Predictions for 2018 reading

Which events surprised you the most in 2017? What are your predictions for 2018?
B Discuss the following questions and then read the first part of the article and check
your ideas. According to the journalist...
1 ...what will be the world’s most important economic development?
2 ...funding for which international organisation will be cut leading to unexpected peace
in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
3 ...the market for what (the subject of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go) will boom?

PBS News January 2018

2018-2023 Predictions development of valuable

Predictions for 2018
and beyond
To say that we’re in the midst
of change and uncertainty
is an understatement. The
world feels fragile, chaotic
and full of conflicting realities.
Ambiguity reigns, and radical
uncertainty is lurking behind
every decision.
Yogi Berra noted “The
future ain’t what it used
to be” and it’s in that spirit
that I’m offering this year’s
predictions:
China’s effort to rebuild
the Silk Road becomes the
world’s most important
economic development.
Although slow to get started,
the program eventually drives
another commodity boom
and a renaissance of investor
interest in Africa and Pakistan.
As nations increasingly
find themselves budget-
constrained, funding
for the United Nations
is continuously cut. UN
peacekeeping missions are
dramatically reduced. What
was once the multilateral
body’s most expensive and
longest-standing effort in
the Democratic Republic of
Congo sees steep reductions,
and unexpectedly results in
an emerging peace as the
country’s factions conclude
resources is better than
constant conflict.
Despite promising
advancements in
biotechnology, the market
for human organs booms,
leading some countries
to legalize the buying and
selling of body parts. For-
profit trading companies
match buyers and sellers,
spurring a major backlash
from religious organizations.
Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let
Me Go hauntingly refuses to
be dismissed as pure fiction.

b Which of the predictions above do you think will happen?

B What do you think the journalist predicts about the food we eat, technology titans such
as Amazon, and Venezuela? Read the next part of the article and check your ideas.

As the global demand for grow, countries acknowledge grains to feed both people and
animal protein continues to the overwhelming need for livestock. Many nations begin

1/4
Predictions for 2018 reading

building strategic fertilizer
reserves, leading to a scramble
for scarce phosphate and
potash resources. As diners
increasingly focus on the
water and carbon footprint of
their meals, fish (and edible
insect) consumption surges.
Policymakers propose
regulations to curtail the
power that technology titans
such as Amazon, Google,
Apple, and Facebook have
acquired by dominating
their domains. Some call for
the tech giants to be broken head for Colombia. Americans
up, a proposition that gains begin boycotting Citgo, a
momentum globally. The subsidiary of Venezuela’s
profit outlook for the major state-owned oil company,
technology companies and the iconic CITGO sign,
deteriorates, leading to lower which has been a fixture on
valuations. the Boston skyline for more
than 50 years, is taken down.
Venezuelan chaos intensifies,
resulting in a full-blown
humanitarian crisis that draws
global attention. Despite
efforts to mitigate hunger
by distributing rabbits, the
regime is unable to contain
desperate Venezuelans that

b Can you see yourself eating more fish and insects in the future? Do you think that
the technology titans will be broken up? How do you think the situation will finally be
resolved in Venezuela?

B Discuss the following questions and then read the final part of the article and check
your ideas. According to the journalist...
1 …what will several countries peg their currencies to?
2…what will the boom in electric vehicles, surge in solar and wind generation, and
steady, ongoing demand for handheld mobile electronics drive a global scramble for?
3…what will the world’s leading countries jointly agree to tax to offset the social costs
of their adoption?
4…what will cause a fall in the sale of antidepressants Prozac, Zoloft and Valium?
5…what will begin to replace traditional transportation?

dollar’s long-standing reserve cobalt, nickel, graphite)

currency status. The global
search for non-printable
currencies drives the price of
gold to new highs.
The boom in electric
vehicles, surge in solar
As currency wars intensify, and wind generation, and
several countries peg steady, ongoing demand for
their currencies to a handheld mobile electronics
cryptocurrency, leading drives a global scramble for
some to question the US materials (lithium, copper,
necessary to enable power
storage. Battery technology
improves dramatically.
In a shocking display of global
coordination, the world’s
leading countries jointly agree
to tax robots to offset the
social costs of their adoption.
Some governments funnel
those revenues into universal
basic income schemes, such

2/4
Predictions for 2018 reading

as the one Finland deployed become affordable and and those who don’t know
in 2017, to keep their are widely deployed. They they don’t know.” Feel free
economies growing. begin to replace traditional to decide which you think I
transportation, creating am, but I do hope that these
As evidence mounts pointing financial hardship for mass possibilities are useful in
to the negative social impacts transit systems. spurring your thoughts.
of constant connection,
more and more people opt Each year, I end my predictions
to deliberately disconnect with the prescient words
for a period of time. As the of John Kenneth Galbraith,
popularity of a digital detox who eloquently captures the
skyrockets, sales of Prozac, essence of forecasters. There
Zoloft and Valium fall. are, as he notes, two types:
Human-carrying drones “those who don’t know

b Have you ever bought a cryptocurrency? If not, do you think you will in the future? Do
you have an electric car? If not, do you think you will get one in the future? Do you think
it is a good idea to tax robots? Are you in favour of universal basic income schemes?
Do you feel you need a digital detox? Would you be prepared to travel in a drone?

V Explain the meaning of the highlighted words in these extracts from the article:
1 To say that we’re in the midst of change and uncertainty is an understatement.
2 ...the program eventually drives another commodity boom…
3 For-profit trading companies match buyers and sellers, spurring a major backlash
from religious organizations.
4 As diners increasingly focus on the water and carbon footprint of their meals, fish
(and edible insect) consumption surges.
5 Policymakers propose regulations to curtail the power that technology titans such
as Amazon, Google, Apple, and Facebook have acquired by dominating their domains.
6 Americans begin boycotting Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil
company…
7 As the popularity of a digital detox skyrockets, sales of Prozac, Zoloft and Valium fall.
8 Human-carrying drones become affordable and are widely deployed.

V Match the words to these definitions:

1 the amount of carbon dioxide a person, organization, building, etc. produces, used as
a measure of their effect on the environment
2 a statement that makes something seem less important, serious, etc. than it really is
3 reduce or limit something, especially something good
4 not take part in an event, or not buy or use something as a way of protesting

3/4
Predictions for 2018 reading

5 a sudden major increase in trade, profits, etc. in a particular country or region

6 rise quickly to a very high level
7 cheap enough for most people to be able to buy
8 operated with the aim of making money

V Write sentences of your own with the words.

e.g. They boycotted the restaurant because they were
unhappy with the workers’ conditions there.

E What do the highlighted expressions in these extracts from the article mean?

PBS News January 2018

To say that we’re in the midst of change and uncertainty is an understatement.

“The future ain’t what it used to be” and it’s in that spirit that I’m offering this year’s
predictions...

There are other expressions with in + noun. What do you think these mean?
1 in the wrong 2 in cahoots 3 in vain 4 in the driver’s seat
5 in stitches 6 in the dark 7 in dire straits 8 in public

V Now match them to these definitions:

__ without any positive result __ in control
__ working together or making plans together in secret __ laughing uncontrollably
__ responsible for something bad __ in a very bad situation
__ in view of other people; when others are present __ unaware, not informed

V React to these statements using the expressions:

1 After the hurricane they had no electricity or water.
2 He privately dislikes the prime minister, but never criticises her with people around.
3 I tried hard to finish the marathon in under four hours, but it took me four and a half.
4 The comedian was very funny. We couldn’t stop laughing.
5 I have no idea what is happening with the new project.
6 I am sure Steve and Mick are working together to get me fired.
7 James makes all the decisions in the company.
8 The driver went through a red light and hit us.
4/4
Predictions for 2018 reading
week of 15.01.18
Teacher’s notes 1 student pages 4
intermediate+ (B1+)
V Match the words to these definitions:
1 carbon footprint
2 understatement
3 curtail
4 boycott
5 boom
6 skyrocket
7 affordable
8 for-profit

E What do the highlighted expressions in these extracts from the article mean?
in the midst of = with (something) happening around you
in that spirit = with the same attitude / morals / intention of what has been said

V Now match them to these definitions:

3 without any positive result 4 in control
2 working together or making plans together in secret 5 laughing uncontrollably
1 responsible for something bad 7 in a very bad situation
8 in view of other people; when others are present 6 unaware, not informed

V React to these statements using the expressions:

Suggested answers:
1 They were in dire straits.
2 He never criticises the prime minister in public.
3 Your efforts were in vain.
4 So you were in stitches.
5 You are in the dark.
6 You think they are in cahoots.
7 James is in the driver’s seat.
8 So he was clearly in the wrong.