technology is changing our lives
recently, a heated debate is brought up worldwide, concerning the prohibition of the cloning of human embryo. this kind of situation correlated with new technology is not unique.ever since the emergence of human beings, an unprecedently intelligent and diligent species of creature, we have never given up the intention to explore the world and conquer the nature, in spite of frustrations and obstacles along the way. led by several preeminent scientists, we are anxious to catch up with the pace to step into, or if possible, leap into the modern world. nevertheless, whether technology casts a positive or negative influence on our lives, the answer to the disputable question varies widely.we are bogged in a dilemma.
in the first place, technology contributes to the updating of our standards of living and the alteration of our living patterns.during the first industrial revolution, large quantities of fanners were driven out of their land and employed by capitalists. in the end this movement urbanized the country. the second industrial revolution freed most native people from the bondage of land with the availability of assorted kind of vehicles. in other words,it mobilized the country. the third industrial revolution is the most prodigious one. it not only gave birth to the thriving it industry, but also exempted a certain number of us from the burden of commuting. owning to the technology of manufacturing chips and optical cables at a relatively low cost, working at home with pajamas and studying at one's own will are now both feasible. you are your own boss now! this causes my recollection of martin luther king's word:'free at last! free at last! thank god almighty, we are free at last'. our society are being electronized.
another effect which can not be neglected is the propulsion of science. our ancestors led a barbarian way of life, and it was only through science and technology that we were extricated from the primitive living patterns. science and technology are interdependent. with the process of popularizing a crucial technology, we human as a whole beget a power, a power giving the technology an opportunity to be practiced and overhauled, with which the inventor or his followers can perfect it and draw scientific theory from it. guided by science, we are no longer disoriented and more purposeful in further pursuing other advanced technologies.
all in all, in the past one hundred years, we have achieved 'unexpected' and conquered 'impossible'. technology has been the cradle of modem civilization.
for all technology ushers in the prosperity of human world,we cannot be too optimistic with the development of it, a proverb reverberate in my heart when i enjoy the benefit from the prosperity of the burgeoning industry and commerce. that is:'no pain, no gain'. what on the earth have we sacrificed for the convenience, comfort and freedom all deriving from technology?
light and lamps extend the daytime, putting more leisure at our disposal as well as stealing our precious resting hours.trains and buses shorten the distance on land, but thousands of people are killed and mutilated each year in traffic accidents.drug and surgeon enormously prolong the expectation of life,however, the abuse of medicine is also staggering. computer and internet transform the earth to a village, meanwhile convenient accesses are offered to hackers. consequently, your health, privacy, even life are constantly endangered. puzzled, we are facing such situation: a bitter fruit in one hand and a delicious one in the other, both from the tree of advanced technology.
what's more, there are more heartbreaking lessons given by history. first, as we all know, the two world wars both deprived thousands of millions of lives, especially the world war ii, which was absolutely ruthless massacre. it was militarists who were the murders, with military technology being their efficient company. since the 1940's, the usage of nuclear energy has been stretched from generator to atomic bomb. even when the enormous power was intended to be utilized for proper and harmless purpose, the deformation of infants born near the site of radiation leak would no doubt be engraved on our mind. besides, a substantial number of innocent people are suffering from various kinds of incurable disease due to water and air pollution, not to mention millions of others and their offspring will never escape from the shadow of unbalanced environment.
the prices are high. as a matter of fact, we have not only paid, but paid a lot. we can't help broaching the question, are they worth it? inevitably, our attitudes towards technology also changed along its progress. there has been more than once that the undertaking of a new technology was in controversy, as the cloning affair cited above. skepticism and resent sometimes dominate our thoughts, as a consequence, we doubt it, deny it, ban it. this seemingly reasonable action cannot afford further deduction. 'everything has two sides.' technology should be regarded as a sword with two blades. with serious consideration,there exists no difficulty to define that its advantages far over weigh its disadvantages. after all, it is not the technology itself that is to blame for, but the souls who wield it. technology itself is neither a blessing nor a curse. we are its master rather than slave. in my point of view, given meticulous and all round contemplation, a new technology can be cautiously put into practice. on the whole, technology is the foundation of our daily life and without it, the grand, prosperous edifice of modem civilization can't be built up.

简 评
技术进步，为人类带来福音，同时也带来许多问题。本文作者用生动的语言、较长的篇幅，进行了精辟分析。他纵论古今，从第一次工业革命谈到第三次工业革命，概述了其对人类的影响，其中不乏精辟之语，如：第一次工业革命，农民成为工人，实现城市化(urbanized the country)；第二次工业革命使人们能借助交通工具的完善，跨越地域界限，实现自由流动(mobilized the country)第三次工业革命影响最为深远(prodigious)，信息产业欣欣向荣，而且使许多人免除了每日上班的辛劳，可以在家里办公，我们的社会实现了电子化(electronized)。技术带来了这么多好处，作者当然顺理成章地断言：技术是现代文明的摇篮(technology has been the cradle“modem civilization)。
但是，作者并未止于描述技术的正面影响，他引述一句谚语“要收获必须经历痛苦”(n。para，no gain)，举出多个例子说明为了获得技术带来的便利和舒适，我们所做出的牺牲：电灯使白天得以延长，却占用了休息时间；火车和汽车缩短了距离，每年却有数千人死于交通事故或致残；药物和外科技术延长了人类生命，滥用药物却产生恶果；电脑和互联网将地球变成一个村庄，却也给黑客大开方便之门。结果是，我们的健康、隐私甚至生命受到威胁。作者用一个比喻形象地说明我们面临的困境：一手是美味之果，一手是苦果，它们却都是先进技术之树的产物(a bitter fruit ln one hand and a delicious one ln the other，both from the tree of advanced technology)。他用两次世界大战的惨痛教训来说明技术带来的恶果。
获得先进技术，却付出高昂的代价，值得吗?每个人都会思考。作者的观点，颇为中肯：技术是一把双刃剑，善者驭之则造福于人，恶者得之会危害世间。总体说来，其利远大于其弊。作者的建议是：对新技术，要在全面考虑其可能影响后，谨慎地付诸应用。
作者用词准确，语言优美，引经据典，显示出深厚扎实的英语功底，是不可多得的佳文。略有不足之处：结构安排不够紧凑，如第七段谈两次世界大战，似可与第六段合为一段，并加以缩减，这样整体结构会更加精炼，不显松散。
(点评教师：何静)