The Black Hole of Technology Summary

The Black Hole of Technology Summary In this blog post, called "The Black Hole of Technology," Leena Khan argues that overusing modern technology is making us less aware and less happy. The amount of information you read is less important than the quality. She tells the story of a visit she paid to a temple in Cambodia, where her phone distracted her from the sight of a beautiful ancient temple. She noticed that the people nearby, though poor, seemed far happier than her friends back home. Digesting useless information distracts us from what's really significant and keeps us from being happy. vocabulary Part of speech devouring v taking in greedily absorbing v learning; fully taking in process v gain an understanding of consumed adj digesting v thinking over; mentally taking in scolded v to speak to someone angrily because you disapprove of their behavior. murky adj dark and dirty or difficult to see through stunning adj shocking or very impressive Meaning & definition absorbed; occupied Fill in the space with the suitable word: 1- The man liked the _______________ performance of the players. 2- I tried to________________ the lesson when I attended the session. 3- My sister________________when she asked me about her broken phone. 4- The boys were________________ the scientific experiments. 5- Dangerous insects live in ________________water. 6- Being wealthy is ____________ the life of many people. The Black Hole of Technology Complete the following passage according to the words in the definitions table: In the quiet town of Willow Creek, a stunning transformation was taking place. The townspeople were absorbing the changes around them, especially the new restaurant that had opened. Every evening, families gathered, …………………. delicious meals while sharing stories. However, the process of running a restaurant was not always smooth. One night, a chef accidentally spilled a murky sauce on the floor. The owner, feeling frustrated, ………………………. the chef for the mess. Meanwhile, customers were happily …………………….. their food, unaware of the chaos in the kitchen. As the chef was …………………... the criticism, he realized that mistakes were part of the learning process. He vowed to improve and make the restaurant even better. The Black Hole of Technology WORD LIST devouring process digesting absorbing consumed A. DIRECTIONS: In each of the following items, think about the meaning of the italicized word or phrase. Then answer the question. 1. If you are digesting instructions that your teacher gives you before a task, are you more or less likely to understand how to do that task? Explain your answer. _____________________ 2. Sarah was consumed with fear when she entered the haunted house. Would you say that Sarah was unafraid? Explain your answer. 3. The directions to the ancient ruins were confusing. Caleb reread them so that he could better process them. Was Caleb paying attention the first time he read the directions? Explain your answer. 4. Niko began devouring science books when she was only 8. True or false: Niko did not want to read about science. Explain your answer. 5. Jia was having trouble absorbing what she was reading in her history book because she was distracted by loud construction noises out. Is Jia likely to remember what she read in her history book? Explain your answer. B. WORD STUDY: A multiple-meaning word is one that has more than one meaning. For example, the word rock can refer to a “a large stone” or “to sway to and fro.” Below, write two sentences for each word. Each sentence should use a different meaning of the italicized word. 1. racket 2. hide Comprehension Questions: 1- Who is the protagonist of the story? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2- Where does the story take place? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3-When does the protagonist begin to notice the negative impacts of technology? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4-Why does the protagonist feel trapped by technology? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5-How does the protagonist attempt to overcome their struggles with technology? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Critical Questions: 6- What is the main conflict in the story? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7-What message does the story convey about technology and human connection? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………