ENGLISH FORM 3 CHAPTER 9: HIGH TECH WORLD
High-Tech World
Unit 9 • Technology, Surveillance & Space
👁️ They’re Watching You
The Prophecy of 1984
In the novel 1984, which was published in 1949, British author George Orwell wrote about a future where it is impossible to hide from government surveillance. Today, that fiction feels very real.
Common Devices Used for Surveillance:
Surveillance Cameras
Video Cameras
Mobile Phones
Satnavs (GPS)
🚀 The Red Planet
Mars is fascinating to scientists because it is the closest and most similar planet to Earth. Unlike other planets that have the same temperatures all year round, Mars has seasons with different weather.
ROVERS: SPIRIT & OPPORTUNITY
Mission: Find Water
In 2004, two robot explorers were sent to Mars. They travelled over 20km across the rocky surface. Their main job?
- Look for signs of water in the rocks.
- Operate cameras and send photos back to Earth.
- Drive over rough and difficult ground.
💻 Tech Database
Access the datapads below to review the core vocabulary for this unit.
Surveillance
NounThe careful watching of a person or place, especially by the police or army, because of a crime that has happened or is expected.
Alternative
Noun / AdjAn alternative plan or method is one that you can use if you do not want to use another one (a choice).
Operate
VerbTo (cause to) work, be in action or have an effect.
“The rover operates cameras.”
Detect
VerbTo notice something that is partly hidden or not clear, or to discover something.
“Cameras can detect crime.”
⚙️ The Passive Voice
We use the Passive Voice when the action or the object is more important than who did the action. We form it using the verb to be + Past Participle.
| Tense | Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | Scientists build robots. | Robots are built by scientists. |
| Past Simple | George Orwell wrote 1984. | 1984 was written by George Orwell. |
| Modals | They can use cameras. | Cameras can be used by them. |
| Infinitives | It is impossible to hide. | It is impossible to be hidden. |
BY (The Agent)
Use ‘by’ to show WHO or what performed the action.
WITH (The Instrument)
Use ‘with’ to show the TOOL or object used to do the action.
🗣️ Communication & Syntax
Making a Decision
Useful phrases when discussing technology choices:
- “I think the best option is…”
- “We should definitely choose…”
- “I’d rather have a laptop than a tablet because…”
- “Let’s go with the smartphone.”
Sentence Transformation
When rewriting sentences in exams, look out for Collocations (words that naturally go together).
High-Tech World
Initialize test sequence. Assess your knowledge of technology, Mars exploration, and the Passive Voice.