Technology - The Modern Divination?
3/17/2023 5:27:02 PM
Do you know?
- Divination is an attempt to get information through omens or supernatural things.
- However, with all the new technology and advances in science, what will happen to this ancient means of prediction?
Let's explore more in the following passage!
PREPARING TO READ
The words and phrases in bold below are used in the text "Technology - The Modern Divination?". Read the sentences and match the word or phrase to its definition.
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Possessing the gift of divination, she warned her husband of the evils that would result from his journey to Greece. No one has yet been able to trace the source of the rumour. Technology is advancing at an incredibly rapid pace. His condition was diagnosed as some type of blood disorder. The report forecasts that prices will rise by 3% next month. Most people associate this brand with good quality. The forecast is for dry, cloudy weather with no precipitation expected. The graphics look fine, even at low resolution. |
(v.): to find the origin or cause of something
(v.): to develop and improve
(n.): the ability of a device (TV, computer screen) to show things clearly and with a lot of detail
(n.): the art of discovering hidden or future knowledge
(v.): to make a connection between people or things in your mind
(n.): water that falls from the clouds towards the ground
(v.): to say exactly what an illness or the cause of a problem is
(v.): to say that something is likely to happen
Read and complete the tasks.
Technology - The Modern Divination?
Generations past have used divination as a means of gaining answers to the unknown. This is especially true when it was used to predict the future. Modern technology is so advanced that it can now trace patterns of history and predict certain outcomes. Scientific data that has been collected is used to make these predictions.
We can look at a few areas where technology has advanced. Many different types of divination have been used in the past to predict future health. Today’s technology can track a patient’s medical history, and it can predict and diagnose patterns of health and diseases. Technology can even make predictions based on children’s genes. For instance, a Colorado company is selling a kit that helps parents forecast their child’s athletic ability, by testing for a gene associated with strong athletic performance.
The use of weather forecasting tools is another way modern technology is replacing the practice of divination. Computers have the ability to predict the types and amounts of precipitation, storms, temperatures, and pressure systems. IBM is developing a service that can predict weather conditions down to a one-kilometer resolution. In time, company researchers hope to be able to predict the weather on individual streets within a city.
Technology continues to advance and increase as computer programs become more complex. Scientists are using technology in more specific ways to gain more knowledge about the way nature works. As for divination, what was once considered to be supernatural is now seen more as a form of entertainment.
Source: Reading for the Real World 2
Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the reading.
In the past, our ancestors forecast the future by divination.
Modern technology has made it possible to predict the future by tracing patterns of history.
Divination is still considered a reliable way to gain answers to the unknown in modern times.
What do you know from the passage?
- Modern weather forecasting tools have proved the inaccuracy of divination.
- A service developed by IBM is now capable of predicting the weather on individual streets.
- The increase in software complexity results in technological progress.
- It is inevitable that divination will be completely replaced by modern technology.
Which of the following can be inferred from the second paragraph?
- Although there have been technological advances in medicine, treating terminal illnesses remains a challenge.
- A Colorado company has struck gold with its test kits for children's athletic ability.
- Genetic tests can provide a complete picture of a child's future athletic potential.
- Modern technology has allowed specific predictions about certain traits based on an individual's genes.
What is the main idea of this passage?
- Traditional divination practices are more accurate than modern technology in predicting the future.
- Despite recent technological advances, divination remains a sacred practice.
- Modern technology has replaced traditional divination practices in predicting the future.
- Divination paved the way for modern technology's research into future prediction.
Drag and drop to complete the summary.
In the past, people used divination to predict the future, but modern technology has it in areas such as weather and health forecasting. Nowadays, medical records and can be used to predict diseases and . Weather forecasting tools are also becoming more due to technology. IBM is even developing a service to predict weather on individual streets within a city. As technology continues to improve, divination is now seen more as a form of entertainment rather than a means of gaining answers.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
Build your vocabulary by learning these intensive idioms in the topic area of Science, technology and machines
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between 3 and 8 words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.
The chef has mastered the croissant recipe, creating consistently delicious and flaky pastries. (SCIENCE)
=> The chef has , producing perfectly flaky and delicious pastries every time.
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- well-fed
- well-oiled
- well-built
- well-endowed
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
It takes a little bit of time to figure out, but reinstalling the modem isn't rocket science.
- is very difficult to do
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- becomes easier than ever
- takes much time to complete
Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first.
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=> Instead of reinventing ..........