NC BOOK 4 UNIT 1

New Connection—Book 4

1


UNIT 1

Overnight Fame
Starting Off:
Thanks to the Internet, those hoping to
become a star have more opportunity than
ever to be discovered. Whether by writing a
blog or performing in their own online music
video, millions of people are trying to make
themselves known to the rest of the world.
Would you ever want to become a
celebrity on the Internet? What would
you want to be famous for? How
would you feel if you received
negative comments about what you’d
done?
2


GETTING READY
Task I
Fill in the blanks with the words provided from the audio. Change the
forms of the words if necessary.

broadcast
online

site

3

recordings


GETTING READY

craze
hilarious
users

well-known
hits
deemed

4


GETTING READY
Task II
Listen to the audio again. Match the characteristics with the videos
they describe below.

5


GETTING READY
Audio Transcripts:

Thank you for tuning in. I’m Dan Williams, and I’m here with a special report on an
online craze1 that’s sure to make you smile. Have you ever imagined what your pet
might say if it started speaking? Well, Andrew Grantham probably doesn’t know
exactly what his dog, Clark, wants to talk about, but you would never guess that by his
video on YouTube. After taking a video recording of his dog opening and closing its
mouth, Andrew added a dialogue in which Clark speaks to him about his displeasure
over not being given any bacon. The video has received over 125 million hits, which
shows just how many people have deemed2 it hilarious3! And that’s not the only
video putting words into others’ mouths. One called “Talking Twin Babies” featured two
small children making noises at each other in a way that seemed as if they were really
having a conversation. This led to other users of the site adapting the well-known
video by adding subtitles4 that explained what the boys could be talking about. In
one, the boys discuss playing a trick on their parents, and in another they gossip5
about politics. Do you have anything to say about this trend of giving words to those
usually speechless6? Or do you want to recommend another video worth watching?
Then, head over7 to my blog8 and leave a comment on the entry that corresponds9
to this broadcast10.

6


GETTING READY—FYR
Watch Talking Dog on YouTube:

（本影片僅供參考，須連結網路及有效網址方能觀看）

7


GETTING READY—FYR

Watch Talking Babies on YouTube:

（本影片僅供參考，須連結網路及有效網址方能觀看）

8


WORD POWER
A. Listen Up
Complete the text messages between Wendy and Ron with words
from the audio.

homepage
hyperlink
window
browser

search engine
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WORD POWER
Audio Transcripts:
Wendy: Ron, can you help me? I’m trying to add a hyperlink1 to my
homepage2, but I keep getting an error message. I’ve edited these
HTML3 documents before, but I’m doing something wrong this time.
Ron:
I didn’t know you had your own Web site, Wendy!
Wendy: I use it to promote my acting. I announce what I’m doing in the hopes of
gaining fans and, someday, a big movie role.

Ron:
Let me see if I can help. Hmm . . . I think your problem might
be the GIF4 you are also trying to add. I’ll try to fix the file later; in the
meantime, your site is now up and running.
Wendy: Great! Let me try searching for it in my browser5 to make sure. That’s
funny. It’s working in the other window6 I have open, but it isn’t listed in
these search results.
Ron:
Maybe it’s the search engine7 you’re using. Try it again in
Google.
Wendy: There it is! And it’s working perfectly now.
Ron:
Could you give me the URL8? I’d love to look at it when I have
free time.
Wendy: Sure. It’s www.wendycanact.net9. And let me know of any criticisms you
have of it.
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WORD POWER
B. Word Focus: Internet Abbreviations
Match the abbreviation on the left to its meaning on the right.

_____ 1. JPEG

f

_____ 2. HTTP

c

_____ 3. FTP

e

_____ 4. MPEG

a

_____ 5. .org

d

_____ 6. ADSL

b

a. a file that contains images and sound
b. a type of Internet connection that sends data
through phone lines
c. the standards by which Web pages and Web
page components are requested and
transmitted on the Internet
d. a domain for an organization, especially
non-profit groups
e. a method for transferring files between
computers via the Internet
f. a digital image file

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WORD POWER
C. Speak Out Loud
There always seems to be a new craze sweeping across the Internet.
Look at the ones mentioned below and discuss your opinion of them
with a partner.
LOLcats
In 2005, people began
putting funny captions
on pictures of cats and
sharing them. The
lines usually included
spelling and/or
grammatical errors, like
“I can haz
cheeseburger?”

