6   Superhuman

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IN
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IC
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AP
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EO
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I N t h i s u ni t , Y O u . . .
• talk about the amazing human body.
AL

• r ead about technological extensions to

our bodies.
N

• learn about first aid.

• w
 atch a TED Talk about seeing disability
IO

in a different way.
• write an informal email.
AT

68 
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 6A  Amazing Bodies
Vocabulary  The human body
1 Do you know any interesting facts about the human body?

 2 Use the numbers in the boxes to answer the questions in the quiz. There is one
number in each box that you don’t need.

1 5 27 70 100 18,000 96,000 86,000,000,000

The heart and blood  The heart moves blood and oxygen around the body.
 1  How much blood passes through an adult heart each time it beats? (ml)

G
 2  How long are all the blood vessels in the body if you put them all in a line? (km)
 3 What percentage of the oxygen we breathe in do the lungs absorb? (%)

IN
The brain and senses  These tell us about our environment.
 4 How many cells are in the human brain?

N
 5 What percentage of the brain do we use? (%)
 6 What is the surface area of the skin of an adult male? (sense of touch) (cm2)

AR
 7 How many areas are there on the human tongue? (sense of taste)

9 17 50 206 300–1,000 435

LE
The bones and skeleton  The skeleton supports the body.
 8 What is the difference in your height if you measure how tall you are in the
morning and again in the evening? (mm)
IC
 9 How many bones are there in an adult body?
10 What is the world record for the number of bones one person has broken?
H
Food and digestion  Digestion is how our bodies get nutrients from food.
AP

11 How far does food travel through the body? (meters)

12 How many different types of bacteria live in our digestive system?
  3 Complete the sentences with these pairs of words.
R

beat + skin blood + oxygen bone + bacteria

G

breathe + lung muscles + tongue skeleton + cell

EO

 1 I enjoyed the Biology exam. We had to label the bones on the human
and draw a red blood .
 2 She has a cough and she’s finding it hard to . She may have a
infection.
G

A human heart (pink)  3 The doctor says I’ve broken the , but she’s more worried that
with blood vessels have gotten into the cut.
AL

(blue) that carry blood  4 It isn’t true that the vessels under your skin look blue
to and from it because they don’t contain much .
 5 I know there are several places where you can feel your heart
N

under your , but I can never find them!

 6 There are eight in the . They work together
IO

so we can speak and eat.

 4 MY PERSPECTIVE
AT

Work in groups. Which facts in Activity 2 did you find most interesting?

Unit 6  Superhuman  69
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 LISTENING grammar  Zero and first conditional
 5 Listen to a radio show about the human body. Which 8 Look at the sentences in the Grammar box. Which are
areas do the speakers talk about?    36 talking about possible future situations? What are the
other sentences describing?
• the heart and blood • the bones and skeleton
• the brain and senses • food and digestion Zero and first conditional
  6 Listen again. Choose the correct option (a–c) to a Our bodies don’t look very impressive if we compare
complete the sentences.    36 them with other animals.
1 The backbone has changed over time… b If you listen to today’s show, you’ll find out why the
a so we can travel long distances. human body is extraordinary.
b so it can hold our head up.
c Unless you take the car everywhere, you might walk
c so we can run, climb, and swim better.
up to 115,000 miles in your lifetime.

G
2 If you have a healthy diet, you may have bacteria
d  You will have difficulty breathing if you go to high
in your body.

IN
altitudes.
a more
b less e If you think evolution always happens very slowly,
think again.

N
c no
3 People who live in the Andes and the Himalayas…

AR
a breathe in more air than most people. Check page 138 for more information and practice.
b show that evolution can happen quickly.
c carry more oxygen in their blood. 9 Look at the Grammar box again. Complete each
sentence about zero and first conditional sentences.

LE
  7 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
1 Zero conditional sentences talk about general facts /
1 Do you walk more than, less than, or about the same as possible future situations.
most people you know? 2 First conditional sentences talk about general facts /
2 How do you take care of your body (e.g., your bones,
heart, lungs, and skin)? What about your diet?
ICpossible future situations.
3 Conditional sentences have one clause / two clauses.
H
4 Zero and first conditional sentences have a present /
future tense in the if-clause.
AP

5 In zero conditional sentences, we usually use the

simple present / future with “will” in the result clause
(e.g., sentences and ).
6 In first conditional sentences, we use a present / future form
R

in the result clause (e.g., sentences and ).

G

Danuru Sherpa uses his iPhone to talk to

his family at Ama Dablam Camp 1, Nepal.
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70  Unit 6  Superhuman

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 7 Not all conditional sentences use if. However / Unless,  12 Work in groups. What should you do if:
which means if not, can also be used.
8 In zero or first conditional sentences, an imperative, 1 you cut your finger?
(e.g., sentence ), or a modal verb, (e.g., sentence 2 you have a high temperature (over 28° C or 100° F)?
) can also be used. 3 a classmate feels sick?
4 a cyclist is hit by a car and cannot move?
 10 Choose the correct options to complete the paragraph. 5 you find someone in the street who is not breathing?
There’s so much health advice these days, how do you  13 Work in groups. Imagine you are going camping, far
know what to believe? They say that if (1) you’re / you will be from medical help. Plan your first aid kit. What will you
worried about your heart, you (2) should / will exercise every include? Why?
day. But then again, you (3) might / will hurt yourself if you
(4) may do / do sports. And they said that (5) if / unless you We’ll need adhesive bandages if people cut themselves.
(6) avoid / might avoid eating fatty foods, you (7) get / will get
heart disease. But now it’s sugar we should be worried about!

G
(8) If / Unless we (9) continue / will continue to drink sugary
drinks, (10) do / will we all get diabetes? I’m so confused!

IN
 11 Complete the advice with the correct form of the verbs.

N
1 You (get) sick if you
(keep) having late nights.

AR
2 Broken bones (heal) themselves if
patients (not move) them for several
weeks.

LE
3 That cut looks bad. If you (not clean) it
well, you (get) an infection.
4 Have you cooked that chicken long enough? You
(not kill) the dangerous bacteria unless
you
5 Diseases
(cook) it well.
(spread) easily unless people
IC
(wash) their hands regularly.
H
6 If you still (have) a headache tomorrow,
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(make) an appointment with the doctor.

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EO
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AL
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AT

Unit 6  Superhuman  71
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 6B  More Than Human?   6 Match the verbs from Activity 5 with their verb patterns.
Use the article to help you.
Reading make something easier/possible
(1) / (2) + someone + do
1 Read the definition of a cyborg. What cyborg technology (3) / (4) + someone +
can you think of, fictional and real? to do
cyborg (n.) a person who has added extra tools or make something difficult/impossible or unnecessary
machines to themselves so that they can improve their (5) / (6) /
own abilities (7) + someone + from + -ing
  7 Put the words in the correct order. Add to and from
 2 Read the article. Choose the best summary. if necessary.
1 Cyborg technology is already used to help people

G
1 enable / glasses / people with poor eyesight / see better
with disabilities. 2 allows / go to school / have a cold / if / this medicine /
2 In the future, everyone will have cyborg superpowers.

IN
you / you
3 Surprising as it may seem, cyborg technology is not new, 3 disabled people / helps / the robot suit / walk again
and not unusual. 4 doing exercise / prevents / gaining weight / you

N
3 Read the article again. Answer the questions. Then 5 becoming addicted / hopes / will stop / the
advertisement / the government / to cigarettes /

AR
compare your answers with a partner.
young people
1 Why doesn’t Michael Chorost like the word cyborg? 6 having to run / in the rain / treadmills / save / you
2 What unusual ability does Michael Chorost have? Why is 7 if / know / lets / the nurses / stops breathing / this

LE
it good? machine / the patient
3 Hugh Herr lost his legs. What two unexpected
8 List six advantages of smartphones. Can you think of any
advantages of this are mentioned?
4 What technologies that many people already use does disadvantages? Compare your list with a partner.
the writer mention?
5 How is writing a “cyborg technology”?
IC
They let you stay in touch with your friends when
they’re far away.
H
 4 MY PERSPECTIVE
CRITICal thinking  Bold claims
AP

Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.

