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WARM-UP
TASK 1. Answer this quick survey on the presence of technology in our lives.
I. How old are your high tech products? (i.e. 5 years, 1.5 years. 3-month, not yet)
hand-held telephone Palm PDA desk PC iPod (or likewise) DVD CD
TV monitor portablePC audio in car Videocamera TCT GPS
LANGUAGE STUDY.
I was a low tech person until it your PDA is safely stored home so if
happened. Probably the people to you lose it or something you can
blame are two university teachers ever get the information back), he
who asked for a team-up assignment could check the best way to arrive
with an uncanny deadline. This was from a place to another one in many
absolutely crazy and made us cities, he could check how to go from
-students- hate in some ways these a city to another, he could play chess
teachers but, in my personal life had against his PDA I really liked this ;),
the side-effect of making Pablo and I he could read e-books, news and
almost a family, we spent a huge more.
time together that year 2001 and we
even borrowed personal expressions So I decided to buy a Zire71, which
and habits from each other, it was a was not a bad choice for the money I
bitter, but sweet, experience :). had at the moment, at the end
however my strained parents gave
This new cooperative environment me the Palm Zire71 as a Christmas
allowed me to admire PDAs, to find present before finishing my degree.
them useful and even to think of However it was not until I began to
purchasing one. What most amazed use my own PDA that I realised the
me was seen what could Pablo could real power of these machines.
do in his PDA. I can mention these
ones: He had friends' addresses, To begin with, to have a PDA in your
notes and meetings and everything pocket is like to have a desktop PC in
was synchronized with his Desktop your pocket, you can do almost
PC at home (inside MS Outlook, this anything you usually do in a desktop
is very important because you know PC. The main uses in my Zire71
that everything you write down in were: reading ebooks, reading the
news, use of dictionaries (English- PDA can suit you), agenda, notes,
English, English-Spanish, Spanish- addresses and phone numbers,
English, ..), use of calculator, Word, Excel and Access documents,
listening to music (the only programs to know how to arrive from
difference between a PDA and an city A to city B and more. To have all
iPod is that and iPod can carry on these capabilities in your pocket is
more songs because they have a quite a difference and can make
built in harddrive, but if you only one's life easier.
want to take with you a few LPs a
ming tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus, [...]
I. Can you relate this ‘programming tool’ to something in your classroom? What can it be? ………..
II. Perhaps you can do it if you add the final item: (a.k.a. P.E.N.C.I.L.S.) where a.k.a. stands for
‘also known as’. Have a go: ……………………..
TASK 4. Fill in the six following features using the words at the end:
1. specific nouns: .........................................................................
2. descriptive adjectives: .........................................................................
3. use of passive: .........................................................................
4. use of nominal adjectives: .........................................................................
5. Acronyms: .........................................................................
6. high-tech publicity phrases: .........................................................................
TASK 5. This sentences are part of a paragraph in a tech mag. Put them in order.
a) An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open the BOOK to the exact place
you left it in a previous session -even if the BOOK has been closed.
c) Conversely, numerous BOOKmarks can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to
e) BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in
TASK 1. Do these activities. Q1. How were your parents entertained in the XXth century?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……
Q2. Read this tech passage (the last paragraph of a text you will read soon) that deals with
entertainment and guess which modern device is publicised: ……………………………
Portable, durable, and affordable, the B.O.O.K. is being hailed as the entertainment
wave of the future. The B.O.O.K.'s appeal seems so certain that thousands of
content creators have committed to the platform. Look for a flood of new titles soon.
LANGUAGE STUDY
TASK 2. Can you relate the device described in the introduction of a leaflet to something you have
in the classroom ? ……………………..
circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use even
Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere - even sitting in an armchair by the
TASK 3. To understand how the device works, Q1 can you guess what object is described with
the first - in this peculiar English’ – paragraph?
These pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps
the sheets in their correct sequence. Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows
manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and
Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for
now BOOKs with more information simply use more pages. This makes them thicker
and harder to carry, and has drawn some criticism from the mobile computing crowd.
TASK 4. Fill in these linguistic features trom the text in previous task:
5. Acronyms: .........................................................................
TASK 5. Our last paragraph has some ‘high level of information density’ but doesn’t prevents
readability. Copy the words you see for the first time.
................................................. .........................................................................
• Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now
BOOKs with more information simply use more pages. This makes them thicker and harder
to carry, and has drawn some criticism from the mobile computing crowd.
• Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of
the finger takes you to the next sheet. The BOOK may be taken up at any time and used
by merely opening it. The BOOK never crashes and never needs rebooting, though like
other display devices it can become unusable if dropped overboard. The "browse" feature
allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish.
• Many come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected
information for instant retrieval. An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open the
BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session -even if the BOOK has been
closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used
in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarks can be used in a
single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. T he number is limited
only by the number of pages in the BOOK.
• You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with an optional programming
tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS).
• Portable, durable, and affordable, the BOOK is being hailed as the entertainment wave of
the future. The BOOK's appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have
committed to the platform. Look for a flood of new titles soon.
[source http://homepage.tinet.ie/~nobyrne/books.htm ]
Lang 2. 3. Dealing with bugs, virus, glitches 3-4-5 levels 40-50 min.
TASK 1. High Tech fears rule our daily routines in unsuspected ways. Do both activities.
Q1. Observe this message and answer the questions below.
Q2. Observe the full body of the message and answer the questions below
Our records indicate that you have not used any vacation time over the
past 100 year(s). As I'm sure you are aware, employees are granted 3
weeks of paid leave per year or pay in lieu of time off. One additional
week is granted for every 5 years of service.
Please either take 9,400 days off work or notify our office and your next
pay check will reflect payment of $8,277,432.22 which will include all
pay and interest for the past 1,200 months.
TASK 2. How did this programmer misunderstand the Year 2 Thousand (Y2T) virus?
LANGUAGE STUDY
Where high tech meets the media
TASK 3. Underline all the expressions related to computers in this report.
American RadioWorks. The Y2K computer problem aka the Milennium bug
Back in the middle of 2004, our staff was in a meeting discussing upcoming projects with predictions of
possible future calamity. We were discussing how to handle that when one person said, "What if nothing
happens? Then it will be just another Y2K - all hype."
My background is in computers, and I knew that in terms of the actual computer problem, Y2K was very
real, and began arguing so [but] those around the table who were reporters at the time argued that from
the news perspective, nothing happened.
After the meeting, our Executive Editor pointed out that the five-year anniversary of Y2K was coming up
and suggested that we look into whether there was a story here about if Y2K was real or a hoax, what
misperceptions of Y2K remain, and about how Y2K might still be affecting us. The first thing we
discovered was one of the most surprising to me. We couldn't find any reporting on Y2K after about
March of 2000.
This project had a number of goals. First: to find out if Y2K was a success, or just hype. The answer
seems to be yes and yes. The problem was very real and the consequences for doing nothing were huge.
A second goal was to give credit where it's due. We all know the impossible situation of only being
noticed when something goes wrong. As long as the phones keep ringing (which they do nearly all the
time) we don't think much about the phone company. But when something goes wrong, we grumble at
how incompetent the phone company must be.
TASK 4. Read this report on Y2T with highlighted expressions related to computers.
How could you organise the lexical items in bold type in a mind map?
News shows talked about the No one knew how widespread The US government spent nearly
threat of a major computer computer malfunctions might be, nine billion dollars to fix its com-
malfunction that might hit in the but people started thinking about puters. Businesses spent many
year 2000. all the things that are run by times more to upgrade theirs.
computers. Things like hospital
The effects of a tiny, seemingly equipment. Air traffic control. Some businesses underreacted
innocuous computer glitch, a Nuclear weapons. to the problem at first, and then
tiny glitch a lot of people say spent more money than they
could literally blow the lights out In the early days of program- should have scrambling to fix
on civilization. ming, computer code used two their software - but it did have to
digit numbers for dates. That let be fixed.
