Idioms & Expressions:
milestone (noun; refers to a special event or celebration)
He recently celebrated the milestone of his 30th birthday.
over the hill (adjective; means that someone has reached middle-age)
Tom is turning 40 this weekend. He’s over the hill!
boot up (verb; that means to turn on your computer or smartphone)
By 8.30 I had booted up my computer and started working.
dependent on (to be “dependent on” something means that you cannot function normally without it)
every waking hour (an expression that means you do something very frequently throughout the day)
Our generation has become thoroughly dependent on technology. Many young people spend nearly every waking hour online.
obsolete (adjective; used to describe something old or out of date)
cutting edge (adjective; describes technology that is the newest or the latest)
The iPhone 7 is obsolete now that the cutting-edge iPhone X is out.
state-of-the-art / second-to-none (adjectives; refer to something is very advanced and modern)
The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
bells and whistles (noun; describes the extra features of a product that make it appealing)
The car has all the latest bells and whistles.
geek (noun; refers to people who are very knowledgeable about technology or computers)
My brother is a tech geek, so he can help you fix your computer.
right around the corner, in our lifetime (prepositional phrases; mean something is going to happen very soon or in the near future)
Human colonization of Mars is right around the corner.
In our lifetime, we are going to see unfathomable advances in robotics technology.
Part I: Group Discussion
- Are you happy to be the age you are now? [Why/Why not?]
I’m fine with being my age. I’m not looking forward to getting too much older, though. I think the best parts of life come when you are young.
- When you were a child, did you think a lot about your future? [Why/Why not?]
Not too often. I was looking forward to getting older and driving, though.
- Do you think you have changed as you have got older? [Why/Why not?]
Not as much as I would have liked. I wish I had matured in some different ways and that my personality had changed more.
- What will be different about your life in the future? [Why]
Right now, I have no idea. Hopefully, I will have the flexibility to have more experiences that will make my life more rewarding.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a time when you started using a technological device (e.g. a new computer or phone). You should say:
What device you started using
Why you started using this device
How easy or difficult it was to use
When I was 17, I got a new laptop computer for college. I was about to be a freshman in film school and I needed a computer that would help me edit videos. I got a Powerbook G4, which was the last Mac laptop model before the MacBook. My parents got it for me as a graduation present. It was powerful (for back then) and had the processing power to help me edit videos easily using Final Cut Pro. It worked pretty well for about five years before it broke down and I had to replace it.
Part III: Class Discussion
- What is the best age for children to start computer lessons?
Whenever they can pick up an iPad, that’s a good age. They can start learning very early and become familiar with different interfaces. Later on, they can learn to code.
- Do you think that schools should use more technology to help students learn?
Sure. The more interactive and exciting we can make schoolwork, the better for the students.
- Do you agree or disagree that computers will replace teachers in the future?
Definitely. Actually, I think computers will replace everyone in the future. Automation is ramping up to a crazy level, and more jobs will be phased out.
- How much do technologies improve how we communicate with each other?
They make it much faster. For example, we can now just pick up our phones and type out a message on Facebook. Ten years ago, only a few, rich people could do that.
- Do you agree that there are still many more major technological innovations to be made?
Of course. This has always been true and always will be. Technology never stops innovating.
- Could you suggest some reasons why people are deciding to reduce their use of technology?
I don’t really think this is true. I think, globally, people are using technology more and more to help themselves improve their lives and accomplish things more effectively.
