For the 4th year students

 

Scientists make wooden knife that is sharper than steel   (25th October, 2021)

In the near future, the world's top chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, but materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is three times sharper than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would complement the assortment of wooden utensils currently found in kitchens across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many wooden things that we use for a very long time, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or a rolling pin. These new knives can also be used many times if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the same regular upkeep."

Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or ceramics. The scientists improved the strength of the wood in their knives by enhancing the cellulose it contains. Cellulose is the main constituent of wood. It has a higher ratio of strength to density than most engineered materials, like steel and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting material is hardened to the extent that it can effortlessly slice through the toughest steak. There is an added advantage of wooden knives – they are environmentally friendly. They could end our dependence on plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could be a boon to the building industry as they will not rust and weaken like conventional nails.

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	counter-intuitive	a.	A varied set or collection of things or people.
2.	stainless steel	b.	Going against our common-sense expectations (but often nevertheless true).
3.	complement	c.	Add to something in a way that improves it; make perfect.
4.	assortment	d.	A solid cylinder used to flatten or shape pastry or dough.
5.	utensil	e.	The process of keeping something in good condition.
6.	rolling pin	f.	A form of metal that is resistant to tarnishing and rust.
7.	upkeep	g.	A container, tool, or other article, especially for household use.

    Paragraph 2

8.	ceramics	h.	A part of something.
9.	enhancing	i.	Based on or in accordance with what is generally done.
10.	cellulose	j.	The degree of compactness of a substance.
11.	constituent	k.	A substance which is the main constituent of plant cell walls and of vegetable fibers such as cotton and wood.
12.	ratio	l.	The relation between two amounts showing the number of times one value contains or is contained within the other.
13.	density	m.	Pots and other articles made from clay that is hardened by heat.
14.	conventional	n.	Increasing, or further improving the quality, value, or extent of.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. All chefs will be using wooden knives from later this year.     T / F
2. A new wooden knife is three times sharper than steel knives.     T / F
3. A researcher said all kitchen utensils will be made from wood.     T / F
4. The researcher said wooden knives would not last a long time.     T / F
5. Knives are usually made of steel or ceramics.     T / F
6. The main constituent of wood is something called cellulose.     T / F
7. Wooden knives are not environmentally friendly.     T / F
8. The researchers have also developed wooden nails.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. top
2. counter
3. complement
4. utensils
5. upkeep
6. enhancing
7. density
8. dependence
9. rust
10. conventional

1. tools
2. increasing
3. maintenance
4. contrary to
5. traditional
6. reliance
7. leading
8. corrode
9. accompany
10. solidity

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. In the
2. This may seem somewhat counter-
3. complement the assortment
4. a rolling
5. perform the same regular
6. There is an added
7. they are environmentally
8. end our dependence
9. a boon to
10. rust and

1. the building industry
2. of wooden utensils
3. upkeep
4. weaken
5. intuitive
6. friendly
7. near future
8. advantage
9. on plastic cutlery
10. pin

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

sharper
cutting
near
utensils
upkeep
counter
pin
complement

In the (1) _____________________ future, the world's top chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem somewhat (2) _____________________ -intuitive, but materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is three times (3) _____________________ than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would (4) _____________________ the assortment of wooden (5) _____________________ currently found in kitchens across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many wooden things that we use for a very long time, like a (6) _____________________ board, chopsticks, or a rolling (7) _____________________. These new knives can also be used many times if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the same regular (8) _____________________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

ratio
boon
hardened
ceramics
dependence
strength
rust
advantage

Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or (9) _____________________. The scientists improved the (10) _____________________ of the wood in their knives by enhancing the cellulose it contains. Cellulose is the main constituent of wood. It has a higher (11) _____________________ of strength to density than most engineered materials, like steel and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting material is (12) _____________________ to the extent that it can effortlessly slice through the toughest steak. There is an added (13) _____________________ of wooden knives – they are environmentally friendly. They could end our (14) _____________________ on plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could be a (15) _____________________ to the building industry as they will not (16) _____________________ and weaken like conventional nails.

Guess the answers.

1)  chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem ______
     a.  somewhat country-intuitive
     b.  somewhat counter-intuitive
     c.  somewhat counters-intuitive
     d.  somewhat countered-intuitive
2)  created a wooden knife that is three times sharper than the ______
     a.  stain less steely knives
     b.  stained steal knives
     c.  stainless steel knife
     d.  stainless steel knives
3)  wooden knives would complement the assortment ______
     a.  of wooden your tonsils
     b.  of wooden your tensile
     c.  of wooden utensils
     d.  of wooden your ten sills
4)  things that we use for a very long time, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or ______
     a.  a rolling pin
     b.  a rolling bin
     c.  a rolling sin
     d.  a rolling din
5)  if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the ______
     a.  same regular at keep
     b.  same regular upper keep
     c.  same regular upkeep
     d.  same regular keep

6)  Traditionally, knives have been made of ______
     a.  steel nor ceramics
     b.  steel of ceramics
     c.  steel or ceramics
     d.  steel law ceramics
7)  It has a higher ratio of strength to density than most ______
     a.  engineers' materials
     b.  engineering materials
     c.  engineered materials
     d.  engineer materials
8)  hardened to the extent that it can effortlessly slice through ______
     a.  the toughest steak
     b.  the toughies steak
     c.  the tough fest steak
     d.  the tar fest steak
9)  They could end our dependence ______
     a.  in plastic cutlery
     b.  at plastic cutlery
     c.  on plastic cutlery
     d.  off plastic cutlery
10)  developed wooden nails, which could be a boon to the building industry as they ______
     a.  will not rust
     b.  will not adjust
     c.  will not trust
     d.  will not lust

Listen and fill in the gaps

In the near future, the world's (1) ____________________ be using knives made from wood. This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, but materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is (2) ____________________ than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would complement (3) ____________________ wooden utensils currently found in kitchens across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many wooden things that we use for a (4) ____________________, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or (5) ____________________. These new knives can also be used many times if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the (6) ____________________."

Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or ceramics. The scientists (7) ____________________ of the wood in their knives by enhancing the cellulose it contains. Cellulose is the (8) ____________________ wood. It has a higher ratio of strength (9) ____________________ most engineered materials, like steel and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting material is hardened to the extent that it (10) ____________________ through the toughest steak. There is an added advantage of wooden knives – they are environmentally friendly. They could end our dependence on plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could (11) ____________________ to the building industry as they will not (12) ____________________ like conventional nails.

Comprehension questions

1. When might many top chefs be using knives made from wood?
2. How many times sharper than steel knives are the wooden knives?
3. What did a researcher say the wooden knives would complement?
4. What kind of pin did the researcher talk about?
5. How many times can the wooden knives be used?
6. What is the main constituent of wood?
7. What can the wooden knives cut without effort?
8. What could wooden knives end our reliance on?
9. What could wooden nails be a boon to?
10. What does the article say wooden nails do not do?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  When might many top chefs be using knives made from wood?
a) next week
b) in the near future
c) later this decade
d) within 20 years
2)  How many times sharper than steel knives are the wooden knives?
a) 6
b) 5
c) 4
d) 3
3) What did a researcher say the wooden knives would complement?
a) our kitchen utensils
b) our dinner tables
c) the taste of food
d) the chef
4) What kind of pin did the researcher talk about?
a) a hair pin
b) a bowling pin
c) a rolling pin
d) a sewing pin
5) How many times can the wooden knives be used?
a) a few times
b) many times
c) countless times
d) over 1,000 times

6) What is the main constituent of wood?
a) cellulose
b) pulp
c) bark
d) photosynthesis
7) What can the wooden knives cut without effort?
a) pumpkin
b) steel
c) steak
d) coconuts
8) What could wooden knives end our reliance on?
a) plastic cutlery
b) fossil fuels
c) trees
d) fast food
9) What could wooden nails be a boon to?
a) the building industry
b) chefs
c) restaurants
d) forests
10) What does the article say wooden nails do not do?
a) buckle
b) bend and break
c) change colour
d) rust and weaken

Discussion - Wooden Knives

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'wood'?
3. What do you think of wooden knives?
4. Would you prefer to use a wooden or a steel knife?
5. What do you think of wooden knives being sharper than steel ones?
6. What kinds of kitchen utensils do you have?
7. How often do you use a cutting board or rolling pin?
8. How do you look after your knives?
9. How important is a sharp kitchen knife?
10. Which is better - chopsticks or a knife and fork?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'knife'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. What do you know about cellulose?
15. Do you think we will stop using stainless steel in the future?
16. Are wooden knives environmentally friendly?
17. Do you need a very sharp knife when you eat?
18. What do you think of plastic cutlery?
19. Would you trust wooden nails?
20. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

In the (1) ____ future, the world's top chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem somewhat (2) ____-intuitive, but materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is three times sharper than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would complement the (3) ____ of wooden (4) ____ currently found in kitchens across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many wooden things that we use for a very long time, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or a rolling (5) ____. These new knives can also be used many times if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the same regular (6) ____."

Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or ceramics. The scientists improved the strength of the wood in their knives by (7) ____ the cellulose it contains. Cellulose is the main constituent of wood. It has a higher ratio (8) ____ strength to density than most engineered materials, like steel and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting material is hardened to the (9) ____ that it can effortlessly slice through the toughest steak. There is an (10) ____ advantage of wooden knives – they are environmentally friendly. They could end our dependence (11) ____ plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could be a (12) ____ to the building industry as they will not rust and weaken like conventional nails.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a)     nears     (b)     near     (c)     nearly     (d)     neared    
(a)     counting     (b)     counter     (c)     counts     (d)     count    
(a)     regiment     (b)     full     (c)     division     (d)     assortment    
(a)     usefulness     (b)     utensils     (c)     utility     (d)     utter    
(a)     badge     (b)     skittle     (c)     needle     (d)     pin    
(a)     oncoming     (b)     upbeat     (c)     upkeep     (d)     downbeat    
(a)     enhancing     (b)     calculating     (c)     catching     (d)     overhauling    
(a)     to     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     by    
(a)     toughen     (b)     hard     (c)     volume     (d)     extent    
(a)     added     (b)     additionally     (c)     add     (d)     adds    
(a)     on     (b)     of     (c)     up     (d)     by    
(a)     boon     (b)     boom     (c)     boot     (d)     book

Put the text back together

(...)  sharper than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland
(...)  and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting material is hardened to the extent that it can effortlessly slice
(...)  can also be used many times if you resurface them, sharpen them and perform the same regular upkeep."
(...)  very long time, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or a rolling pin. These new knives
(  1  ) In the near future, the world's top chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem
(...)  be a boon to the building industry as they will not rust and weaken like conventional nails.
(...)  through the toughest steak. There is an added advantage of wooden knives – they are environmentally
(...)  of the wood in their knives by enhancing the cellulose it contains. Cellulose is the main
(...)  somewhat counter-intuitive, but materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is three times
(...)  constituent of wood. It has a higher ratio of strength to density than most engineered materials, like steel
(...)  in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would complement the assortment of wooden utensils currently
(...)  found in kitchens across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many wooden things that we use for a
(...)  friendly. They could end our dependence on plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could
(  )  Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or ceramics. The scientists improved the strength

Put the words in the right order

1. knives   Chefs   from   be   using   may   wood   .   made
2. scientists   knife   .   created   a   Materials   wooden   have
3. knives   the   would   complement  of   Wooden  assortment   utensils   .
4. things   we   have   that   many   We   wooden   use   .
5. new   can   many   These   knives   used   times   .   be
6. have   knives   of   Traditionally,   steel   .   made   been
7. a   has   higher   It   strength   density   to   ratio   .
8. end   They   could   plastic   our   on   cutlery   .   dependence
9. a   building   the   boon   to   This   is   industry   .
10. like   Rust   conventional   nails   .   and   many   weaken

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

In the near / nearly future, the world's top chefs may be using knives made from wood. This may seem something / somewhat counter-intuitive, but materialistic / materials scientists have created a wooden knife that is three times sharper / sharpened than the stainless steel knives we use for dinner. The scientists are from the University of Maryland in the USA. Researcher Teng Li said wooden knives would complement / compliment the assortment of wooden utensils currently found in kitchens crossing / across the world. He said: "In our kitchen, we have many woody / wooden things that we use for a very long time, like a cutting board, chopsticks, or a strolling / rolling pin. These new knives can also be used many times if you suffice / resurface them, sharpen them and perform the same regular uptake / upkeep."

Traditionally, knives have been made of steel or ceramics. The scientists improved the strengthen / strength of the wood in their knives by enhancing the cellulose it containing / contains. Cellulose is the main constituent / constituency of wood. It has a higher ratio of strength to dense / density than most engineered materials, like steel and ceramics. Teng Li said the new cutting / cut material is hardened to the extent that it can effortlessly sluice / slice through the toughest steak. There is an added / addition advantage of wooden knives – they are environmentally friendly. They could end our independence / dependence on plastic cutlery. The scientists have also developed wooden nails, which could be a boon / boom to the building industry as they will not rust / lust and weaken like conventional nails.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Our story today is called "The Last Leaf." It was written by O. Henry.

Many artists lived in the Greenwich Village area of New York. Two young women named Sue and Johnsy shared a studio apartment at the top of a three-story building. Johnsy's real name was Joanna.

In November, a cold, unseen stranger came to visit the city. This disease, pneumonia, killed many people. Johnsy lay on her bed, hardly moving. She looked through the small window. She could see the side of the brick house next to her building.

One morning, a doctor examined Johnsy and took her temperature. Then he spoke with Sue in another room.

"She has one chance in -- let us say ten," he said. "And that chance is for her to want to live. Your friend has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. Has she anything on her mind?"

"She -- she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples in Italy some day," said Sue.

"Paint?" said the doctor. "Bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking twice -- a man for example?"

"A man?" said Sue. "Is a man worth -- but, no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind."

"I will do all that science can do," said the doctor. "But whenever my patient begins to count the carriages at her funeral, I take away fifty percent from the curative power of medicines."

After the doctor had gone, Sue went into the workroom and cried. Then she went to Johnsy's room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime.

Johnsy lay with her face toward the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking she was asleep. She began making a pen and ink drawing for a story in a magazine. Young artists must work their way to "Art" by making pictures for magazine stories. Sue heard a low sound, several times repeated. She went quickly to the bedside.

Johnsy's eyes were open wide. She was looking out the window and counting -- counting backward. "Twelve," she said, and a little later "eleven"; and then "ten" and "nine;" and then "eight" and "seven," almost together.

Sue looked out the window. What was there to count? There was only an empty yard and the blank side of the house seven meters away. An old ivy vine, going bad at the roots, climbed half way up the wall. The cold breath of autumn had stricken leaves from the plant until its branches, almost bare, hung on the bricks.

"What is it, dear?" asked Sue.

"Six," said Johnsy, quietly. "They're falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. It made my head hurt to count them. But now it's easy. There goes another one. There are only five left now."

"Five what, dear?" asked Sue.

"Leaves. On the plant. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?"

"Oh, I never heard of such a thing," said Sue. "What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? And you used to love that vine. Don't be silly. Why, the doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well real soon were -- let's see exactly what he said – he said the chances were ten to one! Try to eat some soup now. And, let me go back to my drawing, so I can sell it to the magazine and buy food and wine for us."

"You needn't get any more wine," said Johnsy, keeping her eyes fixed out the window. "There goes another one. No, I don't want any soup. That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I'll go, too."

"Johnsy, dear," said Sue, "will you promise me to keep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am done working? I must hand those drawings in by tomorrow."

"Tell me as soon as you have finished," said Johnsy, closing her eyes and lying white and still as a fallen statue. "I want to see the last one fall. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of thinking. I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves."

.

"Try to sleep," said Sue. "I must call Mister Behrman up to be my model for my drawing of an old miner. Don't try to move until I come back."

Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the apartment building. Behrman was a failure in art. For years, he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it. He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model. He was a fierce, little, old man who protected the two young women in the studio apartment above him.

Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Johnsy and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf.

Old Behrman was angered at such an idea. "Are there people in the world with the foolishness to die because leaves drop off a vine? Why do you let that silly business come in her brain?"

"She is very sick and weak," said Sue, "and the disease has left her mind full of strange ideas."

"This is not any place in which one so good as Miss Johnsy shall lie sick," yelled Behrman. "Some day I will paint a masterpiece, and we shall all go away."

Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade down to cover the window. She and Behrman went into the other room. They looked out a window fearfully at the ivy vine. Then they looked at each other without speaking. A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow. Behrman sat and posed as the miner.

The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour's sleep. She found Johnsy with wide-open eyes staring at the covered window.

"Pull up the shade; I want to see," she ordered, quietly.

Sue obeyed.

After the beating rain and fierce wind that blew through the night, there yet stood against the wall one ivy leaf. It was the last one on the vine. It was still dark green at the center. But its edges were colored with the yellow. It hung bravely from the branch about seven meters above the ground.

"It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today and I shall die at the same time."

"Dear, dear!" said Sue, leaning her worn face down toward the bed. "Think of me, if you won't think of yourself. What would I do?"

But Johnsy did not answer.

The next morning, when it was light, Johnsy demanded that the window shade be raised. The ivy leaf was still there. Johnsy lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called to Sue, who was preparing chicken soup.

"I've been a bad girl," said Johnsy. "Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how bad I was. It is wrong to want to die. You may bring me a little soup now."

An hour later she said: "Someday I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."

Later in the day, the doctor came, and Sue talked to him in the hallway.

"Even chances," said the doctor. "With good care, you'll win. And now I must see another case I have in your building. Behrman, his name is -- some kind of an artist, I believe. Pneumonia, too. He is an old, weak man and his case is severe. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today to ease his pain."

The next day, the doctor said to Sue: "She's out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now -- that's all."

Later that day, Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, and put one arm around her.

"I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said. "Mister Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was sick only two days. They found him the morning of the first day in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were completely wet and icy cold. They could not imagine where he had been on such a terrible night.

And then they found a lantern, still lighted. And they found a ladder that had been moved from its place. And art supplies and a painting board with green and yellow colors mixed on it.

And look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it is Behrman's masterpiece – he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell."