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5x Mini-lecture Practice 4

Task 4

You’re now going to listen to five two-minute lectures so that you can practise the Cornell note-taking system. Each practice will follow the same format:

Pre-listening
Think about and write notes about the topic questions and then look up any words that you don’t know from the vocabulary section.
Listening
Listen and take notes in the main column. Use abbreviations and symbols so that you can write more content.
Post-listening
Tidy notes in the main column. Rewrite words that aren’t clear, check spelling, reduce sentences.
Write study questions and cue words in the left column.
Write a summary of the listening in one-three sentences in the bottom section.
Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes in your notebook.
Do you agree with the ideas presented?
Is there anything you question?

Task 5

Lecture 1: This lecture is about the International Space Station (ISS). Write some notes about these topic questions:

  1. What do you know about the ISS?
  2. What do you think the ISS looks like?
  3. What would you like or dislike about staying on the ISS?
  4. Do you think the ISS is the first step in space colonisation?

Now listen to the lecture and complete the main column.

Listen and take notes in your notebook using the Cornell notes system.

KeywordsCornell Notes System: Note-taking area















Summary:


Vocabulary: microgravity / a laboratory / to orbit /a nautical mile /a football pitch /to revolve / an expedition / to assemble / modules / decks / living quarters / crew / permanently occupied / zero gravity / colonisation / to observe / assignments / to maintain / equipment

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, I’m going to talk to you today about Earth’s only microgravity laboratory: the International Space Station (ISS). Orbiting above Earth at 227 nautical miles, the space station is the size of a football pitch, travels at 17,500 mph and revolves around the Earth every 90 minutes. Taking a period of ten years and more than thirty expeditions to assemble at a cost of $120 billion, the space station consists of many modules including three decks: the flight deck, the living quarters deck and the life support deck; sixteen laboratories; eight solar arrays and four docking ports. It was the year 2000 when the first three-member (two Russians and one American) crew moved onto the space station, and since then it has been permanently occupied by international teams who stay for six months at a time. The main purpose of the ISS is to learn more about working and living in space, in particular the effects of zero gravity on the human body, in order to eventually send astronauts on a deep space mission, so tasks include conducting scientific experiments, exploring planet colonization and observing the sun and other space objects. The crew work 16-hour days on their set assignments as well as completing other important jobs such as maintaining and cleaning the space station and repairing or replacing equipment.

Review

  1. Compare your notes with the model notes (ANSWERS).
  2. What could you do better?

Post Listening Task

Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes:

  1. Do you agree with the ideas presented?
  2. Is there anything you question?

Task 6

Lecture 2: This lecture is about gene editing. Write some notes about these topic questions:

  1. Why do some parents wish to modify the genes of their children?
  2. Is gene editing ethical if used on animals?
  3. Do you think gene editing is more acceptable for a medical argument?
  4. Should gene editing be available on the National Health Service?

Now listen to the lecture and complete the main column.

Listen and take notes in your notebook using the Cornell notes system.

KeywordsCornell Notes System: Note-taking area















Summary:


Vocabulary: to alter / genetic code / an organism / segments / DNA / engineering / a disease / a disorder / sickle cell disease / cystic fibrosis / CRISPR / somatic & germ cells / HIV / transmission / to modify / controversy / embryos / to manipulate / personality traits / ‘Lulu and Nana’ (a case)

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, I’m going to talk to you today about gene editing. Gene editing refers to the practice of altering the genetic code of an organism either by removing, replacing or adding segments of its DNA. Currently, most genetic engineering is centred around the prevention and treatment of genetic diseases and disorders in humans, such as sickle cell disease or cystic fibrosis. It is commonly used in livestock too, where it can help to enhance an animal’s resistance to disease or reduce a disease’s transmission. It relies on CRISPR technology (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), which can modify both somatic and germ cells. The somatic cells are all the cells in the human body except for the cells that produce sperm and eggs; these are the germ cells. Altering somatic cells is legal as any changes to these cells cannot be passed on to future generations. Controversy arises if changes are made to germline cells. At present, genetic modification of embryos is only legal if for research purposes, not for implantation, such as the 2018 case of ‘Lulu and Nana’ in China in which two genetically modified babies were created with a resistance to HIV. The debate around germline cell editing also triggers other questions such as whether we should be allowed to manipulate a person’s physical aspects, such as their height or eye colour or even personality traits, including how intelligent someone is. If this does become legal, it is clear that science, and not nature, will guide the evolution of the human race.

Review

  1. Compare your notes with the model notes (ANSWERS).
  2. What could you do better?

Post-Listening Task

Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes:

  1. Do you agree with the ideas presented?
  2. Is there anything you question?

Task 7

Lecture 3: This lecture is about the Covid-19 vaccines. Write some notes about these topic questions:

  1. Which vaccines have been approved in your country?
  2. What do you think are the differences between them?
  3. Would you consider having the vaccine yourself?
  4. Do you think vaccines are on the only way to stop the spread of the virus?

Now listen to the lecture and complete the main column.

Listen and take notes in your notebook using the Cornell notes system.

