UNIT 12 Audioscript

CONNECT to the topic page 112 WATCH the lecture page 116
Host: Welcome to Tech Talk. Today we’re talking with Professor Colin Edwards: E01 In Information
data scientist Sonia Chen. I’d like to start by talking Technology, we often talk about data. Today, I’d like to
about data. We know that in general, data means talk about “big data.” As you know, data simply means
“information.” But what exactly is digital data? information or facts about a person or a topic. So, then
Data scientist Sonia Chen: By digital data we mean what is big data? Big data means groups of data that
information stored digitally—that is, stored by are very large or very complex. Today I’d like to focus
computers. on three aspects of this topic. First, the ways that big
data is collected and stored. Second, some everyday
Host: So how do we measure digital data? For
uses of big data. And third, some concerns about
example, data is measured in “bytes.” But what
using big data, especially privacy concerns. E02 First,
exactly does that mean?
the collection process. All kinds of data are collected
Chen: A byte is a unit of data that is large enough to all the time. But who is collecting this data? Well,
store one character—for example, one letter of the banks collect information about their customers’
alphabet, such as a, b, or c. credit card purchases. Insurance companies collect
Host: OK, that’s pretty small! information about their patients’ visits to the doctor.
Chen: Right. Which is why we usually use larger units Internet providers collect information about what
to measure data. For example, one megabyte is over websites you visit. Entertainment companies collect
1|million bytes. Or about the amount of information information about what music you listen to and what
in one medium-sized book. movies and TV programs you watch. And the list goes
on and on. What you do, what you buy, what you like,
Host: I see.
even who you like—it’s all collected by someone.
Chen: And gigabyte is about 1,000 times bigger—1,024 E03 Information becomes data when we save it—
megabytes, to be exact. when we store it for future use. How do we store
Host: Whoa. What are some larger units of measure? data? We store it through digitization, which means
Chen: Next is a terabyte. So if a megabyte is equal to converting or changing information, including images
one book, one terabyte is equal to about the amount and sounds, into byte streams—which are sequences
of information you’d find in ALL the books in a large of bytes. E04 Once the data is stored in byte streams,
library. we can then use special software programs to access
and analyze it—to find patterns and create models.
Copyright © 2017 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Host: And is that the biggest?

Because of the power of computer technology, all of
Chen: No, no. It keeps going up, multiplied each time this data can be compared in many, many ways. And
by 1,024—or 2 to the 10th power. So next is a petabyte guess what? This creates new data. More and more
and exabyte and zettabyte. All the way up to a data every moment. In fact, the amount of data in
yottabyte, which is, well, it’s really, really big. the world is increasing all of the time. Some say the
Host: OK, now that’s a lot of data! amount of data doubles—increases two times— every
two years. E05 Now, let’s look at some uses of data.
Maybe you’re thinking, “So, there’s a lot of data in
FOCUS your attention page 115 the world. So what?” Well, one way to look at big data
Speaker: And how much data do we use? It’s easy is to consider the potential benefits for individuals.
to use a lot with out realizing it. For example, when You may not realize it, but our lives are affected
I woke up this morning, I went to the gym and by big data every day—probably in some ways you
streamed some music on my favorite music site. I don’t even think about. For example, when I woke up
listened for about 30 minutes during my workout. And this morning, I made coffee and then checked the
that used about 900 megabytes of data. After the gym, weather. I wanted to know: Is it going to rain? Should
while I was on my way home, I checked my email I take my umbrella? And, thanks to big data, I saw
on my phone. I had about 25 messages. Too many, that yes, the forecast called for rain. Forecasts come
right? But downloading those, that was only about from weather scientists who collect large amounts of
7 megabytes. Not too bad. Another thing I had to do weather data—like temperature changes and cloud
was make several video calls—for a total of about movement—analyze it with computers and then
30|minutes. And that used almost 8,000 megabytes. look for weather patterns, all so they can accurately
Eight thousand! So these are some everyday ways that predict the weather. And yes, help us make decisions.
we use data. And clearly, each activity uses a different And then this morning I checked the news on my
amount of data. tablet. And guess what? My favorite news website had

