Check your vocabulary for TOEFL
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Exercise 1
Complete definitions 1 – 15 with words and
expressions from the box. You will not need all of the words and expressions
from the box.
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analyze bioclimatology biology breakthrough cellphone chemistry computers control cryogenics cybernetics development digital discover discovery e-mail experiment genetic engineering genetic fingerprinting genetic modification geneticist information superhighway information technology (IT) innovation Internet invent invention life expectancy microchip modified molecular biology nuclear engineering physics research safeguard scientist technocrat technologist technophile technophobe
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1
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_____________ is the practice or
science of changing the genes of a living thing, especially in order to make
it more suitable for a particular purpose.
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2
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A _____________ is a rule, law, or plan
that protects people or something from harm or problems.
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3
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_____________ is the study of living
things.
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4
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A _____________ is someone who does not
like, trust, or want to use technology, especially computers.
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5
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A _____________ is a discovery or
achievement that comes after a lot of hard work.
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6
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_____________ is the study or use of
computers and electronic systems for storing and using information.
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7
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If something is _____________, it is
changed slightly in order to improve it.
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8
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A _____________ is a scientist who studies
or works in genetics.
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9
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_____________ is the use of technology
to make copies of natural things (for example, artificial body parts).
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10
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A _____________ is a scientist or other
technical expert with a high position in industry or government.
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11
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_____________ is the detailed study of
something in order to discover new facts.
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12
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_____________ is the science that
studies the effects of low temperatures, especially the use of low temperatures
for preserving the bodies of dead people.
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13
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An _____________ is a scientific test
to find out what happens to someone or something in particular conditions.
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14
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_____________ is the length of time
that someone is likely to live.
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15
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_____________ is the invention or use
of new ideas, methods, equipment, etc.
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Exercise 2
Use your
dictionary to check the meanings of the other words and expressions in the box.
Exercise 3
Complete this article with appropriate words and
expressions from the box in Exercise 1. You may need to change the form of some
of the words.
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“Science
and technology have come a long way in the last 60 years, and our lives have
become better as a result. Do you
agree with this statement?”
The second half
of the twentieth century saw more changes than in the previous two hundred
years. Penicillin has already been (1) _____________ and used to treat infections;
there have been many remarkable advances in medicine that have helped to
increase our average (2) _____________ way beyond that of our ancestors. Incredible
(3) _____________ such as television have changed the way we spend our
leisure hours. Perhaps the most important (4) _____________, however, has
been the microchip. Nobody could have imagined, when it was first (5)
_____________, that within a matter of years, this tiny piece of silicon and circuitry
would be found in almost every household object from the kettle to the DVD recorder.
And nobody could have predicted the sudden proliferation of computers that
would completely change our lives, allowing us to access information from the
other side of the world via the (6) _____________ or send messages around the
world by (7) _____________ at the touch of a button. Meanwhile, (8) _____________
into other aspects of information technology is making it easier and cheaper
for us to talk to friends and relations around the world. Good news for (9)
_____________ who love modern technology, bad news for the (10) _____________
who would prefer to hide from these modern miracles.
But everything
has a price. The development of (11) _____________ led to mass automation in
factories, which in turn led to millions losing their jobs. The genius of
Einstein led to the horrors of the atomic bomb and the dangerous
uncertainties of (12) _____________ (we hear of accidents and mishaps at
nuclear power stations around the world, where (13) _____________ to prevent
accidents were inadequate). The relatively new science of (14) _____________
has been seen as a major step forward, but putting modified foods onto the
market before scientists had properly (15) _____________ them was perhaps one
of the most irresponsible decisions of the 1990s. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical
and cosmetic companies continue to (16) _____________ on animals, a move that
many consider to be cruel and unnecessary.
Of course we all rely on modern science and
technology to improve our lives. However, we need to make sure that we (17)
_____________ it rather than the other way round.
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Exercise 4
Now try this essay. Use words and expressions from
the vocabulary box in Exercise 1, and any other words or expressions that you
think would be relevant.
What, in your opinion, has been the
single most important scientific or technological development of the last fifty
years? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
ANSWER
KEY
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