PREVIEW ACTIVITY 1

Work with a partner, group, or your teacher. Do the activities below together.

PART 1 Discuss the questions below about smart technology.

1 How does smart technology impact us both positively and negatively?

2 How distracted do you feel by your smartphone?
3 How can you use your smartphone in a healthy way?

Do you agree (A), disagree (D), or partially (P) agree / disagree

PART 2
with the statements below? Explain your opinion.

A D P
1 Smart technology is making us anti-social.

2 Smart technology is making us dumb.

3 Schools should be tech-free and children should be forbidden

from using smartphones in school.

PART 3 Write your own definition for the phrasal verbs below based on the context.

1 Smart technology allows us to easily and instantly look information up online.

look something up means...

2 I hate to see people clinging to their smartphones instead of socializing!

cling to means...

3 Looking at a screen right before going to bed can mess with your sleep.

mess with means...

4 It can be hard for older people to figure out how to use new technology.

figure out means...

5 Big tech companies often roll out their new products at large events.

roll out means...

6 The type of tech devices I choose to buy usually comes down to the price.

come down to means...

IS SMART TECHNOLOGY
MAKING US DUMB?

PREVIEW DISCUSSION: Read the discussion topic

below and discuss it with your partner or teacher.

How good are you at doing mental math and

navigating without GPS?

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART 1 Write short answers below according to the information in the video.

0:41 1 Do our smart gadgets make us stupid? How does the reporter answer this question?

0:45 2 What are a few of the negative and positive impacts of our smart gadgets?
1:07

2:44 3 Why are teachers and parents concerned about children using tablets in school?

2:52 4 What is the benefit of writing by hand as opposed to typing on a computer?

PART 2 Choose true or false according to the information in the video.

0:58 1 TRUE FALSE Smart technology negatively impacts our cognitive abilities.

2:01 2 TRUE FALSE Research shows that the use of smart devices improves language
development in children.

3:02 3 TRUE FALSE In Silicon Valley, tech-free schools are becoming more and more
popular.
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 1

PART 1 Write the correct parts of speech for the words that were used in the video below.

1 In a recent study, researchers came to the conclusion (conclude) that

while technology changes our cognitive abilities, it doesn’t harm them.

2 One way smart technology benefits us is that instead of solving a complex

mathematic (math) problem, we can let our smartphones do that for us.

3 Researchers see our smartphones as an extension (extend) of our brain.

PART 2 Write the correct verbs that fit the phrasal verbs used in the video below.

1 The reporter rarely makes an effort to remember things because she can just
look them up on her phone.

2 There are negative impacts of us clinging to our smartphones the

whole day, such as tech-neck, distraction, and anxiety. Excessive screen time in
the evening may also mess with our sleep.

3 One benefit of smart technology is that instead of figure out how to

navigate from one place to another, we can just use GPS.

4 Digital devices have become part of learning at school. In countries like the US,
many schools have roll out tablets for elementary school children.

5 Experts insist that the impact technology has on us comes down to

how we use our gadgets and how much time we spend on them.

Rewrite the sentences below and replace the words in bold with one of the phrasal
PART 3
verbs above.

1 If you follow an unhealthy diet, it can negatively affect or alter your mood.
If you follow an unhealthy diet, it can mess with your mood

2 My son has been holding tightly onto his tablet all day. It's time for a break.
My son has been clinging to his tablet all day. It's time for a break

3 The cost of a smartphone often is dependent on where and when you buy it.
The cost of a smartphone often is comes down to where and when you buy it
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 2

PART 1 Study the examples and usage of the discourse markers (Well, ... , All in all, ...).

When discussing the impacts of technology, the reporter asks and says...

Do these gadgets make us stupid? Are we losing the ability to think,

“
memorize and problem-solve? Well, the answer is no.”

All in all, experts insist in the end it comes down to how we use our gadgets and
“
how much time we spend on them.”

In the examples above, “Well, ...” and “All in all, ...” are discourse markers, which are words or
expressions that link ideas, express attitudes, and help to organize sentences. In these examples
above, “Well, ...” is an informal discourse marker used to make a point or state an answer to a
question. The phrase “All in all, ...” is a formal discourse marker used to summarize or conclude a
point or argument. See the next examples below:

MORE EXAMPLES In my eyes, I think that smartphones make us lazy. I rarely make an effort to
remember things because, hey, I can just look them up. On top of that, I
never figure out directions anymore because my GPS can just do that for me.

Read the dialogue below out loud and match each discourse marker to its correct
PART 2
function / usage under the dialogue.

BRIAN: James, how much time do you spend behind a screen every day?

JAMES : I’m not sure exactly, but to be honest, I know it’s too much. I mean, I probably
spend over 8 hours a day behind a screen just for work, you know?

BRIAN: Oh gosh, that’s a lot! I spend a lot of time behind a screen in the evening after work
playing games on my smartphone. By the way, have you bought the new iPhone?

JAMES : New iPhones are way too expensive for me. They cost like $1,000 these days. Come
on, that’s way too much!

1 c I mean, ... a. used to emphasize surprise or shock

2 a Oh gosh, ... b. used to ask a listener if they understand, agree, or empathize
3 e to be honest, ...  c. used to justify or clarify a point
4 b ...you know? d. used to emphasize frustration or disagreement
5 f By the way, ... e. used to emphasize the truth of something
6 d Come on, ... f. used to indicate a change of topic or state an afterthought
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 3

SPEAKING TASK 1:

Your teacher will choose a few of the speaking topics below to discuss. Discuss the topics
with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in detail.

1 How hard do you think it would be for you to go one week

or even one day without your smartphone? How do you
think it would impact you?

2 Do you almost always have your smartphone with you or by

you? Do you check it immediately when you wake up?

3 How can parents make sure that their children use their
tech devices in a healthy or positive way?

4 How excited do you get by new technology? What kinds of

technology interest you?

5 Are there any specific kinds of behaviors or ways that

people use their smartphones that bother or annoy you?

SPEAKING TASK 2:

Look at the following images of people having some kind of problem. Describe the
problem the person has and then explain how smartphones could help solve each
problem illustrated below.

1 2 3
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART 1 Questions. Discuss and answer the questions below about the video.

1. Do our smart gadgets make us stupid? How does the reporter answer this
question?
2. What are a few of the negative and positive impacts of our smart gadgets?
3. What kind of negative impact does smart technology have on children?
4. What is happening in Silicon Valley?

PART 2 Vocabulary: Write the phrasal verbs that fit the sentences from the video below.

1 The reporter rarely makes an effort to remember things because she can just
on her phone.

2 There are negative impacts of us our smartphones the

whole day, such as tech-neck, distraction, and anxiety. Excessive screen time in
the evening may also our sleep.

3 One benefit of smart technology is that instead of how to

navigate from one place to another, we can just use GPS.

4 Digital devices have become part of learning at school. In countries like the US,
many schools have tablets for elementary school children.

Grammar: Explain the usage of and give some examples of discourse markers. Then
PART 4
rewrite each sentence below using a discourse marker in the correct position that
also fits the context of the sentences.

Are we losing the ability to think, memorize and problem-solve? The answer is no.

Experts insist that the impact technology has on us comes down to how we use our
gadgets and how much time we spend on them.

New iPhones are way too expensive for me. They cost like $1,000 these days. That's
way too expensive.