This is a PPT about reading skills

1. Reinforcing Critical Reading Skills

2. Agenda
• Importance
• Tips
• Evidence
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarising
• Purpose
• Tone
• Inference
• Bias
• Evidences/examples
• Vocabulary
• References

3. Importance
• Critical reading is essential in college because:
• 1- it allows you to evaluate what you read and be skeptical about it
rather than just accepting it.
• 2- if you can question a text, then you can form your opinion which
allows you to generate new ideas.
• 3- It allows you to know the weak texts from the formal, academic
ones as academic ones will have arguments supported by evidences.

4. Tips
• Skim the article first: read the title, first and last sentences of each paragraph, the
introduction paragraph to know the main idea of the text, the author’s reason for writing it,
and their attitude/feeling towards the topic.
• Start reading carefully.
• After you finish a paragraph, write its main idea beside it; this will help you locate
information easily.
• Do not stop if there is a difficult word, read the full sentence to understand the full meaning.
• Focus on words like unfortunately, luckily, then again, on the positive/negative side etc...
These words often determines the attitude of the author.
• Focus of the underlined/bold words; determine if they are singular or plural; this will help in
the vocabulary question.
• When the author mentions an evidence/proof to strengthen his argument, highlight it as this
will help you extract evidences
• Focus on quotes and other articles mentioned in the text.

5. Hands-on
• Read the following article about Technological Unemployment and apply the tips
in the last slide (double-click the article below and scroll down to read)).
• Do not attempt to answer the questions yet, just look at them.
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature of
technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the constant
drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind according to many)
that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the modern-day societies.
However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this technological impact on jobs has
many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the increased
mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar dilemmas,
although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent World
Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs will be
replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and Society, adding
that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing education of their
employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor markets across many of
the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large workforce like India and
China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all projected to undergo similar
transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and ASEAN face significant rates of
labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However, short-
run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar short-
term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It noted that
many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology has certainly
reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly. But will it all

6. Evidence
• If you notice, all the questions ask you to provide an evidence.
• What is an evidence? the proof that you provide FROM THE TEXT to
support your answer
• It can be: expert testimony, quoting authorities, facts, figures, and
statistics, direct quotations, Examples, anecdotes, graphic
illustrations, fictional scenarios, imagery, (Conley, Frees, & McCall,
2019).
• Can be full sentences, phrases (incomplete sentences), or words.

7. Example
• What is the purpose of the author here? Provide evidence.
• “Plants and trees in the Amazon absorb CO2 from the air through photosynthesis,
and convert it into oxygen. James Randerson from the University of California,
Irvine, told Newsweek: “The Amazon is a carbon sink, which slows the rate of
carbon dioxide build up in the atmosphere, and thus climate warming.” (Sewell,
2019)
• Your answer: the author’s purpose is to inform us about the role that the Amazon
plays in our lives. This is highlighted by the university professor who said that the
Amazon decelerates the CO2 level in the air and this helps reduce climate
warming (p.1, l.4). Evidence

8. Important Tips
• After mentioning the evidence, add the paragraph number and the
line/s number in a bracket
• E.g. (p.1, l.3)
• For several lines (p.2, l. 2-5)
• DO NOT copy the evidence from the text, quote, paraphrase or
summarise it.

9. Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarising
• “one of the first nations to close schools, restrict international travel and
promote hand-washing and face masks was Mongolia.” (Gallagher, 2020)
Quoting Paraphrasing Summarising
1- quotation marks are used “…..”
2- no change in text
e.g.
... “one of the first nations to close
schools, restrict international travel and
promote hand-washing and face masks
was Mongolia.” (p.2, l.6)
1- do not change the meaning, only
change the words.
2- roughly the same size as the text
3- do not omit any detail.
e.g.
… Mongolia closed schools, encouraged
washing hands and wearing face masks
and banned travelling in and out of the
country earlier than other nations (p.2,
l.6).
1- do not change the meaning, change
the words.
2- mention only the main idea
3- omit details
e.g.
… Mongolia acted early to protect its
citizens from the pandemic (p.2, l.6).

