UNIT N° 02 – HUMAN INGENUITY: Technology

LESSON 01 – “Unplugging from Technology”

Class: Fifth Time: 5 hours Date:

Purpose: To adapt, organize and develop ideas related to advantages, disadvantages and
proposals for a better use of technology.

Learning evidence: Using any recording tool or platform, record a video of around 3 - 4
minutes talking about your ideas to make the most out of technology.

EYES ON ME

Activity 1: Hello, dear students. We are about to finish a unit full of interesting facts and
information regarding technology, its pros, cons, and the like which we have covered in the
previous sessions.

Now please, observe the image and take some time to think about it before filling out the
chart below.

(Henderson, 2015)

Based on the picture above, complete the following chart:

What questions, if any, come to

What do you think of while
What do you see? your mind while watching this
watching this picture?
picture?

LET´S OBSERVE AND READ

Activity 2: Dear student, after having shared some ideas on this exciting topic, we would like
you to read the following text. After some reflection, please answer the question at the end.
 How to Unplug From Technology

By Rohan Chaubay

Technology is surely influencing our business relationships, agricultural patterns, education

system, Human health and behavior and the world as a whole.

It is good to embrace new technologies but getting completely dependent on them without
overcoming their drawbacks is harmful. It is indeed the need of an hour for humans to keep
thinking and formulating a sustainable solution for all the technological problems.

Necessity is the mother of invention. It is important to invent and shape technologies in a

human-friendly way. After all, humans are supposed to rule over technology and not get ruled
by technology. We can’t control the government or the others. But we can do the things that
we are in control of to safeguard ourselves from the negative effects of technology. I would
like to share some general tips that can help you to unplug yourself:

Quick Tip #1: Understand what are you addicted to.

The first step to avoid being slaves of Technology is to identify what are the technologies you
are most addicted to. It could be anything like television, internet, and video games.

Quick Tip #2: Do not allow addiction to hijack your brain.

Prevention is better than cure but if you are already affected you need a cure.

Don’t allow technology to take over your life. Before it starts affecting you, start reacting to it. I
know it will not be easy to walk the path to de-addiction, but you can take help of a specialist
or a de-addiction center. Yes, you heard it right! Nowadays, Internet de-addiction centers are
specially set up to handle people with Internet addiction disorder.

If you become restless and irritated when your Wi-Fi or 3G network suddenly goes off, then
you need to improve as soon as possible because this can result in impulsive behavior.

Quick Tip #3: There is no “Like” or “Share” button in real life!

The real life is completely different from the virtual world. Not everyone would “Like” you in
the real world but do “Share” your happiness no matter what. I know you have fewer friends in
real life compared to your virtual world. However, the ugly truth is that whatever is real will
stay forever, and you need to bring the virtual friendship out of that digital box in order to
make it real!

Quick Tip #4: Technology is making you stupid, so stop being a Goldfish!

I know there are many things we really don’t know about, and Google is the best way to get
information about them.

However, don’t you think searching everything on Google is being stupid?

God has gifted you with a brain, so why not try engaging in real life conversations to ask for
solutions. This might initially make you look stupid but at the end of the day you would be
smarter than your very own Google Granny.

Do not multi-task; this will stop you from being a Goldfish. I think you know what the average
memory span of a Goldfish is.
Quick Tip #5: Emails are important but not more than your mental health.

Schedule your email-checking time. Do not keep a tab always open to check your emails and
reply to them as soon as they appear.

Don’t worry; the world will not come to a halt if you do not reply to emails instantly.

Checking mails constantly can actually make you feel stressed. That is the biggest reason for
you to be unproductive during your work hours.

I recommend you to schedule checking your emails after every 2 hours if your work is highly
dependent on mails or check them five times a day.

(Chaubay, 2014)
 This text has been adapted from a longer text you
could easily find following the bibliography
presented at the end.
Please answer the following question:
 Do you think you need a break from technology? Why?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

LET´S UNDERSTAND

Activity 3: After having read the text presented above, please tell us what the difference is
between the following sentences, then read the explanation and solve the proposed
exercises to demonstrate understanding.

The following are grammatical structures gotten from the text above. Could you explain
them?

 if you are already affected, you need a cure

 If you become restless and irritated when your Wi-Fi or 3G network suddenly goes off,
then you need to improve as soon as possible because this can result in impulsive
behavior.
 the world will not come to a halt if you do not reply to emails instantly
 schedule checking your emails after every 2 hours if your work is highly dependent on
mails

Let us practice:

Read the questions below and decide which answer best fits each space.

1. If world is a stage, then life ... a game.

a) is b) will be c) would be

2. If you heat water to 100 C, it ...

a) boils b) boil c) will boil

3. I won't go to the party unless she ... me.

a) invites b) doesn't invite c) will invite

4. I ... grateful if you ... what I said to yourself.

a) will be ... will keep b) am ... keep c) will be ... keep

5. Unless the weather ... better, I ...

a) gets ... will arrive b) gets ... won't arrive c)doesn't get ... won't
arrive

6. If you want to be with me, ... me that you love me.

a) tell b) will tell c) don't tell

7. If this is a good article, I ... Formula One driver!

a) will be b) am c) would be

8. I ... you any alcohol, unless you ... over 18.

a) won't sell ... are b) won't sell ... aren't c) will sell ... are

9. If it's true, we ... fired.

a) are b) aren't c) will be

10. If we have to work together, we ... cooperate.

a) will should b) have to c) should

11. I ... very upset if those gossips ... to be true.

a) will be ... turn out b) am ... will turn out c) am ... turn out

12. If I have to do this, I ...

a) do it b) will do it c) would do it

13. Unless she ... her results, she ... to the concert.

a) improves ... won't go b) improves ... will go c) doesn't improve ...

will go

14. I know it hurts but If you take an aspirin, you ... better.

a) feel b) will feel c) have feel

15. If you're in love with someone, everything ... different.

a) is b) are c) will be

(testyourenglish.org, 2009 )

 The following are some words/phrases gotten from the text which you need to learn
for your future performance.

