Unit 5 - Supplementary - A Day in 2889 of an American

LESSON PLAN for this lesson is given at the end of the answers.

A. Answer the following questions in two or three lines.

1. Why did Francis Bennett wake up with a bad temper?
Francis Bennett woke up in a bad temper because his wife had been in France for eight days and he was feeling lonely.

2. What was a mechanized dressing room?
It was an automated room equipped with machines that could wash, shave, dress, and groom a person completely without the help of a valet, within a few minutes.

3. How was food served to him?
Francis Bennett subscribed to the Society for Supplying Food to the Home, which delivered ready-made meals through a network of pneumatic tubes directly to his dining room.

4. Why was Bennett curious about astronomy?
He was keenly interested in astronomical discoveries because the public loved astronomical news, and his newspaper often reported on it. He even discussed signals from other planets and new planetary discoveries with his reporters.

5. Why did he visit Niagara?
Bennett went to his accumulator works at Niagara, where he used the force of the waterfalls to produce energy, which he then sold or rented to consumers.

6. How did Bennett travel?
He traveled in an aero-car, capable of flying at about 400 miles per hour, and later discussed submarine tube travel, which was even faster than aero-trains for long distances.

7. Give three instances of how mechanization has changed life at home in 2889.

Automated mechanized dressing rooms replaced personal valets.
Meals were supplied instantly via pneumatic food delivery tubes.
Communication devices like the phonotelephote allowed people to see and talk to each other across great distances in real-time.

8. How is advertising in this age different from what we have today?
Advertising was projected onto clouds in giant, colored images large enough to be seen across entire countries, unlike today’s ads in print, TV, or online media.

B. Identify the character / speaker.

"As soon as he woke up, he switched on his phonotelephote." – Francis Bennett
"Well, Cash, what have you got?" – Francis Bennett
"Phototelegrams from Mercury, Venus and Mars, Sir." – Cash (astronomical reporter)
"Interesting! And Jupiter?" – Francis Bennett
"Not yet, Mr. Bennett." – Cash
"No, it’s the inhabitants." – Corley (another astronomical reporter)
"Where are we going, Sir?" – Aero-coachman
"Then, Sir, I shall really have discovered the absolute." – Young inventor
"Are you saying you’re going to be able to construct a human being?" – Francis Bennett
"I’m going to start this moment." – Mrs. Bennett

C. Choose the best answer.

Bennett’s wife was in iii) France
The data from the stellar world was gathered by ii) astronomical reporters
The food was being delivered through i) pneumatic tubes
The wayfarers were carried from one place to another by the iii) moving pavement

D. Fill in the story map.

Title: A Day in 2889 of an American Journalist

Setting:
Year 2889, mainly in the Earth Herald office in Centropolis (New York), with glimpses of locations like Niagara, Paris (via phonotelephote), and other cities.

Characters:

Francis Bennett (Managing Editor of the Earth Herald)
Mrs. Bennett (his wife)
Cash and Corley (astronomical reporters)
Aero-coachman
Young inventor
Second inventor (city mover)
Petitioners and staff reporters

Problems:

Feeling lonely due to his wife’s absence.
Ongoing challenges of improving astronomical communication (e.g., signals from Jupiter, uninhabited moon side).
Sorting through impractical and practical proposals from inventors.

Your Views:
This story, though written in 1889, shows how Jules Verne predicted many future technologies — video calling, high-speed travel, automation, and advanced advertising. It is fascinating and imaginative, blending scientific prediction with humor and social commentary.

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Lesson Plan: "A Day in 2889 of an American Journalist" by Jules Verne

Subject: English Literature
Grade Level: 10
Duration: 60 minutes
Topic: Science Fiction and Futuristic Predictions

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the teacher aims to:

Introduce students to Jules Verne's visionary science fiction writing
Help students understand the concept of technological prediction in literature
Develop students' analytical skills in examining futuristic themes
Foster appreciation for imaginative literature and its connection to real-world innovation
Enhance vocabulary related to technology and future concepts

2. Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Apply critical thinking when evaluating modern technology against Verne's 1889 predictions
Use new vocabulary related to technology and futurism in daily conversations
Make connections between past predictions and present-day innovations (smartphones, video calls, etc.)
Develop creativity in imagining future technological possibilities
Appreciate literature as a tool for exploring human progress and innovation
Write effectively about technological impact on society

3. Introduction (10 minutes)

Hook Questions to Engage Students:

"What do you think the world will look like in the year 3000? What technologies might exist?"
"Can you imagine having breakfast with someone in another country while seeing and talking to them? How would that be possible?"
"If you could travel 400 miles in 30 minutes, how would that change your daily life?"
"What if newspapers could show you moving pictures of events as they happened?"
"Do you think writers from 100 years ago could predict the technology we use today?"

4. Reading and Understanding (15 minutes)

New Vocabulary and Meanings:

Phonotelephote: A device combining telephone and television (video calling)
Telephotic: Related to transmitting both sound and image
Commutators: Switching devices for changing communication lines
Phototelegrams: Messages sent with photographs
Stellar: Related to stars and space
Jovians: Inhabitants of Jupiter
Pneumatic tubes: Air-pressure powered delivery system
Aero-car: Flying vehicle
Accumulator: Device for storing energy
Cataracts: Waterfalls (here referring to Niagara Falls)
Audition-room: Room for listening/entertainment
Harmonico-algebraic: Mathematical musical formulas

5. Mind Map

                    JULES VERNE'S 2889 WORLD
                            |
            ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
            |               |               |
    COMMUNICATION      TRANSPORTATION    ENTERTAINMENT
            |               |               |
    ├─ Phonotelephote   ├─ Aero-cars      ├─ Central Concert
    ├─ Telephotic      ├─ Moving          ├─ Phonotelephotic
    │  mirror          │  pavements       │  dining
    ├─ Global news     ├─ Pneumatic       └─ Mathematical
    │  network         │  food delivery      music
    └─ Space           └─ Submarine
       communication      tubes (Paris-
                         Centropolis)
            |
    ┌───────────────────────────────────┐
    |           DAILY LIFE              |
    ├─ Automated dressing               |
    ├─ Cloud advertising                |
    ├─ Energy from Niagara              |
    └─ Scientific discoveries           |

6. Consolidation and Presentation (8 minutes)

Lesson Summary: Jules Verne's "A Day in 2889" presents Francis Bennett, a newspaper editor in a technologically advanced world. Written in 1889, Verne imagined innovations like video calling (phonotelephote), global instant communication, flying cars (aero-cars), automated dressing systems, and high-speed travel. The story showcases Verne's remarkable ability to predict future technologies, many of which exist today in different forms. The narrative demonstrates how technology could transform daily life, work, and human relationships while maintaining the fundamental human need for connection and productivity.

7. Reinforcement (5 minutes)

Additional Information:

Historical Context: Jules Verne wrote this in 1889, during the Industrial Revolution
Prediction Accuracy: Video calling (Skype/Zoom), global news networks (CNN/BBC), flying vehicles (helicopters/planes), automated systems (smart homes)
Literary Genre: This is science fiction - literature that explores future possibilities
Verne's Other Works: "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," "Around the World in Eighty Days"
Modern Parallels: Smartphones combine many of Verne's predicted devices
Social Impact: Technology changes how we work, communicate, and live

8. Evaluation Questions (10 minutes)

a) Lower Order Thinking Question (Remembering/Understanding): "What device did Francis Bennett use to see and talk to his wife in Paris?"

b) Middle Order Thinking Question (Applying/Analyzing): "Compare the phonotelephote described in the story with modern video calling technology. What similarities and differences do you notice?"

c) Higher Order Thinking Question (Evaluating/Creating): "Do you think Jules Verne's predictions about technology improving human life were accurate? Justify your answer with examples from both the story and modern life. What potential problems might arise from such advanced technology?"

9. Remedial Teaching Strategy

For Slow Learners:

Visual aids: Show images of modern technology alongside Verne's descriptions
Simplified vocabulary: Use everyday terms (video call instead of phonotelephote)
Peer support: Pair with stronger students for discussion
Hands-on activity: Demonstrate video calling on smartphones/tablets
Chunked reading: Break the text into smaller, manageable sections
Graphic organizers: Use simple charts to compare past predictions with present reality

10. Writing Activity (7 minutes)

Writing Task: "Write a paragraph (100-150 words) describing how one piece of technology from Jules Verne's 2889 world would change your daily routine. Choose from: phonotelephote, aero-car, pneumatic food delivery, or automated dressing system. Include specific details about how it would affect your morning, school day, or evening activities."

Writing Guidelines:

Use at least 3 vocabulary words from today's lesson
Include both positive and negative effects
Connect to your personal experience
Use descriptive language

11. Follow-up Activities

Homework/Assignment:

Research Project: Find one modern invention that matches a prediction from Verne's story. Create a comparison chart showing similarities and differences.
Creative Writing: Write your own "A Day in 3025" story (300 words) predicting what technology might exist 1000 years from now.
Family Interview: Ask family members about technologies that didn't exist when they were young. Write a short report on how technology has changed their lives.

Extension Activities:

Watch a science fiction movie and identify which predicted technologies exist today
Create a timeline showing when Verne's predictions became reality
Design a poster advertising one of the futuristic technologies from the story

Assessment Criteria:

Participation in discussions
Vocabulary usage in writing
Quality of evaluation question responses
Completion of follow-up activities
Understanding demonstrated through examples and connections

Happy English

Saturday, August 9, 2025

Unit 5 - Supplementary - A Day in 2889 of an American Journalist