10. Purpose
• The author’s reason for writing the text.
• To inform? Stating facts, theories, studies, etc… about the topic.
• E.g. text books, scientific articles, encyclopedias
• To entertain? mentioning jokes, anecdotes, stories, etc…
• E.g. stories, plays, funny social media posts
• To persuade? Mentioning only one side/point of view of a topic
• E.g. political newspapers, speeches
• To explain? warn? anger? highlight? question? motivate? sadden? ridicule?
attack? defend?

11. How To Answer The Purpose Question
• Answer form: to + verb + idea + evidence
• Example: what is the author’s purpose? Provide evidence.
• “Deforestation and forests’ wild fire affect the carbon cycle in two ways. First, there is a direct
release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Second, the loss of forest reduces the ability of
the forest as a whole to absorb carbon. More forest fires in the Amazon will accelerate the
buildup of greenhouse gases and we will have higher levels of global warming.” (Sewell, 2019)
• Answer: the author’s purpose here is to inform the audience about the effect of deforestation
and wild fire as he says that carbon dioxide will be discharged into the atmosphere and the
forests ability to absorb it will decrease (p.4, l.1-3). He also wants to warn us against the effect of
deforestation and wild fire by saying the more the fire in the Amazon, the more greenhouse
gases, causing more global warming (p.4, l.3-4)

12. Exercise
• Read the Technological Unemployment article one more time and
attempt to answer the purpose question.
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human tale nt is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

13. Tone
• The attitude/feeling of the author towards the topic.
• Deduced from: the choice of words and phrases (diction), the
organization of the sentences or the whole text (syntax), and the
author’s point of view about the topic (Conley, Frees, & McCall, 2019).
• To answer this question, use adjectives as you are describing the
attitude/feeling of the author

14. • Angry
• Sad
• Sentimental
• Sharp
• Cold
• Fanciful (imaginative)
• Upset
• Urgent
• Complimentary
• Silly
• Joking
• Condescending (superior)
• Boring
• Poignant (painful)
• Sympathetic
• Afraid
• Detached (disinterested)
• Contemptuous (insulting)
• Happy
• Confused
• Apologetic
• Hollow (empty)
• Childish
• Humorous
• Joyful
• Peaceful
• Horrific
• Allusive (indirect)
• Mocking
• Sarcastic
• Sweet
• Objective
• Nostalgic (remembering the
past)
• Vexed (problematic)
• Vibrant (lively)
• Zealous (passionate)
• Tired
• Frivolous (carefree)
• Irreverent (disrespectful)
• Bitter (dissatisfied)
• Audacious (unafraid)
• Benevolent (kind)
• Dreamy (imaginative)
• Shocking
• Restrained (reserved)
• Somber (dark)
• Candid (honest)
• Proud
• Giddy (off-balance)
• Pitiful (sympathetic)
• Dramatic
• Didactic (educational)

15. How To Answer The Tone Question
• Answer form: adjective + idea + evidence
• What is the author’s tone here? Provide evidence
“Scientists believe less than half of one percent of the Amazon’s flowering plant species have been
studied in detail for medicinal purposes. While it continues to be destroyed, our future knowledge
in this area could be under threat.” (Sewell, 2019)
Answer: the author is afraid/unsure about humanity’s future in the field of making medicine
because of the Amazon’s destruction. This is highlighted when he said only less than one percent of
the plants there were studied (p.5,l.1-2). Also, it is apparent when he said “our future knowledge in
this area could be under threat.” (p.5,l.2-3).

16. Hands-on
• Return back to the Technological Unemployment article and answer the tone question.
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human talent is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

17. Inference (deduction)
• Meaning: to “read between the lines, make connections, and draw
conclusions about the text’s meaning and purpose.” (Conley, Frees, &
McCall, 2019, p. 22).
• You have to deduce/infer the meaning behind the words, not write
the same meaning/words again

18. Imagine
• Imagine you witness the following unrelated situations—what can
you infer about each one?
• 1. You see a woman pushing a baby stroller down the street.
• She is a mother or someone who is taking care of a baby; there is a
baby in the stroller.
• 2. You are at a corner and see two cars on the road, and the driver in
second care starts honking his horn.
• The first driver is driving slowly or suddenly stopped.
• (Conley, Frees, & McCall, 2019, p. 22).

19. Example
• Answer form: Inferred idea + evidence
• What can you infer from this paragraph? Provide evidence.
• “According to Janet Sanz, Barcelona’s deputy mayor, cities that have grown
dependent on tourism are paying the price for having a one-sided economy now”
(Burgen & Giuffrida, 2020).
• Answer: I can infer that cities should not depend on one thing to provide for their
citizens. This is clear when the author said “are paying the price for having a one-
sided economy” which means they should diversify their economy not depend
only on tourism (p.2, l.2).

20. Hands-on
• Answer the inference question in the Technological Unemployment article
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human tale nt is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

21. Bias
• Meaning: the author prefers/takes one side of the topic over the
other, NOT objective.
• Sometimes authors will completely ignore the other side of a topic or
mention it minimally. This is bias.

22. Advertisements
• “From Nature with Love and Technology
• Fresh and Tasty
• Safe and Healthy
• Straight from a self-flowing spring
• Processed and Bottled with modern, hygienic high technology equipment.
• The most unique product
• AQUA - natural mountain spring water” (Oka, n.d., 1.39)
• This advertisement is a clear example of bias; the author only mentions the
advantages of the product.

23. Example
• Answer form: biased for/against or unbiased + idea + evidence
• Is the author biased/unbiased in this paragraph? Provide evidence.
• “As in Barcelona, much of Venetians’ hatred towards tourists has focused on the giant cruise ships. “After the
pandemic, we no longer live in fear of the monsters crashing,” said Matteo Secchi, who leads the activist group,
Venessia. “We are against big ships and have always said we need a solution” (Burgen & Giuffrida, 2020).
Answer: the author is biased for the idea of his city without tourists as he quoted a
citizen who said that the citizens no longer live in fear that these ships will crash on
the city’s coast which means that the city and the citizens are better without them.
(p.6, l.2).
Answer: the author is biased against tourism and tourists coming to his city as he
quoted Matteo Secchi, a Venetian citizen, who said “we are against big ships and
have always said we need a solution.” (p.6, l.3)

24. Example
• Is the author biased/unbiased in this paragraph? Provide evidence.
• Xavier Marcé, the Barcelona councilor responsible for tourism, said “There are people who think that the city
is magnificent the way it is, without tourists, but they may change their view when the state stops paying 80%
of their salary in September and unemployment goes up to 18%.” (Burgen & Giuffrida, 2020).
• Answer: the author is unbiased here towards the idea of tourists or tourism as
he quotes the Barcelona councilor stating an advantage of not having tourists
as people think that the city is magnificent without them, but also he stated
the disadvantages as the salaries will stop and unemployment will increase
(p.7, l.2-3).

25. Hands-on
• Return back to the Technological Unemployment article and answer the bias question.
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human tale nt is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

26. Evidences/examples
• Just as you need to use evidence/s to prove your answers, the author
needs to give examples and evidences to support his point of
view/position/argument/claim.
• In this question, you will be asked to identify the author’s position/point
of view and paraphrase/summarise the evidences/examples that he
mentions to support it.