As the year 2000 approached, computers work faster. No one
programmers started warning that thought the software would still Before Y2K hit, many businesses
computers could misread the be in use decades later, but it was. ran tests: They advanced their
0-0 as the year 1900. That might computer clocks to 2000 - and the
cause breakdowns. computers didn't work.
Humour was another spin-off of the authentic problem.
An atmosphere close to panic prevails today throughout Europe as the millennial year
approaches, bringing with it the so-called "Millenial Bug", a menace which, until recently,
hardly anyone had ever heard of. Prophets of doom are warning that the entire fabric of
Western Civilization, based as it now is upon computations, could collapse, and that there is
simply not enough time left to fix the problem.
…………………………………………………………..……..…………………………………..……………
Q2.. Where would you insert these 3 words (1000 "Y1K Bug" monastic) in lines 1, 2 & 4 to create
a funny passage. Copy it below. We give you the title with its proper setting.
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TASK 6. Understanding between the lines. Now think in reverse gear for the next part of the text.
Q1. Underlined the meaningful sentences that related to the authentic Y2T troubles.
Just how did this disaster-in-the-making ever arise? Why did no one anticipate that a change from a
three-digit to a four-digit year would throw into total disarray all liturgical chants and all metrical
verse in which any date is mentioned? Every formulaic hymn, prayer, ceremony and incantation
dealing with dated events will have to be re-written to accommodate three extra syllables.
All tabular chronologies with three-space year columns, maintained for generations by scribes using
carefully hand-ruled lines on vellum sheets, will now have to be converted to four-space columns,
at enormous cost. In the meantime, the validity of every official event, from baptisms to burials,
from confirmations to coronations, may be called into question.
Stonemasons are already reported threatening to demand a proportional pay increase for having to
carve an extra numeral in all dates on tombstones, cornerstones and monuments. Together with its
inevitable ripple effects, this alone could plunge the hitherto-stable medieval economy into chaos.
A conference of clerics has been called at Winchester to discuss the entire issue, but doomsayers are
convinced that the matter is now one of personal survival. Many families, in expectation of the
worst, are stocking up on holy water and indulgences.
...................................................................................................................................................
Annex 2. The Y1K Crisis -Dateline, A.D. 999: Canterbury, England.
An atmosphere close to panic prevails today "We should have seen it coming," says
throughout Europe as the millennial year Brother Cedric of St. Michael's Abbey,
1000 approaches, bringing with it the so- here in Canterbury. "What worries me most
called "Y1K Bug", a menace which, until is that 'THOUSAND' contains the word
recently, hardly anyone had ever heard of. 'THOU,' which occurs in nearly all our
Prophets of doom are warning that the prayers, and of course always refers to God.
entire fabric of Western Civilization, based Using it now in the name of the year will
could collapse, and that there is simply not cause terrible confusion. Of course, we
enough time left to fix the problem. would always use Latin, but that might be
liturgical chants and all metrical verse in Stonemasons are already reported
formulaic hymn, prayer, ceremony and increase for having to carve an extra
incantation dealing with dated events will numeral in all dates on tombstones,
three extra syllables. All tabular its inevitable ripple effects, this alone could
In the meantime, the validity of every is now one of personal survival. Many
official event, from baptisms to burials, families, in expectation of the worst, are
While browsing through some dust- letter from a man called Plutonius with the
covered archival material in the recesses title of "magister factorium", or keeper of
of the Roman Section of the British the calendar, to one Cassius. It was dated,
Museum a researcher recently came across strangely enough, 2 BC, December 3, or
a tattered bit of parchment. After some 2,000 years ago. The text of the message
effort he translated it and found it was a follows:
Dear Cassius,
Best regards,
Plutonius