2 Looking for oil

Briefing This unit deals with looking for oil on land and at sea. It also covers numbers (1100), using prepositions of place to say where things are, and giving instructions and personal information.

On land

This section describes the exploration for oil on land. It shows how the energy source can be heavy plates on thumper trucks or explosions. Thumper trucks are vehicles equipped with systems for generating seismic vibrations by hitting the ground with heavy plates and making shock waves. The layers of rock reflect the shock waves back to the recording truck, a vehicle equipped with computer equipment to record and analyse the data from the reflected waves. The language input of this section is Whats this?/What are these? and What does it/do they do?, as well as word partnerships related to this subject (for example, thumper truck).

At sea

This section consists of a description of the exploration for oil at sea. The first sea water oil wells were drilled in the USA, off the California coast, around 1869. Here, operators work on a seismic ship and the energy source is a compressed air gun. The compressed air gun sends seismic waves to the layers of rock beneath the sea, where they are reflected to hydrophones, receivers near sea level. The language focus here is on word partnerships and word stress.

Seismic operators

This section examines exactly what seismic operators do and how they work (in crews or teams). Each crew can consist of seismic operators, surveyors, who determine accurate positions in the earths surface, and shooters, who handle explosives. Common verbs in this process are clear (obstacles from the land), remove (trees or bushes), drill (holes in the land), detonate (explosives) and send (shock waves into the rock). The language focus in this section is on the different pronunciation of regular plural nouns and how some irregular plural nouns are formed (for example, foot feet).

Numbers

This section reviews cardinal numbers from 1 to 100 and draws particular attention to the pronunciation problems that students might encounter (for example, thirteen vs thirty, etc).

Where is it?

As well as a review of certain vocabulary items (safety manual, boots, helmet, safety glasses, etc.), this section covers more familiar words (mobile phone, keys, cupboard, etc.) in order to introduce prepositions of place (on, under, next to, between, behind, in front of, in), which are the main language input.

Health and safety: Instructions

This section introduces health and safety instructions in the context of using explosives, and an exchange between a shooter, who gives orders, and an assistant, who obeys. Vocabulary includes cable, an assembly of electric wires, and flask. The language focus here is on affirmative and negative imperatives (turn on vs dont turn on, etc.).

Giving personal information

This section deals with giving your telephone number, name, address, age, as well as other personal information in answer to questions such as How old/tall/heavy are you?

Further reading Use the following keywords to search the internet for websites which give more in-depth information about the topics covered in this unit: reflection seismology, World Petroleum Council, rigzone.com, oil and gas news, seismic operators.

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Teachers notes Warm-up

With the whole class, review closed questions about jobs and PPE (for example, Do you work on an oil rig? Do you drive a truck? Do you wear a helmet?). Put students in A/B pairs and give out slips of paper with one job and one item of PPE written on each one. Give the slip of paper to A students. B asks questions in order to guess the job and item of PPE on As slip. Then ask students to swap roles and give a different slip to each pair. During the activity, circulate and encourage students. Afterwards, have a whole-class review of the questions and PPE vocabulary if necessary.

On land

Reading 1 With in-work classes, tell students that they are

going to see a diagram about looking for oil on land. Ask them to anticipate what they will see and note any correct words/ideas on the board.

Ask the class to look at the diagram for a minute, then get two or three students to describe it in their own words (for example, the thumper truck sends shock waves through the rock; the rock reflects the shock waves to a receiver in the recording truck).

Ask students to read the text in pairs to check their general understanding, then go through it with the whole class, checking vocabulary. Then ask them to work individually to reread the text, this time underlining words from the diagram before comparing answers with their partner.

The following words should be underlined: heavy plates, shock waves, layers of rock, receiver, reflected waves, recording truck

Vocabulary 2 Explain that word partnerships (also known as

collocations) are two or sometimes three words (usually nouns) which are often found together. We form plurals by changing only the second word (for example, thumper trucks). Ask students to do the matching task in pairs, then check answers with the whole class.

2 b 3 e 4 d 5 a 6 c

Listening 3 14 Tell students that they should write down

the words they hear, then play the recording. If necessary, play it a second time and pause between each item to give students time to write. Then ask students to read the words aloud do some choral and/or individual repetition here. Check for correct stress on each of the partnerships.

