CAE Reading and Use of English Part 6
You are going to read four extracts from internet articles about technology in sports. For questions 37-40, choose from the experts A-D. The experts may be chosen more than once.
Technology in sports
A. Thomas P Benbow
Is technology transforming sport? The verdict is not yet clear. In the high-stakes televised world of football, a continued reluctance by governing bodies to embrace technology that would lead to greater accuracy, and thereby reduce controversial incidents of perceived injustice, has rightly frustrated players, coaches and media pundits. Perhaps the bigger question is, when technology is embraced, does it always have a beneficial result? Again there is ambivalence. With many sports in which people take part actively, such as cycling, giving the sport some room for technological development can keep sponsors coming, provide interest to fans and may prevent the sport from stagnating. Against this, what I term the ‘unintended consequences’ factor must be taken into account. The introduction of headgear in amateur boxing has reduced the severity of head injuries, but it can also give a boxer an increased sense of invulnerability, and therefore encourage boxers to hit harder or defend their heads less.
B. Sylvia Arada
The sport of aero modelling has suggested that performance enhancements to the planes’ design and controls would reduce the technical ability and knowledge required to perform complex manoeuvres. However, when technology is at the heart of the intrinsic appeal of a sport, this is surely difficult to substantiate. I also have my reservations about goal-line technology in football. Recently introduced to improve the judging of outcomes at the top levels of football, this is impractical to implement at all levels. Ironically, this generates another version of unfairness, whereby technology is only available at certain levels of the game only. No less contentious is the issue of protective headgear. When light, strong plastic helmets were brought in in American football, the number of head injuries decreased, but the severity of those that did occur actually rose, as if the new helmets indirectly encouraged potentially dangerous and aggressive tackles.
C. Barrington Wick
My university’s current work includes developing shuttlecocks that fly well in the open air, so that more people can access badminton by playing it outdoors. But I am much less positive about camera-aided technology brought in to help referees make the right decisions. In team sports like football, the role of the referee is intended to be based on the interpretation of rules, on personal discretion and instincts, and this is clearly undermined here. Football is also affected by safety technology. The super-light boots may cause less damage to opponents when contact is made in tackling, but have also reduced the protection available to players’ feet, thereby increasing significantly the number of metatarsal injuries. And with a favourite pastime of mine, innovations such as depth finders and sonar have increased fishing’s popularity but de-skilled the requirement of fish detection and landing. This led to ‘technologically designed handicaps’ by the sport’s governing body to ensure fair play, throwing the sport into confusion.
D. Kamla Pumbaide
With an increased social and cultural emphasis on promotion of health and prevention of injury and illness, innovations such as high-tech shock-absorbing soles in running shoes and release binding in alpine skiing have undoubtedly benefited professional users. But technology isn’t always favourable. It can deter the layman and favour the elite; and I would cite cycling, with its vast industry of gadgets and gizmos, as a case in point. And an issue of great interest to me is the theory of de-skilling which insinuates that a sport is made easier to undertake by the introduction of a technology or product. The Polara golf ball benefited lower-skilled players who had a greater tendency to make mistakes but not higher-skilled golfers who were already adept at making an accurate drive. It essentially de-skilled the game – and was, justifiably in my view, banned.
Which expert …
37 expresses a similar opinion to Arada on whether the use of technology designed to improve fairness in football is worthwhile?
38 expresses a different opinion from Pumbaide on the effect of innovative, performance-improving products on the skill needed by players?
39 expresses a different view from all the others on the effect of technical sportswear on safety in sport?
40 has a similar view to Benbow on whether or not technology is effective at encouraging public participation in sport?
For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary