APPROPRIATE T E CH N O L O G Y

Work in pairs

Look at these devices from the article. Then read the article and answer the questions.

 A sewing machine
 A water purifier
 A machine for shelling corn
 A solar power lamp
 A central heating system
1. In what country or situation is each device used?
2. What do the devices have in common?
3. According to the article, what characteristics make technology appropriate? Number them.
4. Rewrite these sentences to make them true according to the article.
a. Gandhi wanted technology that would improve the situation of rich and poor people.
b. Schumacher thought that the new technology should always be developed for and by the people who
use it.
c. The Swedish Jernhuset found a way to cut the station’s heating cost by using people’s body heat.
d. The engineers in Guatemala were successful in trying to make the village women’s work quicker and
easier.

3. Complete the sentences with these adjectives to show the meaning of the expressions in

bold.

Appropriate / long-term / easy / old / efficient / recycled / little / useful

a. It’s a very neat solution: both clever and ……….

b. It’s a time-consuming process. We need to find a solution that’s more …..

c. we don’t just want a quick fix; we want a ……. solution.

d. It’s a handy gadget, much more ……….. than a average penknife.

e. It’s not cutting-edge technology, but often the ……… are the best.

f. It’s essentially a labour-saving device; it makes cutting up wood very …….. .

g. It’s an environmentally friendly product because it’s made from ………… material.

h. It’s an economical car. It uses very ……….. fuel.