UNIT PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY 2
Key Unit Competence:
To use language learnt in the context of people and technology.
1. After observing picture one, describe different activities currently
taking place due to technological advancements.
2. Using picture two, explain some disadvantages of different new
technologies and suggest suitable solutions.3. Look at picture three and describe what you can see.
2.1. Describing concepts related to both humankind and
technological trends
technologies can detect changes in shoppers’ heart rates. A variety of wearable
ranging from today’s smart watches to tomorrow’s augmented-reality goggles
capture a wearer’s biofeedback. Smartphone data captured in real time can alert
retailers that customers are checking online to compare prices for a specific
product, suggesting dissatisfaction with store pricing, product selection, or
layout.
During the next two years, more companies will likely embrace aspects of
the growing intelligent interfaces trend. As a first step, they can explore how
different approaches can support their customer engagement and operational
transformation goals. Companies already on such journeys can further develop
use cases and prototypes. Though investments of time, labour, and budget
may be required before companies can begin reaping benefits, the steps
they take during the next 18 to 24 months will be critical to maintaining future
competitiveness.
Intelligent interfaces represent the latest in a series of major technology
transformations that began with the transition from mainframes to personal
computers and continued with the emergence of the web and mobile. At each
stage, the ways in which we interface with technology have become more
natural, contextual, and ubiquitous. This is seen through the progression from
keyboards to mice, to touchscreens, to voice and the consequent changes in
the way we manipulate onscreen data.
Today, voice-user interfaces such as those found in popular mass-market
products such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri® voice
recognition software, and Microsoft’s Cortana are the most widely deployed
types of intelligent interface. The on-going competition among these tech
giants to dominate the voice systems space is standardizing natural language
processing and AI (Artificial intelligence) technologies across the interface
market-and fuelling innovation. Amazon offered a US$1 million prize through its
annual Alexa competition to any team of computer-science graduate students
building a bot capable of conversing “coherently and engagingly with humans
on popular topics for 20 minutes.”
Voice use cases are proliferating in warehouse, customer service, and, notably,
in field operation deployments where technicians armed with a variety of voiceenabled wearable can interact with company systems and staff without having to
hold a phone or printed instructions. Likewise, we are seeing more organizations
explore opportunities to incorporate voice dialog systems into their employee
training programs. Their goal is to develop new training methodologies that
increase the effectiveness of training, while shortening the amount of time
employees spend learning new skills
Though conversational technologies may currently dominate the intelligent
interfaces arena, many see a different breed of solutions gaining ground,
harnessing the power of advanced sensors, IoT (internet of things) networks,
computer vision, analytics, and AI. These solutions feature, among other
capabilities, computer vision, gesture control devices, embedded eye-tracking
platforms, bio-acoustic sensing, emotion detection/recognition technology,
and muscle-computer interfaces. And soon this list also may include emerging
capabilities such as brain-controlled interfaces, exoskeleton and gait analysis,
volumetric displays, spatial computing, and electro vibration sensing.
(Extracted from Reimagining the way humans, machines, and data interact, by AllanV. Cook, Jonathan Berman, and Jiten Dajee
• Comprehension questions
1. Discuss the technological advancement experienced in the field of
business as shown in paragraph three.
2. Explain how companies can embrace the intelligent interface trend.
3. Show how intelligent interfaces represent the latest technology
transformations today.
4. State the current most widely deployed types of intelligent interface.
5. Assess the extent to which voice dialogue syatems are used today.
6. Determine the aim of using voice dialog systems in different organizations
nowadays.
7. State and discuss the new technological solutions that are currentlygaining ground as described in the last paragraph
II. Sentence construction
Using the words in the above table, make grammatically correct sentences.
III. Summary writing
In not more than 100 words, summarize the above passage.
IV. Research
Conduct a research on the positive result of new technologies. Then
present your findings to the class.
2.2. Advantages of new tech trends
• Text: Advantages and disadvantages of modern technology
Today, technology is very important because it is used for almost everything.
Like everything, technology has advantages and disadvantages.
In the world today, people cannot live without technologies such as televisions,
mobile phones, computers and others. These technologies have slowly taken
an essential part in people’s day-to-day lives and being without them would be
unimaginable for some of us. To understand technology, one must know what it
provides in terms of advantages, but also disadvantages.
First, the evolution of technology is beneficial to humans for several reasons. At
the medical level, technology can help treat more sick people and consequentlysave many lives and combat very harmful viruses and bacteria
The invention of the computer was a very important point. Communication is
thus enhanced, and companies can communicate more easily with foreign
countries. Research is also simplified.
For companies, progress in implementing strategic technology trends is helping
them save time and therefore, money. Exchanges are faster especially with the
internet. Sales and purchases are now facilitated and possible worldwide. This
allows businesses to buy raw materials with discounts or at reduced prices.
Similarly, global tourism has grown.
When observed more closely, new things are discovered every day. Let’s take
for instance when radio waves were discovered, radio broadcasts followed
suit almost immediately. The same applies to the television and electricity. If no
one had discovered that electricity could be generated, then the entertainment
industry wouldn’t be at its current stage of development.
Technology improves daily lives; allowing to move physical storage units to
virtual storage banks and more. Scientists of the time are also able to send
astronauts to the moon thanks to technology.
In the modern industrial world, machines carry out most of the agricultural and
industrial work and as a result, workers produce much more goods than a
century ago and work less. They have more time to exercise and work in safer
environments.
On the other hand, the evolution of modern technology has disadvantages, for
example, dependence on new technology. Man no longer needs to think. Even if
the calculator is a good invention, man no longer makes mental calculation and
no longer works his memory. The decline of human capital implies an increase
in unemployment. In some areas, devices can replace the human mind.
The use of technology certainly needs rule and new laws. For example internet
use is an individual freedom. However, the invention of the atomic bomb
cannot be an individual freedom. In fact, regulations are difficult to implement
when these technologies are introduced-such as regulation surrounding the
impending arrival of autonomous vehicles.
Finally, as most technological discoveries aim to reduce human effort, it would
imply that more work is done by machines. This equates to less work for people:
the human is becoming ever so obsolete by the day, as processes become
automated and jobs are made redundant. The influence that the negative impact
of technology has on children should not be underestimated as well.
Extract from Key Events in the Story of Technology, London (2019) Bonhill GroupPlc, by Michael Baxter
• Comprehension questions
1. Why is technology very useful?
2. Assess the importance of technology at the medical level.
3. Show how the invention of the computer was a very important point.
4. Evaluate the usefulness of implementing strategic technological trends
for companies.
5. Analyse the utility of technological discoveries in media and entertainment.
6. Explain how technology improves daily lives.
7. Discuss the use of technology in agriculture and industrial work.
8. Using suitable examples from the passage, explain the disadvantages of
the evolution of modern technology.
9. Why rules and new laws are needed for the optimal use of technology?10. Analyse the impact of technological discoveries on employmen
II. Sentence construction
Using the terms in the above table, construct correct and meaningful
sentences.
III. Summary writing
In not more than 80 words, summarize the advantages and disadvantages
of modern technology as developed in the above passage.
IV. Composition writing
Write a 300 word composition predicting the impact of technological
advancement on Rwanda’s future generation.
V. Debate
Debate on the following motion: “Technological discoveries cause more
good than harm.”
VI. Research
Conduct a research on the current impact of modern technology on the
community in your area. Analyse both positive and negative influences of
technology and suggest practical measures that should be implemented toencourage optimal use of technological discoveries.
2.3. Challenges caused by new technologies
• Text: How will technology impact on us?
Perhaps the most fundamental and direct impact that technology has on the
everyday life of most people is economic in nature. The issue of jobs and
unemployment is one that strikes a chord of concern in just about every person.