1 recording truck 2 shock waves 3 heavy plates 4 thumper truck 5 energy source 6 seismic operators

Speaking 4 Ask students to form new pairs for this exercise,

taking turns to ask and answer the questions and using the diagram in Exercise 1 for reference. Before they begin, make sure they understand the difference between the singular Whats this? What does ? and the plural What are these? What do ? Circulate, checking for correct intonation and stress.

Extra activity For further practice in asking and answering questions about what things are and what they do, you could bring in photos from oil industry magazines (oil fields, tankers, rigs, etc.) for students to work on in pairs or small groups.

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At sea

Reading 1 Tell students that this section deals with

searching for oil at sea and ask how they think this might differ from searching on land. Before they read, write seismic ships on the board and ask the class what they think these ships are, what they do and how they might work. Note any (correct) vocabulary/suggestions on the board.

Ask students to open their books. Study the diagram and go through the vocabulary with the class. Ask students to complete the text in pairs and then check answers with the whole class.

2 seismic 3 hydrophones 4 rock

Listening 2 15 Play the recording while students listen

and mark the stress on the words individually, before comparing their answers with a partner. Play the recording a second time for choral repetition.

2 reflected 3 receiver 4 energy 5 explosives 6 different

If the class needs more practice, ask individual students to repeat the words out of order after your prompt (for example, Teacher: 5; Student: explosives).

Writing 3 This is a good opportunity to remind students of

the basic word order in English (subject verb object) and also that preposition phrases (at sea) or different but linked nouns (explosives or air gun) have no fixed place in the sentence.

Ask students to do this exercise individually and compare their answers in pairs. Then check answers with the class.

1 At sea we use a seismic ship./We use a seismic ship at sea. 2 The energy source is explosives or a compressed air gun/a compressed air gun or explosives. 3 The waves are reflected to receivers. 4 The receivers are hydrophones. 5 The layers of rock give different data.

4 This activity reviews vocabulary from Exercise 1 on this page, as well as Exercise 1 on page 12 in the first section. Ask students to work individually, then to compare answers with a partner.

Seismic, heavy, compressed, layers, record

Speaking 5 Ask students to work in pairs here, each saying a

sentence at a time. One student explains the search for oil on land, then the other explains the search for oil at sea. With stronger classes, encourage students to draw a quick diagram first, then proceed with the explanations with books closed.

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Seismic operators

Listening 1 16 Ask the class to look at the photo and tell

you what they can see (thumper trucks, seismic operators, etc). Before students listen, get them to skim-read the conversation and underline any unfamiliar words. Then ask them what the conversation is about and check vocabulary.

Play the recording while students listen and read. Ask them to listen out for the verbs (do, operate, send, etc.) and to the intonation of the questions.

Ask students to work in A/B pairs, reading aloud the first part of the conversation (up to Then we do our tests.).

2 This exercise focuses on word partnerships with verb + noun. Ask students to reread the conversation quickly to find the verb + noun partnerships and to compare answers with a partner. Check answers with the class.

2 survey/clear 3 do 4 operate 5 send 6 record 7 drill

Language Go through the Language box with the class,

looking at the different ways of making regular plurals. Explain that with most nouns, we simply add -s. With nouns that end in -sh, we add -es. If appropriate to your class, tell them that this is also the case with nouns which end in -s, -ss, -ch, and -x. With nouns that end in consonant + y, we change -y to -i and add -es:

Tell students that a few plural nouns are irregular and draw their attention to foot feet.

Pronunciation Ask students to close their books. Remind them

that the regular plural form -s is always pronounced in English but there are three ways to pronounce it. Explain that these pronunciation rules are simply a function of the spelling. Write the words rocks, operators and inches on the board and ask how they are pronounced. Then go over the examples in the Language box.

3 Ask students to underline the questions in the conversation individually, before asking and answering the questions in pairs. Go round listening for clear intonation, especially on the questions.

1 They search for oil. 2 They survey the land. 3 They handle the explosives.

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Numbers

Language Ask students to close their books. Write

numbers 120 on the board, then go through them in order, chorally and individually if necessary. Then, saying nothing but pointing to different numbers in random order, ask individual students to say them. Build up speed, paying attention to pronunciation. Add 21 and 22 and do the same, then do the same in tens 40, 50, etc., up to 100.

Ask students to open their books and read the numbers as figures and words. Point out that numbers such as twenty-one are hyphenated.