27. Example
• Answer form: author’s point of view/position/argument/claim +
evidence/examples paraphrased/summarized
• Summarise the evidences the author uses to support his claim.
• “The Amazon Rainforest is important to the planet for many different reasons. Primarily, it is important
because of the role it plays in regulating CO2 emissions and producing oxygen. The Amazon is often
described as the “lungs of the planet”, and it is thought that the it produces some 20 percent of the world’s
oxygen supplies. In addition, the rainforest is where we find many of the sources we use for making
medicine. Also, it is home to more than 2000 species of animals. Many endangered species are at risk from
the long-term impact of Amazon Rainforest fires.” (Sewell, 2019)
• Answer: the author says that the Amazon is important to the planet because
it controls the CO2 in our atmosphere and produce 20% of the O2 that we
need. Also, it houses a lot of the plants that we require in order to make
medicine. Moreover, more than 2000 species of animals live there and many
of them face extinction because of the wild fires (Sewell,2019).

28. Hands-on
• Answer the arguments question (3rd question) in the Technological Unemployment article
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human tale nt is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

29. Vocabulary (Pronouns)
• Pronouns are used to refer to (point to) nouns.
• You will be asked to identify the nouns that the bold pronouns refer
to.

30. Example
• “4Tourism will be completely different,” she said. “Not all tourists will travel like
they used to. And those who do travel may want to do so in a calmer way, maybe
they will see less but enjoy the experience more.” (Burgen & Giuffrida, 2020)
• Question: what do the following pronouns refer to?
• They (paragraph 4, line 3)
• Answer:
• They: the tourists

31. Hands-on
• Answer the pronouns question in the Technological Unemployment Article
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human talent is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

32. Technological Unemployment Answer Key
• Check the answers and compare them with yours
Suggested W
armer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuTo1l6W4Hw
The Real Picture of Technological
Unemployment
With many studies projecting a pessimistic future where technology would automate most
human jobs, a recent World Bank report paints a clearer picture of the complicated nature
of technological unemployment.
1
The advancement of technology and the restructuring of human lives around technology has been one of the
constant drivers of change across history. But it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution (the first of its kind
according to many) that the concept of jobs found its roots and since then has become a relevant part of the
modern-day societies. However, today, jobs are increasingly becoming dependent on technology, and this
technological impact on jobs has many speculating on what the future holds.
2
Much like the Luddite movement which took over parts of Britain in the 19th century—a revolt against the
increased mechanization of cotton mills and the fear of mass job loss—the current global workforce faces similar
dilemmas, although without the violent disposition. But the threat to jobs is not completely unfounded. A recent
World Economic Forum report1 highlighted the concern that leading up to 2025, almost half of the current jobs
will be replaced by machines, with Saadia Zahidi, the head of the WEF’s Center for the New Economy and
Society, adding that companies had "a moral and economic imperative" to invest in retraining and continuing
education of their employees. Reports have projected major job displacement and restructuring of the labor
markets across many of the developed economies across North America and Europe. Even in nations with a large
workforce like India and China, albeit different in terms of labor market structures and education levels, are all
projected to undergo similar transitions. Even other regional blocks like the Eastern European countries and
ASEAN face significant rates of labor displacement across key sectors like manufacturing.
3
But as it is with many of human endeavors, predicting the future comes with its own uncertainty. However,
short-run phenomena often are marked with fluctuations that affect the course of long-term projections. A similar
short-term trend was noticed by the World Bank in a report on automation and the changing nature of work. It
noted that many of the fear regarding jobs being taken away by robots were currently “unfounded.” Technology
has certainly reformed traditional job structures and skill preferences are adapting to such changes quite rapidly.
But will it all lead to the point where eventually human tale nt is replaced across portfolios? The World Bank

33. References
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• Conley, K., Frees, M., & McCall, D. (2019). Foundations of Analytical
Reading. Big Rapids, USA: Ferris State University.
• Gallagher, J. (2020, August, 10th). Coronavirus: Is The World Winning The
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• Oka, D. (n.d.). Critical Reading Skills. Retrieved from
http://repository.ut.ac.id/3854/2/PBIS4309-M1.pdf
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Important? What Endangered Animals Live In Amazon?. Express.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1187217/amazon-rainforest-fires-
why-is-amazon-important-what-endangered-animals-live-amazon