UNIT9: SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
Text 1: Technology is changing the World of Medicine
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
A large number of digital innovations are revolutionizing healthcare and
technology in medicine is here to stay. Numerous innovations and new
solutions are already on the market and they have all improved healthcare
drastically. Today, multiple medical issues such as congestive heart
failure, diabetes, medication noncompliance, even stressful isolation, are
researched and solved with remarkable new technologies. The following are
some areas researchers are targeting: The first area targeted by researchers
is heart failure. One of the most common and costly diagnoses is that of
heart failure, with a mortality rate closer to cancer. It includes three types of
sensors – wristband, necklace and watch – which are used for testing. This
type of diagnosis gives both patients and doctors continuous information on
how a compromised heart is functioning.
The second area targeted by researchers is 3D printing. These days, medical
researchers are considering the potential of 3D printing in medicine. For
example, Kaiser Permanente’s Los Angeles Medical Center is perfecting
the use of 3D printers to replicate multidimensional models of problematic
areas inside patients. Surgeons can handle the models and simulate a
variety of possible operation replicas before performing the actual
surgery. Alternatively, 3D printing can be used in reproducing bones
or other organs in the human body.
The second area targeted by researchers is the area of mobile applications.Today, mobile applications are available for everything. In the healthcare
sector, this is especially true. Doctors and patients are discovering new
ways to use technology to monitor personal health. Nowadays, tracking
daily sleep patterns, counting calories, researching treatment options, and
even monitoring heart rate is possible.
Thirdly, remote monitoring technology is one of the most useful and practical
innovations in recent years. The systems can be used by patients in the
comfort of their homes to reduce the time and financial cost of recurring
visits to the doctor. By using a small device designed to measure a particular
health issue, doctors can analyse a patient’s data remotely without the need
for them to come down to the hospital.
This must be the reason why the Government of Rwanda recognized that
there is a need to strengthen science, technology and research and is
engaged in many National and Regional initiatives to help build this capacity.
Adapted from https://www.hunimed.eu/news/technology-changing-world-
medicine/
Comprehension questions
1. State four medical issues that are researched and solved with remarkable new technologies.
2. What are the three areas targeted by researchers mentioned in the passage?
3. State and explain the use of the three types of sensors mentioned in the passage.
4. Explain how 3D printing technology helps surgeons in their work.
5. Evaluate the use of mobile applications in healthcare sector.
6. Assess the importance of remote monitoring technology in healthcare sector
Vocabulary activity
Use a dictionary and thesaurus to look up the missing meanings of the words
or phrases in the table below. Copy the table into your book and fill in theblank spaces.
Text2: Body systems
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
Our bodies consist of a number of biological systems that carry out specific
functions necessary for everyday living.
The job of the circulatory system is to move blood, nutrients, oxygen,
carbon dioxide, and hormones, around the body. It consists of the heart,
blood, blood vessels, arteries and veins.
The digestive system consists of a series of connected organs that
together, allow the body to break down and absorb food, and remove waste.
It includes the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine,
rectum, and anus. The liver and pancreas also play a role in the digestive
system because they produce digestive juices.
The endocrine system consists of eight major glands that secrete hormones
into the blood. These hormones, in turn, travel to different tissues and
regulate various bodily functions, such as metabolism, growth and sexual
function.
The immune system is the body›s defence against bacteria, viruses and
other pathogens that may be harmful. It includes lymph nodes, the spleen,
bone marrow, lymphocytes (including B-cells and T-cells), the thymus and
leukocytes, which are white blood cells.
The lymphatic system includes lymph nodes, lymph ducts and lymph
vessels, and also plays a role in the body›s defences. Its main job is to make
and move lymph, a clear fluid that contains white blood cells, which help the
body fight infection. The lymphatic system also removes excess lymph fluid
from bodily tissues, and returns it to the blood.
The nervous system controls both voluntary action (like conscious
movement) and involuntary actions (like breathing), and sends signals to
different parts of the body. The central nervous system includes the brain
and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system consists of nerves that
connect every other part of the body to the central nervous system.
The body’s muscular system consists of about 650 muscles that aid inmovement, blood flow and other bodily functions.
There are three types of muscles: skeletal muscle which is connected to
bone and helps with voluntary movement, smooth muscle which is found
inside organs and helps to move substances through organs, and cardiac
muscle which is found in the heart and helps pump blood.
The reproductive system allows humans to reproduce. The male
reproductive system includes the penis and the testes which produce sperm.
The female reproductive system consists of the vagina, the uterus and the
ovaries which produce eggs. During conception, a sperm cell fuses with an
egg cell, which creates a fertilized egg that implants and grows in the uterus.
Our bodies are supported by the skeletal system, which consists of 206
bones that are connected by tendons, ligaments and cartilage. The skeleton
not only helps us move, but it’s also involved in the production of blood cells
and the storage of calcium. The teeth are also part of the skeletal system,
but they aren’t considered bones.
