​Estonia – the Country of the Future (Present Passive)

Level: B1

Estonia is considered to be the country of the future. Nearly everything in Estonia is digitized. Estonia is called the Silicon Valley of Europe. 44% of Skype employees are located here. The public services are accessed at any time via internet. Taxes are paid in 3 minutes. Information on energy consumption is viewed online. Online voting is introduced and the state spending is reduced. Digital IDs are given to every Estonian. Data about the person’s health and finances is stored on it. Hospitals and banks are accessed easily. Signatures are not used. Data is secured with number codes. All health records are saved into one system and are reviewed by other doctors if needed.

Business is done very quickly in Estonia. Money transfers are processed immediately. Education is also affected. Means to digitize all study materials are developed. Technology is used by police. Crime victims are found with computers. Emergency calls are answered in 10 seconds. NATO cyber defense unit is located in Estonia. Specialists from 21 countries are trained against cyber-attacks. Digital embassies are also created. If Estonia is attacked copy of government data will be available from abroad.

Self-driven cars are made legal. Food is delivered by robots in Tallinn. Estonian borders are opened to the world. E-residency is introduced to everyone. You can become a digital citizen of Estonia. Estonian developments are made available to other countries. Licenses on them are offered for foreign purchase.

Tasks:

Comprehension questions

(Students reply in full sentences)

1. What is Estonia called?
2. How many Skype employees are located in Estonia?
3. When are public services accessed?
4. What information is viewed online?
5. What is reduced?
6. What is given to every Estonian?
7. What is stored on the digital ID?
8. What is not used in Estonia?
9. How is the data secured?
10. Where all health records are saved?
11. How is education affected?
12. Who is found with computers?
13. For what specialists are trained in Estonia?
14. What is made legal?
15. How is food delivered in Tallinn?
16. What is introduced to everyone in the world?
17. What is offered for foreign purchase?

Translate:

1. Deliver, consumption, reduce, vote, valley, introduce, money transfer, state spending, digital, crime, secure, against immediately, consider, store, self-driven, review.
2. Податок, жертва, розташований, опрацьовувати, громадяни, підпис, доступний, процент, мати доступ, інформація (2), іноземний, купівля, уряд.

1. Imagine you live in Estonia. Describe your ordinary day. How do you order food/ study etc.?
2. Prepare the oral presentation about Estonia.

Critical thinking:

1. Imagine all the world is as digital as Estonia. What would change? Write a short paragraph.
2. Do you think all people would like to live in Estonia? Why? / Why not? What about you?
3. How did Estonia become a digital country? Think about what the government and its people did in the past to become a country of future?
4. What makes a country of the future? What other aspects except (окрім) digital services can there be?