科技是雅思最常见的话题之一。Writing Task 2 会问：人工智能是否削弱人的独立性，儿童是否应该从小使用电子设备，谁从自动化中受益。Speaking Part 3 则把话题引向未来：日常生活会怎样改变，老年人是否被落下，个人数据泄露是否值得担忧？人人都有话可说，但有时连最基本的意思，也容易用错词。
最大的陷阱是 technique。有些学习者用 modern technique 来指笔记本电脑、扫地机器人和智能手机。但在英语中，technique 是方法或技巧：a swimming technique、a drawing technique、a research technique。家中的电器叫 household appliances，电子设备可以叫 devices，机器设备可以用 equipment，而科技的总称是 technology。这个话题还常出现 informations、in the Internet 和 depend from 这些错误。下面通过 26 个搭配说明如何准确谈论科技，逐一解释误用，并展示 LetsWords 如何在你写的句子中找出问题、说明原因。其他话题见雅思话题词汇指南。
科技话题：词汇与搭配
技术进步与设备
| 表达 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| technological advances | 技术上的新进展 | Technological advances have transformed the way we shop and bank. |
| cutting-edge technology | 最新、最先进的技术 | The hospital uses cutting-edge technology to detect cancer earlier. |
| keep up with technology | 跟上技术发展的步伐 | Many older people find it hard to keep up with technology. |
| become obsolete | 过时，逐渐不再使用 | Smartphones become obsolete within just a few years. |
| household appliances | 冰箱、洗衣机等家用电器 | Household appliances have saved families countless hours of housework. |
| labour-saving devices | 减少体力劳动的设备 | Labour-saving devices such as washing machines allowed more people to take paid work. |
| digital devices | 手机、平板电脑、笔记本电脑等数码设备 | Children now spend several hours a day on digital devices. |
互联网与数据
| 表达 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| have access to the internet | 能够上网 | Millions of rural households still do not have access to the internet. |
| a reliable internet connection | 稳定、不易中断的网络连接 | Remote work is impossible without a reliable internet connection. |
| the digital divide | 能够与不能够获取技术的人群之间的差距 | The digital divide became obvious when schools moved online. |
| track users’ online activity | 记录用户在网上的活动 | Many free apps make money by tracking users’ online activity. |
| personal data | 与某个具体个人有关的信息 | Companies should be fined for failing to protect personal data. |
| raise privacy concerns | 引发对隐私的担忧 | Facial recognition cameras raise serious privacy concerns. |
| a data breach | 私密数据被窃取或暴露的事件 | A single data breach can expose the details of millions of customers. |
自动化与人工智能
| 表达 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| artificial intelligence | 能完成需要人类智能的任务的计算机系统 | Artificial intelligence is already used to diagnose some diseases. |
| automate routine tasks | 让机器执行重复性任务 | Software can automate routine tasks such as sorting invoices. |
| replace human workers | 接替原本由人完成的工作 | Machines are more likely to replace human workers in repetitive jobs. |
| make good use of technology | 有效利用技术 | Schools that make good use of technology can personalise learning. |
| AI-powered tools | 运用人工智能的工具 | AI-powered tools can translate a long document in seconds. |
| be prone to error | 容易出错 | Even the most advanced automated systems are prone to error. |
对人的影响
| 表达 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| rely heavily on technology | 高度依赖技术 | We rely so heavily on technology that a power cut can stop a whole city. |
| be dependent on | 依赖某物，离开它就难以应对 | Teenagers are becoming increasingly dependent on their phones. |
| screen time | 看屏幕所花的时间 | Parents often struggle to limit their children’s screen time. |
| face-to-face communication | 面对面交流 | Video calls cannot fully replace face-to-face communication. |
| have a profound impact on | 对……产生深远影响 | The smartphone has had a profound impact on daily life. |
| take technology for granted | 因技术随处可用而不再注意或珍惜它 | We take technology for granted until it stops working. |
如何在作文里连接这些论点，可以参考雅思 Writing 词汇指南中的连接词。
常见错误
Modern technique makes housework much easier.
Modern household appliances make housework much easier. / Modern technology makes housework much easier.
Technique 是做事的方法，不是机器。说机器时，英语有 appliances、devices 和 equipment；说科技整体时，用 technology。详细用法见 technique 练习。
I found this informations in the Internet.
I found this information on the internet.
Information 不可数，既不加 -s，也不加 a。一条信息是 a piece of information。说在网上，用介词 on，与 on TV、on the radio 类似。Internet 的首字母可以大写，也可以小写，但同一篇文章中应保持一致。
People became too depend from their phones.
