Annales gratuites Bac ST2S : David lodge, thinks

I happened to hear Ralph Messenger on the radio this morning - some kind of popular science magazine programme. He was being interviewed about "wearable computers". I switched on in the middle of the discussion, but as far as I could gather somebody's just written a book suggesting that as computers get smaller and cheaper in the future they could easily be worn on the person or actually implanted in the body, to monitor your pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure, muscular tension, blood sugar level, etc., etc., and anyone with access to this information on their own wearable computers could tell from it what you were thinking and feeling. Is this feasible ? he was asked.

"Well, it's technically feasible," he said. "Computers chips are getting smaller and smaller and more and more powerful all the time. They're improving faster than any other machine in history. It's been calculated that if cars had developed at the same rate as computers over the last thirty years, you'd be able to buy a Rolls-Royce today for under a pound, and it would do three million miles to the gallon... So there's no reason why wearables shouldn't become cheaply available in the not-too-distant future." But why would anybody submit to being fitted with them ? he was asked. "Well, one suggestion is that domestic appliances could respond to the information and anticipate your needs - when you came in tired from work, say, the Teasmaid would make you a cup of tea and the TV find you a suitably relaxing programme without your having to lift a finger," he said. "But wearables could also be made compulsory in certain contexts. For instance, suppose there was a wearable that triggered a red light on the roof of your car when your blood-pressure and pulse rate went above a certain level." A sort of road-rage meter ? "Exactly. It could prevent a lot of accidents. Wearing one might be made a condition of holding a driving licence."

David Lodge, Thinks, 2001.

2. These computers :
 are already in use today
 were used in the past
 might be used in the future
 will never exist

3. Ralph Messenger is :
 the narrator
 the name of a popular magazine
 the journalist
 the interviewee

Computers are becoming cheaper and cheaper
 right or wrong

The information given by wearable computers would be kept secret
 right or wrong

Computer technology isn't changing quickly
 right or wrong

These computers would know in advance what you need
 right or wrong

They could be imposed on some people
 right or wrong

2. Pick out two examples from the text of what wearable computers could do for you at home.
a. (line)
b. (line)

3. Tick the correct answer :
Wearable computers could :
 control angry drivers
 cause road accidents
 make you blood pressure rise
 make your heart beat fast

Quote the text to justify your choice.

4. Find in the text synonyms for :
a sort (line)
from what I understood (line)
machines used at home (line)
activated avoid (line)

5. Who or what do the underlined refer to ?
I happened (l 1)
Your pulse rate (l 5)
on their own wearable computers (l 6/7)
he was asked (l 7)
wearing one (l 20)