Technology

Technology

S2: Do you agree or disagree: cell phone changes our lives greatly.

For me, there's no doubt that cell phones have substantially improved our lives in many ways. The obvious reason is that so many things have become so much easier now. We can connect with family, organize to meet friends, and even run a business, by using a cell phone. The best thing is that we can do all of these things spontaneously. Furthermore, new advances in cell phone technology have given us many new ways to use a cell phone-such as listening to music, watching movies, and surfing the Internet, but 20 years ago these things were quite unimaginable. Therefore, cell phones have greatly improved people's lives.

S2: Watching TV is not a good use of time. Do you agree or disagree?

I have to say that I disagree with this statement. I feel like whenever people say that television is a waste of time or that nobody should watch it, they're only thinking of the negative aspects of television, like realty trashy reality shows or something. But at its best, television can be every bit as artistic and thoughtful as a novel or a great movie. Over the past fifteen years especially, there have been a great number of dramatic TV shows with rich characters and complicated, intelligent plot lines. Audiences can laugh, cry, and marvel at these television shows, while seeing the world from unexpected perspectives. It's not brainless in the least!

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S1: Talk about a type of movie you do not like. Explain why you do not like this type of movie.

I'm not really a fan of romantic comedies. I feel like there's so much potential for a cute, charming, funny story of two people falling in love, but the majority of the time the movies are overall failures. The women are always rigid workaholics, the men are always too perfect and bland ... Everyone is just a lame stereotype that I can't connect with. And the situations they get themselves into are so stupid. There's a wacky misunderstanding, a frantic rush to an airport, a reunion in the rain. It's so predictable and obvious how everything is going to turn out that I just can't make myself care. Movies like that make romance look stale and corny. They're not funny, either. They're just awkward.

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S1: Choose ONE of the forms of the technology in the list and tell why it has great impact on people's lives in your country? Airplane, computer or television. Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.

I would like to talk about the computer, which I think has revolutionized people’s lives in my country, in at least two very important areas – education and entertainment. In education, because of computer multimedia technology, students don’t have to spend a long time learning abstract theories about a

subject; they can see them demonstrated vividly and on a computer screen, which is so much easier to understand. In entertainment, computer games have become a major part of almost anyone’s childhood in my country, and have often replaced other recreational activities that used to be very popular such as doing sports, which is a pity. But I would also like to argue that playing computer games moderately is beneficial to children’s hand-eye coordination and problemsolving skills.

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S1: What do you think is the most important advancement over the past 20 years in your country? Use reasons and specific examples to explain why you think that is important.

Personally I found the increasing availability of cell phones the most important advancement in my country. It makes people's life ever more convenient and colorful. For example, we can now keep in touch with family members especially in the event of an emergency like the other day my grandmother was so forgetful that she left the house key at home and couldn't get in so she used the cell phone that I bought her and called me to get her the key. It is hard to image what would imagine what would happen if she had to wait for a whole day till I got home in the evening. Besides that I can also use the mobile phone to get you from A to B using navigation, a very useful feature for people like me who has a hopeless sense of direction.

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S1: What are some of the benefits that cell phones bring to people?

I think cell phones have greatly changed the way people communicate with each other that they are an integral part of our lives. They keep people in constant contact with each other, which is a great convenience, especially when there is an emergency situation. Secondly, as mobile phones nowadays are equipped with an assortment of ingenious functions, people never feel bored anymore. For example, while waiting for a bus or queuing to see a doctor, people can listen to one’s favorite music as well as watching movies.

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S1: What are some important effects of the worldwide availability of the Internet on modern people’s life? Use specific details and examples to support your response.

The increasing use of the Internet has had both positive and negative effects on modern people. On the one hand, with the help of the Internet, communication among people is much faster and less costly. For example, Skype and Gmail enable us to communicate instantly with our friends, family members or business colleagues in almost any part of the globe where Internet service is available. But on the other hand, the Internet has created online games that can be addictive to children and young adults. This can take away precious time which otherwise

should have been used for something more productive, like reading or exercising.

S2: Which do you prefer, reading paper books or reading electronic books? Explain why.

I prefer to read e-books for two reasons. Firstly, reading e-books is much cheaper. Instead of spending a great amount of money buying paper books in the bookstore, downloading thee-books costs me almost nothing. Since I am still a student now, I do not have much extra money to be spent on buying books, so reading e-books can save me a lot of money. Secondly, reading e-books is environmentally friendly. As the production of paper consumes huge amount of water and tree resources, choosing electronic books over paper books will help preserve valuable natural resources and help protect our fragile environment.

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S1: Many schools do not allow students to take their laptop computers into the classroom. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of having laptop computers in the classroom? Use specific details and examples to support your opinion.

In my opinion, taking laptops into the classroom has more negative than positive effects on students’ study. Computers, of course, do bring convenience and updated information into the class. Sharing information such as presentations from teacher becomes much easier and faster. However, students may get lost and

become addicted to computer games either in class or outside. Considerable evidence has proved that students do not yet have the will power to control themselves. What’s more, with computers, it would be difficult for teachers to observe students’ true performance. For example, a student with a laptop on his desk can pretend that he is listening attentively to the teacher while he is only chatting with his friends online.

S2: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should encourage students to start using computers from primary school. Give details and examples to support your response.

I agree with this. Computers have become such an everyday tool in the 21st century that children need to be extremely comfortable in their use of them, with the same ease that they can read or write. Waiting until the kids are older to get them familiar with computers isn’t helping anyone. We’ve all heard about how kids absorb information the best when they are quite young. So get them started young and give them that skill set! When I was six, I went to a really good school that put all of us on computers and had us complete a typing program over the course of several weeks. To this day, I type very fast. It just comes naturally to me because I learned it so young! Compare this to people of older generations, who didn’t have such training and generally type slowly. The early education really helps.

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S1: Nowadays robots are widely used in the society. What are the benefits and risks of this?

As I see it, robots are here to stay, and are widely used in society. Robots have benefits and risks at the same time. They are used on land, in air, and on sea. Robots are being designed to perform surgical procedures, just like surgeons once performed. I saw one being used on YouTube. It was cool! The military is using robots to carry out secret missions. For instance, robots are now front line “soldiers”. They are being sent deep in the ocean where man can’t survive, and are finding all kinds of treasures. The risks of robots are just like any other artificial, man-made thing; it can break, malfunction, and be a danger. Also, the more robots are used, the more human labor is replaced. This could lead to unemployment, which is already a severe problem in the present day society.

S2: Do you prefer to use e-mails to communicate with your friends and family members or do you prefer to use the telephone?

When I want to talk with my friends or family, I prefer to use the phone for two reasons.

First, the telephone lets me hear the actual voices of my loved ones. To hear the tone of love in my parents' voices or the laughter in the voice of my dear friend from college is too wonderful to describe.. No matter what words people try to use in emails, the words alone still can't convey the tone of the speaker. The second reason is that it allows for spontaneity of conversation. Emails tend to be silted and

one sided since really they are just half of a conversation. The phone allows for the topic to wander and change as real communication takes place. Though both are useful, for real conversation with friends and family, nothing can be better than and nice, long, catch-upon-the-news-chat with those we love.

S2: Nowadays many people find their social network on the Internet. Do you think it is a positive trend?

Yes, I think this is a positive trend for the most part. Online dating, for instance, can be very useful. Often, it’s difficult to know whether people you randomly meet in person are single, in a relationship, or even interested in a relationship. Trying to figure it out can be awkward at times. But dating websites lead you to a large amount of people who are very clear about what they are looking for as far as relationships. It simplifies the process. Also online, you can make friends who share your interests and passions by going to websites about those specific topics. Someone who is shy and withdrawn might find it easier to initially talk to new people if it is done over the computer. Eventually such interactions can happen in person, but meeting online can make it start easily and pleasantly.

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S1: A school is planning to organize it students to visit the workplace. Which place do you recommend the students to visit? 1. A science lab2. A business office 3. A TV studio

I would recommend a business office. I think in today’s economic climate, most students would finally work in the office so by visiting a real office environment they can know what their future place of work would look like. They can also ask employees some questions like how to adapt yourself quickly to a new working environment, and how to say no to your boss if you think he is wrong or you think you can’t finish a task in time. On the other hand, a science lab is only for a few of the most intelligent and a TV studio would only be for those who study media and broadcasting.