3 Long Ago and Today

Unit 3 VOCABULARY 1 How did people spend time long ago? Their life was different from ours. Long ago, most people had to begin their day when the sun came up. There were no electric lights, so they had to do their chores during the daylight. Many children didn’t go to school. They stayed at home to learn with their parents. Mothers taught their daughters to cook, wash the dishes, make soap, and sew clothes. Fathers taught their sons to make useful things for the house or garden, or to sell at the market in town. Long ago, families used candles or sat by the fire in the evening. They liked to play games, sing songs, or tell stories. Some children had dolls or other toys to play with. Now children still play with dolls and other toys. But instead of sitting by the fire to play with their toys, children and their families can do many different things. They can watch TV, use their cell phones, and play video games. There are a lot of other free-time activities to choose from, too. 2 Listen and repeat. spend time I like to spend time with my grandparents on weekends. life Long ago, life was very different. begin It’s time to begin your homework. electric lights Electric lights make the day longer. chores I do my chores in the morning. make I make my bed in the morning. wash My brother washes the dishes three times a week. sew My grandmother is teaching me how to sew. things Put your things away, please. town My grandparents live in a small town. learn Do you want to learn how to play chess? fire Long ago, people cooked their food over fire. cell phone Cell phones make communication easier. video game Can I see your new video game? tell Grandpa, tell me a story!

SONG 1 Listen, read, and sing. Yesterday and Today Things were different long ago, different in so many ways. Things were different long ago, different from today. Long ago, children walked to school, but today I ride my bike. Long ago, we learned to sew our own clothes, but now we buy the clothes we like. Things were different long ago, different in so many ways. Things were different long ago, different from today. We used to read by candles at night. But now we read by electric light. We used to talk only face-to-face. Now we use a cell phone to call a different place. Things were different long ago, different in so many ways. Things were different long ago, different from today. People spent time with friends by the fire. Instead, now we play video games. But a friend is still a friend until the end. Some things will never change! Things were different long ago, different in so many ways. Things were different long ago, different from today.

GRAMMAR 1 Contrast with but and instead Long ago, children walked to school, but today many children ride their bikes. Many years ago people didn’t have TV. They told stories instead.

VOCABULARY 2 1 Listen and say. modern Long ago, life was slow. Modern life is fast. difficult This math problem is really difficult. expensive That video game is very expensive. old-fashioned I don’t like that dress. It’s old-fashioned. important It’s important to do your homework. GRAMMAR 2 Comparatives with more + adjective Life was more difficult back then. That cell phone is more expensive than this one.

READING 1 Listen and read. The World in the Palm of Your Hand One of the first telephones was the “candlestick.” It had a mouthpiece attached to the top of a stand and a separate speaker that the user of the phone held next to their ear. The rotary telephone came next. It had the mouthpiece and speaker combined in one handset. People dialed the number by spinning the rotary dial on the front of the phone. Later, people used a new kind of phone that had buttons instead of a rotary dial. It was much easier and faster to dial numbers. The next development was the portable, or mobile, phone. The first mobile phone was about the same size as a brick. It was almost as heavy as a brick as well! It weighed over 1 kilogram (about 2 lbs.). The battery only lasted about 30 minutes and took ten hours to charge. The next kind of mobile phone was called the “clamshell” because it opened and closed like a clam shell. Clamshell phones were very small and light. The batteries also lasted all day and charged quickly. The smartphone came next. Instead of a tiny screen and tiny buttons, it had a large touchscreen, so you could control it with just your finger. Smartphones became very popular. Now just about everyone enjoys them!