On Screen p 31. Science and Technology. Education. Speaking

1. Interaction: Talk about the following questions with your partner for about 5 minutes. The pictures are there to help you.

1. What would the world be like without the Internet? Could you live without it? How has the Internet changed the way you live? Do you remember the first time you used it? What aspects did you struggle to get to grips with?
2. Do we make a good use of mobiles? Do smartphones provide a stimulus for learning? Are smartphones making us smarter? or can they be counterproductive?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites like Facebook?   
4. What are the pros and cons of AI? Is it ethically correct to create replicas of human beings? Do our moral values allow us to recreate intelligence?  Do you think AI could pave the way for a better world? Or do you think AI represents the thin end of the wedge? Can you think of any big questions that are left hanging?
5. How would you tackle problems like bullying or other serious problems which might arise in schools? Were any of your classmates defiant or obnoxious at school? How did the teachers deal with them? Did you ever rebel against any particular issues? Were you ever given a detention at school? Were you ever grounded as a consequence?  Did these punishments successfully act as a deterrent? When it comes to rewards and punishments, which is more effective -- the carrot or the stick?   
6. Do you think the current education system is fundamentally flawed? What aspects of education are placed under close scrutiny? Why does everybody seem to have a vested interest in education? Do universities prepare people for the real world?  Why?  Why not? How might university education be improved? Do you intend to go back to university to undertake further training to get ahead in your career?  If you had to recruit someone, what would you consider more important: their qualifications or their experience? Would you dissuade your children from choosing a particular career like becoming an actor? What are the swings and roundabouts of taking a gap year?
7. “It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education” (Albert Einstein). Do you agree?  Would you say that knowledge is the result of curiosity? Would you be prepared to leave your country in order to follow your career dream?
8. "Knowledge is power" (Francis Bacon). Does this quotation resonate with you? Can you think of a course that you found extremely empowering?
9. What role do the new technologies play in education nowadays? Have traditional teaching methods outlived their usefulness? How do children learn best? Can children learn almost anything through video games? Or do you think that video games are a slippery slope? Have you ever been so intent on playing a computer game that you forgot to do something? Do you know anybody who is so intent on gaming that video games take priority over other interests? What will the classroom of the future look like? 


2. Monologue: Below there are some issues related to the topic. You must talk about at least two of them for 3 minutes. You may be asked further questions about the topic when you have finished.


Partner A:
1. Do computers save time or do they make us waste more time? If you had the possibility to only work from your house via a computer, would you do it? What would be the benefits and the drawbacks? Has a computer virus ever wreaked havoc on your laptop?
2. "The dumbest people I know are those who know it all" (Malcolm Forbes). Do you agree? Discuss.
3. Do you know students who cheat in exams even at the university level? How would you feel if you found out that your doctor cheated at medical school? What should be done about plagiarism in this day and age of the internet?


Partner B: 

1. What major technological breakthrough do you think has had the greatest impact on society? Why? In what ways has technology improved our lives? In what ways has it made life worse?
2.The  development  of  genetically  modified  (GM)  food  has  been  a  matter  of  considerable  interest  and worldwide   public   controversy.   What   ‘uncertainties’,   ‘risks’   and   ‘benefits’ can you think of? 
3. “It takes a village to raise a child”.  Do you agree with this African proverb?  To what extent are we all responsible for the actions and behaviour of our children?





