Issue官方主题范文60篇

Issue官方主题范文60篇Issue 官方主题范文60篇 来源：ETS Issue test1 Both the development of technological tools and the uses to which humanity has put them have created modern civilizations in which loneliness is ever increasing. 6 Technology, broadly defined as the use of tools, has a long history. Ever since Erg the caveman first conked an animal with a rock, people have been using technology. For thousands of years, the use of tools allowed people to move ever closer together. Because fields could be cultivated and the technology to store food existed, people would live in cities rather than in small nomadic tribes. Only very lately have Ergs descendants come to question the benefits of technology. The Industrial Revolution introduced and spread technologies that mechanized many tasks. As a result of the drive toward more efficient production and distribution (so the ever larger cities would be supported), people began to act as cogs in the technological machine. Clothing was no longer produced by groups of women sewing and gossiping together, but by down-trodden automations operating machinery in grim factories. The benefits of the new technology of today, computers and the internet, are particularly ambiguous. They have made work ever more efficient and knit the world together in a web of information and phone lines. Some visionaries speak of a world in which Erg need not check in to his office; he can just dial in from home. He wont need to go to a bar to pick up women because there are all those chat rooms. Hungry? Erg orders his groceries from an online delivery service. Bored? Download a new game. And yet. Many people, myself included, are a little queasy about that vision. Erg may be doing work, but is it real work? Are his online friends real friends? Does anything count in a spiritual way if its just digital? Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been haunted by the prospect that we are turning into our machines: efficient, productive, soulless. The newest technologies, we fear, are making us flat as our screens, turning us into streams of bits of interchangeable data. We may know a lot of people, but we have few real friends. We have a lot of things to do, but no reason to do them. In short, the new technology emphasizes a spiritual crisis that has been building for quite some time. As I try to unravel which I believe about the relative merits of technology, I think it is instructive to remember technologys original result. A better plow meant easier farming, more food, longer lives, and more free time to pursue other things such as art. Our newest technology does not give us more free time; it consumes our free time. We are terminally distracted from confronting ourselves or each other. We stay safe, and lonely, in our homes and offices rather than taking the risk of meeting real people or trying new things. While I am certainly not a Luddite, I do believe we need to look for a bit more balance between technology and life. We have to tear ourselves away from the fatal distractions and go out into the world. Technology has given us long lives and endless supplies of information. Now we need to apply that information, use the time were not spending conking our dinner with a club, and find our reasons for living. COMMENTARY This outstanding response displays cogent reasoning, insightful, persuasive analysis, and superior control of language. The essay immediately identifies the complexities of the issue and then playfully explores both the benefits and the drawbacks of technological developments over the course of human history. The writer maintains that a balance between technology and life is necessary if humans are going to abate the loneliness that is part of modern existence. - 5 I disagree with the argument that Both the development of technological tools and the uses to which humanity has put them have created modern civilizations in which loneliness is ever increasing. Arguments can be made for this thesis, but they depend largely upon what I believe to be a poor definition of loneliness. If one defines loneliness as the absence of as much physical, face-to-face contact with other people, then this argument is probably true. The invention of modern telecommunications devices such as telephones, fax machines, and computers has definitely cut down on the amount of physical contact with other people. This is especially true in recent times due to the extremely rapid expansion of the Internet. E-mail and tele-conferencing are direct substitutes for physical contact, especially in the business world. However, I believe that loneliness can be better measured by intellectual contact with other individuals. Unarguably, modern technology makes this faster and easier, with better communication with a larger number of people. Some employers have argued that productivity is lessened since they have had computers linked to the Internet, as the employees spend much of their time chatting with friends, acquaintances, or business contacts across the country. This is probably not a good thing for the employers, but it demonstrates the increased degree of communication due to modern technology. Of course, some technologies have increased loneliness by any standards, such as the automobile or other transportation mechanisms. These encourage substantially longer commutes between home and work. Automobiles have made possible the pattern of suburbanization that has been in place in the United States since immediately after World War Two. Time spent commuting is generally unproductive and spent alone, unless the individual in question is car-pooling or using mass transit. The contribution of the commuting culture to loneliness may actually be changing now due to new technology that is being invented and used by the general public. Popular new devices, such as the cellular phone, the laptop computer, and the combination thereof may actually convert commuting time to a period of increased communications between people, to pass the time. This will be especially true as use of mass transit grows, which will probably happen, due to problems with gas shortages, air pollution, and the creation of further mass transit by federal and local governments. The motivation for the declaration that loneliness is increasing may be due to the fact that many people, especially blue-collar workers, are unable to afford or use these new devices. However, since