- •Unit 12 Technology
- •Video: How technology evolves
- •Inherent trend
- •Inherent in
- •Technologically minded
- •Easy to use
- •Environmentally friendly
- •Cutting-edge
- •To fit into a person’s palm
- •To squeeze more speed and capability out of sth
- •To be fearful of sth/that sth
- •To hold up the progress
- •To regulate
- •To speed up
established technologies - technologies that already exist
To fit into a person’s palm
to be at forefront of /ˈfɔː(r)ˌfrʌnt/ - to have a leading or important position
gadgetry (uncount.)- set of new technical devices
to grant patents /ɡrɑːnt/- to give or allow someone something, usually in an official way
patent applications - an application for sole rights to an invention
to grow exponentially - to increase very fast
to have implications for - a possible effect or result
syn.: consequence
E.g.: We believe that GM crops will have serious implications for the environment.
high-profile - often seen in public, mentioned in newspapers, or appearing on television
syn.: famous, well-know
E.g.: A high-profile campaign against domestic violence was one of the first initiatives taken up by the Scottish Executive.
hybridization of ideas /ˌhaɪbrɪdaɪˈzeɪʃn/
pioneering breakthrough /ˌpaɪəˈnɪərɪŋ/ - a discovery or achievement that comes after a lot of hard work
rate of innovation - the speed at which new things, ideas or ways of doing something are invented
to run out of ideas - to have no ideas left
range of products - assortment
To squeeze more speed and capability out of sth
shift in sth - a change in something, for example in someone's ideas or opinions
E.g.: Companies were reacting too slowly to shifts in consumer demand.
to take giant leaps - to make a significant and notable progress in any field - business, art, politics or an innovative technological advances
to be on the wane - getting smaller, weaker, or less important
syn.: to be on the decline
E.g.: Violent crime appears to be on the wane in the capital.
what the future holds - things that we will face in future
syn.: to have sth in store for smb
unthinkable - hard to imagine
syn.: incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable
Unit 12.3
abuse - the use of something in a bad, dishonest, or harmful way
E.g.: alcohol/drug/substance abuse
This is clearly an abuse of power.
To be fearful of sth/that sth
syn.: to be afraid of
E.g.: We're fearful that fighting will start up again.
consumption - the process of eating, drinking, or smoking something
to develop defence against - to become insusceptible to
to do one’s best - to try as hard as you can in order to achieve something
E.g.: I don't know if I can finish the whole job in one day, but I'll do my best.
to drive sth underground - to start doing something illegally /уходить в подполье
to hold smb back - to make someone progress less intensively
E.g.: Long-term water shortages can hold economic development back.
To hold up the progress
syn.: to delay, to retard
inevitable consequence - impossible to avoid or prevent
E.g.: Confusion is the inevitable consequence of all these changes in policy.
major obstacle to sth - the most important problem in a case
E.g.: All major obstacles to peace have now been removed
to oppose sth strongly - to disagree with or not approve of a plan or policy
syn.: to disagree, to reject, to dissent, to resist, to object
E.g.: The committee opposed a proposal to allow women to join the club.
opposition to sth - strong, angry, or violent disagreement and disapproval
E.g.: Is there much opposition to the proposed changes?
pace of progress/development - the speed at which something happens or is done
to reassure smb of / that - to make someone feel less worried about something
E.g.: The doctor reassured him that there was nothing seriously wrong.