM host

retired Canadian astronaut

1. Summarized Ideas 2.

Chris Hadfield has made space a popular topic in the news.

√

The Mars launch is important in the news today.

3.

Walking in space is a great experience, and seeing the seasons change from above the world is very pretty.

He helped spread awareness about the International Space Station and the space program.

The probe sent from India will hopefully tell us a lot about Mars so that we might learn things about our planet and other planets, too.

Science is exciting to talk about.

You need to be physically fit to be an astronaut.

Microflow will have a role in changing people’s lives. (read carefully)

He is an inspiration to me.

He was an inspiration to many Edmonton children.

Being an inspiration is a great experience.

The helicopter game was irresistible.

Engineers need to be realistic, innovative, problem solvers.


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Grammar Activity – Relative Clauses English is made up of a variety of sentence types and lengths. Simple sentences have a valuable place in the language, but as a person’s language develops, content rich sentences are more desirable.

We can use relative clauses to join two simple sentences, or to give more information about something. Ex: I bought a new car. It is very fast. → I bought a new car that is very fast.

Ex: She works in Edmonton. She likes working in Edmonton. → She works in Edmonton, which she likes.

We use: ‘who' and ‘that’ for people 'which' and ‘that’ for things

1. When the relative pronoun (who/that/which) is the subject of the relative clause:

The relative clause can come after the subject or the object of the sentence. The relative pronoun (who/that/which) is NOT optional in this situation.

Relative clause coming after the object of the sentence: • I'm looking for a secretary who / that can use a computer well. • She has a son who / that is a doctor.

Relative clause coming after the subject of the sentence:

• The people who / that work in this office are very friendly. • The coffee machine which / that costs $100 is over there.

2. When the relative pronoun (who/that/which) is the object of the relative clause: The relative clause can come after the subject or the object of the sentence. The relative pronoun IS optional (Ø) in this situation.

Relative clause coming after the object of the sentence: • She loves the robot which / that / Ø I created for university. • We went to the college open house which / that / Ø Bob recommended.

Relative clause coming after the subject of the sentence: • The astronaut who / that / Ø I admire is in space right now. • The university which / that / Ø she likes is famous for its engineering program.


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Part 1 Listen to the audio again. Listen for the following sentences and fill in the blanks with the correct relative pronoun. Answers can be found in the appendix.

1. 0:51 Chris Hadfield

… it’s a toss‐up between the experiences of walking in space, __________ you could sort of see it in the movie “Gravity”…

2. 2:11 Johanna … tell me about some of the experiments ____________ will play a role in changing people’s lives here on earth.

3. 2:25 Chris … it brings together people ____________ wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise.

4. 2:25 Chris … you come out with a product ____________ has application everywhere…

5. 4:05 Chris … to have them make decisions ____________ allow them to do more with their lives.

6. 5:24 John R. Here are some UofA students ____________ are following their dreams…

7. 5:48 Brian F. They get something ____________ they’ve never had to deal with before…

Part 2 Now, fill in the blanks of the sentences above with all of the relative pronoun options: who/that/which/Ø

1. … it’s a toss‐up between the experiences of walking in space, ________________________ you could

sort of see in the movie “Gravity”…

2. … tell me about some of the experiments ________________________ will play a role in changing

people’s lives here on earth.

3. … it brings together people ______________________ wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise.

4. … you come out with a product ________________________ has application everywhere…

5. … to have them make decisions ________________________ allow them to do more with their lives.

6. Here are some UofA students ________________________ are following their dreams…

7. They get something ________________________ they’ve never had to deal with before…

** When you are practicing your English, try to use relative clauses to add details to your sentences.


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Building Speaking Skills: Pronunciation of ‐ed Endings

The –ed ending of words is pronounced differently depending on the sound that comes before it. The –ed ending can be found on verbs and –ed adjectives (verbs that act like adjectives). The chart below shows the three different pronunciations of –ed.

