HSC English First Paper - Unit Thirteen - Greatest Scientific Achievements
Unit Thirteen: Greatest Scientific Achievements
Lesson 1: Some of the Greatest
Scientific Achievements of the Last 50 Years
1. Warm up activity:
Discuss the following questions in pair.
□ What advantages has technology brought to
everyday life?
□ How do science and technology make life better?
□ What, in your opinion, are some of the greatest scientific
achievements so far?
We human beings tend to forget how far we have come
as a specie a in a relatively short period of time. It was only in the 1870s
when we had the first house that was lighted with electricity. Crisis just
started to become available 100 years ago. Charles Lindbergh made the first
trans Atlantic flight in 1927. Televisions didn't become widely available until
after World War n. In other words, the advances humankind has made in a
relatively short period of time have been nothing short of extraordinary.
Perhaps just as extraordinary is bow we tend to simply adapt to these
incredible changes, not realising how completely our world has been altered in
a short span of time. With that in mind, it is worth looking hack at some of
the amazing scientific advances we have made in the last few decades.
The Artificial Heart: There is nothing that
piques the interest of a human being quite as much as the prospect of living a
longer life. Implanting a person with an artificial heart in 1982 was an
extraordinary step towards increasing the human lifespan. A Seattle based
dentist, Dr. Bamey Clark, was the first person implanted with the Jarvik-7, an
artificial heart intended to last a lifetime. The Jarvik-7 artificial heart was
designed by Robert Jarvik. Though the patient survived 112 days, it was a huge
step towards the development of heart transplant surgery. One day, more
advanced versions of artificial organs will likely allow us to live much longer
and more productive lives. When we get there, we will owe a lot to Robert
Jarvik's artificial heart.
Cell phones: Phones have been around since the late 1800s,
but cell phones made their appearance only in the 1990s. Today, by some
estimates, more than 100 million people in Bangladesh and more than 4.6 billion
people worldwide have mobile phones Anything that is useful and spreads so fast
has to be considered one of the greatest inventions of all time. Just two
decades ago, in Bangladesh, even land lines were difficult to obtain, let alone
mobile phones. Today people from all social strata use cell phones, from street
vendors to business executives in luxury cars, and from villagers to urbanites.
Since May 2015, Bangladesh joined its South Asian neighbour* India (862
million) and Pakistan (122 million) on the list of countries with 100 million
or more mobile phone users. The other countries on the list are China (one
billion users), Russia, Brazil, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Germany,
the Philippines and Nigeria.
The Personal Computer: Today, we take for granted that we have one
machine that allows us to access the Internet, do word processing, use a
calculator, watch TV, play games and do a host of other things. But the
personal computer only became available to consumers in 1974. Things really
took off when Microsoft Windows was introduced in 1985 and it's good that it
was since without the prevalence of personal computers, the Internet wouldn't
have had nearly as big an impact as it has ever since.
The First Communications Satellite: People on Earth may
take for granted today's high-tech world of cell phones, GPS and the satellites
high above the planet that make instant communication possible. But it all
began 50 years ago with one giant space balloon. 10 July 1962 marked the birth
of satellite communications. On this day the Telstar satellite commenced its
journey into space and became the first ever active communications satellite.
It carried the first live trans Atlantic TV broadcasts, Telstar was
built by a team at Bell Telephone Laboratories in USA and incorporated many
innovations such as the transistor and the 3,600 solar panels that powered the
satellite. Telstar produced 14 watts and relayed its first and non-public
television pictures on 11 July 1962. The satellite could carry 600 voice calls
and one black-and-white TV channel from an egg-shaped orbit. Today, we use
satellites for GPS, TV, radio, weather tracking, military surveillance, space
exploration and global communications, among other things.
The Moon Landing: For thousands of years, human beings had
looked to the heavens and dreamed of walking on the moon. In 1969, as part of
the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong became the first person to accomplish
that dream, followed only minutes later by Buzz Aldrin. Their accomplishment
gave people around the world the hope of future space exploration. In feet, it
was a feat that was so fantastic that there are still conspiracy theorists who
insist it could not be possible. Putting a man on the moon is perhaps man's
most inspiring accomplishment; it opened the door to future space travel and
led to a number of spin-off inventions including flame resistant textiles used
by firefighters, invisible braces, improved satellite dishes, and better
medical imaging.
The Internet/World Wide Web: The ARPANET, The first Internet, was invented
in 1969 and the public only had access to the World Wide Web starting in 1993.