The respiratory system allows us to take in vital oxygen and expel carbon
dioxide in a process we call breathing. It consists mainly of the trachea, the
diaphragm and the lungs.
The urinary system helps eliminate a waste product called urea from the
body, which is produced when certain foods are broken down. The whole
system includes two kidneys, two ureters, the bladder, two sphincter muscles
and the urethra. Urine produced by the kidneys travels down the urethras to
the bladder, and exits the body through the urethra.
The skin, or integumentary system, is the body’s largest organ. It protects
us from the outside world, and is our first defence against bacteria, viruses
and other pathogens. Our skin also helps regulate body temperature and
eliminate waste through perspiration. In addition to skin, the integumentary
system includes hair and nails.
Adapted from https://www.livescience.com/37009-human-body.html
Comprehension questions
1. What are biological systems mentioned in the passage?
2. Which biological system helps oxygen to move around the body?
3. What is the role of the liver and pancreas in the digestive system?
4. Which biological system regulates metabolism, growth and sexual function?
5. Which biological system protects from falling sick?
6. Do you think our nervous system has anything to do with our sight? Justify your answer.
7. State the three types of muscles and explain their functions?
8. What is the role of urinary system?
9. What is the body’s largest organ?
10. Hair and nails belong to which biological system?
Use a dictionary, thesaurus or Internet to look up meaning of the following
words or phrases as they are used in the above passage. (The words are
highlighted in the text)
i. Hormones
ii. Metabolism
iii. Bacteria
iv. Viruses
v. Pathogens
vi. Leukocytes
vii. Tissues
viii.Spinal cord
viii. Cardiac
ix. Conception
x. Perspiration
1. Have you ever been in a hospital? Write a short composition describing a technological tool you saw there. If you never went
there, you can describe a tool you have heard of or read about.
2. Write a short composition on the importance of physical exercise for our body systems.
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
As it is known from time immemorial that everything in life is like the
two side of a coin, there is always a positive and negative side of every
phenomenon. But whether the effect is positive or negative the effects of
Information Communication Technology (ICT) is far reaching and cannot be
overemphasized. The Effects of ICT lens looks at how our lives have been
changed, for better and for worse, by the impact of ICT. It includes both
positive effects and negative effects.
One of the positive effects of ICT is access to information. Possibly the
greatest effect of ICT on individuals is the huge increase in access to
information and services that has accompanied the growth of the Internet.
Some of the positive aspects of this increased access are better, and often
cheaper communications, such as phone calls and Instant messaging. In
addition, the use of ICT to access information has brought new opportunities
for leisure and entertainment.
Another positive effect of ICT is easy access to education. With ICT there are
new ways of learning, such as interactive multi-media and virtual reality. ICT
has also created new job opportunities, such as flexible and mobile working,
virtual offices and jobs in the communications industry among others.
ICT can be used for processes that had previously been out of the reach of
most individuals, such as photography, where digital cameras, photo-editing
software and high quality printers have enabled people to produce results
that would previously require a photographic studio.
ICT can be used to help people overcome disabilities. For example screen
magnification or screen reading software enables partially sighted or blind
people to work with ordinary text rather than Braille.
As far as negative effects are concerned, ICT has caused Job loss, reduced
personal interaction and reduced physical activity.As for Job loss, one of the largest negative effects of ICT can be the loss of
a person’s job. This has both economic consequences, loss of income, and
social consequences, loss of status and self-esteem. Job losses may occur
for several reasons, including the replacement of manual operations by
automation. This can happen when, for example, robots replace people on
an assembly line. People can also lose jobs due to Job export. This is when
Data processing work is sent to other countries where operating costs are
lower. Multiple workers can also be replaced by a smaller number of people
who are able to do the same amount of work using machines.
Personal interaction and physical activity have also been negatively affected
by ICT. Being able to work from home is usually regarded as being a positive
effect of using ICT, but there can be negative aspects as well. Most people
need some form of social interaction and physical exercise.
Adapted from https://ajahana.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/the-positive-and-
negative-impacts-of-ict-5/
Comprehension questions
1. What do you understand by “everything in life is like the two side of a coin”?
2. What strengthened the huge increase in access to information?
3. Explain how ICT has created new job opportunities.
4. Using an example, explain how ICT has enabled people to do processes that had previously been out of the reach of most
individuals.
