By: Michael Harris
Published: Wired; 08.06.14
Level of difficulty: **
BEFORE YOU READ
·
Think
about the role of technology in your life. How has it changed you?
·
Does it affect
the way you do things, your hobbies and interests and the way you think?
·
Has it had
more positive or negative effects?
QUESTIONS
1.
Read the
example involving Benjamin to the end and state clearly what it proves.
2.
What are
memes and what do they owe their evolution to?
3.
The new
evolutionary process referred to in the text involves……………………………….
4.
The
replication of ‘temes’ is different from that of memes in one fundamental
respect: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5.
What could
the ultimate consequence of providing humanity with ‘temes’ be?
6.
What will
happen to the neural circuits of grannies that remain mentally active?
7.
What
suspected developmental pattern in the brain was proved to be true according to
Gary Small’s research? There are two answers; find both.
8.
Young
people whose ability to think or read deeply has been weakened are likely
to……………..
·
Have
trouble on tests that demand these skills
·
Have
trouble with coursework that demands these skills
·
Have
trouble with the slower pace demanded by these skills
·
Need extra
practice with deep thinking and deep reading
·
All of the
above
·
None of
the above
9.
What
future concern does the writer voice in relation to the effects of technology
on the brain?
10.
The fact
that young people view the internet as their external brain means that they are
independent of / dependent on / over dependent on the internet.
11.
In order
to teach modern students better, foreign language schools need to ………………………
12.
The future
of society will be put in jeopardy by …………………………………………………………………….
13.
What dichotomy
does the writer mention in the conclusion?
WRITING
TASK
Use the information you have learnt from the
text to discuss the effects of internet technology on the human mind and
society as a whole. Also mention the possible implications. Before you do so,
access the following and make notes for a deeper understanding:
HOW
THE WEB BECAME OUR ‘EXTERNAL BRAIN’ AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR KIDS KEY AND
TEACHER’S NOTES
This
interesting yet worrying text highlights an issue most teachers have been
witnessing in their classrooms for some time and tells them that it is true:
deep thinking and deep reading are on their way out with some serious
implications. There is also a scientific explanation for the process, which
makes what is happening easier to grasp. There should be some interesting
discussion as this generation may not have really analyzed the problem in their
minds.
1.
Question
type: drawing conclusions
These
children are one step away from assuming that such technology is a natural
spontaneous part of the material world.
2.
Question
type: search reading
They
are pieces of culture that copy themselves throughout history; our genes
3.
Question
type: paraphrasing
Copying,
varying and selecting of temes selected as digital information
4.
Question
type: search reading
The
fidelity is almost 100%
5.
Question
type: five star comprehension question
A
slower less harried way of thinking may be on the verge of extinction
6.
Question
type: demands close reading and attention to detail
They
will not weaken (this is all we know definitely from the text)
7.
Question
type: synthesis and analysis
Neural
pathways quickly develop when we give our brains new tasks; Our brains will engineer themselves to
function optimally in whatever environment we give them.
8.
Question
type: taking information in the text one step further; requires in depth
comprehension and the ability to draw conclusions
All
of the above
9.
Question
type: summary skills
Injections
of unearned learning
10.
Question
type: demands close reading and attention to detail
Over dependent;
the clue is the tone of the article where there is a feeling of a warning
against an imminent danger
11.
Question
type: taking information in the text one step further; requires in depth
comprehension and the ability to draw conclusions
Evolve
processes and behaviors to suit the new realities and opportunities
12.
Question
type: search reading
People
who become shallow consumers of society
13.
Question
type: basic comprehension
While
we push the technology down an evolutionary path that results in the most
addictive possible outcome, it feels as if we don’t have any control.