Today, just 22 years later, the web has revolutionized the dissemination of
information, created a new multi-trillion dollar economic phenomenon, played a
role in revolutions, and has interconnected much of the globe. It has also made
it possible for people all over the planet to reach out and touch someone.
The Microchip: A microchip is a set of electronic circuits
on one small plate (chip) of semiconductor material, normally silicon.
Microchips are used in virtually all electronic equipment today and have revolutionized
the world of electronics. The forerunner to the microchip was invented back in
1959, but it didn't really start to take off until the 1980s. Since then,
incredible advances in microchips have made it possible for them to be cheaply
and efficiently used for calculators, personal computers, pet identification,
automatic teller machines, satellites, pacemakers, cell phones, and microwave
ovens among many other products.
3. Answer (he following questions:
a. By 2015, how many countries in the world had a
hundred million or more mobile phone users?
b. What is Jarvik-7? Why is it so significant in
the advancement of medical science?
c. What is the most important function performed by
the Telstar satellite?
d. There are some conspiracy theorists who insist
that no human being ever set foot on the moon. Do you support their views? Give
reasons for your answer.
e. You have read about seven amazing achievements
of science in the last fifty years. In your view, which of the achievements has
the strongest influence on human beings? Explain why.
4. Complete the table below with Information given
In the text Use no more than three words and/or numbers in each of the blank
spaces.
|
Scientific advancements in the last fifty years
|
|
|
When
|
What
|
|
1870s
|
Electricity
was successfully used for (a) …………
|
|
(b)………
|
The
first aircraft flew across the Atlantic ocean.
|
|
1982
|
Successful
(c) ………… of artificial heart In human body.
|
|
(d)
………
|
A
prototype of the microchip was Invented.
|
|
1985
|
Microsoft
(e) ……… an operating system called Windows.
|
|
(f)
… 1962
|
First
television pictures were telecast via satellite.
|
|
1969
|
|
|
1993
|
People
started to have (h) …… to the World Wide Web.
|
5. Find out the meanings of the following words;
then make sentences with them.
a. urbanite
b. pique
c. implant
d. transplant
e. satellite
f. orbit
g. spin-off
h. brace
i. imaging
j. spam
6. Make five sentences from the substitutions table
below. Make sure the sentences have the correct information given in the text.
Note: The
parts of sentences in the first column are examples of gerunds/gerund phrases.
|
a. Implanting
a person with an
|
is
|
an
example of the abuse of the
|
|
artificial
heart in 1982
|
Internet.
|
|
|
b. Putting
a man on the moon
|
an
amazing step towards a longer life
|
|
|
was
|
span
for humans.
|
|
|
c. Using
microchips in useful
|
revolutionized
the world of electronics.
|
|
|
devices
|
has
|
|
|
d. Spamming
|
perhaps
man's most inspiring success.
|
|
|
e. Putting
a giant space balloon
|
The
first initiative of satellite
|
|
|
50
years ago
|
communication.
|
|
7. Complete the sentences below with the words
given in the box.
however although
when let alone until
i. Television sets were not widely available……………….
the end of the Second World War.
ii. The 10th of July, 1962 marked the
birth of satellite communication ………………. the Telstar satellite was sent to the
space.
iii. Twenty-years ago mobile phones were not easily
available in Bangladesh, ………………. fixed phones.
iv. The first patient implanted with an artificial
heart survived only 112 days, ………………. it marked a huge progress in the field of
heart transplantation.
v………………. the Internet has revolutionized the means
of communication globally, it has invited some hazards too.
Lesson 2: Science and Technology
Against an Age-old Disease
1. Warm up activity:
Discuss the following questions in pairs.
□ What infectious diseases have been recorded in
our country?
□ What are some important advancements in medical
science that you know about?
□ How do advancements in medical science and
technology help tight fatal
diseases?
XIXDXRXIX
2. Now read the following text written by Steve
Reed who is the founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Infectious
Disease Research Institute (IDRI). IDRI is a non-profit organization based in
Seattle, USA. It develops novel and advanced products for the diagnosis,
prevention and treatment of neglected diseases related to poverty.
When I started working on the research and science
of leprosy more than a decade ago, people thought this chronic infectious
disease would eliminate itself and burn out over time.
We didn't have time for that. Why? Nearly 250,000
new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year, and many more go undetected.
Approximately 10 percent of new cases occur in children.
Even though it's associated with biblical times,
leprosy remains a problem in the modern era and was reported in 130 countries
worldwide. Ifs most prevalent in a number of countries throughout Africa, Asia
and South America. Symptoms include progressive and permanent damage to the
skin, nerves, limbs and eyes but they can take several years to appear, making
the disease hard to diagnose at an early stage.
Even worse, leprosy comes with a stigma- Unlike
most other diseases, leprosy results in isolation, as people with leprosy are
often shunned The good news, however, is that we now have the key scientific
solutions and momentum as well as key collaborations to finally have the
opportunity to eliminate leprosy. I couldn't have said this 10 years ago....
At 1DRI, we are also attacking leprosy in two
different ways.
First, by developing a fast, easy-to-use test that
provides an early diagnosis of infection before clinical symptoms, such as
nerve damage, begin to appear. This new approach is far superior to the
traditional method of diagnosis, which has generally involved clinical and/or
microscopic assessment TDRT is also developing a companion test so that we can
identify which people will likely progress to the disease and to determine the
appropriate course of treatment.
And, second, by developing a vaccine that can be
used therapeutically in conjunction with antibiotics to shorten therapy. IDRTs
diagnostic tools would be used to identify infected individuals and IDRTs
vaccine would then be used on a targeted basis for treatment of the patient as
well as to immunise family members and close contacts. This treatment and
prevention strategy has been significantly bolstered by support from some
pharmaceutical giants that donate the currently used antibiotics.
The most exciting part of this breakthrough is the
feet that we're now right on the course of human clinical trials after a decade
of leprosy vaccine development The Food and Drug Administration will initially
oversee the multi-stage trials in the USA before they move on to the Philippines,
India and Brazil.
Global technology has been an integral part of our
quest to eliminate leprosy. The rapid diagnostic test for leprosy infection,
for example, was developed in conjunction with a Brazilian company. This
company combined IDRTs leprosy diagnostic antigens with a smart phone-based
platform that standardizes the ability to accurately interpret results and get
a quantitative value. The test requires just a single drop of blood, mixed with
a developing reagent The appearance of two lines indicates that the person is
positive for leprosy. From there, the information from the phone is pushed to
the person's medical records.
People around the world now believe we will soon
have the tools to finally eliminate leprosy. The next step is making this
disease disappear.
By: Steve Reed
[Source:http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2014/01/24/using-cutting-edge-science-and-technology-against-an-age-old-disease/]
3. Answer the following questions:
a. What are some of the symptoms of leprosy?
b. How is the study of leprosy bacterium different
from the study of other infectious organisms?
c. What are the two approaches taken by IDRI to
curb the threats of leprosy?
d. What, according to the author, is the most
exciting breakthrough in IDRI's war against leprosy?
e. Can you find example of blending of cutting-edge
life-science technology with state-of-the-art communications technology.
f. Do you think that the author is an optimist?
Explain why/why not?
4. Debate: Form two groups. Debate on the following
motion.
Each year, developed countries spend billions of
dollars on research on infectious diseases but this has little impact on the
lives of the poor.
5. How is the leprosy situation in Bangladesh?
6. What do the following words mean?
a. antigen
b. symptom
c. stigma
d. momentum
e. microscopic
f. therapy
g. eliminate
h. quantitative
i. gene
j. antibiotics
k. chronic
l. immunise
m. therapeutic
n. reagent
7. Provide verbs for the following noun words:
a. synthesis
b. standard
c. elimination
d. diagnosis
e. donation
8. Re-write the following sentences in active
voice:
i. IDRI's diagnostic tools would be used to
identify infected individuals.
ii. This treatment and prevention strategy has been
significantly bolstered by support from some pharmaceutical giants.
iii. The rapid diagnostic test for leprosy
infection was developed jointly by IDRI and a Brazilian company.
iv. The diagnostic tests for leprosy are done with
a smart phone-based platform.
9. Join the following sentences as directed:
i. I started my research on leprosy more than a
decade ago. People at that time thought this disease would eliminate itself
over time, (use when)
ii. Leprosy is associated with biblical times. It
still remains a problem. (Use although)
iii. The new approach of diagnosis is far superior
to the traditional method. The traditional method involved clinical and /or
microscopic assessment, (use that)
iv. A decade has passed since the leprosy vaccine
was developed. Now we are going to conduct human clinical trials of leprosy,
(use after)
v. We will soon have the tools to finally eliminate
leprosy. People around the world now believe this. (Use that)
10. What does Mr. Reed mean when he says:
a. People thought this chronic infectious disease
would eliminate itself.
b. We are also attacking leprosy in two different
ways.
c. We're right on the course of human clinical
trials.
d. We can identify which people will likely
progress to disease.
e. The person is positive for leprosy.
