Plot synopsis

Stephen's best friend Dr. Andy Groenig tells him that he wants to marry Stephen's sister, Judy. Overjoyed at the news, Stephen shows Andy the nanobots and explains what a remarkable breakthrough they are.

Later on Andy discovers that he has an inoperable cancer, and has approximately one year to live. In desperation he sneaks into Stephen's lab and injects himself with the nanobots. They quickly eliminate his disease.

Andy tells Stephen about the success of his machines. Stephen becomes concerned about the impact the nanobots may have on Andy's health — and about the possibility that he may go to prison for using an untested drug on another person. Stephen wants to deactivate the nanobots, but Andy tells him not to worry because he injected himself - so Stephen is not responsible. Andy convinces him to leave the nanobots alone.

The nanobots not only cure Andy's cancer, they improve his health in other

ways, including: removing a scar, improving his eyesight, and making him stronger and more energetic. In Stephen's lab, Andy puts his hand over a bunsen burner* causing a severe burn, but the nanobots repair the damaged skin in seconds.

Stephen starts a series of tests to find out exactly what the nanobots

are capable of. Andy is placed under water where he is unable to breathe, but the nanobots keep him alive. Things begin to go wrong when Andy wakes up the following day to find that the nanobots have responded to the tests by giving him gills*, allowing him to breathe underwater in the future. When Stephen learns this news, they both agree that the nanobots must be deactivated immediately. Stephen takes measure after measure to stop them, but he is never able to get rid of them.

The nanobots continue making "improvements" to Andy, including giving

him eyes in the back of his head, keen hearing and bones above his stomach.

Stephen is ultimately unable to deactivate the nanobots. In dispair Andy

Kills himself to keep his fiancée from seeing the monster he has become. Stephen burns his laboratory, destroying any remaining nanobots and his research. The episode ends with Andy's grieving fiancée having cut her finger on a shattered photograph of him. The wound heals immediately ….

(Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Breed_%28episode%29)

Bunsen burner – горелка Бунзена

gills – жабры

Discuss

Ø Would you like to read the original story? Why?/Why not?

Ø Could such a situation happen in real life?

Ø What future do you think nanobots have in medicine?

Ø In groups continue the story. Be sure to use the various forms for expressing future. Discuss as a class

Get real

Search the Internet or popular science magazines to find and read a short sci-fi story. Write a reading report.

Make use of the Reading Report Form below.

In the Realm of Science

1. Here are some idiomatic phrases frequently used in science. Give their equivalents in your native language.

trial and error	a process of attaining a goal by trying different methods until a successful one is found
the rule of thumb	a practical and approximate way of doing or measuring something
to blind someone with science	to confuse people by using technical language that they are not likely to understand
it's not rocket science	it is easy to understand, obvious
to recharge your batteries	to rest or relax in order to get back your energy
(at) the cutting edge	(at) the forefront of progress in a particular area
don’t push my buttons!	is said to someone who is starting to annoy you
to hit the airways	to go on radio and TV to promote something or to tell their side of a story
light years ahead	you are a long way in front of others in terms of development, success, etc
on the same wavelength	to have the same ideas and opinions about something
sputnik moment	it is a point where people realise that they are threatened of challenged and have to redouble their efforts to catch up
it's not an exact science	sth involves a lot of guessing and there is not just one right way to do it
to get wired crossed	to misunderstand each other, especially when making arrangements

(Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms © Cambridge University Press 1998)

2. Complete the sentences below with these words.

atom

mercurial

guinea pig

planet

nucleus

formula

Unit 2. Progress Monitoring In this unit you have worked on the vocabulary related to the topic “Latest Achievements and Future Developments in Science and Technology”.

to stop aging		nanotechnology
to cure terminal diseases		neural network
to develop the skills of telepathy		to make a technological/medical breakthrough
to contact with living beings beyond the solar system		to grow more powerful and intelligent
to colonize other planets		cyberspace navigation
to crack the genetic code		artificial intelligence
to cultivate/repair human organs		nanobots
an army/swarm of tiny robots		telecommunications
intelligent clothing		to have many advantages over sth
autonomous control		to merge with computers

Tick (V) the points you are confident about and cross (X) the ones you need to revise.

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