Unit 6: Fashion

Activity 1.

Look at the pictures. Listen to people talking about past fashions. Number the pictures as you listen. Type the number in the box.

word study:
- typical (of sb or st): having the usual qualities or features of a particular type of person, things or group
- slick (v): make hair smooth and flat by putting oil
- punk (n): a type of loud and aggressive rock music popular in late 1970 and early 1980
- dye (v): to change the colour of st by using a special liquid or substance

Answer Key:

Activity 2.

These people are talking about their friends. What do their friends look like now? Listen and choose the correct letter.

word study:
- to get rid of sb/st: to make yourself free from sb/st that is annoying you or that you do not want
- pony tail: a bunch of hair tied at the back of the head so that it hangs like a horse’s tail
- crew cut: a hairstyle for men which the hair is cut very short
- casual (clothes): not formal

	a b
	a b
	a b
	a b
	a b
	a b

Answer Key:

Activity 3.

Read the following sentences and try to guess the meaning of the words in italics.

1. As times change, political and social trends also change. People’s ideas are always changing.
2. Clothing designers make many practical clothes that can be worn every day.
3. If you live in a very cold or very hot climate, functional clothes are more important than stylish ones. People care more about comfort than style.
4. As technology improves, methods of designing are becoming more and more sophisticated. Advanced designs can even be computer-generated in some cases.
5. Fabrics such as silk and cotton are often used in the clothing industry.
6. Along with what we say and do, the clothes we wear are one of our best means of personal expression.
7. Older people tend to have more conservative ideas and opinions about dress than young people. Their ideas and opinions don’t change very quickly.
8. Some companies have many restrictions on the clothes employees can wear. For example, short skirts or shorts are sometimes prohibited.
9. Many Americans like to wear informal clothes like jeans because they are comfortable.
10. Some clothing manufacturers have computerized factories, so they need fewer workers. Their computers can often do the planning and design work better than people.
Now match each word with its correct definition.

1.   social trends	a. showing one’s personality
2.   practical	b. using a computer to do some task
3.   functional	c. tendencies in a society or social group
4.   sophisticated	d. useful
5.   fabrics	e. relaxed style
6.   personal expression	f. limitations
7.   conservative	g. advanced; highly developed
8.   restrictions	h. practical; has a purpose
9.   informal	k. traditional; not progressive
10. computerized	l. the materials clothing is made with

Answer Key:

BEFORE YOU LISTEN

    Think about the following questions. What kind of clothes do you think you’ll be wearing twenty years from now? How will they be different from the clothes you’re wearing today?
Your answer:

FIRST LISTENING: MAIN IDEAS
Listen to each part of the lecture to find out the main ideas. Decide which of the choices A, B or C is the correct answer.
PART 1

1. The lecturer states that
A. it is impossible to predict future fashions.
B. it is possible to accurately predict future fashions.
C.  predicting future fashions is difficult, but intelligent guessing is possible.

PART 2

1. At the beginning of the twenty-first century
A. clothes will be more functional.
B. dark colors will increase in popularity.
C.  clothes will be simpler and more colorful.

2. In 2010 clothes will be:
A. practical and a means of personal expression.
B. fashionable and sophisticated.
C. simple but luxurious.

Answer Key:

SECOND LISTENING: FACTS AND DETAILS

Listen to each part of the lecture again. This time listen to learn more facts and details. Write T (true) or F (false) in front of each sentence.
PART 1
1. Technology influences fashion.
2. Understanding social trends is little help in predicting future fashion trends.
3. Classical styles never become unfashionable.
PART 2
1. We may be able to adjust the temperature of some clothes in the future.
2. Body paints would serve both a practical and cosmetic purpose.
3. Future clothes may be sensitive to the wearer’s emotional states.

Answer Key: