workformostpeopleand providedthemwithmoreleisure opportunities,whileatthe
sametimeincreasing productivity dramatically.Nevertheless,itcannotbedeniedthat
technology hassomenegativeside-effects.Asmentionedabove,withcomputers
whichcheckspelling, grammarandcalculationforthem,studentshavelittle
incentivetolearn howto dothesethingsforthemselves.Also,theavailability ofTV
programsand videosencouragesan unhealthy,sedentarylifestyle.
Anotheraspectofthisissueisthattechnologymay begood orbad, depending on how
weuseit.Forinstance, dynamitemay beusedtomakeroadconstructioneasier, orit
may beusedto killpeople.Again, nuclearreactorscansupply hugeamountsofcheap
electricity, butifthey
arecarelessly handledtheycancause devastating pollution.
Wecanconcludethattheprogressofscienceandtechnology hasboth positiveand
negativeeffects.Whatwemustdois
tomakesurethatthepositiveonesareencouragedandthenegativeonesare
eliminatedasfaraspossible.Among otherthings,thismeansthatstudentsarewarned
nottoletcomputersandcalculatorsdoalltheirworkforthem.
Sample 123
Itisoftensaidthatthesubjectstaughtinschoolsaretoo academicin
orientationandthatitwouldbemoreusefulforchildrentolearnaboutpractical
matterssuchashomemanagement,workandinterpersonalskills.
Towhatextentdo youagreeordisagree?
Youshouldwriteatleast 250
words.Youshouldspendabout 40 minutes onthistask.modelanswer:
Acriticismoften heardthesedaysisthatthesubjectstaughtinschoolstendto betoo
academic,andcontributelittleto preparingayoung personforthereal-lifetasksheor
shewillhaveto performafter graduation.Theysaythatacademicsubjectsarerootedin
thepast,andarenot usefulforsolvingmodern problems. I disagreewiththispointof
viewforthreereasons.
Myfirstreasonisthatitistheduty of
parents, notteachers,to preparetheirchildrento dealwiththepracticalaffairs
oflife.Thehome, nottheclassroom,istheidealplacetolearnabouthome
managementandinterpersonalskills.Asforworkabilitiesandattitudes,theyare best
learned“onthejob”and underthesupervision ofanexperienced older
worker.