/t/ sound ‐voiceless sounds with no vibration

/d/ sound ‐ voiced sounds with vibration in the throat, mouth, or nose

/Id/ sound ‐ t or d spelling

helped (sounds like helpt) planned (sounds like pland) seated (sounds like seat‐id) kissed followed stranded licked saved miffed pleased washed banged matched Try to place the following words, spoken in the listening, in the correct category on the chart. Use the examples to help you. applied disappeared excited

exposed included inspired

involved launched resonated

wanted watched worked

Shadowing: Now listen to a few examples from the listening again. Practice saying the passage at the same time as the speakers. Try to sound exactly like them. Pay attention to –ed endings. You can practice as many times as you want, and you could listen for the other examples of –ed, too. General time

Speaker Quote

0:51 Chris I was up for half a year, so I watched one whole season change around the world. 1:57 Johanna Well, Commander Hadfield, first of all I have to tell you how excited I am to talk to you. 2:25 Chris ‐ I think one of the most important experiments is the Canadian one called Microflow.

‐ Define a challenge in a remote location and it brings together people that wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise…

3:01 Chris … why Mars’ atmosphere has disappeared; 5:48 Brian This is real innovation; I mean engineers are innovators and they build new devices for

solving problems in the world, so it really shows them how to do hands‐on, applied problems.

Extra Practice: listen for –ed endings when you are listening to the radio and watching TV. When you are speaking, correct yourself if you make a mistake. ‐ Tell someone you know a story about a time when someone helped you with a problem (e.g., your car broke down). While you are speaking, pay attention to the –ed endings of your past tense verbs!


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Reading Activity ‐ Pre‐reading Vocabulary The following vocabulary activity will help you to understand the reading below. Match each word to its correct definition. The first one is done for you. Answers can be found in the appendix.

Letter Word Definition

d design a. Noun: a variety of ways that something works

devices b. Noun: a variety of ways of doing something

systems c. Verb: to supervise; to watch an activity to make sure it’s being done correctly

processes d. Verb: draw and create an original object or idea

oversee e. Noun: mechanical and often electronic objects used for a purpose

installation f. Noun: the rate of people leaving a job or career and then being replaced

outlook g. Noun: a prediction of how things will be for the future

generate h. Noun: when an object has been put where it belongs in a machine or place

turnover i. Verb: to make or create something, usually in large numbers

refineries j. Noun: workplace where the resource is changed and made more pure (other elements are taken out, and perhaps only the basic form remains)

mines k. Noun: workplace is a building that manufactures or processes a resource

plants l. Verb: letting fresh air move around a building or space

ventilating m. Noun: workplace is in mountains or underground and workers or machines take resources from there

infrastructure n. Adjective: a resource or idea that is new and developing in the market

emerging o. Noun: the buildings and system that organizes a company or process

phenomena p. Noun: someone’s nature; ability to do something well

inspect q. Noun: unexpected or unusual things that happen that are hard to explain

abstract r. Noun: the will to not give up

inclination s. Verb: check to see that the quality and elements of something are correct

persistence t. Adjective: not concrete; an idea and not something you can touch


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Reading Text

Mechanical Engineer Mechanical engineers research, design and evaluate machines, devices, equipment, systems and processes, and plan and oversee their development, installation, operation and maintenance.

Also Known As: Design Engineer, Engineer, Professional Engineer NOC Number(s): 2132 Minimum Education: 4 years post‐secondary education/training Employment Outlook: Job openings generated due to employment turnover.

Occupational outlook currently unavailable.

