Read each sentence from the talk. What does LET DOWN mean?: 1. If you grew up on science fiction, like I did, it’s hard not to feel a little let down that we don’t have all the cool stuff we’ve seen in the movies.
disappointed / discouraged / frustrated
- True or False: French artists imagined firefighters flying with wings.
TRUE
- True or False: The New York Times believed rockets would work in space in 1920.
FALSE
What does TAKE OVER mean? It was widely expected that super-fast planes would take over the airline industry.
take control of / dominate / supplant / become the main thing
Finish the quote: - “It’s hard not to feel a little ______ that we don’t have all the cool stuff we’ve seen in the movies.”
let down
- True or False: The speaker believes transportation will never change again.
FALSE
- Who said submarines would never work because people couldn’t breathe in them?
H.G. Wells.
- What did a businessman say about the Ford Motor Company in 1903?
That cars were a fad and horses were here to stay.
- Why did airships lose popularity?
Deadly explosions, especially the Hindenburg crash.
Finish the quote: - “Maybe our ideas about flying have been somewhat ______.”
unrealistic
- True or False: Jetpacks are commonly used today for short trips.
FALSE
Finish the quote: - “The only thing we can really be sure of is that things are going to ______.”
Change
- What did Leonardo da Vinci imagine for future flying machines?
Machines with wings like birds.
- What was the problem with supersonic planes like the Concorde?
Too expensive and too loud.
Finish the quote: - “Personally, I’m still hoping for that ______.”
Flying car
- What kind of personal vehicle did Popular Mechanics predict in 1951?
Personal helicopters.
- True or False: The Concorde jet was expected to fly from New York to Tokyo in four hours.
TRUE
What does LOST THEIR APPEAL mean? Flights were too expensive and too loud. Because of these issues, supersonic flights lost their appeal.
were no longer attractive / became unpopular / stopped being attractive / weren't interesting anyomore