Saturday, September 20, 2008
Recess Week
Within these few weeks, I have learnt some writing techniques such as create mindmap and outlining to make my essays flow smoothly as well as citation.In addition, I have gained the fundamental skills of writing argumentative essays. However, my grammar is still weak and always can't come out with good and sophiscated vocabularies as lack of reading. Thus I have to put more effort in reading and exercise.Besides academic acquisition, I got to meet many new friends who are very friendly and helpful. I'm sure this is will be one of the sweetest memory part during my university life. Enjoy our recess week and have a balance holidays. Gambateh!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Resistance to New Technology
The development of the new technologies has grown rapidly for the past ten years. However, new technologies are not readily accepted by everybody. According to the article "Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering" (National Academy of Engineering, 2008), people resist new technology. What are the reasons for people’s resistance? There are many factors that contributed to people’s resistance. One of the reasons is that people do not know how to use new technology. They lack the basic technical information and do not have a good understanding of engineering and science. It is difficult for them to understand the concepts behind the products of engineering and new technologies. For example, elderly people do not know how to use computers and what the internet is because they lack the knowledge. They wonder how their grandsons and granddaughters can talk to friends through the internet. Also, some of the methods of using new technologies are very complicated; therefore, people find that it is inconvenient to use them such as solar energy system and computer system. People prefer doing things in the old way because it is more familiar to them. Furthermore, people resist new technology because there are some ethical issues that arise from new technologies such as human cloning and human embryo research. They believe human cloning and transgenic technology will destroy ecological balance.
According to the Society, Religion and Technology Project (n.d.), “Statements opposing cloning human beings have issued from numerous national and international organizations, like the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission's ethical advisors, a special report of the UK Human Genetics Advisory Council and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and also the scientists at Roslin who cloned Dolly.”
In conclusion, people resist new technologies due to a few factors such as lack of basic information, inability to use them and others. Consequently, engineers should try hard to make new technologies more user-friendly to the public.
References
National Academy of Engineering. (2008, February). Introduction to the grand challenges of engineering. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9221.aspx
Society, Religion and Technology Project. (n.d.). Human Cloning. Retrieved August 30, 2008, from http://www.srtp.org.uk/cloninf5.htm
National Academy of Engineering. (2008, February). Introduction to the grand challenges of engineering. Retrieved June 3, 2008, from
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9221.aspx
Society, Religion and Technology Project. (n.d.). Human Cloning. Retrieved August 30, 2008, from http://www.srtp.org.uk/cloninf5.htm
Portfolio 2: Identify of My Common Mistakes
One of the common grammar mistakes that I have always made is subject and verb agreement. Although subject and verb agreement seems to be very easy, many people still will make mistake on it. I always make mistake when using it in my writing.
These are the following examples.“Neither of them are available to speak right now” and “Neither Lim nor Low are coming”. This is the way of my writing according to my so-called sixth sense. This concept is based on the using of plural verb form for plural nouns “them” and “Lim and Low”. This basic concept is correct, but cited in this topic is totally wrong. When singular nouns and plural nouns are connected by "either…or" or "neither…nor", the use of verb is dependent on the closest subject to it. For instance, “Neither Low nor his friends are coming”. The second condition is when either and neither become subjects, they always take singular verbs. Thus, the example one that shown above should be changed to “Neither of them is available to speak right now”.
Besides that, collective nouns are so important for us to take note of. "Team" and "staff" may be either singular or plural depending on the situation in the sentence. For example, “The staff is in a meeting”, “The staff are in disagreement about the findings”. The staff is acting as a unit in the first example whereas the second one is acting as separate individuals.
Furthermore, we need to be careful of common indefinite pronouns such as some, none, anyone, no one, each, etc. They are always singular so they require singular verb. For instance, "No one has done the homework". Albeit “each” is always followed by a plural noun, it requires singular verb. I often remind myself for not being confused by the plural noun. For example, each of the students comes from Malaysia.
Using the subject and verb agreement correctly is the fundamental of speaking and writing good English. What we need to do is to understand the rule of it and doing more practice. Following is some examples that I find from internet. Try and see whether you fully understand of this or not!
Practice (Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement):
1. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator ____ going to have to make a decision.
2. ______ my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance?
3. Everyone selected to serve on this jury _____ to be willing to give up a lot of time.
4. Some of the votes __________ to have been miscounted.
5. He seems to forget that there __________ things to be done before he can graduate.
6. Three-quarters of the students __________ against the tuition hike.
7. Three-quarters of the student body __________ against the tuition hike.
Answer:
1. is
2. is
3. has
4. seem
5. are
6. are
7. is
Have you scored?
If you did not get all correct, you must read the rules again!!!
You can check your knowlegde through the more practices provided in the website below.
References
These are the following examples.“Neither of them are available to speak right now” and “Neither Lim nor Low are coming”. This is the way of my writing according to my so-called sixth sense. This concept is based on the using of plural verb form for plural nouns “them” and “Lim and Low”. This basic concept is correct, but cited in this topic is totally wrong. When singular nouns and plural nouns are connected by "either…or" or "neither…nor", the use of verb is dependent on the closest subject to it. For instance, “Neither Low nor his friends are coming”. The second condition is when either and neither become subjects, they always take singular verbs. Thus, the example one that shown above should be changed to “Neither of them is available to speak right now”.
Besides that, collective nouns are so important for us to take note of. "Team" and "staff" may be either singular or plural depending on the situation in the sentence. For example, “The staff is in a meeting”, “The staff are in disagreement about the findings”. The staff is acting as a unit in the first example whereas the second one is acting as separate individuals.
Furthermore, we need to be careful of common indefinite pronouns such as some, none, anyone, no one, each, etc. They are always singular so they require singular verb. For instance, "No one has done the homework". Albeit “each” is always followed by a plural noun, it requires singular verb. I often remind myself for not being confused by the plural noun. For example, each of the students comes from Malaysia.
Using the subject and verb agreement correctly is the fundamental of speaking and writing good English. What we need to do is to understand the rule of it and doing more practice. Following is some examples that I find from internet. Try and see whether you fully understand of this or not!
Practice (Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement):
1. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator ____ going to have to make a decision.
2. ______ my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance?
3. Everyone selected to serve on this jury _____ to be willing to give up a lot of time.
4. Some of the votes __________ to have been miscounted.
5. He seems to forget that there __________ things to be done before he can graduate.
6. Three-quarters of the students __________ against the tuition hike.
7. Three-quarters of the student body __________ against the tuition hike.
Answer:
1. is
2. is
3. has
4. seem
5. are
6. are
7. is
Have you scored?
If you did not get all correct, you must read the rules again!!!
You can check your knowlegde through the more practices provided in the website below.
References
Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2008, from http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sv_agr.htm
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