Дидактический материал для проведения занятия по

английскому языку по теме “Technophobes vs Technophiles”

Данный дидактический материал предназначен для развития умений

говорения на английском языке и совершенствования лексических навыков по

теме “Technophobes vs Technophiles”. Он содержит две части: работа с учителем

или преподавателем на занятии и домашнее задание. Может быть использован

для работы со взрослыми учениками или детьми старшего школьного возраста,

интересующимися

заданной тематикой, чей уровень владения английским

языком B1 и выше.

Technophobes vs Technophiles

Why are there people who are enthusiastic about new technology and people

who dislike and avoid it, are afraid of new devices and even compare the

process of their creation with reinventing the weel? Let us consider the

reasons why we become technophiles or technophobes and describe the

feelings that these groups of men have. I would also like to share my thoughts

on which of them it is better to join.

Firstly, it seems to be determined by age. The older you are, the harder it is to

get accustomed to cutting-edge

technology. For the elderly, using

smartphones and laptops is a real problem. They don’t often know how to

instal some programs or restart their devices. Aged men can’t harness current

technology with all its bells and whistles. Using it they do not feel if they step

in the right direction or are on the wrong track, which makes senior citizens

frightened. Some old men suffer from their incompetence, while others claim

that for happiness the ability to use high technology is a cog in the machine.

The young feel a strong enthusiasm for emerging technologies such as recent

models of personal computers, mobile phones, home cinemas, and other

devices. They can really take advantage of new technology, make use of it

well. In most cases it is young men who are the first people to create, discover

or use it, they pioneer advanced devices. Some of them are even capable to

hack into security or surveillance systems easily. Teenagers do not

understand their grandparents who can’t deal with advanced technology,

because, as they think, “this ain't rocket science”.

The other reason for technophobia or technophilia

is the psychological

characteristics of the individuals themselves. After all, there are also elderly

people who are advanced computer users and there are young people who

do not delve into modern technologies due to their lifestyle and preferences.

Some African tribes do not know how to employ even low technology, but they

do not feel disadvantaged and unhappy, and vice versa, here and there you

can find information about a very elderly person who mastered a computer at

a very old age and found a new vocation and joy in this activity.

I would like to note that technophilia and technophobia are two extremes of

the same process - familiarization with technologies. A high level of

technophilia can lead to separation from reality, isolation, and a high level of

technophobia will not allow you to feel comfortable in the modern world,

where it is important to act quickly and effectively. In both situations, they limit

a person and do not lead to human happiness. I want to believe that we are

somewhere in the middle of this process keeping the balance.

I. Read the text and discuss the questions.

1)

According to the author, what are the reasons why we become

technophiles or technophobes?

2)

What feelings do technophiles have?

3)

What emotions do technophobes feel?

4)

Do you agree with the author’s conclusion about technophilia and

mtechnophobia? Why/why not?

______________________________________________________________

II. Based on the information from the text say which people do or don’t

do these things - aged men, African tribes, young people.

1)

… can’t harness current technology.

2)

… can really take advantage of new technology, make use of it well.

3)

Some … do not know how to employ even low technology.

4)

In most cases it is … who are the first people to create, discover or use it,

… pioneer advanced devices.

Can you do the actions expressed by the verbal phrases in bold?

______________________________________________________________

III. Give examples of

Think of old and new mobile phones, computers, energy technologies.

IV. Match the phrasal verbs with their meanings.

1)

Go down

a)

to connect wires from machines

to a power source or other

2)

Hook up

3)

Hack into

4)

Wipe out

machines

b)

completely erase or delete files

c)

enter a computer or network

illegally

d)

stop operating properly

Answer the questions.

1)

Have you ever wiped out important files from your computer?

2)

Do you know anybody who is able to

hack into

other people’s

computers?

3)

Has your computer ever gone down at an inopportune moment?

4)

Can you hook up a desktop computer?

______________________________________________________________

V. Read the sentences and find the right explanation of each idiom.

1)

Why are there people who are enthusiastic about new technology and

people who dislike and avoid it, are afraid of new devices and even

compare the process of their creation with reinventing the weel?

a)

wasting time creating something that already exists and works well

b)

spending time on something useful

2)

Aged men can’t harness current technology with all

its bells and

whistles.

a)

small objects of different shapes

b)

attractive extra features

3)

Using it they do not feel if they step in the right direction or are on the

wrong track, which makes senior citizens frightened.

a)

Do honestly and deshonestly

b)

Do right or do wrong

4)

Some old men suffer from their incompetence, while others claim that for

happiness the ability to use high technology is a cog in the machine.

a)

a small part of a large organization

b)

a big part of a large organization

5)

Teenagers do not understand their grandparents who can’t deal with

advanced technology, because, as they think, “this ain't rocket science”.

a) is easy to do or understand

b) is difficult to do or understand

Discuss the questions.

1)

Do you feel like a cog in the machine at work or at school?

2)

Which creation can you consider as reinventing the wheel?

3)

Can you employ current technology with all its bells and whistles?

4)

Whose advice do you usually listen to to realize that you step in the right

direction?

5)

If you are moving to your goal and you realize that you are on the wrong

track, do you stop or do you bring your action to the end?

6)

What isn’t rocket science for you?

HOMEWORK

I. Reread the text and mark the sentences true or false.

1)

Technophobes are enthusiastic about new technology.

2)

The younger you are, the easier it is to get used to advanced technology.

3)

It is complicated for old men to harness current technology.

4)

Young men can always make use of new technology well, but they neveer

pioneer it.

5)

The psychological characteristics of the individuals do not influence

technophilia.

6)

The extreme state of technophobia is negative for a person, while

technophilia is usually a positive phenomenon anyway.

______________________________________________________________

II. Complete the sentences with the given words.

wipe out

harness

hook up

employ

go down

take advantage of

pioneer

hack into

1)

Some of them are even capable to … security or surveillance systems

easily.

2)

Have you ever … important information from your mobile phone?

3)

Can you …. a complex technical device?

4)

Has your computer ever ... at a wrong moment?

5)

Aged men can’t … current technology.

6)

Some African tribes do not know how to … even low technology.

7)

They can really … new technology, make use of it well.

8)

In most cases it is young people who are the first people to create,

discover or use it, they … advanced devices.

______________________________________________________________

III. Match the idioms with their meanings.

1)

To reinvent the wheel

2)

To Be a cog in the machine

3)

To step in the right direction

4)

To be on the wrong track

a)

To Be a small part of a large

organization

b)

To Do wrong

c)

Attractive extra features

5)

All its bells and whistles

6)

Not to be rocket science”.

d)

To waste time creating something

that already exists and works well

e)

To do right

f)

To be easy to do or understand

Write your own sentences with these idioms. Your teacher will check

them.

______________________________________________________________

IV. You are given the first letters of the adjectives accompanying the

word “technology”. Finish the words.

1)

The young feel a strong enthusiasm for e… technologies.

2)

The older you are, the harder it is to get accustomed to c…-e…

technology.

3)

Aged men can’t harness c… technology with all its bells and whistles.

4)

They can really take advantage of h… technology.

5)

Some tribes do not know how to employ even l… technology.

6)

Most of r… energy technologies provide electricity.

V. Register your answers to these questions. Try to give detailed

answers.

1)

What advantages and disadvantages do you find in using high tech?

2)

Are you a technophile or a technophobe?

3)

Which feelings do you have towards new technology?

4)

Can you employ modern devices well? What do you use them for?

5)

How does it influence your life?

6)

What cutting-edge technologies would you like to buy and why?