B1 Listen, read and think Listen to Harry’s conversation with his greatgrandma. What do they find in the attic? What did people use these things for?
Harry: What’s in this box? What are all these little squares?
Great-grandma: Oh! They’re my cassette tapesc!
Harry: What’s a cassette tape? I’ve never seen one before.
Great-grandma: That can’t be true! It seems like only yesterday that I bought my first cassette!
Harry: What does it do?
Great-grandma: It plays music. Everyone used to have a cassette player. You put the cassette inside the machine and music plays.
Harry: Wow! Can we play a cassette right now?
Great-grandma: My cassette player doesn’t work any more. You can ask your dad to borrow his.
Harry: Dad has one too?!
Great-grandma: Yes! I bought him one when he was a little boy. He just loved it.
Harry: I like listening to music too. I have tons of songs on my smartphone.
Great-grandma: SMART? Phones can think now? Technology has gone so far since I was young!
【C】 A page of history
Life in 19th-century Britain
The 19th century saw great changes in Britain. Industry grew fast and more jobs were created. Progress in technology made travel and communication much easier. Lives of ordinary people were also changed dramatically, both for the better and for the worse.
Transport
At the beginning of the 19th century, there were no buses or railways in London. Ordinary people walked to work and rarely travelled far from home.
Over the next few decades, horse buses and railway trains became popular.
The development of public transport brought new chances for travelling, carrying goods and developing businesses.
Living conditions
Another major change was the growth of cities. Many people moved from the countryside into fast-growing cities.
Although there were more new chances in the city, living conditions there were unpleasant for most people.
Large families with five or six children lived in one or two rooms. Few homes had a bathroom with a toilet, bath, or even running water. The conditions outside the homes were also extremely bad. The air was foggy.
The streets were dirty and smelly. The rivers were heavily polluted.
Life of children
Not all children went to school. Children from wealthy families received education and were encouraged to learn music and foreign languages.
Children from poor families, however, were not so lucky. Many became child workers. They worked long hours in places like factories and mines, and even the smallest mistake could result in severe punishments.
Life moves fast. Today’s world is a lot different from the past. But still, it is important to learn about the past if a better future is to be created.