People have become too dependent on their phones.
Become 后面这里需要形容词 dependent，不能用动词 depend。动词和形容词都搭配 on：depend on、dependent on，不用 from 或 of。
New technologies allow people working remotely.
New technologies allow people to work remotely.
表示让某人做某事，结构是 allow someone to do something。
LetsWords 如何解释这些错误
这类错误对写作者来说往往不明显：modern technique 和 depend from 可能已经读得很顺口。LetsWords 会在你用所学表达造句时指出这些问题。下面是一道练习的过程。
假设你正在复习 replace human workers。LetsWords 用母语提示给出“在工作中取代人”的含义，你回想英文表达，再写一句关于自动化的话：
In the future robots will change human workers in many works.
反馈会解释两个错误：
- change → replace：change 表示使某物发生变化；接替某人的位置，要用 replace；
- in many works → in many jobs：work 表示工作、就业时不可数，而一个具体岗位是一个 job。
In the future, robots will replace human workers in many jobs.
LetsWords 会用母语逐项解释修改，让你明白原来的写法为什么不行，而不只是该换成什么。几天后，这个表达会再次出现在复习中，你需要换一个情境使用它，例如写一篇人工智能在医学中应用的作文。这样，词表中的搭配才会逐渐变成能凭记忆想起、并准确写出的表达。
注册时选择 IELTS 目标和水平，LetsWords 就会为你安排相应练习。付费前可以先体验反馈。
在 Writing Task 2 中使用这些搭配
一道考试风格的题目：
Many everyday tasks, from finding a route to doing calculations, are now handled by smartphones and artificial intelligence. Some people believe this makes people less capable. Is this a positive or negative development?
下面这个段落阐明作者的立场：
In my view, this development is largely positive. When machines automate routine tasks, people can focus on work that requires creativity and judgement. Few of us can calculate square roots by hand, yet few would argue that calculators have made society less intelligent. The same applies to artificial intelligence: the hours it saves can be spent on more complex problems. The real danger is not that we rely heavily on technology, but that we stop understanding how it works. If schools teach children to make good use of technology while still practising basic skills, technological advances will have a profound impact on society, and that impact will be mostly positive.
这个段落为什么有效？它先表明立场，再用表格中的搭配推进论证，而不是装饰文字：automate routine tasks 解释具体改变了什么，rely heavily on technology 点出所讨论的风险，make good use of technology 提出解决方法。计算器的例子具体，也不依赖统计数据。对 Lexical Resource 来说，搭配形式自然；对 Task Response 来说，观点既有支持，也补充了成立的条件。
在 Speaking 中使用
一道 Part 3 问题：Do you think older people are being left behind by technology?
In many cases, yes. Banks and public services are moving online, so anyone who can’t keep up with technology finds everyday tasks harder. And it isn’t only about skills — some older people simply don’t have access to the internet at home, which is a big part of the digital divide. I think the answer is free training, plus keeping at least some services available face to face.
这个回答有立场、两个理由和一个解决办法，正是 Part 3 需要的充分展开。搭配听起来像自然的口语，而不是从词表里硬塞进去的词组。
免费练习
- technique：方法或技巧，不是机器设备；
- data：为分析而收集的事实与数字；
- have access to：能够使用或接触某物；
- rely on：依靠并信任；
- depend on：需要、依赖某物；
- keep up with：跟上……的步伐；
- make use of：利用某物；
- take for granted：因习以为常而忽视某物的价值。
从词表走向实际运用
在表格中认出 household appliances 很容易。考试时能想起它，而不是顺手写出熟悉的 technique，则是另一种需要练习的能力。可以通过 LetsWords 把词表变成实际练习：选择适合水平的 IELTS 词集，再把本页的搭配加入词集，例如 household appliances 或 raise privacy concerns。你根据含义回想表达，用它写一个句子；LetsWords 指出错误，用母语解释修改方法，并建议更准确的说法，间隔重复则安排表达再次出现，让用法逐渐熟练。之后再把词汇放进完整文章中检验：IELTS Writing 专区提供科技话题的 Task 2 题目，涉及人工智能、智能手机、个人数据和儿童使用电子设备；完整回答会得到围绕四项评分标准、结合原文的详细反馈。如果暂时觉得整篇作文负担太大，可以先用短段落做单项标准练习。注册时回答几个关于目标和水平的问题，LetsWords 就会安排练习；付费前可以体验反馈。更多话题见雅思话题词汇指南。