Science & Technology
What this unit covers
The topics below follow the published Spanish Lang course framework for Unit 4. Spanish Lang publishes no per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to chase here.
Lessons in this unit
- Por vs. Para & the Impersonal se14 min · 3 objectivesChoose between por and para according to their core meanings · Use the impersonal and passive se to describe processes and general truths · Interpret a technical or informational text using these structures
- Technology, Innovation & Society13 min · 3 objectivesInterpret texts about the social impact of technology · Weigh benefits and drawbacks of technological change in an argument · Use vocabulary for science, media, and digital life
Every term in Unit 4
All 16 terms we publish for Science & Technology, with definitions. Reading them through is the fastest way to find the ones you cannot define — then drill those in cram mode until you can produce them without the prompt.
- el desarrollo sostenible
- sustainable development
- el medio ambiente
- the environment
- el calentamiento global
- global warming
- los avances
- advances, progress
- la investigación
- research — a false friend: usually "research", not "investigation"
- el descubrimiento
- discovery
- la red
- the network; also the internet
- las redes sociales
- social media
- la informática
- computing, IT
- el aparato / el dispositivo
- device
- la privacidad
- privacy
- la contaminación
- pollution — also "contamination", context decides
- reciclar / el reciclaje
- to recycle / recycling
- los recursos naturales
- natural resources
- la energía renovable
- renewable energy
- perjudicar
- to harm, to damage
What examiners penalize here
- Informational and scientific sources on the exam lean heavily on the passive/impersonal se to sound objective. When you see *se + verb* with no clear subject, read it as “is/are done” or “one does,” and note that the writer is presenting a general fact or process, not a personal action.
- For the persuasive essay, integrate all three sources and cite them by number (*según la fuente número 2…*). A nuanced thesis that concedes a counterpoint — *aunque… sin embargo…* — reads as more sophisticated than a one-sided claim and lets you use the concession vocabulary the rubric rewards.
Practice Spanish Lang
Our practice bank is drawn from across the whole course rather than filtered to one unit, which is closer to how the exam asks anyway — it will not tell you which unit a question is testing.
Questions about this unit
How much of the AP Spanish Language & Culture exam is Unit 4?
The Spanish Lang course framework does not publish a per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to quote for Unit 4 and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Spread your time by where your own errors are instead.
What topics are covered in Spanish Lang Unit 4?
Science & Technology covers Innovation, Ethics, Healthcare and Environment. We publish 16 terms with definitions for this unit, all of them on this page.
How should I study Spanish Lang Unit 4?
Read the 2 lessons below first — about 25 minutes — then drill the 16 terms in cram mode until you can produce each definition from memory rather than just recognize it. Recognition is what makes a unit feel finished when it is not. Finish with practice questions and read the explanation for every one you get right by elimination as well as the ones you miss.
All 6 units of AP Spanish Language & Culture
Unit names, topics and exam weights follow the published College Board course framework for AP Spanish Language & Culture. AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which does not endorse this site.