Duties

Mechanical engineers work on a wide variety of mechanical systems including: • industrial systems and processing (for example, in refineries, petrochemical facilities,

mines) • manufacturing systems, plants and products • environmental control systems (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) • transportation equipment (land, sea, air, space) • utility systems and infrastructure delivering water, gas, oil and power • emerging fields such as robotics, biomedical engineering, commercial space travel, lasers,

nanotechnology, telecommunications and computer components and systems. There are many different specializations in mechanical engineering. The following illustrate some of the possibilities: Design engineers create the plans for new products, machines, industrial equipment, instruments, processes and systems and provide technical support for changes to existing ones. Development engineers analyze proposed products or processes, test them out and attempt to improve them. Manufacturing engineers plan, develop and research the tools, processes, machines and equipment needed to produce quality products economically (for more information, see the Manufacturing Engineer occupational profile). Sales engineers are involved in technical sales and service (for more information, see the Technical Sales Representative profile). Research engineers investigate and develop new materials, processes, engineering tools and phenomena that may enable the creation of new products, systems and applications. Working Conditions


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Mechanical engineers may work in office, laboratory, shop or field environments. Field work is required to review site conditions and inspect the construction of designs. Mechanical engineers also may work in research and development laboratories, or the production departments of factories where they supervise the testing and manufacture of products.

Personal Characteristics

Mechanical engineers need the following characteristics: • the ability to think in mathematical and abstract terms • the ability to visualize three‐dimensional objects from two‐dimensional drawings • a practical, mechanical inclination • an interest in technical processes • persistence and determination • well developed oral and written communication skills • good interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team

They should enjoy being innovative, doing work that requires precision, making decisions and supervising others.

Educational Requirements

The minimum education requirement for mechanical engineers is a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. In Alberta, the Faculties of Engineering at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the University of Calgary offer four year bachelor degree programs in mechanical engineering. Both institutions also offer a co‐operative education or internship program consisting of periods of academic study alternating with periods of planned work experience in industry. Co‐operative or internship engineering degree programs usually require five years to complete. The admission requirement for engineering programs at both the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary is a competitive average in the following subjects:

• English Language Arts 30‐1 • Pure Math 30 • Chemistry 30 • Math 31 • Physics 30

Post‐secondary institutions throughout the province offer university transfer programs that allow students to apply up to two years of study toward university bachelor's degree programs. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the courses they choose to take will be accepted for credit at the institution to which they wish to transfer. For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission


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policies, please check post‐secondary calendars or websites. Mechanical engineers must be prepared to adapt to dramatic changes in skill requirements throughout their careers.

Related Legislation

Under Alberta's Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act, you must be a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) to practice as a Professional Engineer. You do not have to be registered if you work under the direct supervision of a Professional Engineer and do not call yourself a Professional Engineer or use the word Engineer in your job title.

The reading was taken from: Alberta Learning Information Services. Government of Alberta. (2013). Retrieved from http://alis.alberta.ca/index.html

Reading for Meaning

Answer the following questions about the reading. Answers can be found in the appendix.


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1. Describe a mechanical engineer.

2. When can you expect the job market to be good? 3. T / F Mechanical engineers have a narrow focus of duties.

4. T / F The field of engineering has a stagnant field of possibilities.

5. If you were to become an engineer, which specialization would you choose and why? 6. Based on the Working Conditions section:

a. What might an engineer do in the “field”?

b. What kind of laboratories might an engineer work in?

c. What might an engineer do in a shop?

7. Look at the list of personal characteristics a mechanical engineer should have. Put a checkmark beside the characteristics that you have. What could you do to develop those that you don’t have?

8. What is an internship, i.e. why does it take longer to do an internship?

9. If you did two years of study in Engineering at a college, would a university accept you to their program for year 3 and 4?

10. Is a 4‐year bachelor’s degree enough to become a professional engineer? Why or why not?

Reading Strategies – Evaluating a Text


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The goal of the reading strategies section of the monthly feature lesson is to help you to become a better reader of all reading text, not just this text.

Do you think that mechanical engineering would be a good job for you? Look at the job description above for a mechanical engineer. Think about 2 of the duties, 2 of the personal characteristics, and the educational requirements needed from the job description. Use your choices to explain why you think being a mechanical engineer would, or would not, be a good job for you. A sample has been done to help you. Sample:

Mechanical Engineer Me

Do you think being a mechanical engineer is a good choice for you?

