Introductory Activity: Technology & Innovations
1. What technological advancement do you think these pictures represent?
Answer: These pictures represent the technological advancement of internet devices and services and the electric bulb.
2. How will these inventions and innovations shape our future? Give specific examples.
Answer: These inventions and innovations make our life easy and comfortable.
Reading I: Humanoid Robot Sophia
A. Pre-Reading Questions
a. What do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) is?
Answer: I think artificial intelligence is the intelligence created by man-made objects.
b. Can a robot have real intelligence like a human being does?
Answer: No, robots cannot have artificial intelligence like a human being does. But intelligence may not be for a long time and for different situations.
B. Vocabulary: Match the words with their meanings.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| humanoid | viii. a machine or creature that looks and behaves like a human |
| awe | iii. feelings of respect and slight fear |
| revolution | vii. a great change in conditions, beliefs, etc. |
| celebrity | i. a famous person |
| enthusiast | vi. a person who is very interested in a particular activity or subject |
| applaud | ii. to clap in approval |
| takeover | v. an act of controlling somebody or something |
| prototype | iv. the first design of a device or machine |
C. Fill in the blanks
a. Sophia __________ the audience in Kathmandu with a ‘Namaste’.
Answer: Sophia greeted the audience in Kathmandu with a ‘Namaste’.
b. She presented her __________ speech about the importance of technology.
Answer: She presented her keynote speech about the importance of technology.
c. The Innovation Conference and Fair was organised by __________.
Answer: The Innovation Conference and Fair was organised by UNDP.
d. Sophia was built __________ years ago.
Answer: Sophia was built two and a half years ago.
e. According to Sophia, technology can __________ state institutions.
Answer: According to Sophia, technology can transform state institutions.
f. Using artificial intelligence could bring __________ in the agriculture sector.
Answer: Using artificial intelligence could bring revolution in the agriculture sector.
g. According to the robot, the news of __________ taking over humans was fake.
Answer: According to the robot, the news of fearing taking over humans was fake.
h. In the opinion of Valerie Julliand, technology is giving us __________ to various problems.
Answer: In the opinion of Valerie Julliand, technology is giving us solution to various problems.
D. Reading Comprehension
a. Who is Sophia?
Answer: Sophia is a social humanoid robot and the first robot citizen.
b. What was the main highlight of the conference?
Answer: The main highlight of the conference was the importance of technology in the development of human lives.
c. How can artificial intelligence be useful in Nepal, according to Sophia?
Answer: According to Sophia, Artificial intelligence can be useful in Nepal by ensuring better public services, a revolution in the agriculture sector, making better use of limited resources, protecting the environment and making the world a better place.
d. Who was the audience comprised of?
Answer: The audience was comprised of government officials, private sector representatives, civil servants and tech enthusiasts.
e. How long did Sophia speak for?
Answer: Sophia spoke for three minutes.
f. Why are innovative project models being developed in Nepal, according to UNDP?
Answer: According to UNDP, the innovative project models are being developed in Nepal to address gender empowerment, combat gender-based violence, and disaster risk reduction, with a focus on green energy, youth engagement and post-disaster recovery.
Grammar I: Relative Clauses
A. Identify Relative Clauses
View Letter with Answers
Phungling, Taplejung
6 June 2021
Dear Sujita,
Thank you very much for the wonderful birthday gift. The vase you have gifted me is exactly what I wanted. It reminds me of the vase which my little sister broke last week. It has exactly the same patterns. In fact, this is the best china that I have ever seen. My mother, who loves flowers, arranged roses in the vase. Can you guess where I have kept it? Just outside my bedroom. Thank you once again for the lovely gift.
Love,
Punam
B. Complete the sentences with relative clauses
a. Manju works for a company …………….
Answer: Manju works for a company which produces plastic items.
b. The story is about a girl ………
Answer: The story is about a girl who is over ambitious.
c. What was the name of the dog ………….. ?
Answer: What was the name of the dog which you bought in Manang?
d. The police have caught the criminals ……..
Answer: The police have caught the criminals who robbed the bank of Parsa.
e. Gram Bell was the man …………
Answer: Gram Bell was the man who discovered telephone.
f. What happened to the painting ……….. ?
Answer: What happened to the painting which was painted by Leonardo?
g. An encyclopedia is a book ……….
Answer: An encyclopedia is a book which gives information about everything.
h. I hate people ……….
Answer: I hate people who believe in the dowry system.
i. The Earth seems to be the only planet ……
Answer: The Earth seems to be the only planet where living creatures are found.
j. A detective is a person …………
Answer: A detective is a person who investigates a crime.
k. Can you tell me the name of the book ……………… ?