While competition between machinery and human labour has long existed
in the realm of physical tasks, it has only recently been introduced into the
domain of mental work. Much as heavy machinery has eliminated the need for
physical exertion on the part of humans, so too does modern technology, in the
form of microchips and computers. It brings with it the potential to eliminate
mental drudgery. Does this mean, however, that humans will no longer have anypurpose to serve in the world?
To gain some perspective on the issue, we can take a look at the past. At
the beginning of the 20th century in the United States, jobs in factories and
agriculture were disappearing at a rapid rate. But with the loss of those jobs
came the potential for millions of new jobs and economic development in new
industries. Indeed the macroeconomic trend of the past century has been
overwhelmingly positive. Jobs have grown 10-fold in the United States (from 12
million in 1870 to 116 million in 1985) and the percentage of people employed
has grown from 21 percent to 48 percent. Per-capita gross national product, as
well as the average earning power of jobs, has increased 600 percent in constant
dollars during the same period. Today, new manufacturing technologies are
rapidly reducing the number of production jobs. The advent of new technology
is projected to rapidly decrease the demand for clerical workers and other suchsemiskilled and unskilled workers
Computers, which have revolutionized the workplace, are similarly infiltrating
society. They have brought about innumerable advances in education and
personal communication. Slowly but surely, computers have begun to infiltrate
the classroom. Though not yet optimized for education, the personal computer
has much potential in this arena. Wireless networks can allow for the easy
sharing of courseware, submissions by students of papers, exams, courseware
responses, and other creations. The networking of information can provide
students with instant access to vast amounts of information and knowledgeThe realm of communications has likewise seen immense change. We are
provided with new ways to communicate with each other, such as email and
instant messaging. Documents placed on the internet are sources of information
for the rest of the world. Vast databases allow for the easy storage of information.
Global positioning satellites allow us to track our exact location and find our wayto various destinations
The potential applications of technology to warfare are well known. But is this
application positive or negative? One might argue that the military application
of science is undoubtedly negative in that it has led to the creation of the atomic
bomb and other such weapons of mass destruction. Technology has made the
complete destruction of humanity possible. That capacity continues to grow,
as more nations develop nuclear technology and the proliferation of nuclear
warheads continues.
On the other hand, it is also possible to argue that science has made it possible
for the more accurate destruction of enemy targets and, in doing so, has
lessened unintended damage to civilian populations. Smart bombs and cruise
missiles have lessened the human component of war at least to some degree.
(Extract from “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us”, by Bill Joy, Stanford University,April 2000
Comprehension questions
1. Assess the economic impact of technology on the everyday life of some
people.
2. Evaluate the positive impact of technology on employment at the start of
the 20th century.
3. What is the impact of the new manufacturing technologies on employment
today?
4. Analyse the outcome of technology in education.
5. How did new technologies influence the way people communicate?
6. Examine the negative applications of technology to warfare.
7. Discuss the positive impact of the use of science and technology in thefield of war.
Use a dictionary or a thesaurus to find the meanings of the following terms.
1. …realm… (paragraph one)
2. …microchips… (paragraph one)
3. …drudgery… (paragraph one)
4. …macroeconomic… (paragraph two)
5. overwhelmingly… (paragraph two)
6. . …advent… (paragraph two)
7. … …clerical… (paragraph two)
8. …innumerable… (paragraph three)
9. . …infiltrate… (paragraph three)
10. . …courseware… (paragraph three)
11. . …warfare… (paragraph five)
12. . …proliferation… (paragraph five)13. …lessen… (paragraph six)
II. Sentence construction
Using the above terms used in the above passage, construct grammatically
correct sentences.
III. Summary writing
In less than 90 words, summarize the above passage.
IV. Composition writing
Write a 350 word composition on the optimal use of modern technological
discoveries.
V. Debate
Debate on the following motion: “With modern technology humans will nolonger have any purpose to serve in the world.”