No, I don’t think being a mechanical engineer would be a good choice for me.

Duty:

Work with a variety of mechanical systems

I don’t have any experience with plants, factories or ‘systems’

Duty:

Work with emerging robotics and technology

I enjoy working with existing issues and resources rather than creating and learning new things.

Personal Characteristic:

The ability to think in mathematical and abstract terms

I don’t enjoy math.


Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team

I work better alone, and the profession I was studying for requires me to make decisions solely on my own.

Educational Requirements:

• Grade 12 education • 4 year university degree • APEGA membership

• I have a high school education from my country

• I have three years of psychology completed from my country – I don’t know if Canada recognizes my credentials

• I am not a member of APEGA Please fill in the following chart with your evaluation.


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Mechanical Engineer Me

Do you think being a mechanical engineer is a good choice for you?

Duty:

Duty:



Educational Requirements:

• Grade 12 education

• 4 year university degree

• APEGA membership

Writing Activity – Writing a Summary


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How to write a summary Writing a summary is an important writing skill. The process of writing a summary can help you to understand a text you are reading; the summary itself can show your teacher how well you understand and can express a text in your own words. It is important to remember that when you write a summary, you should use your own words but keep the ideas and organization of the original text. A summary should be shorter than the original text and you can do this by trying to cut out all of the details and examples that are not needed. When you are planning and writing your summary, think about what the author is saying. Below are some steps that will help you to write a good summary.

1. Skim the text – check out the title and sub‐headings and think about the main ideas you can get from these.

2. Read the text from beginning to end. What is the author saying? 3. If you have a photocopy of the text (not the original book or magazine), circle the key words, or

highlight the main idea of each section. 4. Re‐read the main points you have highlighted. 5. Identify the title, author and original date of the text you are going to summarize. 6. Write one sentence that summarizes the main idea of the text. 7. Write the main points and important details in your own words. You will have to use the same technical

vocabulary and proper names for things in the original text. Do not waste words by using such expressions as, “The original text says,” or “The author states…” The whole summary tells us what the original text says.

8. Keep the same organization as the original author. 9. Do not add your own ideas or conclusion, unless your teacher specifically asks you to do this. 10. Proofread your summary – ask yourself, “Have I kept the authors original ideas but used my own

words?” Re‐read the text above: Occupational information ‐ Mechanical Engineer. Using the steps suggested above, write a summary of one section of the text, for example: Duties, Personal characteristics, or Educational and Professional Requirements. Write the summary in one paragraph. Try to use relative clauses whenever they might fit in. You can see an example summary of one section of the text in the appendix.

Links


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To learn more about the Canadian Space Agency and Astronauts:

http://www.asc‐csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/default.asp

To learn more from Chris Hadfield, follow him on twitter starting at:

https://twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield

YouTube video of Chris Hadfield singing in space:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo

YouTube video explaining the use of Microflow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6K3kQJQ‐K4

To improve your reading skills and learn more about engineers and other occupations visit:

http://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo

For the next step to relative clauses and to improve your grammar with explanations and exercises:

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram‐up/grammar/relative‐clauses

To improve your listening watch videos and/or listen to talks from 18 astronauts:

http://blog.ted.com/2013/05/13/space‐oddity‐indeed‐18‐talks‐from‐astronauts‐including‐chris‐hadfield/

Appendix ‐ Answer Keys Pre‐Listening 1. The Canada Arm II is used to catch unpiloted spacecraft and to move supplies.


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2. Chris Hadfield likes his moustache, so while he thinks Movember is a good cause, he doesn’t participate in those events.

3. If want to educate people about the weather and how it is formed, perhaps you should become a meteorologist.

4. Humans have sent many probes into deep space, and while we have gotten information from them, no other beings from deep space have sent any to us.

5. I’m not sure which one I’d prefer. It’s a toss‐up between talking with visiting aliens here on earth, or visiting aliens on their planet.

