On Screen C1 p 26

Ex 5. 

a. Listening script:

2b – Exercise 5a (p. 26)
Speaker 1
You know, I’ve often wondered why, with all the technological advances that mankind has made over the years, cars are still effectively the same as they were a century ago. Isn’t it time that we did away with the environmentally unfriendly combustion engine and opt instead for a cleaner source of power? It seems to me that making a case for the development of solar-powered cars is a bit of a no-brainer.
Speaker 2
The problem is not that people don’t want to read, it’s that they physically can’t get their hands on the books to practice their skills. It’s a sad fact that in developing countries people have little or no access to reading material, but with the innovation of mobile devices all that seems to be changing.
In remote areas, where there are no libraries or bookshops, tablets could be the answer to this widespread problem.
Speaker 3
Even though some hospitals are already utilising robotics in surgical theatres, the human element is never far away and that is because robots cannot take calculated risks in situations when they may be necessary to save a life. Where we need robots is to carry out the mundane tasks in order to free up doctors to concentrate on more specialised cases and focus on the research needed to discover cures.
Speaker 4
In order to ensure that all the peoples of the planet have access to enough safe and nutritious food, we need to find a sustainable source. The answer to that may lie with genetically modified crops. The ability to grow plants that are resilient to pests and disease, with the added bonus of reducing our dependence on insecticides, which aren’t good for anyone, would be invaluable. 

no-brainer: a decision or a problem that you do not need to think about much because it is obvious what you should do. Sp. obvio, evidente.

E.g. You're not sure if you should marry Ed? He's good-looking, intelligent, and kind. C'mon, it's a no-brainer!      ¿No sabes si casarte con Ed? Es guapo, es inteligente, es amoroso. ¡Vamos, es obvio!

 

b. Speaking: How could technology be used in the future to solve the problems of illiteracy, air pollution, disease and hunger?

Suggested Answer Key
A: I believe that technology will have a huge impact on illiteracy – especially in developing countries.
Mobile devices, such as tablet computers, make accessing the material that people need to practise their reading skills much easier. The educational software and storage options on a hard drive for an electronic library that a tablet offers provide fantastic opportunities in remote locations.
B: Yes, I agree. And I think technology is going to help reduce air pollution too, by giving us more eco-friendly cars that don’t run on traditional combustion engines. Solar powered cars would vastly reduce carbon emissions and exhaust fumes into the atmosphere.
A: That would be amazing, helping the environment is so important. Technology might be able to solve the problem of disease by creating new medicines and safer surgeries and treatments. Robotic surgery could help a lot in this regard and give surgeons more time to focus on research. What do you think about the problem of hunger?

B: Well, world hunger is certainly an important issue. One solution could be developing more genetically modified crops. This could provide a sustainable source of food for the world, and reduce the use of chemicals in farming as they wouldn’t need insecticides.