Pronunciation Ask students to study the pronunciation

differences and say the numbers out loud, with the stress on the underlined letters. Check also that they pronounce the -n at the end of thirteen, fourteen and sixteen clearly, as these numbers are easy to confuse with thirty, forty, etc.

Listening 1 17 Ask students to do this exercise

individually, then check answers with the class.

b 13 c 16 d 22 e 9

If students need more practice, ask them to write down their own lists of ten random numbers between 1 and 100, dictate them to a partner, then swap roles. They check each others answers, which will also provide a check on the accuracy of their pronunciation.

2 18 Tell students that they will hear eight short statements and brief conversations, some of which have several numbers in. Play the recording and ask students to write the numbers as words. With weaker classes, it may help to pause the recording after each item. Check answers with the class.

b twenty-four c four, thirteen d one, four, five e three, two, one f forty-seven, thirty-six g six, five, nine h seventy-nine, ninety-eight

Play the recording again, asking students to tell you about the different contexts (crew, super tanker, PPE, simple arithmetic (plus/minus), age, height, weight).

Writing 3 Ask students to do this individually first, then to

compare answers with a partner.

b 9 c 8 d 12 e 50 f 16

4 Ask students to do this exercise individually, using the Language box if necessary. Then ask individual students to read the numbers out loud. Check that they are pronouncing them accurately and clearly.

b 23 c 39 d 13 e 12 f 74

Speaking 5 Ask students to do this with a partner. Then

write on the board some words that the class finds difficult to pronounce and change some of the numbers in the tongue twisters (for example, ten heavy plates, sixteen shooters). Ask individual students to say them aloud.

Help any students who are having difficulty making up their own tongue twisters. Ask pairs who have come up with some good ones to demonstrate them for the rest of the class.

6 Note that it is easier to count forwards than backwards, so go slowly with students here, asking them to work in pairs.

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Where is it?

Vocabulary 1 Ask students to look at the illustration and labels

and go through the vocabulary (hook, door, etc.).

With stronger classes, ask students where each item is (for example, Wheres the helmet/coffee cup/jacket) to elicit on the floor/table, behind the door, etc.

Ask students to read the sentences in pairs and check for any vocabulary problems. Explain that the words on, under, etc. are prepositions of place, which tell us where something is.

Extra activity Designate one of the more confident pairs in the class to demonstrate the activity and give them a prompt (for example, boots). One asks Where are the boots? and the other replies Under the table. Continue in this way with the rest of the items, using different pairs of students.

Writing 2 Ask students to complete the sentences in pairs,

using the appropriate prepositions.

1 between 2 behind, on 3 in 4 next to 5 under 6 on

Speaking 3 First clarify that these photos are suggestions of

what might be in an average classroom. Ask students to look around and tell you what they see in your classroom and note any usable suggestions on the board.

Then ask students to work with a partner to ask and answer questions using the prepositions from Exercise 1.

A variation on this would be to make use of a few simple props you have brought in and placed strategically around the classroom (for example, a bottle of water, a mobile phone, a novel or other book, a cup, any PPE items you can locate).

Extra activity Ask one (or several) of your stronger students to draw a simple map of an imaginary oil refinery (or similar installation). Alternatively, ask the student(s) to draw a room (for example, an office or bedroom). Ask the student(s) to sit in front of the class and tell the rest of the students the different locations they put on their map. They then answer questions from the other students about the location of each thing in their drawing (for example: A: Wheres the main entrance? B: Its behind the control room.). Each student has to draw their own version of the map, then compare it with a partner. Circulate, helping and encouraging where necessary.

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Health and safety: Instructions

Vocabulary 1 Ask students to read the sentences and then to

take turns to give and follow the instructions. Go round the class, helping where necessary.

Ask students to look at the box below Exercise 1. It shows how do not is normally contracted to dont in imperatives. Explain that this remains the rule for instructions for both an individual and a group of people.

Listening 2 19 First write explosives, spare cables and flask

on the board and check that students understand their meaning. Then play the recording and ask students to read the conversation as they listen.

Ask students to close their books and to listen out for the instructions in the conversation. Play the recording again and ask what instructions they heard (be careful, turn off that phone, etc.).

3 Ask students to do this exercise individually, then compare their answers with a partner. Check that they understand keep an eye on which means watch carefully.

