Learn English - Technology - The effects of modern technology - Speak English with Duncan

hi everybody this is mr. Duncan England

how are you today are you okay I hope so

are you happy I hope so

in this lesson we're going to talk about the complicated and some would say

forever changing world of modern technology

in the beginning there was darkness computers DVD players and ipods did not

exist there were no cellular - no jet aeroplanes

no microwave ovens and no internet yes before technology came along the world

was quite a dull place to be

also we are told

greetings earth people

the word technology generally relates to any complicated tool that has been

created to carry out the task of some sort this task can be a simple one such

as adding up numbers right up to the really complex ones such as steering a

jumbo jet or sending a rocket into space

there are some other words that relate to technology such as electronics

high-tech microtech & Info Tech these days

virtually all modern technology is powered by electricity for example

televisions radios mp3 players

cellular phones washing machines notebook computers even the good old

toothbrush the list is endless

do you mind if I take your photograph is it ok ok give me a lovely smile go on

said cheese CHEESE that's great

it would be fair to say that virtually all the great technological leaps

forward have occurred during the past 50 years since the discovery of electricity

our world has been magically transformed into an amazing wonderland where our

thirst for information can be quenched and imagination is allowed to run free

however all is not perfect

there are some people who are skeptical of our ultra modern way of living and say

that modern inventions such as the computer and television have made us

lazy and less in touch with the real world

other examples being the cellular telephone and the internet which critics

say have helped to make the world smaller while at the same time making

this less likely

to speak face to face

also we mustn't forget about the environmental impact that these energy

guzzling devices are making of course it is true that technology has been created

for bad purposes as well as good

nuclear power has enabled us to generate energy but it has also been used to

create weapons

so I imagine perhaps in the future we could be using laser guns

just like in the science fiction movies

sorry ...oh dear

it is amazing to think of how much the world has changed because of all the new

technology around us

many of the devices we use today would have been mere fantasy and science

fiction 50 years ago

it proves one very important rule if it can be imagined it can be created

I wonder what our world will be like in another 50 years

can you imagine what it will be like living then flying cars

fusion power maybe even a time machine will be invented by then I could travel

back to the past and visit myself as a child

then again

maybe not

how many pieces of technology

do you own what are your favourite electronic devices

do you think you could live without them

it is amazing to think that without all these incredible inventions

I would not be able to stand here today and talk to you

many of the things we can do today have been made possible thanks to our own

creativeness and ingenuity

this is mr. Duncan via the internet saying thanks for watching and bye bye

for now

ok mr. Duncan ready to beam up