Do you think you have more or less real knowledge from your internet use?

Is Google Making Us Stupid? What is the Internet doing to our brains?

Comments

1. BluesBerry wrote: Google is making us skimming people who no longer deep-dive into the oceans of the intelligent words. We skim like flat pebbles over the water's surface, eventually, inevitably sinking into Davy Jone’s locker. The end. I am also concerned about alienation and losing humaness, I think it ultimately could alter the depth of our emotions as well as our thoughts. kids just flitter through information without thinking to deeply about much.

2. PilotDan wrote: It is my belief that information is on the Internet but KNOWLEDGE is in books. We scan the Internet but when we read we take deliberate time and absorb what is written on paper.

3. Roy - Washington DC wrote: The internet is a tool, just like anything else. If you're the kind of person who doesn't have the patience to sit down and read a book, you're not going to have the patience to read anything in-depth on the internet either.

4. Abner wrote: I could say the Internet promotes surface reading, i.e tacit acceptance of information which leads to superficial retention for exams. Im speaking from a college or university context. In many campuses around the world, students simply copy and paste material on the net that they deem relevant to a given task or assignment resulting in plagiarism. Some students think that the Internet is full of knowledge and I keep telling them that the Internet is only awash with information.

5. Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: I think it's a generational thing. The Gen Y types have this "saying" called "tl;dr" which stands for "too long; didn't read". I also have noticed changes in the way I think. I have a hard time reading long articles, or books because my mind wants to wander.

6. Gary Paudler wrote: I think that Mr. Carr is correct. It's been noted that information isn't the same as knowledge, so any medium that allows us to dip into shallow, and unqualified, information has the potential to work against the development of more thorough knowledge. BUT! I recently returned from a week of backpacking, in the wilderness without electricity, my laptop would have been dead weight, so I took a book; China Mieville's "Kraken" which I thoroughly enjoyed and might not have read without the respite from the internet but about which I might never have known but for the New York Times book review that I read - on the internet.

7. gary indiana wrote: Once I was skeptical of all I read, heard, and saw and then the internet happened and…no wait, I’m still skeptical of everything I read, see and hear. Hey folks, the net has inherent trade-offs just as does any other communications medium. It can cut quickly, but in a broad and shallow way. Deep and precise research still requires multiple, usually none internet, resources and a good bit of effort applied with common sense.

8. Tara Ballance - Montreal Canada wrote: The Internet has enhanced my life. I always read books, but now thanks to Project Gutenberg, I can find and read many more of them. I always kept in touch with my family, but now thanks to Facebook, email, and Skype, I can stay much closer to them. I always enjoyed learning, but now thanks to Wikipedia, innumerable online dictionaries, and university online courses, I can access more information about more topics than ever before. I've always stayed abreast of politics and the news, but now thanks to the range and breadth of media outlets on the world wide web, I can follow events from more than one point of view. I've always been good at critical thinking, but now thanks to the glut of data that's out there, I'm exercising it far more than I used to.

Section 5. Picture

Зараза.