6. Astronauts need to know a lot about science, so all of them probably took morphology or geology classes at university.

7. The space program is busy fabricating new technology to be used on the International Space Station and in space.

8. Canada is in the northern hemisphere of the world, and Brazil is in the south. 9. I haven’t seen Gravity yet, but Chris Hadfield says it captures some of what it’s really like to be in

space. 10. NASA is an organization that launches many spaceships and probes into space from the U.S. 11. If you want to be an astronaut, you probably need to be on the selection committee’s radar, so you

should do something special or create something that is unique. 12. There are 8 planets that orbit the sun in our solar system; Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury, Jupiter,

Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Pluto is no longer considered a planet. 13. Chatting with famous astronauts inspired many people, because the message that they gave about

doing your best and working hard to reach your dreams really resonated with them. 14. Fiber optic cables can carry more data than metal cables, but they are more fragile and more

expensive than metal ones. Listening for Meaning 1. What two things are in competition as the “best part about being in space” for Chris Hadfield?

the experience of walking in space and the views, what can be seen, out the window of the spaceship. 2. According to this listening, make a list of the jobs that Chris Hadfield has had.

meteorologist, science reporter for CBC, astronaut 3. What does the Microflow do? (see the resource section for more after you answer)

analyses blood in 10 minutes 4. Does Hadfield believe the use of the Microflow is limited? Quote Hadfield to support your answer.

No. He says products like Microflow have “application everywhere.” 5. What will the probe from India hopefully tell us about Mars? It will tell us: ‐ about the atmosphere of Mars ‐ why the atmosphere is so thin now ‐ is a thin atmosphere a normal thing for planets ‐ maybe this will happen to the earth eventually ‐ how planet morphology and geology work 6. Using the context around it, what does “bellwether” mean in the segment, “…to be able to study Mars is

a really good bellwether in understanding all planets including our own?” an indicator of things that might be


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7. Given what reporter Johanna Wagstaffe said, what do you think a group of Air Cadets is? a. a club for youth that teaches them about aircrafts and discipline b. a club for adults that teaches them about flying c. a club for youth who want to dress like pilots for Halloween

8. “Would have otherwise” implies there are two sides; two choices, what is the other side Hadfield is

referring to in this text? Having the experience of talking with him or hearing Hadfield speak versus not having heard an inspirational speech.

9. T / F Johanna was making fun of Hadfield by wearing a costume that looked like him. 10. T / F Jeremy Hanson inspired many Edmonton youth to become astronauts when he visited. 11. T / F Because of Chris Hadfield, more people are aware of the Canadian space program. 12. Why did cameraman John Robertson go in front of the camera instead of behind it?

He was really curious about the helicopter game, because he had wanted to be a helicopter pilot when he was younger.

13. If you were a student engineer, what would you need to be careful of? You need to be careful to set

your sights on what is doable to make sure that your dream/project can progress. 14. According to this video, define innovation/innovators.

Designing and building new devices for solving problems in the world 15. What is the purpose of the hacky sack robot project? To get the students used to experimenting with

things to solve unique problems, because they need to know how to do this when they are engineers in the workplace

Listening Strategies Adrienne Mark Johanna Chris Jeremy John Brian

Speaker Details

Summarized Ideas

4. Our

Edmonton

reporter

Edmonton AM host

CBC meteorlologist

retired Canadian astronaut

current Canadian astronaut

CBC camera‐man

UofA Chair & professor

Chris Hadfield has made space a popular topic in the news.

√

The Mars launch is important in the news today.

√

Walking in space is a great experience, and seeing the seasons change from above the world is very pretty.

√

He helped spread awareness about the International Space Station and the space program.

√

The probe sent from India will hopefully tell us a lot about Mars so that we might learn things about our planet and other planets, too.

√


23

Science is exciting to talk about. √

You need to be physically fit to be an astronaut.

