Name

: Aji Purwanto

NIM

: 21060114130111

Class

:B

Group

:2
Chapter 9
Technology In Use Part 2

5. A. Richard, a structural engineer, often takes clients on guided tours of their new buildings
during construction. He is talking about explaining technical concepts to non-specialists.
Listen 1.5 and answer the following questions.
1. What does Richard say about explaining technical concepts?
2. What does he mean by dull explanations?
3. What is being patronizing?
Answer:
1. That you shouldnt user jargon or it will sound like nonsense and that technical
concepts can be difficult to explain, even using everyday language.
2. Explanations that are boring.
3. Speaking to an adult as if youre talking to a child.
B. In pairs, think of some tips on how to solve the following problems
1.
2.
3.
4.

not being understood

being patronizing
explaining difficult concepts
sounding dull

Answer:
The right decision to solve about following problems is using everyday language to make
other people more understand about our speech. Use jargon with everyday language for
being patronizing. Explaining difficult concepts with using daily life illustration. And using
our sense of humor to avoid sounding dull.

C. Richard is giving some advice about the problems in Exercise 5b Listen 1.6 and summarize
his ideas. Compare his tips with your suggestions.
Answer:
Richard suggests using everyday language to avoid explanations not being
understood; using some jargon and then explaining it using everyday language to
avoid sounding patronizing explaining difficult concepts by comparing technical
points with things in everyday life to illustrate them; and using some humour to
avoid sounding dull.
6. A. Richard has made notes for a guided tour of a site. The project is a skyscraper in the early
stages of construction. During the tour he explains the technical terms to the non-specialist
group. In pairs, discuss the following terms and try to interpret them using everyday language to
rephrase them.
B. Richard is giving a tour of a construction site. Listen and make notes of his explanations of
the following technical terms. Compare your ideas with his.
Answer:
1. The Substructure

The part of the structure below ground

2. A pile foundation

A column going down into the ground

3. To bore (a pile)

To drill

4. In situ concrete

Concrete poured on the construction site in its final position

5. Pre-cast piles

Made at a factory, away from the site

6. To drive in (a pile)

To hammer in

7. A pile driver

Like a giant hammer

8. A pile auger

Like a giant drill

9. Bentonite

A kind of clay suspension / a sort of mud

D. Complete the following table using the words in the box

Answer:
Function
1. Simplifying the language
2. Simplifying the concept
3. focusing on technical terms
4. Illustrating with images

Word/Phrases
In simple terms/ put simply/ in other words/basically
Effectively / essentially / basically
What we call / what we refer to as
If you imagine / if you picture

7. You are showing a non-specialist visitor around your company and explaining technical
concepts using simplified language. In pairs, practice explaining a product or type of technology
that you are familiar with.
8. Read the textbook description of two types of pile foundation. Use the words and phrases in
Exercise 6D and the following notes to rephrase it.
Answer:
There are two types of pile foundation, end-bearing piles and friction piles. Essentially,
end-bearing piles are used when you have soft ground which is on top of hard ground or rock.
Basically, the piles go through the soft ground and sit on the hard ground below. Its a bit like
building over water. The soft ground is like water, which can't support anything, and the hard
ground below it is like the seabed.
Put simply, the piles are like stilts. Friction piles are different. They're used when there's
no hard ground. In simple terms, the sides of the pile grip the soft ground around them. If you
picture a nail in a piece of wood, it's the same thing. The nail is gripped by the wood around it.
Sometimes the bottoms of friction pipes are made wider. Imagine a leg with a foot at the bottom,
it's the same principle.