11 Thanks to Today’s Technology
/11 Thanks to Today’s Technology
*Polina is a ten-year-old girl, and one day, her teacher gave the class homework: “Let’s think about inventions from the past.”
/*Polina is a ten-year-old girl, and one day, her teacher gave the class homework: “Let’s think about inventions from the past.”
Looking around her house, *Polina thought,
/Looking around her house, *Polina thought,
“The convenient things we use now were invented by people long ago.
/“The convenient things we use now were invented by people long ago.
But how did they come up with those inventions?”
/But how did they come up with those inventions?”
That night, while eating dinner with her family, *Polina asked her mother,
/That night, while eating dinner with her family, *Polina asked her mother,
“Mom, how did people in the past manage to invent so many things?”
/“Mom, how did people in the past manage to invent so many things?”
Her mother smiled and replied,
/Her mother smiled and replied,
“Well, it’s because people in the past kept learning and thinking creatively.
/“Well, it’s because people in the past kept learning and thinking creatively.
Learning gives us the power to create new technology.”
/Learning gives us the power to create new technology.”
The next day, *Polina visited the local science museum and looked at the exhibit of old inventions.
/The next day, *Polina visited the local science museum and looked at the exhibit of old inventions.
There, she learned about Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone,
/There, she learned about Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone,
and Thomas Edison, who contributed to the discovery of electricity.
/and Thomas Edison, who contributed to the discovery of electricity.
“Wow! We have smartphones today thanks to the invention of the telephone!”
/“Wow! We have smartphones today thanks to the invention of the telephone!”
Then, a staff member at the museum shared this story:
/Then, a staff member at the museum shared this story:
“Technology didn’t come from just one person.
/“Technology didn’t come from just one person.
Many people shared knowledge and built on it together.
/Many people shared knowledge and built on it together.
For example, after the Wright brothers first flew,
/For example, after the Wright brothers first flew,
many researchers kept learning and improving,
/many researchers kept learning and improving,
and that led to today’s safe and fast airplanes.”
/and that led to today’s safe and fast airplanes.”
When *Polina got home, she opened a small notebook in her room and began to dream.
/When *Polina got home, she opened a small notebook in her room and began to dream.
“I want to learn many things and invent something someday!”
/“I want to learn many things and invent something someday!”
She wrote in her notebook, “Learning is the key to building the future,”
/She wrote in her notebook, “Learning is the key to building the future,”
and made a promise to herself to keep learning new things every day.
/and made a promise to herself to keep learning new things every day.
After that, *Polina started researching more at school and the library,
/After that, *Polina started researching more at school and the library,
and became fascinated by the joy of learning.
/and became fascinated by the joy of learning.
Knowing that learning has the power to change the future,
/Knowing that learning has the power to change the future,
*Polina began taking steps toward her dream.
/*Polina began taking steps toward her dream.
Multiple Choice Review Questions
/Multiple Choice Review Questions
What was the name of the inventor of the telephone that *Polina learned about at the museum?
/What was the name of the inventor of the telephone that *Polina learned about at the museum?
a. Alexander Graham Bell
/a. Alexander Graham Bell
b. Thomas Edison
/b. Thomas Edison
c. The Wright brothers
/c. The Wright brothers
Why did technology develop, according to the museum staff?
/Why did technology develop, according to the museum staff?
a. Because people shared knowledge and kept learning
/a. Because people shared knowledge and kept learning
b. Because one person invented everything
/b. Because one person invented everything
c. Because they were lucky
/c. Because they were lucky
Let’s Think!
/Let’s Think!
How do you think *Polina felt when she realized that “learning is the key to building the future”?
/How do you think *Polina felt when she realized that “learning is the key to building the future”?
Also, what would you like to learn?
/Also, what would you like to learn?
What is something you find convenient in your daily life?
/What is something you find convenient in your daily life?
Try researching how it was made and think about the efforts of people in the past.
/Try researching how it was made and think about the efforts of people in the past.