√

Microflow will have a role in changing people’s lives. (read carefully)

√

He is an inspiration to me. √

He was an inspiration to many Edmonton children.

√

Being an inspiration is a great experience. √

The helicopter game was irresistible. √

Engineers need to be realistic, innovative, problem solvers.

√

Grammar Part 1 1. … it’s a toss‐up between the experiences of walking in space, which you could sort of see in the movie

“Gravity”… 2. … tell me about some of the experiments that will play a role in changing people’s lives here on earth. 3. … it brings together people that wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise. 4. … you come out with a product that has application everywhere… 5. … to have them make decisions that allow them to do more with their lives. 6. Here are some UofA students who are following their dreams… 7. They get something Ø they’ve never had to deal with before… Part 2 1. … it’s a toss‐up between the experiences of walking in space, which/that you could sort of see in the

movie “Gravity”… 2. … tell me about some of the experiments that/which will play a role in changing people’s lives here on

earth. 3. … it brings together people that/who wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise. 4. … you come out with a product that/which has application everywhere… 5. … to have them make decisions that/which allow them to do more with their lives. 6. Here are some UofA students who/that are following their dreams… 7. They get something Ø/that/which they’ve never had to deal with before…

Building Speaking Skills: Pronunciation of ‐ed Endings

/t/ sound /d/ sound /Id/ sound launched applied excited watched disappeared included worked exposed resonated ////////////////////////////////// inspired wanted ////////////////////////////////// involved /////////////////////////////////

Pre‐Reading Vocabulary Letter Word/Phrase Definition d design a. Noun: a variety of ways that something works


24

e devices b. Noun: a variety of ways of doing something a systems c. Verb: to supervise; to watch an activity to make sure it’s being done correctly b processes d. Verb: draw and create an original object or idea c oversee e. Noun: mechanical and often electronic objects used for a purpose h installation f. Noun: the rate of people leaving a job or career and then being replaced g outlook g. Noun: a prediction of how things will be for the future i generate h. Noun: when an object has been put where it belongs in a machine or place f turnover i. Verb: to make or create something, usually in large numbers j

refineries j. Noun: workplace where the resource is changed and made more pure (other

elements are taken out, and perhaps only the basic form remains) m mines k. Noun: workplace is a building that manufactures or processes a resource k plants l. Verb: letting fresh air move around a building or space l ventilating m. Noun: workplace is in mountains or underground and workers or machines

take resources from there o infrastructure n. Adjective: a resource or idea that is new and developing in the market n emerging o. Noun: the buildings and system that organizes a company or process q phenomena p. Noun: someone’s nature; ability to do something well s inspect q. Noun: unexpected or unusual things that happen that are hard to explain t abstract r. Noun: the will to not give up p inclination s. Verb: check to see that the quality and elements of something are correct r persistence t. Adjective: not concrete; an idea and not something you can touch

Reading for Meaning 1. Describe a mechanical engineer.

Mechanical engineers research, design and evaluate machines, devices, equipment, systems and processes, and plan and oversee their development, installation, operation and maintenance.

2. When can you expect the job market to be good? When there is turnover at a company or in the industry, but current outlook is not available.

3. T / F Mechanical engineers have a narrow focus of duties. This type of engineer basically only works with mechanical systems, which is a narrow focus.

4. T / F The field of engineering has a stagnant field of possibilities. Because they work with emerging fields, which means engineers are often working with new possibilities.

5. If you were to become an engineer, which specialization would you choose and why? Answers will vary, but should include a choice of Design, Development, Manufacturing, Sales, or Research engineers and a reason for the choice.

6. Based on the Working Conditions section: a. What might an engineer do in the “field”?

review site conditions and inspect the construction of designs


25

b. What kind of laboratories might an engineer work in? research and development laboratories

c. What might an engineer do in a shop? supervise the testing and manufacture of products

7. Look at the list of personal characteristics a mechanical engineer should have. Put a checkmark beside the characteristics that you have. What could you do to develop those that you don’t have? Answers will vary. Possible ways to develop characteristics: join discussion groups, take courses, make a commitment to change

8. What is an internship, i.e. why does it take longer to do an internship? An internship is work experience with a company while completing a university program. The program is also called a cooperative program and the internship adds about 1 year to the program.

