Tag: Fluency at your fingertips

Screencast of live drafting of IELTS Writing Task 2 — Opinion Essay on Artificial Intelligence

Published July 17, 2020

“Some scientists believe that in the future computers will have more intelligence than human beings. While some see this as a positive development, others worry about the negative consequence. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”

This prompt was found on an IELTS preparation blog. A follower of the blog reported that this was the topic they’d received as the Task 2 prompt in July 2020. I made these videos with a free version of Screencastify, which only allowed for recording five-minute segments at a time. I accidentally deleted the first segment in which I had recorded myself typing the introductory paragraph. Oops!

For anyone interested in seeing the commentary on writing process, view the last video. Here also is the full text of my essay, to which I made a change at the end of the third paragraph after completing the videos.

Some believe that artificial intelligence will outperform human intellectual capacity at some point in the future. Although there are clear benefits to working with smarter machines, there are many drawbacks. The greatest benefits include the aid that we as a society will get, but we must neither become overly reliant on the technology nor sacrifice individual liberty for the sake of our non-human counterparts.

As for the drawbacks, we can see how our peers, family members and perhaps, if we are reflective enough, ourselves interact with digital devices. We already employ lots of artificial intelligence in our computing systems, but the likelihood that AI will surpass our intelligence is not far off. The computer, however, is not all-knowing. The real beauty of the intelligence is not in its replication of human ability but rather in the fact that it can learn. We would hope that computers could learn all the positive traits that we possess. However, our best minds do not presently populate the internet with ideas. Hence, as AI attempts to replicate authentic human communication, it has demonstrated the more obnoxious end of the online chat world. This was not such a problem when it was easy to distinguish bots from real users, but it has become harder to pick the two apart in recent years. This, unfortunately, is the most divisive element of the fake posts that have been aimed at political discourse. Our imagination is the limit as to what possible negative outcomes of AI may arise as it gains on us.

The positive aspects of artificial intelligence lie not in the system’s ability to recreate a virtual world, but rather in its implementation in public policy. Using AI to model outcomes and make predictions would help policy makers “see the future.” This does not mean that computers will actually make the decisions, but rather that their human operators will seek their guidance. Again, the machine is not all-knowing but will have greater capacity for knowing without being swayed by intuition or ‘gut feeling.’ The fear of a cold-hearted AI is misplaced, as what we avoid in its implementation are the biases and misconceptions of even the most adept among us in their inherently limited scope. The abilities of high-achieving, powerful businesspeople and technocrats are aided in many ways by teams of assistants and subordinates. Even still, these teams of managers and political operators are prone to error and are swayed by emotion. That is not to say that they are always misguided, but rather that their abilities would be aided by AI to the benefit of all people.

In conclusion, the benefits to the population are outweighed by the drawbacks when we consider the greatest tool AI provides. The technology would seem to grant a supernatural power—the power of seeing the future through modeling and algorithms. Employing this tool at the highest levels of business and government would give us all an upper hand since there would be no need to second guess ourselves. (499 words)

This is the 8-video playlist. At the start of my first video, I am reading my introductory paragraph. Click forward to move to the next video in the playlist.

Final comments on timing (Part 8/8)

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Essay: Reasons and Solutions

Published July 11, 2020

Here’s an example IELTS Writing Task 2 prompt that combines the question types cause&effect and problem/solution. The question asks for an explanation of causes and solutions to the problem of species loss. I have long enjoyed teaching IELTS preparation because the contents of the exam provide many learning opportunities. Prior to my example essay are four background readings for reference.

Here’s an October 2018 article citing a special UN report on the topic of climate change:

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/10/un-says-climate-genocide-coming-but-its-worse-than-that.html

Here’s an August 2019 article citing another UN report on agriculture and land use:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49238749

Here’s a September 2019 article citing a special UN report on the oceans:

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/09/ipcc-sea-level-rise-report/598765/

Here is a June 2020 article on the 6th mass extinction:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/01/sixth-mass-extinction-of-wildlife-accelerating-scientists-warn

Task 2 Writing Prompt:

Animal species are going extinct due to human activities on land and sea. What are the reasons and solutions?

Sample Essay:

The Anthropocene, our present era, has brought about the sixth mass extinction. The causes of rapid species loss in this era as opposed to past great extinctions result from human activities on land and spill-over effects in the sea. Any proposed solution must be undertaken rapidly to be effective at preventing the collapse of human society itself.

To list the many causes of rapid species loss would require several pages. But, to highlight the main causes is fairly simple. Modern industrial society is fueled and sustained by dirty energy sources and industrial farming. These two activities in combination have put unprecedented amounts of greenhouses gasses in the air and prevent their reabsorption. The gasses then warm the atmosphere and prevent the cycling of ocean currents. This prevents the oceans from natural cooling. Warming waters acidify and lead to aquatic life die-out. Drought and fires, along with excessive deforestation for farming, have led to species loss on land. However, the decline in biodiversity is not limited to fauna, as the declining numbers of pollinators also leads to the extinction of flora.

