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 The sound quality of a digital voice recorder
and audio recording; digital is superior to that of an analogue one.
broadcasting [non-digital]
wi-fi a system for connecting electronic The hotel has wi-fi in every room.
devices to the internet without
using wires
satellite satellite navigation [SATNAV] She doesn’t use a road map now because her
communications systems; mobile phones 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 automatic translation; Scientists working in AI are hoping to create
intelligence (AI) identification systems computers that will be more and more like the
human brain.
ergonomics design of environments so This car has ergonomically designed seats.
people can work efficiently and [designed to give maximum comfort and
comfortably efficiency]
Bluetooth™ connecting electronic devices to My car has Bluetooth, so I can connect my
each other with no wires 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.

See also Unit 48.

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 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.

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57 Technology of the future
A Technology
Here are some things we are likely to see more of in the future.
smart buildings/homes computer-controlled buildings and homes where things like lighting, heating,
security, etc. are completely automatic; the adjective smart can be used for
anything that uses computers or information stored in electronic form (e.g. a
smartphone, smart TV, smart car)
interplanetary travel travel to planets in outer space, either for exploration or for tourism
and space tourism
nanotechnology science of developing and producing extremely small tools and machines by
controlling the arrangement of atoms and molecules
keyhole surgery medical operation in which a very small hole is made in a person’s body to reach
the organ or tissue inside

B The environment and nature

A doomsday scenario for the environment sees our destiny as a world choked with pollution, where
many plants and animals have become extinct. [the worst possible prediction, what will happen in the
future] [the things that will happen to us in the future]
Many experts foresee a situation where traffic in mega-cities becomes completely gridlocked.
[think that something will occur in the future] [cities of more than 10 million people] [unable to move at all]
The population explosion may lead to widespread food and water shortages. [rapid increase in
population]
Genetic modification/engineering is already used to change fruit and vegetables so that they
grow better. However, many people object to the idea of genetically modified (or GM) food/crops.
[changing genes] [food/crops created by changing the genes of the ingredients]
Gene therapy will be used to eradicate some diseases, thanks to our knowledge of the human
genome. [changing genes in order to prevent disease or disability] [the ‘map’ or index of all the genes in a
human being]
Some people envisage a world in which designer babies will be popular. [see a possible or probable
situation in the future] [babies whose genetic characteristics are artificially created]
Cloning of animals, and even human beings, may become common. [making a genetically identical copy]

C Society and people

The breakdown of the traditional family structure has already occurred in some countries. In
future, the nuclear family1 may no longer be the main type of family unit, and more loosely defined
relationships will develop. Globalisation2 will increase, affecting how things are produced and sold,
what we buy and how we communicate. The world has become a global village3 and we will have
more and more contact with other people in it. We may even make contact with extraterrestrial
beings4. The gulf5 between rich and poor nations will widen if we do not take drastic measures6
now to improve the situation.

1
family with father, mother and one or two children
2
increase of trade around the world, with companies producing and trading goods in many different countries
or the spread of similar social and cultural behaviour around the world
3
a single community covering the whole world
4
creatures from other planets
5
gap/difference
6
severe actions that have noticeable effects

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 Exercises
57.1 Match the words to make collocations.
1 gridlocked a explosion
2 genetic b village
3 human c traffic
4 population d genome
5 global e modification
57.2 Use the collocations in 57.1 to rewrite the
underlined parts of the sentences.
1 Asia underwent a dramatic increase in the population in the latter part of the 20th century.
2 The crop had been subject to having its genes altered.
3 Since the advent of the internet, the world has become one single community.
4 Times when the traffic cannot move can cost the economy millions of pounds.
5 Scientists now understand how the human genes are composed.
57.3 What do we call:
1 a huge city with more than 10 million people?
2 medical operations where a very small hole is made in someone’s body?
3 the science of making very small tools and machines by controlling atoms and molecules?

4 making an exact genetic copy of something?

5 creatures from other planets?
6 the process of altering human and animal genes?
7 the things that will happen to us in the future?
8 a baby whose genetic features have been chosen by its parents?
57.4 Rewrite the underlined words in these sentences using expressions from the opposite page.
1 The worst possible prediction is that we will destroy the world with nuclear weapons.
2 Travelling to other planets for scientific exploration will become normal in the coming centuries.
3 He belongs to a team of scientists who are trying to improve our understanding of the index of all
the genes in a human being.
4 Governments need to do things that will have a great impact to save the planet.
5 Many people see in their imagination a world in which the poor simply get poorer. (Give two
answers.)
57.5 Which words or phrases from the opposite page are associated with these sentences?
1 These tomatoes will stay fresh for several months.
2 A typical family is often said to consist of a husband, wife and 2.4 children.
3 This sheep is identical in absolutely every respect to the sheep standing next to it.
4 Thanks to this, doctors may be able to cure some genetic diseases.
5 The world is becoming a very small place in terms of economics and communication.

6 The company is planning to market two-week holidays on the Moon.

57.6 Over to you

Write five sentences about how you envisage the future. Consider the future in terms of
technology, the environment and society.

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