1 In what ways are you a cyborg?  9 Work in groups. Read about bold claims. Then discuss
2 What jobs that your brain could do have you given the questions.
R

to technology?
3 Are there any disadvantages of using technology as A bold claim is a statement that something is true,
G

an extension of our abilities? even if many people do not agree. For a bold claim to
convince readers, it needs to have a good argument for
EO

why it is true.
VOCABULARY BUILDING  V
 erbs describing
ability 1 The article suggests that everyone is a cyborg. What is
G

 5 There are several verbs in the article that mean make the writer’s argument for claiming this is true?
something easier/possible or difficult/impossible or 2 How could you argue that someone who wears glasses
unnecessary. Use the clues to find the verbs in the article. or carries a cell phone is not a cyborg? Do you think “we
AL

are all cyborgs”?

1 a (paragraph 1) 3 Which of these other statements, if any, are bold claims?
2 l (paragraph 2) a Technology is very much part of who Michael Chorost
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3 e (paragraph 4) and Hugh Herr are.

4 h (paragraph 5) b The first time a human used a rock as a tool to open a
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5 p (paragraph 5) nut, they created an extension of their hand.

6 k (paragraph 5) c Writing is a cyborg extension of the brain.
7 s (paragraph 6)
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72  Unit 6  Superhuman

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   37   Without technology, Michael Chorost wouldn’t hear anything.
Electronic implants* in his brain allow him to hear enough to have a
phone conversation. Technically, Michael is a cyborg—part man, part
machine—but he doesn’t like that term: “it brings up images of
5 superhuman abilities.” In science fiction, the cyborg is stronger than
normal humans; think about Robocop or Darth Vader, for instance.
“The future is not about giving our bodies ways to do things they

G
already do,” Chorost says. “It’s about giving our bodies entirely
new things.”

IN
10 In Michael’s case, for example, his disability has an unusual benefit.
Thanks to his implants, he’s able to turn his hearing off. This lets him

N
concentrate better. If only the rest of us could do that!
Hugh Herr lost both legs in a mountaineering accident, but that didn’t stop

AR
him from climbing. Artificial legs offer advantages he wouldn’t have if he
15 had his old legs. His small artificial feet can get into smaller gaps in the rock.
And in normal life, when he’s feeling small, he can make himself taller! Don’t

LE
you wish you could change your height? Now Herr is working on how brain
cells can communicate directly with electronics to control muscles.
This may sound like science fiction, but in a sense, we are all cyborgs, and
20 IC
always have been. Technology is very much part of who Michael Chorost
and Hugh Herr are, but just because the rest of us don’t have implants
doesn’t mean our gadgets* aren’t an extension of our bodies. Would it
H
Hugh Herr can
make any difference if our smartphones were in our arms in the future, for climb with his
AP

example? The first time a human used a rock as a tool to open a nut, they artificial legs.
25 created an extension of their hand. And glasses and contact lenses are
technologies that many of us wear most of the time, and which enable us
R

to see better.
Some experts claim that modern gadgets such as smartphones are
G

different because they help us extend our brains, not just our bodies. For
example, they prevent us from forgetting our friends’ birthdays, they do
EO

30

difficult calculations for us, and they keep us from getting lost. However,
haven’t we been using technology to do our thinking for us for hundreds
of years? Take a calculation like 312 ÷ 13. I’m sure you can do it in your
G

head, but if you weren’t able to, you could use a calculator, or you could
35 also use a pen and paper if you needed to.
AL

Writing is a cyborg extension of the brain that saves us from having to

keep a lot of information in our memory, and we’ve had it for a long time!
So, next time you hear someone saying that cyborg technology is the
N

future, tell them it’s the past and present, too.

