Writing 10

a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they respond to
the specific points made in the reading passage.
The main topic of the passage and the lecture is the decline of the sea otter population
- while the article suggests that the main reason behind this phenomenon is pollution,
the lecturer thinks that predation is the most likely cause.
First, the lecturer points out that the pollution theory is weakened by the fact that dead
sea otters are hard to find at the coast, where pollution is the highest. In her opinion,
predation is the most likely explanation for this as predators consume these animals
and no corpses remain.
Secondly, while the passage suggests that small sea mammals are not the primary prey
for orcas, the lecturer points out that due to human hunters the whale population
decreased, therefore orcas had to change their diet. In this context sea otters and other
small sea mammals become the subject of predation.
Finally, the article suggests that the cause of the uneven pattern of otter decline is
pollution as well, however, the lecturer says that it can be better explained by orca
predation. Since orcas are large animals, they can't access shallow and rocky locations,
and these are the places where otter decline is not prevalent this concurrence
supports the predation theory.
The decline of otter population can be explained by pollution or predation - while the
article suggests the former, the lecturer argues that the real reason is the latter.
b) Agree or disagree: Playing computer games is a waste of time. Children should not be
allowed to play them.
We live in a highly technological world, and it seems that computer games are
unavoidable when it comes to entertainment. However, I think that children should
minimize their time spent in front of the computer, and below I present my reasons to
support my opinion.
First, video games are addictive. When I got my first computer, a whole new world
opened up to me - interactive games with beautiful graphics and interesting plots.
However, for a short period of time I spent all my time playing and not enough time
studying. As a result, I got worse grades than I used to and I had to work pretty hard to
reduce my time spent in front of the screen and improve my grades again. All types of
addiction are hard to battle, so it's best not to get addicted in the first place.
Secondly, sitting in front of the computer is not a social activity and children might
suffer from this isolation. In my early childhood we didn't have computers and me and
my friends spent our time fooling around in the backyard, spending quality time
together. Children nowadays often spend most of their spare time in front of the screen

and not with each other. That makes it harder for them to form friendships and on the
long run they might feel isolated and unhappy.
Finally, video games can be detrimental, especially the violent ones. If a young child
plays with a shooting game, he might develop views that violence is acceptable and
this might carry over to his social life. Therefore, if the child insists on playing video
games it's the parents' duty to select an appropriate one or to try to convince the child
to go outside to play instead.
While I think that entertainment has its time and place, computer games shouldn't be
the primary means of fun for kids.

Writing 11
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt
on specific points made in the reading passage.
The passage sees the future of literature as a dark path, however, according to the
professor the actual situation is less dramatic.
First, the lecturer argues that not only literature can be beneficial for the mind, for
example, science, political or historical books can be just as well-written, creative and
stimulative, therefore, book choices shouldn't be narrowed down to literature despite
what the passage may suggest.
Secondly, the professor points out that spending less time with books is not necessarily
a bad thing, today people are exposed to many art forms like music or movies and
these can be just as intellectual as books. With the change of culture books might have
lost some of their significance, but that doesn't mean a complete cultural decline.
Finally, while the lecturer agrees with the passage that there is less support for
literature nowadays, she thinks that it can also be the author's fault as modern day
literature is intended to be difficult in some cases. If these books don't even want to
appeal to a large audience, then not much support can be expected.
To sum up, literature may struggle like the passage suggests, however, according to the
professor culture as a whole isn't declining.
b) Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of valuable information.
Others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you
agree with?
Nowadays the rise of the Internet is unstoppable, and people's thirst for information is
emerging. We want to learn, and we want it now - in today's fast-moving world there is
no time for delay. Therefore, I think that ignoring the benefits or refusing the use of
the Internet is not beneficial for anyone. Below I present my supporting reasons.

First, information on the Internet is up-to-date. When I was writing my thesis, I had to
read and comprehend a lot of current studies regarding my field, and without the
access to Internet databases this process would have been nearly impossible. Recent
studies can be read just weeks after they have been published and in my opinion no
printed material can keep up with this.
Secondly, the Internet is easily accessible. Nowadays many people own a computer
and Internet connection, and with that the access to various material. In the olden days
people had to go to the library to research a subject, today this task is manageable
from the comfort of their own room. The saved time can be invaluable when a
deadline approaches, not to mention the bothers of travel and the disappointment when
one can't find the needed material after hours and hours of searching.
Finally, the Internet provides a wide variety of information. One can learn a new skill,
find out what's the cheapest way to travel around the world is or just simply gain
knowledge about the latest news from any point of the globe. This variety encourages
people to think in a more global way and also enhances one's general knowledge and
skillset.
To sum up, in today's world the Internet became the largest compilation of valuable,
easily accessible facts, and I think that ingnoring its merits is a mistake and goes
against todays mainstream.