2.4. Language Structure: Correlative connectors
• Notes
Correlative connectors are words that function as separable compounds,
occurring in pairs, and have corresponding meanings. A correlative connector
is a type of connector that functions in a pair, with both words working together
to balance words, phrases, or clauses. These connectors are only used when
equal, correlative ideas are presented. They should not be used with ideas that
are disparate or unequal. There are many examples of correlative connectors
but the most common are:
- either ... or
- neither ... nor
- not only...but also
- both ... and
- the more... the less
- the more... the more
- no sooner... than
- whether... or
- rather ... than
- hardly/scarcely…whenExamples
1. Both the planning of technology projects and their uses are costly.
2. John will either sleep or go to school.
3. Computers are not only useful but also stressful.
4. Not only is management of waste technological tools expensive but also
harmful to the environment.
5. Not only did she forget my birthday, but she also didn’t apologise for
forgetting it!
6. No sooner did he enter the room than my tablet disappeared.
7. No sooner had I closed my eyes than I fell asleep.
8. Do you care whether we use a smart camera or a projector in the
conference?
9. The more you think about it, the less likely you are to take action.
10. The more it rains, the more serious the problems become.
11. Wouldn’t you rather take a chance to owe me than be in debt to Michael?
12. Hardly had I reached the station when the train came.
13. Scarcely had I reached the station when the train arrived
Note that when we begin a sentence with a negative word or phrase like hardly,
scarcely, not only or no sooner, we put the auxiliary verb before the subject.
When there is no auxiliary verb or main verb be, we use do, does or did.
• Language practice
Complete each sentence using the correlative connector pair from the
parenthesis:
1. I plan to take my vacation ………… in June ………… in July. (whether/
or, either / or, as / if)
2. ………… I’m feeling happy ………… sad, I try to keep a positive attitude.
(either / or, whether / or, rather / than)
3. ………… had I taken my shoes off ………… I found out we had to leave
again. (no sooner / than, rather / than, whether / or)
4. ………… only is dark chocolate delicious, ………… it can be healthy.
(whether / or, not / but also, just as / so)
5. I will be your friend ………… you stay here………… move away. (either/or, whether/or, neither/nor)
2.5. Spelling and pronunciation
A. Spelling and dictation
Listen carefully to the text read or recorded about technology and social welfare.
Write it down as correctly as possible.
B. Phonetic transcription
Complete the table below by giving the phonetic transcriptions of the words
studied across this unit. Pay attention to the placement of the stress where
necessary. Then practise their pronunciation. You can use a dictionary where
you find it necessary. One is done for you.
2.6. End unit assessment
1. Carry out a survey in your area with the aim of evaluating the
progress that Rwanda has made in the implementation of modern
technology and the impact that this has had on socio-economic life.
Then present your findings to the class.
2. Each correlative connector comes in a pair of words. Use one of the
following pairs to complete each sentence: either … or, neither …
nor, both . . . and, not only . . . but also, whether … or, not only…also,
not only…but…also
3. “Could I come over at ………… three ………… four o’clock?” asked
Joan.
4. The teacher refused to mark his work because his book was
………… torn ………… dirty.
5. I really need a holiday but ………… in Spain ………… France.
6. I’m going to fish tomorrow, ..………… it rains ………… shines.
7. ………… did he borrow a lot of money from us, he ………… refused
to pay back a single cent.
8. The children at the centre can ………… hear ………… speak.
9. She employs a maid to do ………… the cooking ………… washing
for her family.
10. We have enough spices for only one type of curry. We can cook
………… chicken curry ………… mutton curry.
11. The boy is really talented. He ………… knows how to play the piano
………… can also compose music.
12. I do not like him. He is ………… rude ………… selfish.
13. Conduct a research on key economic areas that need modern
technology in Rwanda. Suggest appropriate ways of using
technology in those areas and show how this could boost their
productivity.
14. Write a 300 word essay on the following topic: “The impact of
effective implementation of technology on the learning process inRwandan schools.