08 01 technology u1a

Module

1A

Mission Impossible

Activities
1Match each comment with a photograph.

Computers - Everyday uses
These are some of the new post-PC products. They
are designed for all aspects of our lives.
a Read online newspapers and
organize your day in your netbook over the
morning coffee.

c

Use your smartphone to take photos and send them to relatives or
friends in different parts of the world, to call them and to check and
send e-mails.

d When you return home, your digital video recorder has automatically
stored your favourite shows.
e

You climb into bed to read your electronic book.
f

Do you want to relax? Download music from the
Internet and listen to it in your mp3 or iPod.

Until a decade ago, the PC was the only route to
cyberspace. But today, from start-ups to electronic
giants, the high-tech industry —known as
Information Technology (IT) — represents a new era
in computing. At present, digital appliances are not
only associated with mainframes, minicomputers or
PCs.
Computing is done with a wide variety of devices.
They are part of practically every aspect of our daily
lives. IT includes appliances such as digital cameras,
camcorders and TVs, technologies to link home
networks to high-speed lines, laptops, netbooks,
palm-size scanners, mobile phones, DVD players,

and digital music players such as mp3s and iPods.
What are these devices like? Convenient and
easy-to-use as they perform various tasks at the
same time. You can listen to music, check your
e-mails, take a picture, send a text message or call
a friend by just using your mobile phone. And, since
these gadgets are usually light, small and most of
them wireless, they are portable and can be used in
any place.
Nowadays, enterprises identify consumer needs and
hide the complexity of their products by adapting
technology to everyday use, making daily duties and
activities become simple.

English Toolkit 1 - Technology

Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

b Which is the best route to your office? Use your GPS to find out.


Module

1A
2State if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).
aSome years ago the PC was one of the routes to cyberspace.
b The term IT only refers to computers.
cToday’s gadgets are easy to carry.

3Read the text and find the word that refers to…
a…technology used for processing information:
b …a combined video camera, recorder and player:
c…large central digital computers serving many users:

4Complete the diagram.

5Answer these questions about you. Use adverbs of frequency.
How often do you use …
… your mobile phone to send text messages?
… your mobile phone to make a phone call?
… the computer?
… the digital camera?
… your digital media player?
Now, ask these questions to your partner and write the answers
using the third person singular in the Present Simple.

He / She always uses his / her phone to send text messages.

6Interview two people about computers and the Internet. Ask these questions.
Write down the answers. Then discuss them with the rest of the class.
aDo you like computers?
b Do you usually use the Internet? What for?
(writing e-mails, chatting, visiting websites, etc.)
cIs it a good idea for teenagers to have
access to the Internet? Why? Why not?
English Toolkit 1 - Technology

Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

IT