9. If you did two years of study in Engineering at a college, would a university accept you to their program for year 3 and 4? Yes, if the university accepts all of the courses, and if the college offers a transfer program. No, if the university does not accept the college courses for credit or have a transfer agreement with that college then you would not be accepted into a program to finish only 2 more years.

10. Is a 4 year bachelor’s degree enough to become a professional engineer? Why or why not? No, you must also be a registered member of APEGA, or not call yourself an engineer.

Reading Strategies – Evaluating a Text Sample given above.

Writing Activity Duties of a Mechanical Engineer – Summary The duties of a mechanical engineer are focused on variations of mechanical systems which include industrial, manufacturing, environmental control, and utility systems. Knowing about processing, transportation equipment and the necessary infrastructures are also important responsibilities of a mechanical engineer. Being involved with upcoming fields such as robotics, biomedical engineering, commercial space travel, lasers, nanotechnology, and telecommunications, as well as knowing computer components and systems are all duties of a mechanical engineer.

Appendix – Transcript


26

TIME SPEAKER SPEECH

0:00 Adrienne

Lamb

In the west end, at the Telus World of Science, I’m Adrienne Lamb, and this is “Our

Edmonton” on CBC.

0:17 Adrienne

Lamb

Coming up… (singing)… He’s the man, the space man, and he was recently in our city.

We’ll spend some time with Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield.

0:33 Adrienne

Lamb

Space, it’s been on the radar for many of us lately, mostly as a result of this guy,

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. He was recently in town chatting with our Mark

Connolly on Edmonton AM.

0:47 Mark

Connolly

What was the best part of being in space?

0:51

Chris

Hadfield

Ah, I’d have to say it’s a toss‐up between the experience of walking in space, which,

ah, is, you could sort of see it in the movie “Gravity”, to a tiny taste, to be alone in the

universe wearing nothing but your space suit in between the world and the blackness

of everything else. That’s spectacular. But it’s in competition with just the straight

views out the window. You go around the world every 92 minutes; you see

everywhere. You see it in all the seasons. You know you go from winter to summer

every 45 minutes as you go north to the northern hemisphere to the southern

hemisphere. I was up for half a year, so I watched one whole season change around

the world. And the colours of it and the variety of it as your angle with the sun

changes, it’s just overpoweringly pretty, so there’s lots of good things.

1:40 Adrienne This is the Canada Arm II; one of the many Canadian contributions to science and

space. Of course, Commander Chris Hadfield also a contributor, he spent some time

with the CBC’s Johanna Wagstaffe about science and space.

1:57 Johanna

Wagstaffe

Well, Commander Hadfield, first of all I have to tell you how excited I am to talk to

you. I’ve been following your journey as a meteorologist and a science reporter for

this show, and you just make it so easy, ah, to get people excited about science, so

thank you for talking to me today.

2:10 Chris

Hadfield

My pleasure.


27

2:11 Johanna I’ve got to ask you a question about the science. I know you were part of dozens of

science experiments up at the International Space Station, many of which involved

the toilet. Which, tell me about some of the experiments that will have a, that will

play a role in changing people’s lives here on earth.

2:25 Chris I think one of the most important experiments is the Canadian one called Microflow.

It’s about the size of a, I don’t know, a toaster, and with it you can take a blood

sample, put it in Microflow, and in 10 minutes, it runs it through a fiber optic through

a laser and it can give you blood analysis in 10 minutes from a little machine in a

remote location. Define a challenge in a remote location and it brings together

people that wouldn’t have worked the problem otherwise, and you come out with a

product that has application everywhere.