Comparatively dramatic solutions are required to address such disturbing problems. In fact, nothing less than the wholesale transformation of industrial society will need to happen. The changes must be undertaken at the global level by nations enacting laws that restrict certain industrial practices. The changes would all be to target a reduction in activities that generate greenhouses gasses. To a large extent these changes would need to be undertaken by major multinational corporations. For instance, in the aviation industry, planes would have to fly at lower altitudes in order to reduce their pollution in the stratosphere. Factories would have to change energy sources from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Petroleum extraction would have to be curtailed, and petroleum use would have to be limited to plastics for certain durable consumer products, not for fuel. In addition, agribusiness must be transformed with the intent of reducing as much as possible mono-cropping and the raising of livestock for meat. Last but not least, all of these changes must be made by the year 2050 in order to have any impact in preventing runaway ecological change resulting from the feedback loops of global warming.

In sum, it is plain to see that the problems lie at the foundation of modern industrial society, and that the great and necessary solutions would be met with substantial push-back from industry.

(404 words)

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When belief dominates identity

Published July 11, 2020

July 11, 2020

Language unites humanity. That is a powerful statement—that our shared capacity for language is a defining trait. On the other hand, the way we use language to define ourselves and express who we are divides us. It is important that while acknowledging our unique experiences and practicing tolerance, we make for learning when cultures, or even cultures within cultures, collide.

I was making coffee this morning when the thought struck me that I had done so in exactly the same way before. The first time I had made coffee in this way it was déjà vu—I was not quite clear if making coffee in that way was something I had dreamt about or if I was having a premonition I would do so again in the future. It is not unusual to say that I had been making coffee, but it is odd to say that I had been making coffee and had a lucid, transcendental thought.

Before I went on a month-long temple stay at Golgulsa in 2012, my local Korean friends had told me that sort of activity was akin to taking refuge to mend. I had merely thought to have myself a nice little holiday in the mountains. But, it was more than that.

At the temple, we woke at half-past four in the morning to do seated meditation for an hour, followed by a half-hour of walking meditation, light exercise, and breakfast at 6:30. In the afternoons there were other group activities, including either meditation or sports. In the evening, we did Zen martial arts—Sunmudo.

In Korea, I enjoyed hearing casual reflections from Korean acquaintances on duality. I was also fascinated by the meaning of the common greeting and farewell, “Annyong,” which literally asks the question, “Are you in peace?” To which the response is always, “yes.”

Duality is even represented on the South Korean flag, Taeguki, in its central symbol. Whereas the symbol depicts opposing forces, I find it more accurate to understand the Zen discourse on non-duality not as a denial of two sides to life but rather that life exists on a continuum, that matters are not black and white, and that there is not only a continuum in the moment but also over time.

The fact that we tie experiences together in our minds when we reflect on the past does not mean they exist simultaneously in the ever-present moment, but rather that everything that is now began elsewhere in a different form, and that absolutely everything is mutable and in constant evolution.

That we, as well, are mutable should give us hope—hope that we can change for the better, evolve within our lifetime, and can reach peaceful understanding with others.

Among Koreans, there’s great pride in the monks of old times from whom Zen martial arts are derived. Modern Sunmudo is recreated from images and stories of the legendary monks—legendary for having superpowers. Despite the existence of this rich tradition, a Korean student of mine, who had completed his military service, explained that it was required of all soldiers to attend Catholic mass through their period of mandatory military service. He pointed out that soldiers were educated in lessons of the Bible, and that this had been an aspect of their indoctrination.

The manifold belief systems that underpin behavior are at once ephemeral and palpable. Even enlightenment can appear as an experience in our lives on a spectrum from humdrum to bliss. And so, to crack the nut of identity, we must see beyond nation and beliefs. Unfortunately, for two hundred years the nation-state, patriotism, and ultranationalism have driven a great many people to define themselves according to socio-political artifice.

The nation as a belief system serves itself alone. It is tied into other such despicable characteristics as chauvinism, sexism, classism, and racism. Unfortunately, patriotism is deemed honorable and equated to dignity and pride. Yet, few walk the fine line between solidarity and tolerance without revealing prejudice. In the United States, even the terms anti-fascist, progressive and left are, by some, twisted as pejoratives. Wherefore can a hard stance against fascism be taken with tolerance?

We must see that divisions have been created where there are none. We must have faith that those who have not yet questioned their beliefs can do so. If not, we live in desperation and with futility.

