English for Biology Teachers
Bring It to Mind .
Answer the questions below based on your understanding
1. What is on your mind when you hear ‘bio-technology’? 2. Can you mention the examples of bio-technology? If yes, what are they?
3. Have you ever heard about nanotechnology? What is nanotechnology? 4. What are the advantages of the use of nanotechnology?
Let’s Start .
1. Read the text carefully to find out what nanotechnology is
David Dickson Nanotechnology holds huge potential for supplying clean water to the
worlds poor, but many challenges must be overcome to realize it. When the economist Fritz Schumacher coined the phrase small is
beautiful more than 30 years ago, he was hoping to promote intermediate technologies that focus on local techniques, knowledge
and materials, rather than high-tech solutions to problems facing the worlds poor.
But more recently, the phrase has taken on a different meaning as scientists and engineers develop nanotechnology — processes to control matter at an atomic or molecular level — and
show that this field, too, can promote sustainable development.
Nowhere is the promise of nanotechnology stronger than in water treatment. Nanofiltration techniques and nanoparticles can reduce or eliminate contaminants in water and could help
deliver a key Millennium Development Goal — halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by the year 2015.
The challenges are many, and not just technical. Some relate to health and safety, and the need for appropriate regulations to defend both. And some are more political, for example the need
to make basic technologies both accessible to and controllable by the communities that need them most. Like any new technology, community acceptance is essential if nanotechnology is
to effectively work in villages across the developing world, where water problems are often the most acute.
But there are many reasons to be optimistic that we can overcome these challenges and, by doing so, that nanotechnology can pioneer a new paradigm for applying modern technology
to development needs. Its current applications show how modern science and technology can be successfully blended with concern for human and environmental health on the one hand,
and a commitment to community engagement in technological innovation on the other.
They also demonstrate what can be achieved when researchers — and businesses — not only work to get their products out of developed country laboratories and into local developing
world settings, but also collaborate with stakeholders in the developing world itself.
Adapted from http:www.scidev.netennew-technologieseditorials how-nanotech-can-meet-the-poor-s-water-needs.html
2. After reading the text, answer the questions below for your comprehension Work in a group of three
1. Who was Fritz Schumacher? 2. What did he expect from his phrase ‘small is beautiful’?
3. How did today’s scientists and engineers perceive the Schumacher’s phrase? 4. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
5. What are the challenges that occur caused by nanotechnology? 6. How do some people react to the challenges?
7. What are the benefits of applying nanotechnology? 8. In your opinion, does nanotechnology give more benefits to people rather than the
bad effects? Why? 9. What is the main idea of the text?
10. What is the function of the sentence written in italic at the beginning of the reading passage?
3. Challenge yourself Answer these following questions based on your understanding orally
1. In your opinion, what probably makes water problems occurred in our community? 2. How will you overcome the water problems and prevent from the running out of
clean water in the next couple of years? 3. Do you think that nanotechnology gives bad effects to our environment? Explain
4. Discuss with your friend, what are the meanings of the following words? Write the results in a piece of paper
1. Nanoparticles 2. Nanofiltration
3. Nanotechnology 4. Eliminate
5. Contaminants 6. Sustainable
7. Controllable 8. Accessible
9. Paradigm 10. Collaborate
English for Biology Teachers PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