UNIT 6

Section 1. Практикум Линн Виссон

Текст 14

Выступление Председателя Правительства России

В.С.Черномырдина на 19-й специальной сессии

Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН по охране

Окружающей среды, 1997

1.Уважаемый господин Председатель, Прежде всего, уважаемый господин Председатель, примите наши поздравления с избранием Вас на этот высокий пост. Де­легация России, разделяя общий настрой на продуктивную работу сессии,будет всемерно способствовать успешному выполнению Вашей ответственной миссии. Россия в целом позитивно оценивает ход осуществления реше­нийКонференции ООН 1992 года по окружающей среде и разви­тию. Четче обозначились приоритетные направления и актуальные проблемы в областиохраны окружающей среды и обеспечения ус­тойчивого развития.Уже работают рожденные в Рио-де-Жанейро глобальные конвенции по изменению климата и биообразия, формируются условия для запуска новых механизмов междуна­родно-правового регулирования в природоохранной среде. Концепция устойчивого развития, принятая в Рио, обогати­лась в результате проведения последующих крупных форумов ООН по вопросам народонаселения, населенных пунктов, про­довольственной безопасности, социального развития, укрепле­ния роли женщин.Тем самым заложена солидная основадля гло­бального партнерства по обеспечениюустойчивого развития. 2.Сделано немало,но качественных сдвигов в оздоровлении экологии Земли пока не произошло. Сохраняется угроза даль­нейшего ухудшения состояния окружающей среды планеты. Об этом свидетельствуютподготовленные в последнее времяавтори­тетными международными организациями и научными институ­тами оценки экологической ситуации в мире и ее перспектив в условияхсохранения нынешних моделей хозяйствования. Основной вызов усилиям по достижению устойчивого разви­тия ставиттехнологическое обновление "экономики в условиях бурной глобализации и растущего антропогенного прессинга на природу, в то время как современной цивилизацией не предло­жено альтернативы, которая могла бы по существу заменить регулирующие механизмы биосферы. Нынешний форум призвандать толчок международному природоохранному сотрудничеству. Сосредоточиться наустране­нии выявленных пробелов, недоработок. Среди них— создание оптимальных условий для передачи экологически безопасных технологий, более стабильное и предсказуемое ресурсное обес­печение природоохранных мероприятий, развертывание работы по выработке конвенции о сохранении и рациональном исполь­зовании лесных ресурсов и др.   3.Россия в нынешних непростых условиях делает максимум возможного для поддержки усилий мирового сообщества в ре­шении этих приоритетных глобальных проблем. УказомПрези­дента Российской Федерации Б.Н.Ельцина от 1 апреля 1996 го­да определено существо нашей концепции о переходе страны к устойчивому развитию. Мы неукоснительно выполняемсвои обя­зательства по конвенциям об изменении климата и сохранении биологического разнообразия, активно участвуем в других меж­дународных усилиях, призванных претворить в жизнь идеологию и практикуустойчивого развития. Стержень нашего подхода к устойчивому развитию базирует­ся на особой ответственности России за экологию планеты. На­ше воздействие на глобальную окружающую среду весьма зна­чительно в абсолютном масштабе, а также по отношению к про­изводимому продукту в сравнении с другими технологически передовыми государствами. Россия располагает крупнейшим на планете массивом естественных экосистем, которые служат резервом устойчивости глобальной биосферы.     4.Переход нашей страны к рыночной модели хозяйства и кар­динальные усилияпо социальному преобразованию общества позволяют повысить ответственность за состояние окружающей среды в процессе осуществления экономической реформы, более гибко сочетая меры государственного регулирования с рыночными механизмами. Важное значение мы придаем укреплению сотрудничества в борьбе с истощениемозонового слоя земли, которое чревато драматическими последствиямидля человечества и биосферы. У России естьзаинтересованность в полноценном участии в Конвенции по борьбе с опустыниванием. Практические шаги в этом направлениипоследуют после разработки и принятия дополнительного приложения к Конвенции, отражающего осо­бые условия стран с переходной экономикой. По нашему убеждению, назрела необходимость в скорейшем начале переговорного процесса для разработки международно-правового инструмента по лесам. Мы осознаем издержки расточительства в использовании природных ресурсов и в этой связи считаем задачей первоочередной важности перестройку энергетического сектора. 5.Как лесная держава, обладающая одной пятой лесных масси­вов Земли,Россия крайне заинтересована в рациональном ис­пользовании и сбережении лесов для нужд потомков и всего че­ловечества. Леса — это не только ресурсы для экономического развития, но и «легкие», поглощающие среди прочего те самые газы, которые вызывают парниковый эффект и чреваты угроза­ми нестабильности климатической системы. Должное внимание должно быть уделено таким принципи­ально важным вопросам,как качество глобальных ресурсов прес­ной воды; сохранение экосистем Мирового океана; комплексное развитиеэнергетических ресурсов, экологичный транспорт; ур­банизация; продовольственная безопасность.     Понимаем, что с плеча все эти проблемы не решить, но на­ращивать коэффициент нашего совместного полезного действия можно и нужно с непременным и самым тщательным учетомин­тересов и реальных возможностейвсех групп государств. Благодарю за внимание.

