1 December
The World
Which places would you like to see and why?
Where in the world would you like to live and why?
What are the best and worst places in the world?
Have you ever travelled to another country? Where did you go?
What is the most beautiful place you have ever visited?
What is one country you would love to visit?
What is one place in the world you would never want to visit? Why?
Do you think travelling is important? Why or why not?
If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?
What is a famous landmark you would like to see?
The Origin of “Horsepower” and Its Modern Use
When it comes to car engines, we often hear about the power output measured in horsepower, but have you ever wondered why we use this term? The concept of horsepower was invented by James Watt, a Scottish engineer, in the late 18th century. Watt was trying to sell steam engines and needed a way to explain their power in a way people could understand. Since many farmers used horses to do work, Watt used them as a point of reference, claiming that one horse could produce a maximum of 15 horsepower.
Mechanical horsepower (also known as imperial horsepower) is approximately equivalent to 745.7 watts of power. This term has stuck, even though modern technology has evolved far beyond what a horse can do.
How Fast Are We?
Interestingly, Usain Bolt, the world-famous sprinter, can be measured in terms of horsepower, too. During his world record 100m run in Berlin in 2009, researchers in Mexico calculated the maximum power he achieved at 2619.5 watts, which is roughly 3.5 horsepower. While this is far less than the power output of a car engine, it’s still impressive considering the speed at which he was moving!
In essence, horsepower became a standard unit of measurement because of its marketing appeal in the 19th century, and it remains in use today, despite being somewhat of an outdated reference. But when we hear a car engine’s horsepower rating, it’s still rooted in the historical comparison to the power of a horse.
READ/SPEAK
Have you ever ridden a horse? Where and when did you do that?
Are you interested in cars? Which cars do you like, and do you know any interesting things about those cars?
What is the fastest thing you have ever seen?
Do you think electric cars are better than gasoline cars? Why/why not?
Do you think technology will change the way we measure power in the future?
Used to tell someone rudely that you do not want to listen to anything he or she is going to say to you. When people use this expression, they also usually turn their face away from the other person and hold the palm of their hand out towards them.
LEARN THE IDIOM AND SPEAK
Have you ever seen any rude people recently or been exposed to them? What rude actions did they do, and what was your reaction?