Lesson 3: Scientific Breakthroughs We
Are Waiting For-I
1. Warm up activity:
□ Share the
following introduction with your friend and give your own views on the opinions
expressed in the passage.
Science has grown rapidly over the past few
centuries, making things possible that were once considered completely impossible.
Science has done a lot to cure many of our worldly troubles, but one thing
about science is that it isn't perfect, and never will be. The reason for this
is that there is no last word in science. There is always more to discover.
□ Why do you think
there is no last word with science?
2. Now read the text and answer the questions that
follow. It is about some of the breakthroughs that have not happened yet.
DNA Computer
Imagine having an iPod capable of holding thousands
of years of high definition video. A DNA computer would make such a device very
possible. DNA is the substance that living organisms use to store genetic
information. What makes DNA special is that it is extremely efficient when it
comes to storing information in a limited space. Just one milligram of DNA is
capable of holding all the printed material in the world. DNA computing is
currently in its infancy, with prototypes such as MAYA-II only capable of
showing the concept. If DNA computing is perfected, computers will become capable
of holding amounts of information that arc hard to imagine by today's standard.
Permanent Moon Base
Ever since setting up human habitation in space was
first imagined, it was thought that the Moon would be the first object to be
colonised since it was closest to earth. In 1969, when man first walked on the
moon, a permanent colony suddenly appeared to be very achievable. However, for
a variety of reasons, both economical and technical, the project was never
truly attempted. However, NASA currently has plans to have one constructed by
2024. The
European Space Agency (ESA) also has plans to
construct a moon base by 2025. Japan and India also each have plans to have a
base by 2030. The biggest barrier to a base is money. Many people within NASA,
including Buzz Aldrin, have criticised the building of a moon base, saying that
NASA should put more focus on different issues like clean energy.
Clean Energy
While many alternatives to fossil fuels have been
investigated, there is still quite a way to go before mankind's energy supply
is completely renewable. As of today, about 85% of all energy comes from fossil
fuels. The reason clean energy is considered to be important is because fossil
fuels aren't expected to last much longer, they pollute the environment, and
they have led to tensions between nations. The reason clean energy is hard to
come by is that we've spent the past 150 years dependent on oil, and it's quite
difficult to make the switch. Some have even suggested that the technology for
producing vast amounts of clean energy already exists but is being suppressed
by big oil companies. However, several European countries have produced
considerable amounts of clean energy. Current methods of clean energy include
wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, hydropower, nuclear andbiofuel.
Cure for Cancer
Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases of the
modern era. Ever since the days of Hippocrates people have been searching for a
cure. Cancer is similar to the common cold in that although there are many ways
to treat it, modern medicine is still yet to come up with a cure. This is
partially because like the common cold, there are many different types of
cancer, and they are all slightly different. Unfortunately, with over seven
million deaths per year, cancer is much more serious than the common cold. A
wide assortment of drugs, chemicals, stem cells, genetically modified viruses,
and even arsenic have all been proposed as cancer cures.
By: Jamie Frater
[Source: http//listverse.com/2009/12/29/top-10-
scienti fic-achievcmcnts-we-arc-waiting-for/]
3. Answer the following questions:
a. Why are DNA computers much more powerful than
today's standard computers?
b. What different methods of producing clean energy
are being used now?
c. How is cancer similar to the common cold?
d. Which of the four scientific breakthroughs
listed in the text do you think will be most useful for mankind? Why do you
think so?
4. What medical or clinical breakthrough do you
think will help the people of our country most? Write your answer in 300 words.
5. In the next 5 years, what scientific
achievements do you think will the world see?
6. Compare the smart mobile phones today with the
mobile phones of 10 years ago. What advantages have the changes brought?
7. What has been the most outstanding scientific
work done in Bangladesh in the last 10 years?
8. From your reading of the text, match the parts
of sentences in Column A and Column B to make complete sentences:
|
Column A
|
Column B
|
|
1. Science
will never be perfect
because
2. DNA
is considered very special
because of
3. There
was no attempt to make
human colony in the moon due to
4. Importance
is given on clean
energy because
5. In
one sense, cancer is similar to
the common cold because |
a.
it is always getting better.
b. its ability to store huge amount of
data.
c. both financial and technical
reasons.
d. there are many demerits of fossil
fuel.
e. medical science has not come up
with drugs to cure them. |
9. What do the following words and terms mean?
a. device
b. organism
c. genetic
d. prototype
e. colony
f. fossil
g. geothermal
h. stem cells
i. virus
Lesson 4: Scientific Breakthroughs We
Are Waiting For-II
1. Warm up activity:
□ Form two groups. Hold a debate on the following
topic "Science should not try to make human beings live very long lives'.