2.Mr. President, First of all, Mr. President, please accept our congratulations/ we/should like to congratulate you/extend our congratulations on your election to this important/distinguished post. The Russian delegation/ shares the general desire for a productivesession/like other delegations hopes our session will be productive/andwill/in all possible ways/do everything possible/all in its power/to promote the/success of/successful conclusion/achievement of/your important task/agenda/ objective. Russia for the most part/on the whole/approves of/assesses positively/looks favorably on/the continuation of/the developments in/ progress of/the implementation of the decisionsof the UN conference on the environment and development of 1992. There has been a clearer identification/highlighting/ demarcation/of priority areas/ priorities/and pressing/urgent/relevant/problems /concerning/regardingthe environment and in ensuring/achieving sustainable development.There are already in effect/we already see in operation the global conventions produced/ drawn up/initiated in Rio de Janeiro on climate change and biodiversity, and conditions are being established/created for the launching/start of new mechanisms for/ international legal regulation in the ecological sphere/area of the environment. The concept of stable development adopted in Rio has been fleshed out/supplemented through the holding of subsequent UN fora on issues/problems of population, population centers, food security, social development, and enhancing the role of women.This has established/created a good/reliable/solid/basis/foundationfor global partnership to bring about/for sustainable development. 2.A good deal/much/has been done,but there have not yet been qualitative changes/moves towards improving the earth's ecology. There is still a threat of further deterioration of the state of the planet's environment. This is shown/demonstrated/attested to/by the assessments recently preparedby authoritative international organizations and research-scientific institutes on the ecological situation in the world and (its) future prospects/perspectives for the future/given the continuation/maintenance ofpresent economic models.The major challenge to (efforts to achieve) sustainable development is being posed/raisedby/technological innovations in economics in conditions of galloping/lightning/globalization and growing anthropogenic/human/pressure on nature, while modern civilization has no alternative which could in fact/truly/replace the regulating mechanisms of the biosphere. This forum must/is being called on to providean impetus for/to stimulate/international environmental cooperation. It must focus onthe elimination of existing gaps and shortcomings. These includethe establishment of the best possible/optimal conditions for the transfer of ecologically safe technologies, more stable and predictable availability of/provision of resources to environmental projects/ activities, the development of work to draw up/produce a convention on the preservation and rational use of forest resources, etc. 3.Russia in today's difficult conditions/circumstances is doing all in its power/everything possible/to support the efforts of the international community to resolve these high priority global problems. An edictof the President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, of I April 1996 defines the substance of our concept of the country's transition to sustainable development. We are unswervingly fulfilling our obligations under/strictly complying with/carrying out to theletter/the convention on climate change and the preservation of biological diversity, and are actively participating in other international efforts to bring about real/implement in practice/realizethe words and deeds of/concept and practice of/sustainable development. The foundation of/our approach to sustainable development/is stems from/Our approach to sustainable development is based on/ Russia's special responsibility for the ecology of the planet. Our impact on the global environment is a major one/extremely significant on an absolute scale, and also regarding the results produced as compared to other technologically advanced states. Russia possesses/has the (planet's) largest mass of natural ecosystems/on the planet, which serve/act as a reserve for the stability of the global biosphere. 4.The transition of our country to a market economic system and the fundamental/radical efforts for the/to bring/at bringing about the/social transformation of society/allow to/bring about/promote greater/more/enhance responsibility for the state of the environment ecology/climate/during the process of the implementation of economic reform, for a more flexible combination of measures of state regulation with economic mechanisms. We attach great significance to the strengthening of cooperation to counteract/resist the depletionof the earth's ozone layer, which is fraught with/which risks/which may have tragic/dramatic consequences for mankind and for the biosphere. Russia is interested infull-fledged participation in the Convention against desertification. Practical action/steps/real measureshere/in this field will follow after the drawing up and adoption of an additional annex to the Convention, reflecting the specific conditions of countries with a transition economy. We believe that the time is ripe/there is a need for/a speedy beginning of/to begin immediately/the negotiating process to produce an international-legal instrument on forests. We are aware of/ acknowledge the consequences of/damage caused by wasteful use of/the squandering of natural resources, and here/therefore believethat a highest priority objective/task is the restructuring of the energy sector. 5. As a country/which has forests/with forests/which account for/ one-fifth of all the large forests of the earth,Russia is extremely interested in/concerned for the rational use of and preservation of forests for the needs of our descendants and for all mankind. Forests are not only a resource for economic development but also the "lungs" which absorb, inter alia, those very gases which cause the greenhouse effect and threaten to destabilize the climate system. (Due) Attention must also be paid to/focused on such fundamentally/ basically important questionsas the quality of global drinking water resources; the preservation of the ecosystems of the World ocean; the comprehensive developmentof energy resources and ecological transportation; urbanization and food security. We understand/are aware/that all these problems cannot be solved right away/right off/at one blow/, but our joint effectiveness/our joint effective actions/can and must be stepped up/intensified, by/ through unfailing/full and careful/rigorous/scrupulous/concernfor the interests and genuine potential/actual/realistic possibilities/potentialof all groups of states. Thank you, Mr. President.

