Technology and Living Advanced: Application and Exam Skills
FoundationThis lesson covers two applied life skills and one set of exam strategies: reading nutrition labels on prepackaged food and comparing contents on a unified basis for smart choices; understanding how natural and man-made fibres differ and choosing materials by use; plus answering strategies for comparison and data questions demonstrated in steps and a worked example.
- Check the label basis — per hundred grams or per serving — and convert before comparing.
- Labels are tools for choice by need; the items compared differ from person to person.
- Natural fibres absorb moisture and feel comfortable; man-made fibres dry fast and endure; blends balance both.
文體小知識：科技知識說明文——示範如何讀懂營養標籤並以統一基準比較產品，說明天然與人造纖維的特性差異與選料方法，再訓練比較題與資料題的作答策略。
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1Prepackaged foods carry nutrition labels listing energy and the contents of core nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat and sodium. Labels let consumers compare products and choose by need, making them a key tool for smart consumption. The first step in reading a label is to check the reference basis: per hundred grams, or per serving.
2Comparing contents requires a unified basis: if one product states values per hundred grams and another per pack, the figures cannot be compared directly and must first be converted. With the basis aligned, compare by personal need — sodium if salt matters, energy if intake matters — and watch items such as fat. Choice is individual; lower is not automatically better.
3Textile fibres come from two sources: natural fibres from plants and animals — cotton and linen from plants, silk and wool from animals — and man-made fibres from chemical raw materials, commonly nylon and polyester. Source determines structure, structure determines properties, and properties determine use and care. This causal chain is the backbone of studying clothing.
4Comparing properties is the key to application: cotton and linen absorb moisture, breathe and feel soft but crease and dry slowly; silk and wool are warm and refined but need careful handling; polyester and nylon are strong, abrasion-resistant, quick-drying and non-iron but absorb less moisture. Real products often blend fibres to balance properties — a cotton-polyester school shirt balances comfort and easy care.
5For examinations, this lesson trains comparison and data questions. Comparison questions must set criteria first and contrast both sides item by item — never praise only one side; data questions start from the title, source and units, then circle keywords and match concepts. Tie properties to uses, explaining polyester sportswear by quick-drying, to show applied understanding.
1Summary 重點摘要
This lesson covers two applied life skills and one set of exam strategies: reading nutrition labels on prepackaged food and comparing contents on a unified basis for smart choices; understanding how natural and man-made fibres differ and choosing materials by use; plus answering strategies for comparison and data questions demonstrated in steps and a worked example.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The panel on prepackaged food stating energy and core nutrient contents.
The per-occasion amount used as a label basis, from which intake is converted.
The main component of salt whose content is declared on labels.
The fat figure declared on labels, commonly used for comparison.
Fibre obtained directly from plants or animals, such as cotton, linen, silk and wool.
Fibre produced from chemical raw materials, such as nylon and polyester.
Spinning two or more fibre types together to combine their properties.
A fabric's ability to take up sweat and moisture.
A common man-made fibre that is strong, quick-drying and non-iron.
A strong, abrasion-resistant man-made fibre used in sportswear and stockings.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: What a nutrition label containsA nutrition label lists energy and several core nutrients, and states its basis: per hundred grams of food or per serving. Read the basis before the numbers, or the figures will mislead. For example, a pack of biscuits eaten over several sittings states values per serving; taking one glance and treating it as the whole pack underestimates intake — confirm the basis first, then convert to the amount actually eaten.
- Step 2: Comparing products on one basisBefore comparing two products, convert their values to the same basis, then choose comparison items by your own need. Conversion uses simple proportion, turning per-serving values into per-hundred-gram values or the reverse. For example, brand A states values per hundred grams while brand B states them per small pack; convert B's figures by pack weight before comparing, or the conclusion may reverse — a classic trap in data questions that demands extra care.
- Step 3: Choosing by need with labelsA label is a tool for choice, not a score sheet: the same product means different things to different people, and choice must fit personal needs within an overall balanced diet. For example, when choosing everyday biscuits, compare sodium and fat across products and pick the lower one; after sport, when energy needs topping up, a moderately energy-rich but balanced food may suit better. Answers must state the items compared and the reasons, not just 'because it is healthier'.
- Step 4: Telling natural from man-made fibresNatural fibres come from plants and animals: cotton and linen are plant fibres, silk and wool animal fibres; man-made fibres are made from chemical raw materials, commonly nylon and polyester. Distinguish them by source and feel, but the reliable way is the fibre-content statement on the garment label. For example, a cotton shirt absorbs moisture and feels soft but creases, while a polyester shirt holds its shape and needs no ironing yet feels stuffier — the same garment type, entirely different properties, all because of fibre source.
- Step 5: Comparing fibre properties and careCompare fibres with criteria: moisture absorbency, breathability, strength and abrasion resistance, drying speed and ease of care. Cotton and linen absorb moisture and breathe but crease and need ironing; polyester and nylon are strong, quick-drying and non-iron but absorb less moisture and melt near flame. For example, summer school shirts are often cotton-polyester blends, pairing cotton's absorbent comfort with polyester's neatness without ironing; a pure wool sweater needs gentle washing and flat drying, with clearly higher care demands before purchase.
- Step 6: Choosing fabric by useAnswering material-choice questions runs from use to properties, then to fibre: first list what the use demands of the fabric, then select the fibre or blend that meets it, and finally note care and cost. For example, for sports-day class shirts, heavy sweating calls for moisture management and quick drying, and constant activity calls for durability and lightness, so polyester or a polyester-led blend fits; for everyday home wear, comfort leads and cotton suits better — change the use, change the fabric.
- Step 7: Strategies for comparison and data questionsComparison questions in three steps: set criteria, contrast item by item, then conclude by use — never describe only one side. Data questions in three steps: read the title, source and units, circle keywords, then match concepts. For example, for 'compare cotton and polyester and give a use for each', write that cotton absorbs moisture and suits summer shirts while polyester dries fast and resists wear and suits sportswear — criteria, contrast and use all present, covering both sides for a complete comparison answer.
5Worked example Example
Example question: The class committee is ordering class shirts for sports day. Some classmates prefer pure cotton, others polyester. Compare the two fibres and recommend a choice for this use.
- Set criteria: moisture management, drying speed, durability, ease of care and price.
- Contrast item by item: cotton absorbs moisture and feels comfortable but dries slowly and creases; polyester dries quickly, resists wear and needs no ironing, but absorbs less moisture.
- Judge by use: on sports day sweating is heavy and activity constant, so quick-drying durability matters more — polyester or a polyester-led blend fits.
- Offer a middle way: a cotton-polyester blend balances comfort and easy care at a moderate price — a compromise choice.
- Answer: For sports-day needs, polyester or a polyester-led blend is recommended: it dries quickly, resists wear and needs no ironing, coping better with heavy sweating and frequent washing; if feel matters, a cotton-polyester blend offers absorbency plus easy care. Structure the answer as criteria, item-by-item contrast, then a conclusion by use — saying only 'cotton is comfortable' or 'polyester is durable' without linking to use is incomplete.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Why must the label basis be checked first?
Q2Name two natural fibres and two man-made fibres.
Q3What are the merits and care drawbacks of cotton?
Q4Which properties make polyester suitable for sportswear?
Q5What are the three steps of a comparison answer?
8Recap Recap
- Check the label basis — per hundred grams or per serving — and convert before comparing.
- Labels are tools for choice by need; the items compared differ from person to person.
- Natural fibres absorb moisture and feel comfortable; man-made fibres dry fast and endure; blends balance both.
- Material choice runs from use to properties, then from properties to fibre.
- Comparison answers: criteria, contrast, conclusion; data questions start from titles and units.