Planking
Not much is known
about how this started,
but for much of 2011,
pictures and videos of
people lying facedown
in strange places were
all over the Internet.

Cinnamon Challenge
This challenge became
popular in 2012 after a

comedian put a video
on YouTube of her
attempt to swallow a
spoonful of cinnamon in
a minute. Many others
posted their own videos
or talked about their
efforts on Twitter.

Now, work with your partner and present information about a new trend to your
classmates.
12


WORD POWER—FYR
Watch Cinnamon Challenge on YouTube:

（本影片僅供參考，須連結網路及有效網址方能觀看）

13


CONVERSATION ZONE

（對話影片檔）

14


CONVERSATION ZONE

Internet Personalities
Fill in the blanks with the choices given. Listen to check your answers.

Ron returns home to find his roommate still using the computer.
Ron: Megan, what are you doing? You’ve been at your computer for an
eternity
①_______1!
Megan: Have I? I guess I haven’t been heeding2 the time while watching these videos
of Maru the cat.
Ron: I’ve never heard of him.
Megan: You haven’t! Maru’s all over the Internet. I get a kick out of watching him
trying to fit into tiny boxes.
Ron: I usually steer clear of silly videos. You really should do something to
enrich
②_______3 your mind when you’re online, like keeping up with current events.
Megan: I do! I check Perez Hilton’s blog every day.
blogger
Ron: He’s that gossip ③________4, right? You know, it doesn’t really contain
legitimate5 news, that blog.
15


CONVERSATION ZONE

Megan: Perhaps, but the site has been considered the best of the best since it
went online. Now Perez is almost as well-known as the people he writes
about.
notorious
Ron:

He’ll end up a flash in the pan. Blog readers
are
④_________6 for having tastes that fluctuate7. They’ll find something
else to read soon.
Megan: You’re just jealous, you are. I bet you’re upset that your science blog
never caught on8.
Ron: It’s not a blog. It’s a Twitter account. And I don’t resent9 others
being successful. Besides, people are starting to transmit10 my posts to
terminology
others, so I’ll be gaining followers soon.
Megan: (laughs) I can’t believe you don’t know the ⑤_____________11 yet. That’s
called retweeting12.
envisage
Ron: Whatever. You know what
I mean.
Megan: Sure, but you shouldn’t ⑥__________13 having even fifteen minutes of
fame unless you get off your high horse and learn about the medium
you’re using.
16


CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW
A. Understand from the Context
Circle the answers.
1. The weather fluctuated throughout the day, and Irene had to take off and
put on her coat whenever it changed / persisted.
2. Before telephones, people transmitted messages using telegraphs. Those
devices conveyed / suppressed information through the use of electrical
signals.
3. For some people, it takes an eternity to find the right career because they

spend a brief / lengthy amount of time trying out other jobs first.
4. If you don’t have a legitimate reason for missing work, you could be in
trouble. Our boss often fires people for giving excuses that he doesn’t think
are valid / forged.
5. Although the salesman had envisaged making sales without difficulty, what
he had dismissed / imagined never came true. He didn’t sell anything.
6. The blogger got in trouble when it was revealed he received money to give
positive information about certain companies. People were upset that the
online writer / singer would do such a thing.
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CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW
B. Fill in the Missing Letters
Complete the passage with words or phrases from the conversation.
Change the forms of the words if necessary.

heeded
caught on
retweeted
terminology
enrich

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CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW
C. True, False, or Unknown
Select if the statements are true (T), false (F), or unknown (U).

1. T ■ F ■
U■

Maru has earned Internet fame for the celebrity
blog he writes.

2. T ■ F ■ U ■  Ron created a blog years ago before starting a
Twitter account.
3. T ■ F ■ U ■

Ron believes that people who read blogs are loyal
to the authors of them.

4. T 
■F■U■

Megan suggests that Ron devote more time to
understanding how Twitter works.

5. T 
■F■U■

Fans of Ron’s Twitter account are retweeting his
messages to others.