As an educator, I have told my students, “If I can learn, you can learn.” I say this about hard skills like math, music and foreign languages. And, I say it about mindset, outlook and belief. In language, I hope that we learn not to use language of war when we describe our homes, as in the odious expression, “home front.” I hope we learn to base perceptions of each other on neither appearance, accent, nor manner of speech. I hope people who proudly define themselves by myths of nation of origin learn not to charge as unpatriotic those who take great risk in attempting to change the same countries and political systems for the benefit of all people.

South Korea is a seemingly homogenous culture to the untrained eye, but the true origins of the people are not monolithic. This can be said the world over, as in Vietnam where the people originate from many dozens of tribes, from around Asia and beyond, and where I, fortunate as a Colombian-American, was told I looked Vietnamese, married, and with my wife have a Vietnamese-American son. But, perhaps I should take my own advice and not label myself and my family by race or nationality, but rather just say we are a happy family.

Just as déjà vu is a trick of the mind, and we cannot be deluded by the belief we have supernatural powers, we cannot be led to believe that though we may claim heritage in a country or culture, we cannot embrace the deeper truth that we are part of a world-wide human family.

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Harness the competitive spirit

Published July 7, 2020

July 7, 2020

Some don’t last when it comes to language learning; others show unwavering determination. It should be understood that language learning is a years-long, if not life-long endeavor, but one can take advantage of a variety of unique opportunities to accelerate learning. Competition can be used in such a way.

I taught exam preparation for TOEFL at a cram school in South Korea in 2010 and 2011. High school-aged students would study there all day through their summer vacations, each day taking a full practice test. Middle school-aged students at the school prepared for a speech competition organized by the school.

At their ages from 11 to 13, these middle school students were able to dramatically improve their pronunciation, and thereby improve their confidence through the speech competition. The texts of the speeches were pre-selected but unique for each competitor. In general, the content of the speech was inspirational. Besides my work with the students preparing for TOEFL, I helped to prepare the younger students for the competition, in which the speeches were used to judge accuracy in pronunciation and memorization, and individual post-speech interviews were used to judge their fluency.

I helped to prepare the competitors by recording myself read the speeches onto portable cassette recorders. These recordings were used to aid memorization and as examples of native pronunciation. The page-long text was not easy to memorize, but most students did a wonderful job doing so.

The most remarkable aspect of the competition was that the students were able to transform their pronunciation in English to near-native pronunciation.

Every day leading up to the competition, students would have the opportunity to rehearse their speeches with the teachers at the language school. They would practice from memory and, when having forgotten a line or word, receive prompting. Slips in pronunciation would also be corrected, and corrections would be repeated until said accurately in connected speech.

The strategy worked very well for all students but one. On the competition day, the competitor who had won the previous year was unable to recite her speech. Perhaps, her overconfidence had led her not to give adequate time to memorizing the text of the speech. On stage, she forgot the words of the text, and when she came for her fluency test, she was in tears.

As I had been conducting these interviews out of earshot of the stage, I did not know why she was crying until later. I tried to console and give encouraging words. I offered not to continue with the interview questions. But, she wanted to complete them.

Afterward, I was told by the organizer, “She should be crying, she forgot her speech!” Suddenly, I realized how serious this competition had been for the kids and their families.

When our expectations of ourselves are high, we are highly motivated. But these must be tempered with realistic expectations and the understanding that language learning is a long journey with many peaks and valleys.

Although I haven’t been a competitor in this type of contest, I can attest to the challenge posed by endeavoring to learn a second language. I moved to the USA with my parents from Colombia when I was two years old. I learned a bit of Spanish growing up by talking on the phone with my dad’s side of the family, and I studied Spanish at school from 6th grade to 12th grade, finishing with the Advanced Placement Spanish Literature class. I then continued with literature classes at Wesleyan University. Despite the time I had devoted, I wasn’t able to understand TV in Spanish easily (at a comprehension rate above 80%) until I lived in Colombia for an extended period of time when I was 23. It was only until I had lived there over four months that I could understand Spanish spoken at full speed without difficulty.

At 25, I could learn Korean rather easily, but after two years of casual study, I had only reached a pre-intermediate level. However, with Vietnamese, which I began at age 30, I have had a much more difficult time. Over five years, I have only become an intermediate user, often struggling to be comprehended.

Comparing my experiences with the three languages demonstrates what a daunting task language learning is. I had eight years of formal education in Spanish followed by two years as a teacher, whereas my attempts at studying Korean and Vietnamese produced mediocre results.

To conclude, achievement in language learning can be felt when we are understood by our interlocutor and when we can enjoy media without aids. But, let’s not forget that competitive spirit and personal drive can accelerate acquisition, and demonstrating our skills develops confidence, which in turn propels further study.

