15 years ago
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Why Do People Resist New Technologies?
One important reason people resist new technology is that most new technologies are not maturely developed at present. Firstly, inconvenience occurs in the implementation of some new technologies. For example, the solar water heater is now widely used. However, some disadvantages exist. The most crucial one is that not enough hot water is supplied during rain and winter time. In addition, solar water heaters are not available during power outages because they are electricity based (Technology, 2006). Realizing such limitations, many people would rather use traditional water heaters. After all, to the majority, convenience is the most important criterion when choosing a household appliance. The reliability of products should be better developed. Secondly, some new technologies have not been widely publicized yet. People tend to resist something they barely have knowledge about. One example is genetically modified food (GM food). We seldom see any advertisements about this new technology in the media. People are afraid of buying GM food, which is thought to bring potential danger to human health. However, many of the advantages are not seen. GM food contains more nutrition than ordinary food. Less pesticide is used on GM crops, which is good for human health. If people know more about the positive side of GM food, and many other new technologies, they may feel more secure about leaving their comfort zone to accept new things. In conclusion, the immaturity in both the reliability and publicity of new technologies results in people’s resistance.
Monday, 15 September 2008
Grammar Mistakes on Word Form
One of my common grammar mistakes is the word form. Generally, I know which form of word to use in a certain situation, but sometimes I cannot find the exact word. For example, in my assignment 1, I wrote a sentence “The most crucial disadvantage is that not enough hot water is supplied during raining days and winter time.” In this sentence, the word “raining days” can be simply replaced by “rain”. In addition, in the text editing exercise I did online, I was asked to correct the italic word in the following segment: “in which technological discoveries occur with regularly”. I replaced the word “regularly” by “regular”, but the answer is “regularity”. I knew that a noun is required here, and both “regular” and “regularity” can be used as a noun, but the word “regular” has different meanings when it is used as a noun and an adjective. As far as the correct meaning is concerned, “regularity” is more appropriate in this sentence. To correctly use the word form, we should firstly, decide whether a noun, an adjective, an adverb or another word form is needed in a certain place and secondly, choose the word with the right meaning. The most important reason why I tend to make mistakes on word forms is due to the poor vocabulary. In order not to make such mistakes, I should be more familiar with all the transformations of one simple word and identify the meanings. Undoubtedly, I need to do more exercises on this subject.
The grammar excercise:
Errors in word forms are indicated in italics.
From the living room and family car to the supermarket and office, it's impossible to escape the electronic revolution that is transforming the way people live and work.
Already, 1.technology gains are bringing to people products, services, and recreation they never dreamed of just a few years ago: stereophonic television, TV sets that can be 2.carrying in a coat pocket, portable radios with stereo sound, home telephones that signal when another caller is on the line and forward calls from home to business, bill paying without the paperwork.
Outside the home, the dazzle of electronics is no less brilliant, a 3.perfect typed letter at the touch of a button, building and auto designs from a computer, cash from the bank at any hour and instant access to thousands of reference sources.
All this comes at a price. Robbery by computer now is the primary white-collar crime according to some criminologists, and costs society anywhere from $100 million to S3 billion a year. Another problem raised by the use of more computers is the risk of 4.invaded of personal privacy. There is also concern on the part of many workers that their jobs will be taken by 5.computer robots or some other form of automation.
The computer industry can trace its beginning to 1906, when inventor Lee DeForest perfected the three‑element vacuum tube. This device, the triode, made it possible to use one electric current to control the flow of another. From that development, seventy‑six years ago, has 6.evolution a $120‑billion‑a‑year electronics industry that includes everything from laser beams for medicine and industry to guidance systems for weapons and video games.
This business, in which technological discoveries occur with 7. regularly is on its
way to becoming a bedrock of the U.S. economy. By the end of the decade, according to some estimates, its sales will rival those of America's basic industries‑steel, autos, and chemicals.
Currently, about 10 percent of all electronic‑products sales are in consumer rather than business ‑oriented, products. But at the rate advances are made in radios, TVs. computers, and telephones, people's lives will be 8.changeable more and more by electronics. For example,
§ The gradual computerization of the telephone means that in the not too‑distant future, a single phone number will be enough to reach a person no matter where in the world he or she is. Or consumers calling a firm's single 9.nation number will be routed automatically to the nearest office.
