Lesson Unit Grammar: Compound Words Level: Tle L

Mobile Phone: A Double-Edged Sword

The number of mobile phones has skyrocketed worldwide in a very few years. There are currently 4.1 billion cell
phones being used in the world. According to statistics, this number will exceed the world population since some
will be able to afford more than one. Now, possessing a mobile phone is no longer a luxury or a token of wealth,
you can find it in all walks of life. My mind boggles when I see some people own this communication device
whereas they are eking out a living unable to afford proper food or have power in their homes. Even the Maasai
shepherds in Kenya who used to snuggle into their own culture and tradition, are not spared by this technological
breakthrough.

However, these cell phone subscribers are not wrong to cling to this technology tool insofar as the latter enables
them to satisfy their daily needs thanks to its multi-functions. Nowadays, with cell phones, one can make or carry
out a transaction. Besides, mobile phones are playing a key role, immortalizing events that escape the attention
of the media or events occurring in unreachable places. A few examples will buttress the new critical role played
by means of telecommunication. Many policemen, bullying people in hidden traffics, have been video-typed with
cell phones for future telltale evidence of their committed misdemeanor. The image of the lethal and harrowing
shooting that cost the life of Neda, an Iranian female student, might not have travelled around the globe hadn’t it
been the presence of a cell phone in the well media-covered Iranian post-election political unrest.

There is no tiniest doubt that the Swiss knife has revolutionized our planet, but it turns out to be a real scarecrow
due to the harm it causes. For instance, cell phone is used to detonate bombs. Many marriages are threatened or
destroyed by the mobile phone since it is often used to cheat on one’s partner. In American schools, cell phones
are perverting youngsters. ‘Sexting’, a word you may not find in any dictionary, consists in circulating from
phones obscene images of naked women or men. In France, they want to vote a law that will ban mobile phone
from school because it deters school boys and girls from their learning objectives.

Adapted from Awake

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. Circle True or False and justify your choice by quoting a suitable passage from the text
1. Mobile phones will never outnumber the world population. True/False
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The writer blames all the people who stick to this technological device. True/False
_________________________________________________________________________________________
People can receive and send money through cell phones. True/False
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Cell phones can secretly film brutal people. True/False
_________________________________________________________________________________________
B. Fill in the passage below with relevant words taken from the first paragraph
Like many _____________________ inventions, a cell phone has its good and bad sides; therefore subscribers
who cling to this technological tool should be more wary of it so as to shield themselves from the side effects of
this ______________________.
C. Choose a, b, or c and justify your choice with an adequate passage from the text
The writer is amazed by poor people who use this technological tool.
The writer sees eye to eye with poor people who use this communication device.
The writer is very unkind to destitute people who use this technological breakthrough.
Justify:___________________________________________________________________________________
D. Pick out from the text the adequate information to complete this sentence clue
Two disadvantages of mobile phones are first _____________________________________________________
second ___________________________________________________________________________________
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
This number: ___________________________________
The latter: ___________________________________
Swiss knife: __________________________________
Our: ___________________________________
F. Find in the text the equivalents of these French phrases or sentences
Je suis ahuri: _________________________________________
Ils arrondissent leurs fins de mois: _________________________________________
Qui, jadis, étaient enracinés dans leur propre culture : _________________________________________
S’avère être un vrai épouvantail : _________________________________________
G. Complete each of the sentences with one compound word from the text
Cell phones has a _______________ increase nowadays.
Smartphones are an example of the _______________ in sciences and technology.
Samsung phones has _______________ which enables us to use Internet, take pictures and make videos.
H. Makes
LINGUISTIC AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE: (7 marks)
Put the verbs in brackets in the appropriate tense (2.5 marks)

Birame sells mobile phones at Thiaroye market. He ___________________ (open) 14 his shop a few years ago.
Actually, before he became an accomplished trader, he ___________________ (run) 15 a public phone booth for
years. This time yesterday I ____________________ (speak) 16 with him on the phone and he
__________________ (tell) 17 me that, contrarily to some years ago, he ____________________ (not earn) 18
much money now since there is a dent in his savings.

GAP FILLING : Complete the paragraph with words from the box (2.5 marks)

so that – although – since – due to – such as – whereas

______________________ 19 technological progress is meant to make our lives easier, it can generate some
health problems _________________ 20 brain tumors, genetic damage, and other exposure-related conditions.
______________________ 21 new technologies, people lives are easier now. We shouldn’t overuse mobile
phones __________________ 22 it can bring about health crisis. So, doctor should sensitize people about EMR
dangers ___________________ 23 they can avoid being too much exposed.

Choose from the words in brackets to complete this passage meaningfully. (2 marks)
The huge ____________________ (die) 24 tolls caused by traffic accidents originated from the use of cell phones
by ____________________ (drive) 25. It has been proven that drivers who use mobile phones are twenty times
more ____________________ (like) 26 to have an accident than those who do not because they are not
____________________ (concentration). 27