Society and the future.

Vocabulary

To predict, prediction for the distant or immediate future about ; electronic newspapers, to discover new planets, space travel, there might be life on a remote moon, to make contacts, aliens, household robots, live video conference, work from home, to work on a contract basis, domestic life, shopping channels, video phone, to do research into genetic engineering, education system, to learn at home, to become a world language, no longer any need for, life expectancy, to devote time to (music), to like the idea of, aspects of life (more / less attractive), lucky generation, to play a significant part / role, interactive communication systems, to communicate by computer; medical experts, healthcare, a vaccine against decay, a cure for most diseases; to give little thought to, to regard smth as an old-fashioned concept, to become a reality, get worse / better, increase / decrease, become more / less dangerous, go up / down, fall / rise, deteriorate / improve; probably, certainly, be (un)likely to, may (not), definitely; in the area, under what circumstances.., hypothetical / real possibility in the future, imaginary situation

Questions for discussion

1. Are your predictions about the future generally optimistic or pessimistic?
2. What might happen in the following areas during the next 50 years: robots and computers, education, family life, healthcare?
3. What area needs urgent changes?
4. Will working life / education system change much? In what way?
5. Do you agree that people in 2050 will be ‘the lucky generation’? Will the life style change?
6. Will China be a world power and the Chinese language – a world language?
7. Do you like the idea of computer shopping? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
8. What improvements in social life do you look forward to?
9. What predictions seem most improbable?
10. What are changes in technology limited by?

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 1300