§ Computers will be essential to the smooth and efficient operation of the home by regulating room temperatures, 10.control lights, and activating security systems. People will be able to use them to leave messages with other households.
§ Videotex systems will permit people to use television sets, telephones, and computers to shop and pay bills electronically, tap into reference and referral services and take advantage of popular home computer programs such as games and foreign‑language 11.instructor. New York's Chemical Bank has a system that allows users to pay bills and mortgages by computer.
§ Parents may be led by their children in computer literacy. Already, at least 173,000 computers are in public schools‑ an average of 2.2 per school and rapid increases are 12.expectation. Also, some colleges now require that new students have their own computers, a trend bound to spread.
In short, America is at the beginning of a computer revolution, not only in the business world but also in the home.
Answers:
1. technological
5. computerised
9. national
2. carried
6. evolved
10. controlling
3. perfectly
7. regularity
11. instruction
4. invasion
8. changed
12. expected
Link to the relevant grammar exercise:
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/courseware/ITSELF/downloadexercise/Computers%20for%20the%20Masses%20Intermedwf2.doc
The grammar excercise:
Errors in word forms are indicated in italics.
From the living room and family car to the supermarket and office, it's impossible to escape the electronic revolution that is transforming the way people live and work.
Already, 1.technology gains are bringing to people products, services, and recreation they never dreamed of just a few years ago: stereophonic television, TV sets that can be 2.carrying in a coat pocket, portable radios with stereo sound, home telephones that signal when another caller is on the line and forward calls from home to business, bill paying without the paperwork.
Outside the home, the dazzle of electronics is no less brilliant, a 3.perfect typed letter at the touch of a button, building and auto designs from a computer, cash from the bank at any hour and instant access to thousands of reference sources.
All this comes at a price. Robbery by computer now is the primary white-collar crime according to some criminologists, and costs society anywhere from $100 million to S3 billion a year. Another problem raised by the use of more computers is the risk of 4.invaded of personal privacy. There is also concern on the part of many workers that their jobs will be taken by 5.computer robots or some other form of automation.
The computer industry can trace its beginning to 1906, when inventor Lee DeForest perfected the three‑element vacuum tube. This device, the triode, made it possible to use one electric current to control the flow of another. From that development, seventy‑six years ago, has 6.evolution a $120‑billion‑a‑year electronics industry that includes everything from laser beams for medicine and industry to guidance systems for weapons and video games.
This business, in which technological discoveries occur with 7. regularly is on its
way to becoming a bedrock of the U.S. economy. By the end of the decade, according to some estimates, its sales will rival those of America's basic industries‑steel, autos, and chemicals.
Currently, about 10 percent of all electronic‑products sales are in consumer rather than business ‑oriented, products. But at the rate advances are made in radios, TVs. computers, and telephones, people's lives will be 8.changeable more and more by electronics. For example,
§ The gradual computerization of the telephone means that in the not too‑distant future, a single phone number will be enough to reach a person no matter where in the world he or she is. Or consumers calling a firm's single 9.nation number will be routed automatically to the nearest office.
§ Computers will be essential to the smooth and efficient operation of the home by regulating room temperatures, 10.control lights, and activating security systems. People will be able to use them to leave messages with other households.
§ Videotex systems will permit people to use television sets, telephones, and computers to shop and pay bills electronically, tap into reference and referral services and take advantage of popular home computer programs such as games and foreign‑language 11.instructor. New York's Chemical Bank has a system that allows users to pay bills and mortgages by computer.
§ Parents may be led by their children in computer literacy. Already, at least 173,000 computers are in public schools‑ an average of 2.2 per school and rapid increases are 12.expectation. Also, some colleges now require that new students have their own computers, a trend bound to spread.
In short, America is at the beginning of a computer revolution, not only in the business world but also in the home.
Answers:
1. technological
5. computerised
9. national
2. carried
6. evolved
10. controlling
3. perfectly
7. regularity
11. instruction
4. invasion
8. changed
12. expected
Link to the relevant grammar exercise:
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/courseware/ITSELF/downloadexercise/Computers%20for%20the%20Masses%20Intermedwf2.doc
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