6. T ■ F ■ U ■  Megan is knowledgeable about Twitter because
she uses the site often.
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EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT
A. Talking About What One Likes

Enjoy

Avoid

• get a kick out of (something)
• live for (something)
• go to great lengths (to do
something)
• have a blast

• steer clear of (something/someone)
• avoid (something/someone)
like the plague
• wouldn’t touch (something) with a
ten-foot pole
• shy away from (something)

Fill in the appropriate expressions.

1. Mexican food is much too spicy for me. I ______/_____________
avoid wouldn’t touch any
dish made in that style of cooking _______________
like the plague /
__________________.
with a ten-foot pole

goes to great lengths to participate in craft fairs all
2. My mother _____________________
over the country. She loves showing off the things she’s created to
new people.
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EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT
B. Describing Short-lived Fame

To Be Famous for a Little
While

• flash in the pan
• one-hit wonder
• flavor of the month

A Brief Period of Fame

• fifteen minutes of fame
• a moment in the sun

Rewrite the parts in bold using the expressions above.

1. Most reality television stars only have a couple years of fame. Then,
there are new people to take their places.
→ Most reality television stars only have a moment in the sun / fifteen
minutes of fame. Then, there are new people to take their places.
2. Everyone in my class is wearing bright pink sweatshirts, but I think that
style will just be popular for a few weeks.

→ Everyone in my class is wearing bright pink sweatshirts, but I think
that style is just the flavor of the month / will only be a flash in
the pan.
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EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT
C. Comparing One to Others
To Be Better Than Others

• the best of the best
• the top dog
• the cream of the crop

To Think One Is Better Than Others • on (one’s) high horse
• have/get a big head
• full of (oneself)
With a classmate, practice talking about the situations below using the expressions
above.
1. Your favorite actress has just won an Academy Award.
2. Someone told you that they are going to get the highest grade on the final
exam.
Example:
A: Did you hear what Jason said about the talent competition tomorrow? He
thinks he’ll be the top dog and is sure to win.
B: No way! I think Jason is so full of himself. Everybody knows that Cindy
will win for sure.
22

EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT

Sample Dialogues:

1.
A: I’m so excited that my favorite actress won an Academy Award for her
latest performance. She really is the best of the best.
B: She might be talented, but in a magazine interview I read, she came
off as having a big head. I think that’s a terrible quality.
2.
A: Mindy has been on her high horse all week. Just because she did
well on the last exam doesn’t mean she’s going to beat us all on the
final.
B: I agree. She might have been considered the cream of the crop
before, but that doesn’t guarantee that she will be again.

23


EXPRESSION PRACTICE
A. Fill out the Chart
Listen and indicate Jim’s and Alice’s opinions of the activities. Give
your reasons.
Activity
Ballet

Like
Alice

Dislike

Jim

Hockey
Jim

Basketball

Baseball

Jim/Alice
Jim/Alice

Alice

Reason
Alice thinks ballet performances are
graceful, but Jim steers clear of everything
related to dancing.
Jim says that he feels the same way about
hockey that Alice feels about ballet, but
Alice avoids hockey like the plague
because of its violence.
Although Jim likes to watch games live and
Alice like to watch them on TV, both of
them say they enjoy basketball.
Jim lets Alice know about a game, and he
says he wants to go to it. Alice agrees to
go with him because she also gets a kick
out of baseball.
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EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Audio Transcripts:
Alice: Hey, Jim. I have an extra ticket for the ballet tonight. Do you want to
join me?
Jim: Sorry, Alice, but I avoid anything related to dancing like the
plague.
Alice: Are you serious? Dance performances are so graceful! How could you
not go to great lengths to see them?
Jim: That’s how I feel about hockey games.
Alice: Now that’s something I steer clear of. It’s such a violent sport. I live
for good basketball games though. With the right players, those
games are amazing to watch.
Jim: You’re right. I always have a blast watching those, especially
live.
Alice: I actually shy away from going to games. I prefer watching them on
TV.
Jim: How about baseball? There’s a game coming up this week that I
want to go to. Would you be interested in going?
Alice: I certainly get a kick out of baseball. Let’s do it!
25