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Markets — IELTS Model Answers

Published July 7, 2020

Key concept — Speaking topics can be recycled, although new topics are created regularly, as well. That said, Part 3 will feature limited, predictable question types: opinion questions, questions about society at large, and questions that ask you to compare the past and present, or advantages and disadvantages.

Part 2: Describe an open-air market you have been to.

Part 3: Do people in your country enjoy going to open-air markets that sell things like food, clothes, or old objects?

Part 3: What do you think are the advantages of buying things from shops rather than markets?

Part 3: Do yo think any changes in the way people live have affected shopping habits?

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TV and Advertising — IELTS Model Answers

Published July 7, 2020

Key concept — Using idiomatic language does not mean using expressions like, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” You’ll almost never find a natural way to incorporate idioms like this in your responses. This example of figurative language is fun to learn, but it won’t help your score to study these expressions as a strategy. However, idiomatic language includes everyday collocations (word combinations), and thus using vocabulary, including low-frequency academic words, appropriately will raise your score.

Part 2: Describe a television programme you watch.

Part 3: To what extent are people influenced by the advertising that they see on television?

Part 3: Should filmmakers be responsible for the impact of their films on people?

Part 3: Should TV series be viewed episode by episode or in just a could or three sittings?

Part 3: Should parents restrict the nature of programming or time spent that children watch TV?

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Media — IELTS Model Answers

Published July 6, 2020

Key concept — When asked for your opinion, use your experiences as examples in your reasoning since telling a story is a great way to demonstrate fluency!

Part 2: Describe an interesting story you heard or read about in the news.

Part 3: Is it beneficial for newspapers to go online?

Part 3: Do you find social media provide information or entertainment?

Part 3: Do you believe youth today have better or worse relations with their peers than 20 years ago?

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Helping people, the community and the environment — IELTS Model Answers

Published July 6, 2020

Key concept — build your lexical resource (vocabulary) by learning about a wide range of academic topics and issues that affect society and the world as a whole.

Part 2

Describe a time when you helped someone.

Part 3

Do you think developed or developing countries have a greater impact on the environment?
Can GM foods solve the problems farmers have in dealing with drought?
Does giving to charity benefit those in need or those giving to the charity?
Do you think all countries should have to receive a quota of refugees fleeing from war or environmental disaster?

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Education — IELTS Model Answers

Published July 6, 2020

Key concept — use modal verbs, like could, or other words, like perhaps, to hedge your answers, use caution or show uncertainty in responses.

Part 2: Describe a teacher you know.

Part 3: Do you think students today finish with a better education than they did in the past?

Part 3: What important skills do students learn outside the classroom that students don’t learn in school?

Part 3: How important do you think it is for individuals to carry on learning after they finish high school?

Part 3: What advice would you give someone graduating from high school this year?

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Guidelines

Published July 6, 2020

Agree / Disagree Essay — 20-minute Screencast

Task 2 Prompt: “Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes.” To what extent do you agree or disagree?

This video features guidelines to composing a successful argumentative essay for the IELTS exam, and a complete model essay.

Some think community service done for free ought to be made mandatory to graduate high school. In addition to benefiting the community, this type of work would boost student self-worth and provide non-traditional learning opportunities applicable to students’ future job prospects. Therefore, mandating community service in high school is undoubtedly beneficial.

Widespread volunteerism would primarily be of great benefit to the community at large. By providing a young, able-bodied work-force to charitable groups that otherwise lack the resources, a high school program of this sort would allow charitable organizations to further meet the needs of the community and perhaps take on more ambitious projects. After all, charities by nature have limited means and tend to collapse under lack of funding or squandering resources. Because human resources are such a large cost to many organizations, the ability to harness the labor capacity of the youth in a positive way would allow charitable groups to focus less on fund-raising and resource management, and more on coordinating labor and meeting the needs of the community.

Secondly, involvement in charitable work would bring a multitude of benefits to the students themselves. Students would develop interpersonal skills that are applicable to future work. Because high schools are age ghettos, community service exposes teenagers to other social demographics which are found in the working world. Moreover, the work experience the high school students obtain could be added to their resumes when they look for that first job. Not only that, but students can also develop their sense of self-worth through involvement in charitable work. While some students may already be involved in collaborative activities which develop their interpersonal skills, others have limited opportunities to participate in groups or clubs that offer such rewarding involvement as community service does. Because of the extent to which technology has replaced outdoor activity and the emphasis placed on high-stakes exams today, working with charities not only provides a respite from study and time away from screens, it gives students the chance to encounter the working world and exposure to professions before they must actually fend for themselves as adults.

In sum, mandatory community service ought to be a component of all high school curricula. (364 words)

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