INVENTIONS Unit 5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What applications

INVENTIONS Unit 5

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What applications do you have on your cell phone? How many of these applications do you actually use? ü Camera ü Music downloads ü Games ü Alarm clock ü Calendar ü “to do” lists ü Internet access

TEXT 1 (PG. 54) Is the smart pen something that you would consider buying? Why not? In what situations would you find it useful? ü Lectures ü Classes in which many notes need to be taken Can you think of a device that has not been invented yet as far as you know? How would it make your life easier? (device that locates lost items)

TEXT 2 (PG. 55) Which of the applications described in the text do you think are most useful, beneficial, or important? (most important: use in rescue work by firefighters/rescue workers) Can you think of additional uses of the exoskeleton? ü By moving companies ü In construction ü For long-distance hiking

VOCABULARY (PG. 56 -57) Nathan Ball has said that it was his limited access to machine and technology during his childhood that encouraged him to think up unconventional, but effective, solutions to problems. What do you think makes some people good inventors? What personality traits are required? ü Curiosity ü Imagination ü Problem-solving skills ü Analytical mind

CLOSE (PG. 59) ü ü ü Do you own an e-reader or would you like to own one? Why not? YES Convenient – huge choice of reading matter in one device Takes up less space than books Cool gadget NO Doesn’t have the feel of character of conventional books Is yet another gadget and we have too many in our lives already Nicer to browse in real bookstores than in online stores

DO YOU THINK READING HABITS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE REVOLUTIONIZED BY TECHNOLOGY THAN MOVIE-GOING OR LISTENING TO MUSIC? IF SO, WHY? Yes ü Many people have already started buying fewer newspapers and are reading the news online instead No ü There will always be people who don’t want to carry a gadget around with them and who will prefer to buy a paper to read as they commute to work ü Books are already small, portable, convenient ü Some have sentimental value