Part II. Social issues of it

MODULE 1. PERSONAL FOCUS

TARGET VOCABULARY

Item	Definition	Usage
Addict (n)	a person who is extremely interested in sth and spends a lot of time on it	be/get/become ~ed to sth; addicted (adj), addictive (n), addiction (n): computer/television ~ion syn. devotee, enthusiast, fan, geek
Alert (v)	warn sb that there may be danger, trouble, etc that they should be ready to act	~ sb to sth; alert (n): to be/put on ~; red/security ~(n); alertness; syn. alarm, notify
Alternative (adj)	different from what is usual or accepted	~ approach/device/energy/ route; provide an ~ for/to sb/sth; have little/no ~ (but to); leave sb with no ~ (but to); alternatively (adv); syn. back-up, substitute
Appliance (n)	a device or instrument designed to perform a specific function, especially an electrical device	domestic/electric/household/ surgical ~; syn. device, gadget, gizmo
Artificial (adj)	created by people, not existing or occurring naturally	~ intelligence/respiration/ light; artificiality (n); artificially (adv); syn. synthetic, fake, man-made, simulated; ant. natural, genuine
Assist (v)	help sb do sth	~ sb at/in/with sth; assistant (n), assistance (n); assistive(adj): ~ technology syn. aid, give sb a hand ant. hinder, prevent
Biodegrade (v)	be decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms	~ naturally; biodegradable (adj): ~able package; biodegradability (n), biodegradation (n)
Click (v)	press a button on a computer mouse to make the computer do something	at the ~ of a mouse button; to be a ~ away; single/double-/right ~; syn. clack, clap
Disable (v)	limit the movements, senses, or activities of sb	~ an enemy; disabled (adj): ~d people; disability (n); syn. harm, cripple ant. aid, assist, enable
Dispose of (v)	get rid of sb/sth that one does not want or cannot keep	disposed (adj), disposable (adj), disposal (n): at sb’s ~; upon ~; syn. discard, get rid of, scrap; ant. keep, retain
Diverse (adj)	of different kind, varied	~ range; diversify (v); diversity (n); diversely (adv); syn. different, divergent; ant. alike, identical, similar
Edit (v)	to change online text on a computer or word processor	~ mode; ~ sth out; photo ~ing program; editable (adj); editor (n), editorial (n), edition (n); syn. rewrite, refine
Empower (v)	give somebody the power or authority to act	~ sb to do sth; empowerment (n); empowered (adj); syn. authorize, enable ant. refuse, reject, revoke
Expose (v)	leave sb/sth/oneself no longer covered or protected	~ sb to sth; get ~d to sth; exposure: ~ to sth; exposed (adj); syn. endanger, risk, jeopardize ant. protect, guard, shield
Fatigue (n)	the condition of being very tired	mortal/mental/physical/driver ~; fatigued (adj): be ~; syn. exhaustion, burnout ant. freshness, liveliness, vigor
Fraud (n)	an action or an instance of deceiving sb in order to make money or obtain goods illegally	commit/expose a ~; mail/wire ~; fraudster (n), fraudulence (n); fraudulent (adj); fraudulently (adv); syn. scam, cheat, deception ant. fairness, justice
Gadget (n)	a small mechanical device or tool	clever/electrical/kitchen ~; ~ for sth; ~ to do sth; gadgetry (n); syn. appliance, gizmo
Hazard (n)	a thing that can be dangerous or cause damage	occupational/safety ~; exposure to a ~; take ~s; at ~; ~ for/to sb/sth; hazardous (adj): ~ fire/health/ shock; syn. danger, risk, threat ant. protection, safety
Impair (v)	damage sth or make sth weaker	~ performance/efficiency/ memory; impaired (adj): hearing/mentally/ visually ~; impairment (n); syn. diminish, deteriorate
Impose (v)	force to be accepted, done, or complied with	~ limits/sanctions; ~ sth/oneself on others; imposition (n); imposed (adj); syn. charge, enforce ant. lift
Incinerate (v)	destroy sth by burning	~ rubbish/waste; incinerator (n), incineration (n); syn. cremate, ignite
Landfill (n)	an area of land where waste material is buried under layers of earth	~ sites/operation; chemical/open/ sanitary ~; syn. dumping ground, garbage lot
Landline (n)	a conventional telecommunications connection by cable laid across land	~ connection/phone
Obsolete (adj)	no longer used, out of date	render sth/become ~; obsoleteness (n); obsoletely (adv); syn. old-fashioned, outdated, dated ant. contemporary, modern, up-to-date
Propagate (v)	spread sth widely	propagator (n): ~virus; propagative (adj); syn. spread, extend
Recycle (v)	treat things that have already been used so that they can be used again	~ waste/paper; ~ing facilities/plant; recycler (n); recycled (adj), recyclable (adj); syn. reuse, reprocess
Retrieve (v)	find or extract stored information	retrieval (n): beyond/past ~; retrievable(adj); syn. get back, regain
Simulate (v)	make certain conditions that could exist in reality in order to study them or learn from them	simulation (n): ~ flight/accident; through ~; simulator (n); simulated (adj); simulative (adj); syn. imitate
Synthesis (n)	the combining of separate things to form a complex whole	image/speech ~; synthesizer (n); synthesize (v); synthetic (adj); synthetically (adv); syn. composite, ant. division, separation
Telecommute (v)	work from home, communicating with the workplace by telephone, fax, and email	~ from (somewhere) to (somewhere); telecommuting (n): ~ centre; telecommuter (n);
Trash (n)	household or other waste	accumulate/dispose of ~; ~ can; trashy (adj); syn. garbage, waste
Vital (adj)	essential to the existence, success, or operation of sth	~ for/to; ~ role/force; vitally (adv); vitality (n), vitals (n); syn. essential, indispensable, urgent; ant. inessential, unimportant

