Over the past few decades, technology has profoundly transformed the way we live and work. The digital revolution has brought about________ changes to industries, economies, and societies worldwide. As we continue to navigate this rapidly changing landscape, it is crucial to understand the ________ impact of technology on various aspects of our lives.

In the realm of employment, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping job markets. Routine tasks that were once carried out by humans are now________ by machines with remarkable efficiency. While this automation has increased productivity and reduced errors, it has also ________ concerns about job displacement and the need for upskilling.

The education sector has not been immune to technological advancements either. Online learning platforms and digital resources have________ traditional classroom settings. This shift offers flexibility in learning, but it also requires learners to possess strong________ skills to navigate digital environments effectively.

Communication has been revolutionized by technology as well. Social media platforms enable instantaneous global________, connecting people across borders. However, the rapid spread of information in the digital age has________ challenges related to misinformation and privacy breaches.

Healthcare has witnessed the integration of technology through telemedicine and remote monitoring. While these innovations improve access to medical services, they also raise questions about the ________ of personal health data and the potential loss of the human touch in patient care.

In the realm of creativity, technology has opened new avenues for artistic expression. Digital art, virtual reality experiences, and interactive storytelling have________ boundaries in the creative world. However, concerns linger about the ________ of originality and the potential loss of tangible artistic experiences.

The environment benefits from technology through innovations in renewable energy and resource management. Yet, the________ footprint of electronic devices and the challenge of electronic waste management underscore the ________ implications of the digital revolution.

In conclusion, technology’s far-reaching influence touches every aspect of our lives. Its ________ can be both empowering and concerning. To navigate this complex landscape, individuals, businesses, and policymakers must work together to harness the potential of technology while addressing its________ challenges.

Whenever Michael Carl, the fashion market director at Vanity Fair, goes out to dinner with friends, he plays something called the “phone stack” game: Everyone _______ their phones in the middle of the table; whoever looks at their device before the check arrives _______ the tab（账单）.

Brandon Holley, the former editor of Lucky magazine, had trouble _______ her mobile phone when she got home from work. So about six months ago, she _______ putting her phone into a milk tin the moment she walked in. It remains there until after dinner. And Mare Jacobs, the fashion designer, didn’t _______ to sleep close to a beeping gadget. So he _______ digital devices from his bedroom — a house rule he _______ with audiences during a recent screening of Disconnect, a film that shows how technology has alienated(使疏远) people from one another.

As smart phones _______ to make their way into our lives, and wearable devices like Google Glass _______ to destroy our personal space even further, overtaxed users are carving out their own device-free zones. Whether it’s a physical ________ (no ipads at the dinner table) or a conceptual one (turn off devices by 11 p.m.), users say these disconnecting ________ are improving their relationships.

“Disconnecting is a luxury that we all ________,” said Lesley M. M. Blume, a New York writer who keeps her phone away from the dinner table at home. “The expectation that we must always be ________ to employers, colleagues and family: it creates a real problem in trying to ________ private time. But that private time is more important than ever.”

A popular method for disconnecting is to choose a box for your cellphone, like the milk tin that Ms. Holley uses. “________ my phone is buzzing or lighting up, it’s still a distraction, so it ________ in the box.” said Ms. Holley. Others choose new ________. “No screens after 11 p.m.” said Ari. Melber, a TV host. “Now evenings are more ________ and I am sleeping better.” he added.

Sleep is a big factor, which is why some ________ to leave their phones out of their bedrooms. “I don’t want to sleep next to something full of photos and emails.” said Peter Som, a fashion designer, who keeps his phone plugged in in the living room overnight. “It ________ is a head­clearer and distinguishes daytime and sleep time.”

Who cares if people think wrongly that the Internet has had more important influences than the washing machine? Why does it matter that people are more impressed by the most _______ changes? It would not matter if these misjudgments were just a matter of people’s opinions. However, they have real impacts, as they result in _______ use of scarce resources.

The eager embrace of the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) revolution, represented by the Internet, has made some rich countries wrongly conclude that making things is so “yesterday” that they should try to live on _______.This belief in “post-industrial society” has led those countries to _______ their manufacturing sector(制造业)with negative consequences for their economies.

Even more worryingly, the _______ with the Internet by people in rich countries has moved the international community to worry about the “digital _______” between the rich countries and the poor countries. This has led companies and individuals to donate money to developing countries to buy computer equipment and Internet facilities. The question,_______,is whether this is what the developing countries need the most.Perhaps giving money for those less _______ things such as digging wells,extending electricity networks and making more affordable washing machines would have improved people’s lives more than giving every child a laptop computer or setting up Internet centers in rural villages. I am not saying that those things are necessarily more important, but these generous donators don’t seem to give priority to people’s _______ needs. Rather, they have rushed into fancy programs without carefully assessing the relative long-term costs and benefits of ________ uses of their money.

In yet another example,an obsession with the new has led people to believe that the latest changes in the technologies of communications and transportation are so revolutionary that now we live in a “borderless world”. ________,in the last twenty years or so,many people have come to believe that whatever change is happening today is the result of great technological progress,going against which will be like trying to turn the clock back.Believing in such a world,many governments have ________ some of the very necessary regulations on cross-border flows of capital,labor and goods,with poor results.

Understanding technological trends is very important for ________ designing economic policies, both at the national and the international levels, and for making the right career choices at the ________ level. However, our blind faith in the latest, and our ________ of what has already become common, can, and has, led us in all sorts of wrong directions.