2:54 Johanna Wow, and today is actually a big day in space news, brand new Mars mission launch.

2:59 Chris That’s right.

3:00 Johanna You must get excited every time.

3:01 Chris I am. Well, two weeks ago, India launched a probe to Mars. It’s that time of the year

when our orbit and Mars’ orbit are in the right spot. It’s going to tell us about the

atmosphere of Mars, and why Mars’ atmosphere has disappeared; why it’s so thin

now; is that a normal thing for planets; is that maybe what will happen to the earth

eventually; how does planetary morphology and geology actually work? And you

can’t learn everything about a person by studying one human being, you have to

study a lot of different samples, and to be able to study Mars is a really good

bellwether in understanding of all planets including our own.

3:36 Johanna I hope I’ll get to continue to report on that. Now, I’ve got to tell you, I’ve actually met

you before. I was a 12 year old Air Cadet in Ontario, and I was chosen to get to listen

to you speak, and I was inspired. I went on to get my glider and pilot’s license, and I

may actually have been inspired with this year’s Halloween costume. Not just the 6

year old…

3:53 Chris That’s a good looking costume. I love the David Bowe peeking out.

3:57 Johanna You know it.


28

3:58 Chris It looks good.

3:59 Johanna The moustache needs some work, but ah…

4:00 Chris Well, it’s Movember, we’re forgiving this month.

4:02 Johanna Thank you. Well, what is it like to inspire the next generation, myself included?

4:05 Chris It’s a privilege. To be in a position where you can maybe affect people, to have them

make decisions that allow them to do more with their lives than they would have

otherwise; it’s a real delight, and when I run into examples of it, it’s very

heartwarming for me, so thanks.

4:18 Johanna Commander Hadfield, thank you very much. I look forward to your next adventure

and I hope you continue to share with us.

4:22 Chris Thanks. It’s really nice to talk with you, thanks.

4:25 Johanna Thank you.

4:30 Adrienne

Lamb

Jeremy Hanson created quite a stir a while back here at Telus. The Canadian Space

Agency astronaut spent some time with more than 200 Edmonton kids. Many of the

grade 6 to 9 students left with new career goals to head into space. Meanwhile,

Hanson is training hard towards his dream of one day shooting into orbit, like his

famous co‐worker Chris Hadfield.

4:54 Jeremy

Hansen

Chris’ mission resonated with Canadians and the world really, and now most people

know about the International Space Station; they know Canada has a space program.

People know as a Canadian you can aspire to be an astronaut and have a realistic

chance of doing that someday.

5:08 Adrienne

Lamb

Jeremy Hanson is one of only two Canadian astronauts involved with the space

program. And you have to be active, I mean like in shape in order to be an astronaut.

5:24 John

Robertson

I’m John Robertson. Usually I’m behind the camera, but when I saw this game, well, I

couldn’t resist. Thing is as a kid, I always wanted to be a helicopter pilot, but I

became a cameraman instead. Here are some UofA students who are following their

dreams and building a hacky sack playing robot.

5:48 Brian Fleck Brian Fleck. I’m the Chair and professor of mechanical engineering at the University

of Alberta. Right now this is a student design competition, and the students have to


29

build a vehicle of their own, and you can see here what they have to do is to shoot

those little hacky sacks to get them up here; it’s kind of like shuffle board. But, ah,

whoever gets the most of those balls in the triangles here, gets the most points, gets

the highest mark in the course. You can see one of the most important things is the

students have to set their sights at what’s doable, and make sure it gets out of the

starting blocks, ah, and those who do are doing well, right. It’s really about precision

and good planning. That’s what design is all about. This is real innovation; I mean

engineers are innovators and they build new devices for solving problems in the

world, so it really shows them how to do hands‐on, applied problems. They get

something they’ve never had to deal with before, and they have to find a solution.

So it’s they actually have to design it on computer first, and so they’re exposed to the

software. All the issues around fabricating things; they’re mechanical engineers.

They need to know how to build things.

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