Meeting 9
Technology is Great!
Talking About Technology
1. Look at the images.
2. Do you know what these items are called?
3. Do you, or any of your family members / friends, own any
of these things?
Vocabulary – Pre-reading task
• Words/ phrases 1-10 are taken from the text you will read later in the lesson
• Match the words / phrases with definitions a – j
1. Gadget a. to make a situation possible or help a person do something.
2. Enable b. to contact someone regularly and maintain a relationship with them.
3. Impact c. a piece of equipment which has a particular function, and is often new or
involving technology
4. Button d. something which happens immediately.
5. Invention e. the effect one thing has on another thing, which can be positive or negative.
6. Luxury f. a new idea for a product which has never been made before.
7. Stay in touch g. a small item which, when pressed makes a machine work.
8. Social h. something which is expensive and enjoyable to have, but not necessary.
networking
9. Instant i. necessary for survival
10. Essential j. The process of communicating and connecting with people online, often
through websites designed for this kind of activity.
Modern Technology
a. Modern technology is changing the way we live our lives. Clever gadgets
make everyday activities easier and enable people to use their time
effectively. But what impact will this change have in the future and is it
really a positive thing? People are busier than ever before. Technological
advances mean that things are often possible with the touch of a button.
A hundred years ago, however, things were very different. Everyday jobs,
like doing the laundry, would take a whole day, and the telephone was a
new invention! Nowadays, almost every household has a washing
machine and a dishwasher, and there are more than 70 million mobile
phones in use in the United Kingdom alone.
b. Research shows that around 28% of children in the UK are overweight or
obese. Some people are concerned that this is because young people
spend too much time online and not enough time socialising with their
friends and playing outside. In the past, nearly all children walked to
school because their parents didn’t have a car. They didn’t have all the
luxuries that many children have now, so they used their imaginations and
played outdoors in the fresh air.
Modern Technology [Cont..]
c. Years ago, when people wanted to stay in touch with their friends and
family, they wrote letters. These days, however, E-mail communication and
social networking sites, such as Facebook, allow instant, free international
communication.
d. Online banking and shopping make essential activities possible from the
comfort of our own homes. But what effect will this have on town centres
and shops? In some towns and cities, many shops are now empty, and a
lot of people think this is because more and more people choose to use
the Internet for shopping.
e. There are many benefits of using technology but we need to be responsible
in the choices we make. Modern equipment is often very expensive and
does not last a long time. It is important to consider how much we really
need these things and the impact they have on our health, the
environment and society.
(Facts sourced from http://www.dh.gov.uk)
Match paragraphs a – e to the topic sentences below.
1. Our responsibility when choosing to use modern technology.
2. The impact of modern technology on everyday life over the past
century.
3. How modern technology has changed communication.
4. The effect of modern technology on young people.
5. Modern technology in relation to shopping and retail.
Grammar Focus: GERUND
➢ The gerund looks exactly the same as a present participle, but it is
useful to understand the difference between the two. The gerund
always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a
verb). Some uses of the gerund are covered on this page. A
separate page deals with verbs that are followed by the gerund.
➢ VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUNDS:
avoid celebrate consider contemplate mention delay admit
dislike suggest enjoy love escape excuse finish
forgive involve keep loathe mind miss pardon
postpone prevent resent resist risk save stop
EXAMPLES
1. I avoid going to the dentist.
2. I miss taking walks in the morning.
3. I have finished working.
4. I understand fishing pretty well.
5. I can't imagine living in that big house.
6. She enjoys reading novel in her room.
7. John is considering buying a new car
8. He denies writing political issues
Student’s Task
1. Make 10 simple sentences by using Gerund.
Exercise
Choose the correct answer.
1. A new idea for a product which has never been made before
is called?
a. Impact d. Invention
b. Instant e. Luxury
c. Essential
2. A small item which, when pressed makes a machine work:
a. Computer d. Flash Disk
b. Camcorder e. Gadget
c. Button
3. To contact someone regularly and maintain a relationship with
them is called?
a. Impact d. Social Networking
b. Luxury e. Stay in Touch
c. Family
4. I can't imagine David... (go) by bike to Campus.
a. Is going d. To go
b. Went e. Going
c. Gone
5. This question is easy ... (answer)
a. to answer d. answered
b. answering e. To be answering
c. to answering