Answer: Can you tell me the name of the book you read yesterday afternoon?
Reading II: Alternative Energy
A. Match the words with their meanings
| Column A (Word) | Column B (Meaning) |
|---|---|
| fleet | a group of something |
| inflatable | capable of being filled with air |
| harness | to control and use the force or strength of something |
| vane | a flat plane that is moved by wind |
| skyscraper | a very tall building |
| fission | the act or process of splitting the nucleus of an atom |
| bountiful | in large quantities |
B. Find the antonyms
| Word | Antonym (from text) |
|---|---|
| endless | finite |
| modern | traditional |
| covered | revealed |
| fragrant | odourless |
| bound | autonomous |
| inadequate | bountiful |
C. Match the Ideas
| Idea No. | Energy Concept |
|---|---|
| Idea I | iv. solar energy |
| Idea II | v. energy through body movement |
| Idea III | i. wave energy |
| Idea IV | ii. hydrogen energy |
| Idea V | vi. altaeros energy |
| Idea VI | iii. energy through the fusion process |
D. Answer the following questions
a. How did JAXA prove the viability for the idea of space-based solar energy?
Answer: JAXA proved the viability for the idea of space-based solar energy by successfully converting 1.8 kilowatts of electricity into microwaves after which they wirelessly beamed them a distance of 50 metres.
b. What do we need to generate energy through our body movement?
Answer: We need a knee brace to generate energy through our body movement.
c. In what way are Idea III and V similar?
Answer: Both Idea III and Idea V produce energy due to wind, therefore they are similar.
d. How can hydrogen be used as the source of energy?
Answer: Hydrogen can be used as a source of energy by separating it from other elements like oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, which yields high energy.
e. Why do floating turbines seem more effective than tower-mounted turbines?
Answer: Floating turbines seem more effective than tower-mounted turbines because these turbines produce double the energy of tower-mounted turbines.
f. Why is the fusion process environmentally friendly?
Answer: The fusion process is environmentally friendly because it emits no pollutants or greenhouse gases and has no threat of nuclear meltdown, unlike current nuclear fission reactors.
g. What does ITER stand for?
Answer: ITER stands for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.
Grammar II: Relative Pronouns
A. Fill in the gaps with suitable relative pronouns.
a. Is that the spot ………………… you had the accident?
Answer: Is that the spot where you had the accident?
b. The photograph ………………… you saw was taken a long time ago.
Answer: The photograph which you saw was taken a long time ago.
c. Are those the students ………………… you were talking about?
Answer: Are those the students whom you were talking about?
d. Last week, I went to visit the town ………………… my friend lives.
Answer: Last week, I went to visit the town where my friend lives.
e. This is the house ………………… my uncle and aunt live.
Answer: This is the house where my uncle and aunt live.
f. These are the girls ………………… work hard.
Answer: These are the girls who work hard.
g. Krishna was the boy ………………… everyone appreciated.
Answer: Krishna was the boy whom everyone appreciated.
h. This is the judge ………………… is known for her wise decisions.
Answer: This is the judge who is known for her wise decisions.
i. This is the site ………….. I intend to build a house.
Answer: This is the site where I intend to build a house.
j. The tiger ………… terrified the villagers was sent to the zoo yesterday.
Answer: The tiger which terrified the villagers was sent to the zoo yesterday.
k. The tree …………… he cut down was not a large one.
Answer: The tree which he cut down was not a large one.
l. Mt. Everest ………………… is the highest peak in the world, lies in Solukhumbu district.
Answer: Mt. Everest which is the highest peak in the world, lies in Solukhumbu district.
B. Rewrite using who, whom, whose, which/that, or where.
a. Are these the keys? You were looking for the keys.
Answer: Are these the keys which you were looking for?
b. Unfortunately, we couldn't attend the wedding. We were invited to the wedding.
Answer: Unfortunately, we couldn't attend the wedding to which we were invited.
c. What is the name of the hotel? Your brother works in the hotel.
Answer: What is the name of the hotel where your brother works?
d. The party wasn't enjoyable. We attended the party last Saturday.
Answer: The party which we attended last Saturday wasn't enjoyable.
e. What is the name of the boy? The boy's father is a dentist.
Answer: What is the name of the boy whose father is a dentist?
f. Who was the man? You talked to the man in the restaurant.
Answer: Who was the man whom you talked to in the restaurant?
g. What is the name of the shop? They sell medicine in the shop.
Answer: What is the name of the shop where they sell medicine?
h. Is this the man? The man donated all his property to a hospital.
Answer: Is this the man who donated all his property to a hospital?