KeywordsCornell Notes System: Note-taking area















Summary:


Vocabulary: to be developed / to be approved / viral vector / nucleic acid / inactivated / clinical trials / categories / AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine / Pfizer / BioNTech / harmless / a spike protein / the immune system / subtle / mini fragments / to inject / mRNA in cells / T-cells / antibodies

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, I’m going to talk to you today about the different Covid-19 vaccines. Since late 2020, several vaccines have been developed, of which approximately nine have been approved for use around the world. These vaccines fall into three main categories: viral vector, nucleic acid and inactivated. There are also two protein vaccines and one attenuated vaccine currently undergoing clinical trials, as are two more of both the genetic and inactivated ones. The two vaccines being administered in the UK at present are the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, which is a viral vector and the Pfizer/BioNTech, which is a nucleic acid or genetic one. The Oxford vaccine combines a harmless version of the common cold virus, known as a vector, and a small part of the coronavirus’ genetic code. Once inserted, the virus’ spike protein is produced and is then recognised by the immune system, which acts to fight it off. The subtle difference between this vaccine and the Pfizer one is that the latter injects mini fragments of the coronavirus’ genetic material into the patient through the use of mRNA technology. Once the mRNA is in our cells, it makes the body produce spike proteins and later form antibodies and T-cells. A bigger difference is the temperature at which the vaccinations are stored. The Oxford vaccine can be stored at regular fridge temperature whereas Pfizer requires it be between -60 and -90 degrees.

Review

  1. Compare your notes with the model notes (ANSWERS).
  2. What could you do better?

Post-listening Task

Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes:

  1. Do you agree with the ideas presented?
  2. Is there anything you question?

Task 8

Lecture 4: This lecture is about endothermic and ectothermic species. Write some notes about these topic questions:

  1. Do you know which animals are warm-blooded?
  2. Do you know which ones are cold-blooded?
  3. Do you think one type find it easier to survive than the other?
  4. Would humans survive if they were ectothermic?

Now listen to the lecture and complete the main column.

Listen and take notes in your notebook using the Cornell notes system.

KeywordsCornell Notes System: Note-taking area















Summary:


Vocabulary: endothermic species / reptiles / amphibians / invertebrates / mammals / ectothermic / warm-blooded / metabolism / shiver / panting / perspiring / ectotherms / cold-blooded / hibernate / a hedgehog / sharks / internal / fuel

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, I’m going to talk to you today about endotherms and ectotherms. Most species can be divided into these two groups. Typically, humans, birds and mammals are known as endothermic species, whereas reptiles, amphibians, most fish and invertebrates are ectothermic. Endotherms, or warm-blooded animals, generate heat internally, even in cold climates. If the animal loses more heat than is generated, they increase their metabolism in order to raise their body temperature, or, much like a person, they shiver. In the opposite case, where too much heat is generated, panting or perspiring is needed. Because the animal needs to maintain a constant body temperature, they require a large amount of fuel to burn. On the other hand, ectotherms, or cold-blooded animals generate heat from their surrounding environment. Although ectotherms are able to generate some metabolic heat internally, they are unable to maintain it without the help of the environment. This also means that they do not need as much food as endotherms. There also exist some species that can be both endothermic and ectothermic, such as those that hibernate. A creature who hibernates, for instance the hedgehog, will likely be ectothermic during hibernation, but more endothermic when active. In addition, sharks are ectothermic but they can generate enough heat to able to make their body temperature higher than the water they swim in.

Review

  1. Compare your notes with the model notes (ANSWERS).
  2. What could you do better?

Post-listening Task

Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes:

  1. Do you agree with the ideas presented?
  2. Is there anything you question?

Task 8

Lecture 5: This lecture is about the Antarctic ozone hole. Write some notes about these topic questions:

  1. What do you know about the ozone layer?
  2. Why do you think the ozone layer has a hole in it?
  3. Why do you think it’s particularly crucial in areas such as the Antarctic?
  4. Do you think the ozone layer could heal itself? 

Now listen to the lecture and complete the main column.

Listen and take notes in your notebook using the Cornell notes system.

KeywordsCornell Notes System: Note-taking area















Summary:


Vocabulary: thinning / human-made / halocarbons / chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) / NASA / circa 1970 / NOAA / annual / unprecedented / a polar vortex / ozone-depleted air /to monitor / higher latitudes / to warn / atmospheric / The Montreal Protocol / values

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, I’m going to talk to you today about the Antarctic ozone hole. An ozone hole is caused by the thinning of the ozone layer due to human-made chemicals such as halons and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) coupled with a colder climate. Since circa 1970, the ozone layer in Antarctica has been monitored by both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In 2020, the hole grew extremely quickly over a few months, and grew to a size of 24 million square kilometres. Just one year earlier, the annual ozone hole was the smallest on record, at 10 million square kilometres. Last year’s unprecedented size, which was the largest since the monitoring began, was caused by a strong and cold polar vortex, which kept the temperature cold and prevented the ozone-depleted air mixing with ozone-rich air from higher latitudes. The hole eventually closed at the beginning of 2021 largely due to warmer temperatures, but NASA has warned that this does not signify that the atmospheric ozone is suddenly on a path to recovery. The Montreal Protocol agreement has helped the ozone to recover, thanks to its ban on halocarbons, but we are unlikely to see a return to the ozone values of pre-1980 in Antarctica before the year 2060.

Review

  1. Compare your notes with the model notes (ANSWERS).
  2. What could you do better?

Post-listening Task

Critical Thinking: Think about your opinion on the topic and make a few notes:

  1. Do you agree with the ideas presented?
  2. Is there anything you question?

Digital Documents

Complete Lesson 4 Booklet

Listening Transcripts: