Science and technology

"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology"

Carl Sagan

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/vocabulary/science.shtml

Science and technology

Word formation. Complete the gaps with the correct form of words in the right. Use the word given in capitals at the end of the text to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line

The twentieh century witnessed a ______(1)_____ change in the relationship between science and society. In World War I scientists were conscripted and died in the trenches. In World War II they were exempted as national treasures and committed to secrecy, and they rallied behing their country's war effort. The explanation of the change is not hard to find -governments came to believe that _____ (2)_____ research can produce practical improvements in industry, agricultures,and medicine. The belief waas firmly reinforced by developments such as the discovery of antibiotics and the _____ (3)_____ of nuclear physics to the production of atomic weapons. Science became so identified wich practical benefits that the _____ (4)_____ of technology on science is commonly assumed to be a _____ (5)_____ relationship and a single enterprise. Science and technology, research and development -these are assumed to be almost _____(6)_____ twins.  These rank among the sacred phrases of our time. The belief in the _____(7)______ of science and technology is now petrified in the dictionnary definition of technology as applied science, and _____(8)_____ reports under the rubric of "science news" are, in fact, often accounts of engineering rather than scientific achievements. The belief, however, is an aircraft of today's cultural attitudes superimposed whitout warrant on the _____(9)_____ record. Although the record shows that in the earliest civilizations under the _____(10)_____ of pharaons and kings, and in general whenever centralized states arose, knowlegde of nature was exploited for useful purposes. 

FATE, THEORY, APPLY, DEPEND, TIME, SEPARATE, COUPLE, JOURNAL, HISTORY, PATRON

Phrasal verbs. Look at the examples below ans analyse how phrasal verbs are used to talk about technical equipment. Then, try the following activity to practice phrasal verbs

"When the battery is low, the whole unit simply plugs into the mains supply to recharge"

"Tune into any radio station anywhere in the world with Worldband software. You can pick up thousands of stations 24 hours a day

"No need to spend hours wiring everything up. Bluetooth means you just switch on and connect! " Wiring up: connecting something to a piece of electrical equipment by using electrical wires

"Most Scanners take up to minute to warn up. The Zono 844B takes just 10 seconds Warn up: start working so that it becomes warm enough to work well

"Looking for a photocopier that doesn't seize up every time you change the paper? The new Jentra 850 has unique paper-flow controller" Seize up: stop moving or working in the normal way

Choose the correct word to complete theses sentences

1. With my new radio I can _____ far more stations that I used to be able to get

          a) tune in          b) pick up           c) set up

2. If a machine stops moving or working normally, you can say that it has_____

          a) cut off           b) wiped out       c) seize up

3. Okay, if you want to create a template, go _____. Word and open the File menu

          a) onto              b) in                     c) into

4. I'm going to have to get my printer repaired - it keeps going _____ for no apparent reason

          a) on                  b) off                    c) out

5. Please could you help me _______Internet acces on my new computer?

          a) set up            b) tune in             c) pick up

6. Whenever Dave is abroad he _____ the BBC World Service listen to the news

          a) seizes up      b) tunes into          c) goes onto

More phrasal verbs related to technology and devices

break down: stop working (for a machine...)

carry out: perform an experiment...

come off: succeed

come on: develop or make progress

come up with: think of (an idea, a plan...)

cut off: stop the supply of sth

find out: discover information...

give off: produce something such as heat or smell

narrow down: reduce the number of possibilities

plug in: connect to the electricity supply

put throught: connect by phone

turn into: change into sth different

turn off: stop a machine working

work out: find the solution to a problem...

Complete using the correct form of the words

plug, turn, carry, narrow, put, work, come, break

1. A lorry had _____ down on the motorway and we had to wait for over an hour     

2. I have _____ it down to two computer games, but I still can't make up my mind

3. I wish youo would _____ the TV off and go outside and get some exercise

4. Scientists are trying to _____ out ways to reduce pollution from aircraft

5. Tomorrow, we will be _____ out an experiment to test this theory

6. Who _____ up with the idea of the ball-point pen?

7. I'll just _____ you though to our research department. Please hold on

8. No wonder the vacuum cleaner isn't working. You haven't _____ it in!

Answer Key

Word formation      

(1) fatal; (2) theoretical; (3) application; (4) dependence; (5) timeless; (6) inseparable; (7) coupling; (8) journalistic: (9) historical; (10) patronage

Phrasal verbs

1.b; 2.C; 3.c; 4.B; 5.a; 6.b

More phrasal verbs

1. broken; 2. narrowed; 3. turn; 4. work; 5. carrying; 6.came; 7. put; 8. plugges