Section 2. Phrasal Verbs

GIVE

1. He was compelled to give in to their demands. 2. We've given up all hope to get rid of his ignoble presence. 3. She gave way to tears when she learned about his dismissal. 4. Who will give out our rations today? 5. This strange fruit gives off a rather pleasant smell. 6. I'm afraid he will give us away. 7. If you don't give me back the money you have borrowed this very minute you'd better not speak to me again. 8. It was given out that the champion had been sud­denly taken ill and wouldn't participate in the next match. 9. He gave us to understand that he would probably go abroad in summer. 10. You must give in your test-paper at once. 11. The detachment was in a tight corner, for their ammunition nearly gave out. 12. He was so ill and so weak that we gave him up. 13. She is such a goose that she may give away her last chance to settle the matter. 14. His elder son's disobedience gave rise to all the trouble in the family. 15. I don't know why she gives herself out as a blue stock­ing.

1. He was compelled to yield to their demands. 2. We've aban­doned all hope to get rid of his ignoble presence. 3. She burst into tears when she learned about her dismissal. 4. Who will hand out our rations today? 5. This strange fruit smells rather pleasantly. 6. I'm afraid he will betray us. 7. If you don't return the money you have borrowed this very minute you'd better not speak to me again. 8. It was announced that the champion had been suddenly taken ill and wouldn't participate in the next match. 9. He hinted that he would probably go abroad in summer. 10. You must hand in your test-paper at once. 11. The detachment was in a tight corner, for their ammunition was nearly exhausted, 12. He was so ill and so weak that we lost all hope of his recovery. 13. She is such a goose that she may lose her last chance to settle the matter. 14. His elder son's disobedience started all the trouble in the family. 15. I don't know why she pretends to be a blue stocking.

Section 3. Typical Drill

What would you say?

You've recently purchased a new house. On the first full night there, you hear noises but think nothing of it. You hear these strange noises night after night until you see something that convinces you the house is haunted. What would you do?

2. You buy a parrot, and feel horrified when you discover the only thing it can say is, "If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I'll kill you." What would you do?

You're at work and you print something personal and very sensitive. Unfortunately, you've sent it to the wrong printer and, by the time you realize it, someone else has already scooped it up. What would you do?