Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Do you like science? Do you enjoy reading about new kinds of technology? Perhaps, you already heard about Vantablack. Vantablack is like nothing you’ve ever seen before… because there’s nothing to see. Vantablack is a special coating that was developed in a laboratory. Because it blocks almost all light, it looks like absolute darkness.
Why is it called Vantablack? The name comes from Vertically Aligned NanoTube Arrays. Because Vantablack is so difficult to grow, it will be a very, very, very expensive coating. You won’t find Vantablack for sale in your local hardware store. In fact, it’ll be much farther away. It will be sent to space! Vantablack can help satellites give us more accurate information.
Gary thinks Vantablack is mind boggling. Listen to him telling Romeo all about it in today’s English lesson.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
Gary: Did you see the video of Vantablack?
Romeo: Uh, no, I’m clueless. You’ll have to clue me in on that one.
Gary: So, imagine looking into something that’s painted black…
Romeo: OK.
Gary: ... and there being no light coming out of it, so you can’t see anything in it.
Romeo: OK.
Gary: This company has developed something they’re calling Vantablack. It’s a coating that they put on telescopes and satellites so that they can see farther and be more accurate...
Romeo: OK.
Gary: ... than anything that’s ever been developed.
Romeo: And what are they trying to see?
Gary: Well, things out in space. It actually blocks 99.96% of light, so…
Romeo: That’s darkness.
Gary: Yeah. Get this, it’s grown in a laboratory. I can’t imagine how expensive it’s going to be.
Romeo: I would imagine it would be mind boggling, the price that they’re going to put on that, for sure.
Gary: Totally.
Romeo: Well, I guess it’s safe to say that Vantablack is the new black.
Grammar Point
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Quizzes
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Discussion
Romeo didn’t see the video about Vantablack, so he doesn’t know what it is. He’s clueless. Luckily, Gary saw the video and can tell Romeo about this amazing new technology. Gary says that Vantablack is a special coating developed to make things like satellites and telescopes more accurate.
Since it blocks light, Vantablack looks like darkness. Romeo wants to know who will use this technology, and Gary tells him that people will use it to see things in space better. Gary also says that, because it is grown in a laboratory, it will be extremely expensive.
What new technology do you think is mind boggling?