2 Bring 3 Be 4 Put 5 Keep 6 touch

Language Ask students to look at the verbs in the

instructions in Exercises 2 and 3 and tell you what they notice about them (they leave out the pronoun you). Explain that this form of a verb is used for orders and instructions and is known as the imperative form.

Go through the Language box with the class. Explain that in instructions, the verb usually comes at or near the beginning and that we use the infinitive without to.

4 This is a game in which one student gives simple instructions (stand up, sit down, touch your head, etc.), all preceded by Simon says (for example, Simon says stand up. Simon says sit down.), with increasing speed, and then slips in an instruction without Simon says. The students who fail to follow an instruction or who follow an instruction without Simon says in it are out.

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Giving personal information

Listening 1 20 Ask students to listen with books closed

and repeat the telephone numbers chorally, then individually. Play the recording. Then, with books open, ask them to read and say each number aloud. Play the recording again for students to check their answers.

2 21 Make sure students understand that the numbers in their books are incorrect. Ask them to correct the numbers individually, then compare their answers in pairs.

b 0071 253 528 998 c 0049 756 463 339 d 030 455 347 328 e 0786 747 636 461

Extra activity Ask students to note down their (real or invented) telephone numbers, then to mingle with their classmates and ask each other: Whats your phone number, please? while exchanging and noting down telephone numbers. They then compare answers to check for any errors.

3 22 Tell students that they are going to hear conversations in which two oil rig workers are asked for personal information. Before listening, ask the class what questions they think might be asked. Then play the recording and ask students to work with a partner to fill in the gaps in the two conversations. Go over any unfamiliar vocabulary.

2 live 3 please 4 driller 5 spell 6 address 7 56 8 explosives

4 Ask students to complete the three columns in the table (and reassure them they do not have to give their real ages, phone numbers, etc). Go round the class, helping where necessary.

Jason Family name: Henley; Address: 27 Port Drive; Age: 27; Job: driller John Family name: Karuett; Address: 45 Julienne Street; Age: 56; Job: shooter; Height: 6 foot 1; Weight: 93 kilos

Speaking 5 Read the example conversation aloud with a

confident student taking one of the parts. Ask students to practise asking and answering questions with a partner, then to swap roles. They can give true information about themselves or invent it if they prefer. Pay particular attention to questions, spelling and numbers.

Extra activity Ask students to construct an identity for themselves with new given and family names, new nationalities (if necessary) new addresses, new ages, etc. Then tell them to exchange this information in pairs, making notes and asking for repetition if anything is not clear. Note down any errors or misunderstandings for whole-class feedback afterwards.

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Review

Writing 1 This exercise reviews different plural forms. Ask

student to complete it individually, then check answers with the class.

1 flasks 2 bushes 3 explosives 4 operators 5 inches 6 shooters 7 countries

2 If necessary, introduce this exercise by asking the class to spell two or three simple numbers written on the board (for example, 12 twelve, 27 twenty-seven). Then ask students to work in pairs.

1 fifteen 2 sixteen 3 thirty-four 4 fifty-six 5 seventy-three 6 ninety-eight

3 Ask students to label the diagrams individually, then check answers with the class.

A 1 seismic ship 2 compressed air gun 3 hydrophones 4 sea 5 seismic waves 6 reflected waves 7 layers of rock B 1 thumper truck 2 recording truck 3 heavy plate 4 receiver 5 shock waves 6 reflected waves 7 layers of rock

4 Ask students to describe what shooters do in short sentences. There are four possible sentences.

Three sentences from the following: 1 Shooters handle explosives. 2 Shooters drill holes in the ground. 3 Shooters prepare sites. 4 Shooters detonate explosives.

5 This is an open exercise. Ask students to write either about the room you are in at the moment or to choose/imagine a room, then do the exercise individually. Remind them that they need to use prepositions of place. Share feedback with the whole class.

6 Ask students to work in pairs for this activity, then to compare their instructions with those of another pair.

2 Dont turn on the phone./Turn off the phone. 3 Dont touch the table. 4 Dont point to the door. 5 Dont wave. 6 Dont put the book on the table./ Take the book off the table.

Preparing for the next unit

In Unit 3, students will practise asking and answering questions about different items of oil field equipment and what they are used for. To introduce this, you could bring in small items (for example, a set of keys, tools from a tool box) or illustrations/photos of similar objects from a catalogue or magazine.

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