TOEFL 3

TASK 1

PART 3

Reading The internet has only been a global phenomenon for around 20 years, but many could not imagine life without it. We use the internet for so many things - education, work, friendship, entertainment - that it has become a vital part of everyday life for many. People are now starting to realize, however, that the internet has negative effects, too.  One issue that is often mentioned is how the internet is eroding people’s ability to communicate well in writing. In many forms of written communication on the internet, correct spelling, grammar, and use of punctuation are not expected. So, many young people develop bad writing habits that can lead to problems when they attend college or begin work.  The internet has also had an impact on people’s physical health. Browsing sites, playing games, chatting with friends, watching videos, and all the other activities that people typically engage in whiñe using the internet are all sedentary activities, meaning that they can be done without any physical exertion. People who spend many hours each day not moving are at risk for weight gain and all the many health problems associated with obesity. Another problem relates to what could be called intellectual laziness. Several books have been written describing how the internet affects not just people’s willingness to read lengthy texts, but also, over time, the ability to do so. An abbreviation sometimes seen in user-posted comments on the internet is “tldr”, standing for “too long, didn't read”

Lecture script There are some interesting points in the article you read about the internet. It's true that the internet is an amazing invention that has had a revolutionary impact on society; but it's also true, in my opinion, that too much exposure to the internet has led to a number of problems for people.  The passage makes the point that the internet has had a negative impact on people's ability to communicate well in writing. It has also had a negative effect on how well people can talk to each other, uh, hold a conversation.  Because so much of online communication is written, research shows that many young people who have grown up using the internet find it difficult, even uncomfortable, to speak to other people face-to-face. Computer vision syndrome is another way that the internet is affecting people’s health. Sitting in front of a computer screen and using the internet for hours each day puts stress on people’s vision, leading to tired eyes or vision problems. A research study published in 2009 shows that myopia, uh, the inability to focus clearly on objects that are far away has increased by more than 60% in the last 30 years.  The article gives one example of something called “intellectual laziness” caused by internet usage. The ability to read long articles is clearly important, but equally important is the ability to read critically. In my experience, people who spend too much time on the internet frequently accept an opinion expressed in writing without either looking for recognizing problems with the writer’s  arguments.

Example:

Both sources discuss how the internet can negatively affect people. This piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer makes are supported by the speaker. 

The writer first claims that the internet has affected people’s ability to write well. The speaker states that the internet has also affected people’s ability to talk to each other. She goes on to state that many people find it difficult and uncomfortable to have a conversation with someone. 

This is one way that the lecture supports the reading. 

The writer next says that using the internet can affect people’s health because they do not move. The speaker argues that the internet can also make people’s eyes become tired and stressed. She continues by arguing that a study shows that more people than 30 years ago cannot see distant things clearly. This is another way that the lecture confirms ideas in the reading. 

The writer then asserts that the internet makes people intellectually lazy because they dislike reading long articles. The speaker makes the point that people are also intellectually lazy about thinking about what they read. She then points out that many people accept opinions without thinking about problems with a writer’s ideas. This is the final way that the lecture endorses the reading. 

Structure

Both sources discuss…

This piece of writing will summarize how the points that the writer makes are supported by the speaker. 

The writer first claims that …

The speaker states that …

He goes on to state that …

This is one way that the lecture challenges the reading. 

The writer next says that…

The speaker argues that…

He continues by arguing that …

This is another way that the lecture casts doubt on the reading. 

The writer then asserts that …

The speaker makes the point that …

He then points out that …

This is the final way that the lecture contradicts the reading. 

Exercise

Reading For a number of years, people have been debating the merits of electronic voting systems. There are many arguments against such systems, but as electronic voting technology matures, the strength of those arguments weakens.  One criticism of electronic voting is that it might lead to fewer votes because some people would choose not to vote for fear of technology. In fact, electronic voting would likely lead to higher voter turnout in surveys, most voters 18 to 30 - an age group with historically low voting rates -  say they would be more likely to vote if they could vote online. And only a small proportion of those over 30 say they would be less likely to vote if electronic voting were introduced.  A related issue is concern that voters might make mistakes when voting, such as accidentally voting for a candidate they do not endorse, or voting for too many candidates, because they are unfamiliar with computer technology. In practice, however, electronic voting systems can be designed so that these kinds of errors become either impossible or extremely unlikely. Another aspect of electronic voting that is commonly criticized is whether the results can be trusted. The worry is that an error in the computer program that counts the votes for each candidate could lead to incorrect results. Again, it is likely that electronic voting will lead to more accurate results, not less trustworthy ones. The vore counting software can be tested an unlimited number of times on sample data to ensure it works correctly under all circumstances.

Lecture Electronic voting system are not without critics, some of whose criticism are valid, but on the whole the advantages of electronics voting outweigh any possible disadvantage.  One advantage of electronic voting is the likelihood of higher voter turnout, especially among groups that tend to have lower levels of voter participation. Take the Arizona DEmocratic presidential primary election in 2000. During that election, voters were allowed to vote using the internet. Dispute a few technological problems -and this was the year 2000, right, when electronic voting technology was still very new -voter turnout among some minority groups increased by 500 to 800 percent.  Another advantage of electronic voting is that voter mistakes caused by confusing ballot papers can be reduced or even eliminated. Take the famous example during the US presidential election, again in 2000. It is widely believed, though impossible to prove, that a significant number of voters in a specific district in Florida were confused by a paper ballot and as a consequence voted for a candidate they did not intend to choose. With an electronic voting system, such an error would be impossible.  A further advantage of electronic voting system is accuracy. Voters in elections that use traditional paper ballots are counted by hand. A study in 2012 showed that the margin of error for hand counting was between zero point five and two percent. In some close elections, this might be enough for the wrong person to be declared the winner. Computers cannot make mistakes in the way humans can, however, so a well-designed electronic voting system should have a 0% error rate.