Contemporary Topics 1 Unit 12 Audioscript 1

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 topics and stories that interest me. How? Because it 8 Every time we use our phones, make a credit
analyzes the reading patterns of thousands of other card purchase, or surf the web, we leave a trail of
people using their website and finds stories that evidence.
interest people like me. Oh, and it also tells me what 9 Same thing when you apply for a credit card, or
my friends are reading because it knows who my insurance, or a loan.
friends are. That’s a little weird, right? But, yes, it’s
10 But is this fair? Who can collect this data? Who
also helpful for me—it helps me learn things. Another
can use this data? And is the information about
thing I wanted to do this morning was plan a trip.
you accurate?
So I visited my favorite travel website. I entered the
information about where and when I want to go. And
the website quickly found the best available flights TALK about the topic page 119
and hotels with the lowest prices. With just a few
Shelley: So, big data. It’s a big topic. There’s a lot to
clicks, and before I’d finished my morning coffee,
think about. But one thing really stood out to me. And
my trip was planned—all using big data. Another
that was the amount of big data we use every day. We
benefit for me—it saves time. After I booked my trip,
use big data all the time! Were you guys surprised by
I checked the map app on my phone to plan my trip
anything?
to the airport. I entered the day and time I planned
to go. Then big data analyzed the traffic patterns Kenzie: Well, I was.
and told me the best route to the airport from my Shelley: Yeah? What surprised you?
house and how much time it should take me to get Kenzie: The variety—all those examples. The
there. So I won’t have to worry about being late. And weather, the news stories, airplane flights, maps. I
that helps me too: less stress. E06 So those are some never knew it was all big data.
everyday uses of big data and some ways that big data
Ben: Yeah, and what surprised me was how the
helps us in our everyday lives. And clearly, big data
lecturer really focused on all the positive, helpful
does have benefits. But we also pay a price for these
ways that big data helps us day to day.
benefits. Big data is following us. And our right to
privacy is in danger. Every time we use our phones, Hugh: Yeah. Me, too. That was interesting.
make a credit card purchase, or surf the web, we Shelley: What do you mean?
leave a trail of evidence. Same thing when you apply Ben, Hugh: Who? Me?
for a credit card, or insurance, or a loan. When you
Shelley: Ben, what do you mean “helpful ways”?
apply for a job or for a school. You’re leaving a trail.
And data collectors are following it. Our trail can be Ben: So, like, I knew all the dangers of big data, like,
captured, stored, and “mined.” Data “miners” can privacy issues, but I never really thought about the
look into our personal lives, and they can also share positives.
this information. But is this fair? Who can collect this Shelley: That’s a good point. It can be positive or
data? Who can use this data? And is the information negative. Hugh, what about you? What impressed

Copyright © 2017 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
about you accurate? These are some of the “big you?
concerns” about big data. Hugh: The thing that impressed me was, like you said,
the amount of data. And how fast it grows. It increases
HEAR the language page 118 more and more each year. And so I wonder, when will
we have enough data? Or will we ever have enough?
1 Well, banks collect information about their
customers’ credit card purchases. Insurance Ben: Right, I mean the amount of data, just growing
companies collect information about their all the time—that just blows my mind.
patients’ visits to the doctor. Internet providers Kenzie: And it’s kind of creepy. Like probably right
collect information about what websites you visit. now this online study session, someone’s collecting
2 And the list goes on and on. data on it. So we’re all becoming a part of big data.
3 What you do, what you buy, what you like, even
who you like—it’s all collected by someone.
4 Information becomes data when we save it—when
we store it for future use.
5 Once the data is stored in byte streams, we can
then use special software programs to access and
analyze it—to find patterns and create models.
6 This creates new data. More and more data every
moment.
7 Forecasts come from weather scientists who
collect large amounts of weather data—like
temperature changes and cloud movement.

2 Contemporary Topics 1 Unit 12 Audioscript

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