• Listening Exercise: DIY Centrifuge

    Today you’ll see an interesting video about how scientists have made a medical tool out of a simple children’s toy.  It’s amazing to see how they’ve solved the problems that prevent many remote villagers from receiving medical care-cost and electricity.  Take a look at the short video, and strengthen your listening comprehension with the questions that follow.

    1. Scientists ____ ____ paper and string to make a centrifuge that could be used for medical tests in remote locations.
    2. Question #1 used present perfect for which of the following reasons?
      1. experience
      2. change over time
      3. accomplishment
      4. incomplete, expected action
    3. But centrifuges are _____________ bulky and expensive and need to be plugged in.
    4. What else needs to be plugged in?
    5. In the quest for an affordable, electricity-free centrifuge, scientists ____ previously ____ use of a salad spinner, but this design is relatively slow.
    6. To make use of is a phrasal verb that means to use something for your own purpose.  What have you made use of today?
    7. Now, scientists at Stanford ____ ____ ________ by a simple children’s toy.
    8. What can the centrifuge be made out of?
    9. What have you been inspired by recently?
    10. They studied the mechanics of the toy to work out how to achieve the _______ possible spin.

    As always if you write your answers in comments we’ll correct them for you and even give you an explanation!

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