IO

implants things that have been put into the body in a

medical operation
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gadgets small machines with a particular purpose

Unit 6  Superhuman  73
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 6C  First Responders
grammar  Second conditional
1 Work in pairs. Look at the photo, then discuss the questions.
1 What is the emergency?
2 What skills is the team using to deal with it?
3 Do you think you could handle an emergency like this? What first aid skills
do you know?
 2 Listen to the radio report. Complete the table.    38

Anmol Natasha

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What was the problem?

IN
N
How did they help?

AR
  3 Read this sentence and answer the questions.

LE
More lives would be saved if everyone learned first aid at school.
1 Does everyone learn first aid at school?
2 Do we save all the lives that we could?
3
4
IC
What verb form is used after if ?
Is the situation in the past?
H
 4 Read the Grammar box. Then choose the correct options to complete
the paragraphs.
AP

Second conditional

a If I took a first aid class, I would know what to do.

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b Anmol wouldn’t know what to do in emergencies if they didn’t teach first aid
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at her school.
c If only more of us knew what to do.
EO

d  The Red Cross wishes more schools taught these essential skills.
e Could you help if you saw someone in trouble?
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f If it weren’t for you, she might not be alive.

AL

Check page 138 for more information and practice.

The second conditional describes (1) imaginary / real situations, or situations which
are (2) likely / unlikely in the future. To form the second conditional, use would in the
N

(3) result clause / if clause and the simple past in the (4) result clause / if clause.
IO

Would can sometimes be replaced with (5) can / could or (6) may / might.
If only or I wish can be used when the speaker wants a present situation to be
different. These are followed by verbs in the (7) past / present form.
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74  Unit 6  Superhuman

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  5 Choose the correct options to complete this first  7 Complete the conversations with a suitable ending.
aid advice.
1 A Oh dear! Are you OK?
What would you do if you (1) saw / see someone in trouble B No. I’ve cut my knee.
in the street? Do you wish you (2) knew / know more about A Ooh, it looks bad! If only…
first aid? Here are a few tips… 2 A I have a really bad earache today.
First, don’t feel that just because you’re not a doctor, B Have you made an appointment to see the doctor?
you can’t help. If it (3) were / would be you in trouble, A Not yet. If my mom…
(4) didn’t / wouldn’t you want someone just to hold your 3 A I feel sick. If only…
hand and sit with you? Stay calm and try not to panic. B Oh no! Sit down and have a drink of water.
A I wish…
If you (5) found / might find someone who was unconscious
(i.e., you couldn’t wake him up), you (6) first / would first need 8 Work in pairs. Practice the conversations.
to check that his airway (mouth and throat) was clear, that

G
he was breathing and that he (7) have / had a heartbeat.  9 CHOOSE  Choose one of the following activities.
Look up “Airway, Breathing, Circulation—ABC first aid” to
1 Find out as much as possible about local first aid classes

IN
find out more. If you had a phone with you, the second thing
(what you learn, when you can take them, etc.). Tell the
to do (8) was / would be to call an ambulance.
class what you found.

N
Finally, do more than just read about it. (9) Can / Would 2 Research what to do in one of these emergencies. Then
you trust doctors if all their medical knowledge write an information poster about it.

AR
(10) was / would be from books? Take a first aid class.
If someone’s life was in your hands one day, you bleeding broken bones burns
(11) might / would have to act fast. Don’t leave yourself choking insect stings a sprained ankle
thinking: (12) “If / If only I was a first responder!”

LE
3 Imagine you are in an English-speaking environment and
 6 Pronunciation  I wish and If only there is a medical emergency. Role play the situation in
pairs or small groups.
a Listen to the sentences. Underline the stressed words. 
  39
1 If only I knew what to do.
IC
H
2 I wish I had a cell phone.
3 I wish I didn’t have a cold.
AP

4 I wish I could get to sleep at night.

b Write sentences starting with I wish and If only that are
true for you.
R

1 an ability you wish you had

2 something you wish your parents let you do
G

3 a bad habit you wish a friend or family member

didn’t have
EO

4 something you wish you could change about your

town or country
5 something you wish you could do for someone else
c Compare your sentences with a partner. Practice saying
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them with the correct stress.

AL
N
IO
AT

A lifeguard on Baga Beach

in Goa, India

Unit 6  Superhuman  75
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 6D  Deep Sea Diving… in a Wheelchair

“ We see and discover the power

and joy of seeing the world from
exciting new perspectives.
”

G
Sue Austin

IN
N
Read about Sue Austin and get ready to watch her TED Talk.    6.0

AR
AUTHENTIC LISTENING SKILLS Watch

LE
Following the argument 3 Read the quote in Activity 1 again. Why do you think Sue
describes using a wheelchair as freedom? What reaction
Certain words and phrases help us follow the speaker’s do you think her wheelchair had from other people?
argument. For example:
Learning to play the game was difficult. However, I really  4
IC
Watch Part 1 of the talk. Are these statements true or
false?    6.1
enjoyed it. That’s why I decided to keep going.
H
1 At first, Sue didn’t enjoy her wheelchair.
AP

1 Read the Authentic Listening Skills box. Then listen 2 Other people felt that wheelchairs were a sign of a
to an excerpt from the TED Talk. Underline the words lack of freedom.
that help you follow the argument.    40 3 Sue didn’t let what other people thought affect her.
4 Sue read a story that helped her to see things differently.
R

When I started using the wheelchair, it was a tremendous

new freedom… But even though I had this new-found joy   5 Watch Part 2 of the talk. Choose the correct option to
G

and freedom, people’s reaction completely changed towards complete the sentences.    6.2
me… As a result, I knew I needed to make my own stories
EO

about this experience, new narratives to reclaim my identity. 1 With her wheelchair, Sue tried to communicate
happiness / strength as well as freedom.
  2 Listen and complete two more excerpts.    41 2 She used her wheelchair to create music / visual art.
3 The interest that other people took in Sue’s work
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1 I began to dive, excited / surprised her.

in 2005, I realized scuba gear extends your range of 4 Sue says that underwater scuba gear allows people
activity in just the same way as a wheelchair does…
AL

to do things in more places. Wheelchairs are

, different / no different.
“I wonder what’ll happen if I put the two together?” 5 Sue wanted people to associate wheelchairs with
2 For me, the wheelchair becomes a vehicle for excitement and adventure / the underwater world.
N

transformation. 6 Sue plays the underwater video to show how the

IO

, wheelchair works / amazing her journey has been.

that because nobody’s seen or heard of an underwater
wheelchair before,… now you have this concept in
AT

your mind.

76  Unit 6  Superhuman

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 G
IN
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  6 Watch Part 3 of the talk. Which results of her underwater 8 MY PERSPECTIVE 

LE
adventures does Sue mention?    6.3
Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
1 Other people are inspired to challenge themselves.
1 What ideas about wheelchairs and wheelchair users did
2 Sue has become a good diver.
you have before watching Sue Austin’s talk?
3 Wheelchair users can now buy an underwater
wheelchair.
IC 2 Why did Sue decide to go underwater with her
wheelchair?
4 She has experienced physical freedom.
H
3 Did the video of Sue’s underwater wheelchair change
5 Sue’s art makes people think about wheelchairs in a more
your ideas? How?
positive way.
AP

4 What other activities associated with freedom could

6 She has learned more about the problems that the
be used to challenge people’s assumptions about
ocean faces.
wheelchairs, implants, and artificial body parts? Think
R

  7 VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT about Sue, Michael Chorost, and Hugh Herr (page 73).
5 Is there anything in your life that people think is negative
a Watch the clips from the TED Talk. Choose the correct
G

but you consider positive?

meaning of the words and phrases.    6.4
EO

b Think about: CHALLENGE

• ways we can make it easier for wheelchair users to Sue says that when people see her art, they think,
access buildings. “If you can do that, I can do anything.”
• times when you have experienced a tremendous sense
G

of freedom. Think of a challenge or goal that you would like

• the last time you needed to ask a teacher to extend a to accomplish, or have been intending to achieve. If
Sue can dive underwater in a wheelchair, can you do
AL

homework deadline.
• the possible learning outcomes of this lesson (i.e. what your “anything”?
you will learn).
N

• a reason your eyes would light up.

• a concept that young children find difficult to
IO

understand.
c Work in pairs. Compare your ideas. Which are the most
interesting? Why?
AT

Unit 6  Superhuman  77
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 6E  Physical Challenges
SPEAKING
1 Work in pairs. Look at the photos and answer the questions.
1 Would you describe yourself as a dancer?
2 Does your country or region have a traditional dance?
3 Do people dress up to do the dance? Do you do it on special occasions?
4 What do you know about the history of the dance?
 2 Listen to two people describing one of the photos below. Which photo are
they talking about?    42

G
Useful language  3 Use a word or expression from the Useful language box to complete the
sentences. Listen again and check.    42

IN
Describing photos
This one shows… 1 some women dancing.
2 costume.

N
On the right, there’s a…
3 they’re in a show or something.
In the middle / background, 4 during a festival of some kind.

AR
there’s a… 5 a stage show in a theater.
Behind… , you can see… 6 The feeling is happiness.
Making guesses 7 They they’re really enjoying themselves.

LE
They look / seem… (+ adjective) 8 proud.
She looks like… (+ noun)  4 Work in pairs. Take turns describing the other photo below. Answer
It looks as if… (+ phrase) the questions.
It must / might be…
It’s obviously…
IC
1 What sort of event are the dancers at?
2 What feelings are they expressing?
Being imprecise
H
3 How do they use their bodies and clothes to show their feelings?
It’s some / a sort of / kind of…
  5 Find a photo in this book that you like. Tell your partner which unit it is in.
AP

Describe the photo and ask your partner to find it.

R
G
EO
G
AL
N
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AT

78  Unit 6  Superhuman

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 Writing  An informal email describing people
 6 Read the email on page 151. Answer the questions.
1 What’s the relationship between Mauricio and Aditi?
2 What does Mauricio want Aditi to do?
3 Which of these questions does not Aditi answer?
a How do you know this person? d What is their extraordinary ability?
b What are they like? e What challenges have they faced?
c What do they look like? f Why do you admire them?
   7 WRITING SKILL  Informal language
a Read the first paragraph of the email on page 151 again. Find informal
words and phrases for these neutral or more formal words.

G
1 Dear 3 city 5 definitely
2 thank you 4 accept Useful language

IN
b Match the words and expressions (1–9) with these more informal synonyms
Ways of starting an email
and abbreviations.

N
Hi ___ / Hello ___
ages at the mo BTW in a rush a bunch of stuff How are things?

AR
my place my stuff say hi to thrilled
Sorry I haven’t written for a while.
1 happy 4 send my regards to 7 my bags, suitcases, etc. Thanks so much for your email.
2 a long time 5 a lot of things 8 by the way It was great to hear about…

LE
3 in a hurry 6 at the moment 9 my house It was great to get your news.
c Rewrite the sentences so that they sound more informal and friendly. Use Ways of ending
contractions where necessary. Please write soon.
IC
1 Dear Gurpreet, Thank you for your email. It has been such a long time since
we spoke, so I was happy to get your news. How is life with you?
Don’t forget to call me!
Anyway, I have to run because…
2 By the way, while I’m traveling I’ll need somewhere to keep my bags and
H
Say hi to your brother for me.
everything. I was wondering if I could keep them at your house. I should warn
you—there’s a lot! Give my love to…
AP

3 Anyway, I must go now; I am in a hurry to finish an essay at the moment. I’ll Lots of love,
definitely write again soon. Give my regards to Yuki. Yours, Ana. All the best,
Bye for now,
R

8 Reply to Mauricio. Share some of your news and tell him about someone you
admire. Use phrases from the Useful language box and informal language. Talk to you soon!
G

 9 Read your classmates’ emails. Who would you like to know more about?
EO
G
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AT

Unit 6  Superhuman  79
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