Linking words Collocations idioms

After all= In the end different from set up= to organize/build
However= Although no matter what take over= To control
rule over
LET’S PRACTICE

Activity 4: Dear student, for question 1 – 6, based on the text “How to Unplug From
Technology” Find the words with a similar meaning to the words in bold in these sentences:

1. Which word from quick tip # 1 has similar meaning to “Such as”? : _______________
2. Which word from quick tip # 2 has similar meaning to “take over”? : _______________
3. Which word from quick tip # 2 has similar meaning to “permit”? : _________________
4. Which word from quick tip # 3 has similar meaning to “regardless something”? : _____
5. Which word from quick tip # 3 has similar meaning to “fiction or invented”? : _______

Activity 5: Key word transformation. For questions 6-10, complete the second sentence so
that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the
word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

6. The real life is completely different from the virtual world.

SAME
o The real life is ________________the virtual world.
7. Do not keep a tab always open to check your emails.
TIMES
o Do not keep a tab open ________________to check your emails.
8. Technology is surely influencing our business.
DOUBT
o There __________________ that technology is influencing our business.
9. We can’t control the government or the others.
POSSIBLE
o It ________________ to control the government or the others.
10. Emails are important but not more than your mental health.
LESS
o Emails are ____________________ your mental health.

Activity 6: Another way to surf the net and have a good interaction is by following the
netiquettes. For questions 11 – 15, Listen to the audio and answer the following questions
afterward. Remember to use the words as they are mentioned in the recording.

According to the author……

11. What is netiquette?

______________________________
12. What are the types of communication?
______________________________
13. What should you always include when greeting somebody?
______________________________
14. How should your questions be?
______________________________
15. What should you do before posting anything?
______________________________

"Netiquette: A Student's Guide to Digital Etiquette". (Cafe, 2020)

LET´S CREATE AND SHARE

Activity 7: Now that we have seen pros, cons, and some proposals regarding how to make
the best out of technology nowadays.

Record a video of around 3 - 4 minutes talking about your ideas to make the most out of
technology. For this purpose, you need to use any tool or recording platform that you
consider will be useful for you to express your ideas.

 Before performing the task, please look at the rubric below

which your teacher will use to grade your work:

Criteria/marks 1 2 3 4 5
The student’s
pronunciation The student’s
and pronunciation
intonation and
The student’s are clear intonation
pronunciation enough. Uses are clear.
More More
and intonation basic and Uses basic
features features
Language are not clear. almost none and complex
of 3 than of 5 than
Uses only basic complex grammatical
1 3
grammatical grammatical structures
structures. structures with the
with the appropriate
appropriate vocabulary
vocabulary for the task.
for the task.
The student’s
The student’s
The student’s ideas are
ideas are
ideas are not More quite More
relevant and
comprehensibl features relevant and features
Message well
e and are of 3 than developed of 5 than
developed
poorly 1 using some 3
using all PEEL
developed. features of
features.
PEEL format.

LET´S REFLECT

Activity 8: Dear student, Now that you have finished your product, please take some minutes
to reflect on it and complete the following chart accordingly.

Speaking Task Checklist

Yes No I do not
know
1. My audio recording lasted the time proposed
2. I understand and used PEEL format to present my
ideas.
3. I used complex grammatical structures
 4. I spoke clearly enough
5. My pronunciation was understandable

Activity 9: Based on your reflection in the previous chart, identify your weaknesses and
propose some solutions to it.
Based on your performance in this session, what learning goals do you set in order to
improve your English skills?
What I didn’t do or did What should I do to make it right How long would it take
it wrong next time? me to make it right?

Bibliography
Cafe, T. M. (2020, 04 06). "Netiquette: A Student's Guide to Digital Etiquette". Retrieved from
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWw3aEw1SFo

Chaubay, R. (2014, 12 11). How To Avoid The Negative Effects Of Technology On Life. Retrieved
from Aha! Now_Discover Happinnes: https://www.aha-now.com/negative-effects-of-
technology/

Council, B. (2020, 09 23). Conditionals 1. Retrieved from LearnEnglish:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-
intermediate/conditionals-1

Henderson, S. (2015, 10 14). Question of the Month: Unplugging. Retrieved from Susan
Henderson's: https://www.litpark.com/2015/10/14/question-of-the-month-
unplugging/

testyourenglish.org. (2009 , - -). Zero and first conditionals. Retrieved from testyourenglish.org:
http://testyourenglish.org/test-22

Appendix:

Grammar explanation.

Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition (If
you study hard) and the main clause tells you the result (you will pass your exams). The order
of the clauses does not change the meaning.
  If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
 You will pass your exams if you study hard.

Conditional sentences are often divided into different types. We will study only two types in
this section:

a) Zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are generally true, especially for
laws and rules.

 If I drink too much coffee, I cannot sleep at night.

 Ice melts if you heat it.
 When the sun goes down, it gets dark.

The structure is: if/when + present simple >> present simple.

b) First conditional

We use the first conditional when we talk about future situations we believe are real
or possible.

 If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.

 Arsenal will be top of the league if they win.
 When I finish work, I'll call you.

In first conditional sentences, the structure is usually: if/when + present simple >> will
+ infinitive.

It is also common to use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of
if.

 I'll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.

 I don't want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job.
 I'll give you a key in case I'm not at home.
 You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight.

(Council, 2020)