CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 56
Technology and its impact
A
|
Technological
advances affecting daily life
technology
|
examples
of uses/applications
|
example
sentences with associated key words
|
digital technology
|
digital
photography, digital video
and
audio recording; digital
broadcasting
|
The
sound quality of a digital voice recorder is superior to that of an analogue
one. [non-digital]
|
wi-fi
|
a
system for connecting electronic
devices
to the internet without
using
wires
|
The
hotel has wi-fi in every room.
|
satellite
communications
|
satellite
navigation [SATNAV]
systems;
mobile phones
|
She
doesn’t use a road map now because her new car has GPS (global
positioning system) built in, so she gave me her old plug-in SATNAV.
|
biotechnology
|
genetic
modification of plants
|
Biotechnology
companies are experimenting with
new, disease-resistant crops for farmers. [with a high level of
protection against diseases
|
artificial
intelligence (AI)
|
automatic
translation;
identification
systems
|
Scientists
working in AI are hoping to create computers that will be more and
more like the human brain.
|
ergonomics
|
design
of environments so
people
can work efficiently and
comfortably
|
This
car has ergonomically designed seats. [designed to give maximum
comfort and efficiency]
|
Bluetooth™
|
connecting
electronic devices to
each
other with no wires
|
My
car has Bluetooth, so I can connect my phone to the speakers.
|
|
B
|
How much of a techie* are you?
[*
person who loves acquiring all the new technology]
Today
we are all to some degree dependent on technology. How many of these things
do you own or use?
a
smartphone [a mobile phone that can be used as a small computer]
a
hands-free earpiece and microphone for your mobile
a
smart ID card for entering your workplace or college
a
laptop (computer) or notebook
a
desktop computer for the home or office
an
MP3 player
a
games console
a
tablet using a touchscreen, such as an iPad
an
e-reader, such as a Kindle
an
interactive flat-screen TV
a
router to let you connect to the internet from different devices
Language
help
Technical
(adverb = technically) means
relating to the knowledge, machines and materials used in science and industry,
e.g. Removing the salt from sea water is a technically complex process.
Technological (adverb = technologically) means relating to or
involving technology, e.g. Technologically, their company is a long way
behind ours. Note that technically – NOT technologically – can
also be used to mean according to an exact understanding of the facts, e.g. The
recession is technically over but things are still difficult for many
people.
|
EXERCISES
56.1
|
Based
on A opposite, what types of technology would you associate with the
following?
1
a round-the-world yachtsman/woman trying to establish his/her exact
position
2
a designer creating a new type of computer keyboard which would be more
efficient and comfortable to use
3
a scientist producing a new type of wheat which does not need to be sprayed
against insects
4
a camera that produces photos that you can store on a computer or your
phone
5
a computer that can make decisions for itself
6
a music player in your car that you can connect your phone to with no wires
|
|
56.2
|
Which
type of device in B opposite is the speaker talking about?
1
I prefer it to my mobile because it’s much bigger, but it’s still not too
heavy to carry around. I can Skype on it and take photos with it. I can
access my emails wherever I am. I just can’t make ordinary phone calls
_______________________ .
2
The picture is really good quality and it’s fun being able to send in
comments at the same time as you’re watching a programme_______________________.
3
It’s pretty small and light, but the screen and keyboard are not very big
and I find the trackpad more awkward to use than a mouse_______________________.
4
I always use this rather than my laptop when I’m at home; I have it on a
special table in my room next to my printer_______________________.
5
I used to have to take so many books when I went on holiday but now I don’t
need to. I just have to remember my charger! _______________________
6
I changed its position and now I can get online from any room in the house_______________________.
|
|
56.3
|
Here
are some other words and phrases connected with computers. Not all of them
are on the opposite page. Fill the gaps in the sentences. Use a dictionary if
necessary.
Computer
nerd
|
app
|
thumbnail
|
icon
|
screensaver
|
trackpad
|
techie
|
footprint
|
1
There are some good pictures of the Olympic Games on that sports website. You
can look at ________________ pictures and then click on them to see the
full-size version.
2
My younger brother’s a real ________________. He never goes out, and all he
ever thinks about is computers, computers, computers.
3
I’m a bit of a ________________ really; I love getting the latest mobile
phone or digital camera.
4
I’ve downloaded a great new gaming ________________ onto my phone.
5
His ________________ on his laptop is a really cool picture of the night
sky.
6
This new printer’s got a smaller ________________ than the one I had before,
which is good, since my desk is not very big.
7
Just click on that ________________ there to open the program.
8
I don’t really like this ________________ on my laptop; I’d prefer a proper
mouse.
|
|
56.4
|
Complete
the word beginning with ‘techn…’ in
each sentence. Not all the words you need are on the opposite page.
1
Karl got a good job as a lab techn___________ in the university.
2
In this country, young people techn___________ become adults at the age of
18.
3
Computer techn___________ makes huge advances every year.
4
Andrea has a very interesting techn___________ for remembering vocabulary.
5
Publicity photos of celebrities have usually been techn___________
enhanced.
|
|
56.5
|
Over to you
The
language and terminology connected with computers changes very quickly. If
you want to keep up with it, read computer advertisements in newspapers and
magazines, or else visit the websites of well-known hardware and software
manufacturers, and note any new vocabulary and how it is used.
|
ANSWER KEY
56.1
1 satellite communications
2 ergonomics
3 biotechnology
4 digital technology
5 artificial intelligence
6 Bluetooth™
56.2
1 tablet / iPad 4 desktop computer
2 interactive TV 5 e-reader /
Kindle
3 laptop 6
router
56.3
1 thumbnail (small pictures you can
make bigger before downloading them)
2 computer nerd (a rather negative
term for a person obsessed with computers and who devotes
most of their time to them at the
expense of a normal social life)
3 techie (this has none of the
negative associations that nerd has)
4 app (short for application =
special software)
5 screensaver (image that appears on
your computer screen if you do not use the computer for a
certain period of time)
6 footprint
7 icon (small symbol representing the
program)
8 trackpad
56.4
1 technician
2 technically
3 technology
4 technique
5 technologically
|
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