5. In which ways can ICT make people lose their jobs? Vocabulary activity
Use a dictionary, thesaurus or Internet to look up meaning of the following
words or phrases as they are used in the above passage. (The words are
highlighted in the text)
a. phenomenon
b. Overemphasized
c. Lens
d. Information
e. Internet
f. Leisure
g. Entertainment
h. Virtual reality.
i. Manual operations
j. Automationk. Job export
1. Use each of the above words in a sentence of your own to illustrate how they are used.
2. Writer a 100 word composition on smartphone addiction.
3. Debate Referring to notes on debating techniques in unit 5, debate the following motion.
“This house believes that ICT has done more harm than good”
9.3. Language structure: Word formation
Introduction:
In linguistics (particularly morphology and lexicology), word formation refers
to the ways in which new words are made on the basis of other words
or morphemes. This is also called derivational morphology.
Most English vocabulary arises by making new lexemes out of old ones. This
can be done either by adding an affix to previously existing forms, altering
their word class, or combining them to produce compounds. Below are some
types of word formation processes.
9.3.1. Derivation
Derivation is the creation of words by modification of a root without the
addition of other roots. Often the effect is a change in part of speech.
Examples
• Empty-emptiness (adjective was changed into a noun)
9.3.2. Affixation
( This is like a subtype of derivation)
Affixation is the process of adding a morpheme or affix to a word to create
either a different form of that word or a new word with a different meaning;
affixation is the most common way of making new words in English. An affix
is a word element of English grammar used to alter the meaning or form of a
word and comes in the form of either a prefix or a suffix. There two primary
types of affixation are prefixation, the addition of a prefix, and suffixation, the
addition of a suffix.
A Prefixation
Prefixation is a morphological process whereby a bound morpheme is
attached to the front of a root or stem. The kind of affix involved in this
process is called a prefix. Prefixes include examples like “un-,” “self-,” and “re-,”
Example:
The prefix un- attaches to the front of the stem selfish to form the word unselfish.Other examples include:
Suffixation is a morphological process whereby a bound morpheme is
attached to the end of a stem. The kind of affix involved in this process is
called a suffix. Suffixes come in the form of ending elements like “-hood,”
“-ing,” “-ness,”, “-ed...”
• Communicate-communicator
Think of the 26 common suffixes in the table as clues to the meanings ofwords. Keep in mind, though, that the meanings of words are best determined
by studying the contexts in which they are used as well as the parts of thewords themselves.
Noun Suffixes
Verbs can end with either -ize (the American spelling) or -ise (the British
spelling). Examples include finalize/finalise and realize/realise.
1. Use prefixes to find the opposite of these verbs:
a. Use
b. Agree
c. Engage
d. Behave
e. Understand
f. Fold
g.h.i.Spell
Connect
Close
2. the sentences by writing the correct prefix from the table below in theblank spaces. You can use a dictionary to help you
I just can’t believe it! The story is _____believable!
a. No, that answer is _____correct. It is wrong.
b. Let’s look at this information again. We should _____view it before the test.
c. I saw Kalisa just a moment ago, but now I can’t find him! It seems that he _____appeared!
d. Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you correctly. I _____understood you.
e. The subway does not go over the land like a normal train. It moves_____ground.
f. 3. Put the words in brackets in the appropriate form (use prefixes or suffixes):
g. He was acting in a very................... way. (child)
h. She looked.................She started to cry. (happy)
i. He passed his exam. He was.................for the second time. (succeed)
j. The team that he supported was able to win the................... .(champion)
k. I couldn’t find any........................in his theory. (weak)
l. He wants to be a.................................when he grows up. (mathematics) m. There were only a............................of people at the match. (hand)
n. The road was too narrow, so they had to........................it. (wide)
o. I think that you should............................your decision. It may not be the best thing to do. (consider)
p. You need a..........................of motivation, organization and hard work to realize your dreams.(combine)
i. I can’t answer this question. It’s.................(possible).
ii. Don’t stand near the water. It’s too............ (danger).
iii. I don’t like this fish. It’s not very well................. (cook).
iv. Kate started crying because she was so.............. (happy)
v. If you have a haircut it will change your...........................(appear)
vi. Paul never waits in queues. He is too................(patient)
vii. Thank you for your advice. You have been very............(help).
viii. Stealing other people’s money is..................(honest)
ix. Our science..................is very young. (teach)
x. Harry didn’t think the book was very.................(interest).
xi. A million pounds was given to the hospital by an..............person (known)
xii. When you.............this paragraph, make it a bit shorter (write)
xiii. That was a great film. It was really................(enjoy)
xiv. Mary was wearing a/an....................hat (usual)
xv. I like this town. The people are very..................(friend)
xvi. I don’t think you’re right. I............with you completely (agree)
1. Identify at least five words formed through the process of affixation
in the following paragraph.
One of the positive effects of ICT is access to information. Possibly the
greatest effect of ICT on individuals is the huge increase in access to
information and services that has accompanied the growth of the Internet.
Some of the positive aspects of this increased access are better and often
cheaper communications, such as phone calls and instant messaging. In
addition, the use of ICT to access information has brought new opportunities
for leisure and entertainment.
2. Write a 200 word composition on advantages and disadvantages ofsocial media in society.
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