Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. gather (v.) – to bring people (or things) together
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. gather (v.) – to bring people (or things) together
Example: This summer, I will gather all my friends and go with them to the beach.
2. innovator (n.) – a person
who does or thinks of something in a new, different or better way
Example:
Steve Jobs is called an innovator because he changed the way people listen
to music.
3. daring (adj.) – (of an
idea) very risky, difficult or different
Example: Human space travel is a daring project.
4. radical (adj.) – new and unusual
Example: The mayor made radical decisions to clean the polluted city.
5. exclusive (adj.) – only
available to a certain group or person
Example: Some rooms in the hotel are exclusive to hotel club members.
Article
Read the text below.
Google has launched a series of meetings
under the name "Solve for X," which gathers together people with ideas on how to solve the world's
biggest problems.
Through “Solve for X” talks, business
men and women, scientists, and innovators
share possible solutions to world problems. These solutions, called "moonshots,"
are daring projects that seem to belong
only in science fiction. But Google’s Executive chairman Eric Schmidt said the
moonshots are indeed "real ideas of the future."
Each “Solve for X” talk answers three
main questions: 1) What huge problem does the idea want to solve? 2) What radical solutions can the idea offer?
and 3) How does the idea use new science and technology to solve the problem?
Some topics already discussed in the
meetings include taking actual pictures of a person’s thoughts, discovering science
experts among Internet users and online gamers, and recycling electronic waste.
“Solve for X” talks have been
compared to TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) meetings, where experts
from different fields also discuss ideas that can “change the world.” Bruno
Giussani, the European director for TED conferences, praised Google’s program.
If people have more opportunities to share their ideas, the more chances the ideas
can become reality, he said. He added that because “Solve for X” was started
by Google, the talks will likely focus on technology and engineering.
Google said it will hold several “Solve
for X" meetings each year. Such talks are not exclusive to experts who attend the meetings. Videos of “Solve
for X” (and TED) lectures are posted online and are free for anyone to view.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Among
the world’s problems, which one do you personally hope can be solved? Why?
·
In your
own way, how do you think you can help solve this big problem?
Discussion B
·
If
you could create your own technology (robot, machine, gadget, etc.), what kind
of technology would it be? How would that technology help you or others?
·
Do
you think technology brings more harm than good? Why or why not?