2. Now read the following text It deals with three
scientific breakthroughs the world is yet to see.
Manned Mission to Mars
Putting men on Mars has been an idea in science
fiction for quite a while. However, when man first walked on the Moon, walking
on Mars suddenly seemed feasible. A manned mission to Mars would be a huge
milestone in space exploration. It would allow a more in-depth study of the Red
Planet, and many have argued that building a permanent base on Mars is much
more practical than building one on the Moon. A mission to Mars would be
similar to the Moon landings, but much more difficult. The trip is about a
hundred times longer, and there are new problems such as the Martian weather
which must be considered. NASA currently has plans to have a man on Mars
sometime in the 2030s, while the ESA plans to do so also around the same time.
Russia has plans to launch a manned Mars mission by 2020.
Nanomedicine
Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize
several fields, but its greatest contribution may very well be in medicine. The
applications of nanotechnology in medicine are literally endless. Molecules
could be built to stick to and destroy cancer cells, and only cancer cells.
Advanced drug delivery techniques could be used to deliver drugs to specific
parts of the body and eliminate side effects. Microscopic robots could be used
to perform ultra-delicate surgeries, to repair damaged tissues, or to hunt down
and destroy certain cells, like cancer cells or bacteria. Nanomedicine is
currently in its infancy, but it may prove to be the biggest breakthrough in
modern medicine since the first vaccine.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
In the 19th century, it was generally thought that
man would reach the center of the Earth long before he reached the Moon. This
shows just how unpredictable technology can be. A journey to the center of the
Earth is actually much more difficult than it sounds. The pressure at the
center of the Earth is enormous because, quite literally, the entire weight of
the world is on top of you. There is no known substance, not even carbon
nanotubes, that can maintain its shape at such a great pressure. While the
Earth's deep interior may offer vast amounts of energy, it may be quite a while
before we can tap into it directly.
By: Jamie Frater
[Source:
http://lisWerse.com/2009/12/29/top-10-scientific-achievements-we-are-waiting-for/]
3. The text is about three potential scientific
breakthroughs which have been listed in the box below. Read each of the
statements (i-iv) and decide which probable breakthrough it is related to.
□ Manned Mission to Mars
□ Nanomedicine
□ Journey to the Centre of the
Earth
i. Both NASA and ESA have identical
deadline to launch a special mission.
ii. This will contribute significantly to modern
medicine.
iii. No known substance can maintain its shape at
that depth.
iv. This is more difficult than it sounds.
4. Write a paragraph on the following topic in
about 150 words.
The most exciting scientific achievement I am waiting
to see in my lifetime
5. Make five sentences from the substitutions table
below. Make sure the sentences have the correct information given in the text.
Note: The
parts of sentences in the first column are examples of gerunds/gerund phrases.
|
1.
Putting men on Mars
|
has
been
|
a.
a means to perform very delicate
surgeries.
|
|
2.
Building a permanent base
on
Mars
|
b.
more feasible than the constriction
of
a permanent base on the Moon.
|
|
|
3.
Installing a space elevator
|
is
|
c.
easier than what it was thought to
be.
|
|
4.
Using microscopic robots
|
can
be
|
d.
a popular theme in science fiction
for
a long time.
|
|
5.
Travelling to the center of
the
earth
|
e.
actually much more challenging
than
it sounds.
|
6. Find out the meanings of the following words:
a. exploration
b. Martian
c. launch
d. gravity
e. milestone
f. speculate
g. nano
h. interior
i. bacteria
j. unpredictable
7. Change the sentences as directed:
a. A space elevator would be thousands of times
taller than the current tallest building. (Use positive degree of adjectives)
b. A mission to Mars would be similar to the Moon
landings, but much more difficult. (Make complex sentence using 'although')
c. Advanced drug delivery techniques could be used
to deliver drugs to specific parts of the body. (Use active voice)
d. How unpredictable technology can be! (Make it
a statement)
e. The pressure at the center of the Earth is
enormous because of the entire weight of the world. (Make it a compound
sentence).
Pls ans the number of the question no.7
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