 

TARGET VOCABULARY QUIZ

Choose the right answer:

1. The police are _____ the alert to be able act in case of emergency.

a) on b) in c) for d) to

2. The devices specially designed for the disabled are generally referred to as assist. ___ technology. a) -ant b) -ive c) -ing d) -ed

3. All of these are synonymous to the word “artificial” EXCEPT FOR:

a) genuine b) synthetic c) simulated d) man-made

4. All of these are synonymous to the word “dispose of” EXCEPT FOR:

a) discard b) get rid of c) retain d) scrap

5. All of these are the places for electronic waste disposal EXCEPT FOR:

a) incinerators b) landfill sites c) mine sites d) dumping grounds

6. Find the odd word: a) empower b) enable c) revoke d) authorize

7. To tele_____ means to work at home using computer connection with the workplace. a) commute b) work c) vise d) phone

8. Which of these is closest to “simulation”:

a) emulate b) imitate c) create d) propagate

9. A conventional telecommunications connection by cable laid across land is called land_____ connection. a) wire b) line c) scape d) site

10. A lot of people in the world are exposed _____ different health problems caused by computer use. a) to b) on c) in d) for

11. Which of these has the most general meaning:

a) appliance b) device c) gizmo d) gadget

12. Find the odd word: a) fatigue b) exhaustion c) burnout d) vigor

13. A person who deceives somebody in order to make money or obtain goods illegally is called a/an fraud_____. a) er b) ulent c) ant d) ster

14. All of these are close in meaning to the word “disable” EXCEPT FOR:

a) ameliorate b) deteriorate c) impair d) diminish

15. All of these are used to characterize one who is extremely interested in something and spends a lot of time on it EXCEPT FOR:

a) addicted b) indifferent c) devoted d) enthusiastic

16. All of these are close in meaning to the word “waste” EXCEPT FOR:

a) rubbish b) garbage c) trash d) dust

17. All of these mean treating things that have already been used so that they can be used again EXCEPT FOR:

a) recycle b) reuse c) retrieve d) reprocess

18. This waste is _____, and has to be disposed as soon as possible.

a) vital b) hazardous c) disabled d) impaired

19. Which of these cannot be used in this sentence? Martin spends hours on a computer. He is a real computer _____. a) interest b) geek c) devotee d) addict

20. Choose the WRONG variant: Interactive whiteboards _____ holding different instruction modes. a) assist b) aid c) hinder d) help