the advent of the personal computer, the price per computing power has continually lowered rapidly, and this trend shows no sign of changing. Several companies, such as Sun Microsystems and Oracle have announced that they are attempting to develop terminals with little computing power, but a full capability to access the Internet. These devices will be in approximately the $500 price range, which is much more reasonable than the price of the current top of the line PC. In addition, to cater to a larger mass of the public, software companies have been carefully making their products easier to use by non-computer nerds. This trend is not likely to cease. In conclusion, although early development of modern transportation may have increased loneliness, I believe that more recent technologies are actually doing the opposite, stimulating interpersonal contact and encouraging intellectual expansion. The perception that the opposite is true derives from what I believe is poor definition of loneliness and the difficulty that the working class has in acquiring and using modern telecommunications devices. COMMENTARY This strong response analyzes the complexities of the issue. In disagreeing with the prompt, the writer makes a distinction between two types of loneliness - loneliness caused by the absence of? physical contact and loneliness brought about by a lack of intellectual contact with others. The essay reasons that while the automobile and other transportation mechanisms originally kept passengers physically and intellectually isolated from one another, modern technology, such as the cellular telephone and laptop computer, has made intellectual contact faster and easier and has benefited users by allowing them to communicate with a larger number of people. The response provides clear and relevant examples of the ways in which technological developments facilitate and encourage intellectual communication. The writer examines the impact of user-friendly Internet access on the individuals ability to interact with others even when physical distance separates the communicating parties. The organization is clear, yet transitions between paragraphs are not always smooth. The body of the essay lacks the focus that would help move it to a score of 6. It is not always clear how the information given relates to the essays initial position (e.g., the discussion of current prices for personal computers in paragraph five). The conclusion, while clearly relevant, attempts to impose order on the somewhat loosely connected paragraphs, yet fails to add substance to the analysis. On the whole, the essay displays clarity and control, but the language is sometimes imprecise and less tightly controlled than it would be in a 6 essay. The following sentence is one such example: The motivation for the declaration that loneliness is increasing may be due to the fact that many people, especially blue-collar workers, are unable to afford or use these new devices. Issue test2 The media (books, film, music, television, for example) tend to create rather than reflect the values of a society. 6 For our grandparents it occurred through films and books. For the baby boomers it was a result of television and revolutionary music. No matter how the impact took place, it is clear that since its very advent, the media have played a crucial role in not simply being representative of the values of our society but creating them as well. During the roaring twenties Americans found themselves in a struggle between the old ways of their ancestors and the new ways of the future. The once steadfast beliefs that men and women should not touch while dancing, and that ladies should not drink or smoke were suddenly being challenged. From where was all this rebellion stemming? Partly it was due to the returning doughboys from the shores of Europe bringing home revolutionary ideas they had encountered while at war. Nonetheless, returning soldiers could not be held responsible for the social upheaval that America experienced. There had to be another cause, and there was, the media. Although the films of the era were silent they spoke volumes to the society for which they were created. Women in these movies wore their hemlines a few inches shorter than the decade before them and they wore cosmetics to accentuate their new bobbed haircuts. The movies, as well as the books of that era, demonstrated a new materialistic attitude that America had never before experienced. Films portrayed every character as having the money to buy a new car, drink, smoke and partake in the leisures of life, a philosophy that was soon adopted by the youth of the decade. The use of the media in the twenties was to serve as a catalyst for the revolutionary ideas that were circulating. The films and books of that era sped America along its path of change that eventually led to the greatest social unrest that the United States had ever known. Unlike the twenties, the sixties and seventies utilized the media in a way that appealed to those searching for truth in a lost and confused world. Martin Luther King Jr. realized the impact of the media on society during his campaign for civil rights. King urged his followers to withstand any abuse that they might encounter because the media will take their peacefulness into the homes of their society. By doing so, King successfully began to change the traditional view of race. Americans began to sympathize with the protesters because of the undeserved turmoil they faced at the hands of the government. As a result, America relinquished the Jim Crow laws and saw many other groups press for their individual rights as well. Television cameras rolled as Cesar Chavez organized the migrant workers in California and as Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinham linked arms to protest the lack of womens rights. While the media helped to shape some attitudes about racism and gender it also helped to uncover the truth behind government lies. During the Nixon COMMENTARY This is an outstanding response, even though it is not quite finished. The writers views on the issue are so cogent, well articulated, and well developed that the writer was not penalized for failing to provide a conclusion. What matters is the quality of thinking and writing displayed, not whether an essay is totally finished or has a certain number of words. The writers skill is apparent in the opening lines. The