Vocabulary 

1. Enthrall (verb)
/ɛnˈθrɔːl/ :to fascinate; to captivate
Ex: He knows how to enthrall the audience when he gives a speech.

2. Evolution (n)
/ˌɛvəˈluːʃən/: the gradual development of something
Ex: Charles Darwin developed the theory of Evolution.

3. Interface (n)
/ˈɪntərfeɪs/:something a user of a device can control and interact with
Ex: Our user interface needs some serious adjustments.

4. Contemporary (adj)
/kənˈtɛmpəˌrɛriː/: modern
Ex: He is into contemporary music.

5. Intergral (adj)
/ɪntɪɡr(ə)l/: essential or fundamental
Ex: Mathematics is an integral part of the curriculum.

6. Upload (verb)
/ʌpˈləʊd/: to transfer data from a computer to another storage location (such as a computer or the internet)
Ex: He uploaded all the pictures on his Facebook.



Reading


Humanity has always been enthralled with the possibility of capturing the moment, especially those of importance or exquisite beauty. Nowadays, cameras enable us to do exactly that. We have witnessed a rapid evolution in the digital era; everybody is familiar with cameras, and the vast majority of people can use them with great proficiency.

Different companies that manufacture cameras have been developing more user-friendly interfaces to make their products more appealing to potential customers. Competition between companies has given consumers a wide variety of options when purchasing a camera. With prices for basic models reducing every year, it should come as no surprise that cameras have become an integral part of contemporary society.

Security agencies, for example, have found cameras to be a reliable monitoring system for recording people and events. The usage of cameras has definitely made a remarkable leap forward in the realm of social media, as well as mass media.

Some lesser-known facts related to cameras:

  • The world's first digital camera was designed by Kodak in 1975.
  • The word "camera" is derived from the latin phrase, “camera obscura”, which can be translated to “dark chamber”.
  • The first ever color photograph was taken by a physicist named James Clark Maxwell in 1861.
  • An average of 300 million photos are uploaded to Facebook every single day.


1. According to the article, what do security agencies use cameras for?

2. hen was the world's first digital camera designed?

3. Who took the first ever color photograph?


Discussion

“Your most important gear is your eye, heart and soul.” - Marius Vieth


1. Do you think people are too reliant on technology to "capture the moment"? Why? Why not?

2. Do you think tourists spend too much time taking photographs while travelling?



Further discussion

1. Do you have a camera? Describe it.

2. Do you prefer digital or traditional cameras? Explain your answer

3. Can you imagine the world without cameras? How would it be different?

4. What do you think about selfies?

5. Has anyone ever encroached on your privacy by using a camera? How often do you let others take photographs of you?