Vocabulary 

come/get to grips with something

to begin to understand and deal with something difficult. E.g. I'm slowly getting to grips with the language. They have so far failed to come to grips with the ecological problems.
counterproductive /ˌkaʊntəprəˈdʌktɪv/ having the opposite effect to the one which was intended. E.g. Increases in taxation would be counterproductive. Introducing sanctions at this point could be politically counterproductive. It would be counterproductive to act hastily at this stage. counterproductive behaviour/policies/effects.
AI (artificial intelligence) an area of study concerned with making computers copy intelligent human behaviour.

pave the way (for somebody/something)

to create a situation in which somebody will be able to do something or something can happen. E.g. This decision paved the way for changes in employment rights for women.

the thin end of the wedge

an event or action that is the beginning of something more serious and/or unpleasant. E.g. The introduction of a tax on workplace parking is seen by many as the thin end of the wedge. 
leave someone/something hanging: to fail to solve a difficult situation, or to let someone remain in a difficult situation without solving it. E.g. It was obvious that this issue could not just be left hanging.
defiant: /dɪˈfaɪənt/ openly refusing to obey somebody/something, sometimes in an aggressive way. E.g. a defiant teenager. The terrorists sent a defiant message to the government.
obnoxious: /əbˈnɒkʃəs/ extremely unpleasant, especially in a way that offends people. Offensive. E.g.  obnoxious behaviour. A thoroughly obnoxious little man.
ground somebody to punish a child or young person by not allowing them to go out with their friends for a period of time. E.g. You're grounded for a week!
deterrent /dɪˈterənt/
deterrent (to somebody/something) a thing that makes somebody less likely to do something (= that deters them). E.g. Hopefully his punishment will act as a deterrent to others. the country’s nuclear deterrents (= nuclear weapons that are intended to stop an enemy from attacking).

the carrot and (the) stick (approach)

if you use the carrot and stick approach, you persuade somebody to try harder by offering them a reward if they do, or a punishment if they do not. E.g. The emphasis is on the carrot of incentive rather than the stick of taxes.
flawed: /flɔːd/ not perfect, or containing mistakes. E.g. Diamonds are still valuable, even when they are flawed. His argument is deeply flawed.
scrutiny: /ˈskruːtəni/ careful and thorough examination. Inspection. E.g. Her argument doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. Foreign policy has come under close scrutiny recently. The documents should be available for public scrutiny. The situation is bound to come under the scrutiny of the public health authorities.
vested interest: /ˌvestɪd ˈɪntrəst/ vested interest (in something) a personal reason for wanting something to happen, especially because you get some advantage from it. E.g. They have a vested interest in keeping the club as exclusive as possible. Vested interests (= people with a vested interest) are opposing the plan. She thinks that lawyers have a vested interest in making the legal process move slowly.
undertake something to make yourself responsible for something and start doing it to undertake a task/project. E.g. University professors both teach and undertake research. The company has announced that it will undertake a full investigation into the accident.
swings and roundabouts: used to say that there are advantages and disadvantages whatever decision you make. E.g. If you earn more, you pay more in tax, so it's all swings and roundabouts. What you gain on the swings you may lose on the roundabouts.
gap year: a year that a young person spends working and/or travelling, often between leaving school and starting university. E.g. I'm planning to take a gap year and go backpacking in India.
resonate with: /ˈrezəneɪt/ to produce an emotional effect on someone. E.g. This issue has resonated with voters more than any other.
empower: to give someone more control over their life or more power to do something. E.g. Our goal is to empower everyone on our staff.
outlive: /ˌaʊtˈlɪv/ outlive something to continue to exist after something else has ended or disappeared. E.g. The machine had outlived its usefulness (= was no longer useful).

the/a slippery slope

a course of action that is difficult to stop once it has begun, and can lead to serious problems or disaster. E.g. She realized he was on the slippery slope towards a life of crime.
intent on/upon something giving all your attention to something. E.g. I was so intent on my work that I didn't notice the time. The bright brown eyes were intent on Marie.
wreak:/riːk/ 
wreak something (on somebody) (formal) to do great damage or harm to somebody/something. E.g. Their policies would wreak havoc on the economy. He swore to wreak vengeance on those who had betrayed him. 
breakthrough /ˈbreɪkθruː/ an important development that may lead to an agreement or achievement. E.g. to make/achieve a breakthrough. A significant breakthrough in negotiations. A major breakthrough in cancer research.