first words, For our grandparents it occurred, immediately spark the readers interest. The quick repetition of sentence structure and, once again, the intentionally vague use of it (For the baby boomers it was) effectively draw the reader in. By the third sentence, we know that this essay will address the complexity of the issue (not simply being representative? but creating them as well) and that the writer is fully in command of this discussion. The rest of the essay addresses the influence of historical events and media on the values of modern society, from the roaring twenties to the sixties and seventies. Insightful analysis accompanies the historical references. For example, the writer persuasively argues that prominent figures (King, but also Chavez, Abzug, and Steinham) advanced their social agendas by capitalizing on the power of the media to change public opinion. Throughout the essay, the writer uses language and syntax effectively. Word choice is precise (cosmetics to accentuate their new bobbed haircuts), sentences are structured to communicate ideas clearly (There had to be another cause, and there was, the media), and transitional phrases help move the argument forward (Unlike the twenties, the sixties? and By doing so, King successfully began to change the traditional view of race.) Occasional errors do appear (e.g., note the lack of logical comparison in women? wore their hemlines? shorter than the decade before them), but they are not intrusive. Other 6 essays might be more fully developed; indeed, this essay would be stronger if the writer had gone on to discuss the medias role in Nixons Watergate scandal and to bring the argument to its conclusion. However, even in its unfinished state, the essay does present an insightful, well-articulated discussion of the issue. - 5、 There are some who would say that the media reflects the values of society. I believe however, that the media in fact tend to create values in a society. The values created may be far different from the values that our society would choose to embrace. I offer two examples that serve well to illustrate that the media can in fact shape the very moral fibers in our society. The first medium that comes to mind is music. Through music we can proclaim our love, communicate feelings, and express new attitudes. Music is widely available to almost everyone in our society. To see how music has changed the values of our society, one needs only to look to the urban sprawl. Rap and gangster styles of music reach millions of city teens and young adults. Its message is quite simple- violence, drugs, and sex . Young people are constantly bombarded with the message that if you want something all you have to do is to take it. The values of human life, respect for elders and children have been lost. We have gangs and random killings in the streets of most cities in our country. Are these my values? They are most certainly not. This music does not reflect the values of this society. This music is the very core of this degradation of our values. How many tricked out gang cars to you see that dont have the annoying bass rumble of Rap music vibrating out of them? This music is part of the persona of a whole generation of people. It is just as much a part of their ego as the guns, drugs, and abuse of women. Another medium that is shaping the values of our society is advertising. Advertising is everywhere, on T.V., billboards, radio, even at the ballpark. Through advertising some vendors can create values. To illuminate my point I will use tobacco companies as an example. Joe Camel has convinced millions of young people that it is cool to smoke. The Marlboro man has done the same. The audience is always the same. These ads are targeting young people. They have created the value among children that it is ok for kids to smoke. Again the values of society have been changed by a powerful media. Im sure there are not too many parents out there who would want their children to start smoking. Another advertising media that will surely change the values of ours society is the Internet. The internet is really just the worlds largest commercial launched under the veil of access of useful information. It will be interesting to see just how this new network that has brought the world together will affect our values. These are just examples but I think they are effective at making my point. I think they serve to illustrate that the media can in fact change our values. As for me, Ill be out back smoking a Don Lino, on a beautiful trout stream while sipping a cold beer, waiting for the trout to rise and hoping a couple of those girls from the Coors commercial show up. COMMENTARY This is a well-developed response. The four-paragraph organizational structure serves as a useful framework for the writer to develop a position on the issue. The opening paragraph presents the writers position (media in fact tend to create values in a society) and announces the plan to present two examples to support that position. As promised, two examples (music and advertising) follow in the next two paragraphs. The discussion of these examples is focused, relevant, and clear. Using vivid details and an emphatic writing style, the writer shows how music (especially rap and gnats music) and advertising (especially cigarette ads) have negatively influenced American values. The final paragraph is an extension of the advertising example, focusing on the Internet as part of the advertising system. While the writer does little more than speculate on the influence that the Internet might have, this point does lead the reader to the writers lively conclusion. The vivid picture of the writer enjoying the media-defined good life (smoking a Don Lino? while sipping a cold beer) effectively illustrates the writers position that the media do, indeed, influence people in our society. Overall, the reasoning is persuasive and the examples are well chosen, but the argument lacks the insight and cogency necessary for a score of 6. The ideas in the essay are expressed clearly, although precision of language is not a strong feature. Sentences are generally well formed, often adding punch to the writers views. Some sentences are unnecessary, especially those that belabor the obvious (These are just examples but I think they are effective at making my point. I think they serve to illustrate that the media can in fact change our values