Writing 12
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they respond
to the specific arguments made in the reading passage.
According to the passage a recently surfaced painting of a teenage girl owned by a
member of the Austen family most likely portrays Jane Austen, however, the
lecturer casts doubt on the points made in the article.
First, the passage argues that the painting was authorized by family members,
however, the lecturer points out that at the time of the authorization Jane Austen
was had already been dead for 70 years, therefore said family members had never
seen her themselves. In this case they couldn't have known for sure and their
recognition may be flawed.
Secondly, according to the passage the portrait resembles a sketch by Austen's
sister that is known to depict her. However, the lecturer emphasises that the
resemblance could mean that it portrays a relative as the Austin family was large
and many cousins were teenagers at the time the painting was made. The professor
also adds that according to researchers the painting's true subject was a distant
niece of Jane Austen's.
Finally, the lecturer points out that the painting was only linked to Ozias
Humphrey because of its style, however, evidence shows that the canvas used for
the painting was sold when Jane Austen was a grown-up woman, therefore the

painting couldn't portray a teenage Jane but some other relative who was a
teenager at that time.
To sum up, the professor thinks that the evidence mentioned in the article is not
convincing regarding the recently surfaced painting's true subject.
b) Agree or disagree: It is better to have broad knowledge of many academic subjects
than to specialize in one specific subject.
A broad, general understanding of the world is an essential skill, however, in my
opinion when it comes to profession it's more important to specialize in one
specific subject. Below I present my reasons supporting my views.
First, having a deep knowledge and understanding of one's field is crucial. For
example as a biochemical engineer I could pursue a career in healthcare,
fermentative technologies or analytical chemistry - since I decided that the latter is
the most suitable for me, I am working on getting to know more about this
particular field, familiarize myself with the current methods and techniques. I
believe that this focus will help me become a successful and sought-after
analytical chemist one day and I couldn't gain this deep understanding by obtainig
shallow knowledge from other parts of the science spectrum.
Secondly, it's easy to forget facts and figures that we don't use on a regular basis.
It's not beneficial to study things that will be forgotten in a very short period of
time, it just consumes a lot of time and effort without any reward. This problem
could also be eliminated by specialization.
Finally, being interested in a certain field doesn't mean that one will find every part
of that field fittingsuitable. A former classmate of mine became an environmental
engineer, and by the end of the second year every student had to decide whether
they want to specialize in technology or management. Obviously those who chose
technology, are not interested in business and management topics that the other
group studies, therefore they don't burden their minds with it - however, they are
passionate about technology, they are eager to study it and they will become very
good at it. If they had to study the other materials, that wouldn't benefit them the
way specialization does.
To sum up, in my opinion to become exceptionally successful at a certain field
requires specialization and that's what students should pursue.

Writing 13
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose
specific points made in the reading passage.

According to the article, the presence and rise of private fossil collectors pose a
negative impact on the scientific community and public as well, however, the
lecturer points out some advantages that overshadow the supposed disadvantages.
First, the lecturer argues that in contrast to the article's views the public wouldn't
suffer by the presence of private collectors but actually profit from it, as collectors
put their fossils on display as well. Therefore people still have the opportunity to
observe these items.
Secondly, the article suggests that scientists would lose access to many fossils
obtained by private collectors, however, the lecturer points out that before these
items can be bought, they have to go through the hands of scientific experts and
detailed examination will occur. This way science won't miss out on anything
related to fossils.
Finally, the lecturer agrees with the article that private collectors may cause some
damage regarding the fossils, however, she points out that if it wasn't for them,
many fossils would go undiscovered. Losing some data due to the incompetence of
collectors is still a smaller price to pay compared to the possibility of not
discovering the fossils at all.
To sum up, both the article and the lecturer agree that there are some negative
consequences when it comes to private fossil collectors, however, according to the
lecturer the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
b) Agree or disagree: the extended family (grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles)
is less important now than it was in the past.
Although sometimes it seems that the concept of family has lost its value and the
importance of the extended family has dropped to a minimum, I still think that
keeping in touch with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles has its merits.
First, everyone knows the saying that 'the more the merrier'. I come from a big
family and celebrations have always been very festive for us - gathering around the
table, loud chatter and laughs, exchanging ideas and thoughts. In my opinion this
athmosphere can hardly be created by the parents and kids only, especially if the
kid is an only child. Being around the extended family is not only fun, but a great
opportunity to socialize.
Secondly, it's nice to know that there are so many people to count on. Nowadays
women have to go back to work not too long after childbirth, it's a tremendous
help if the grandparents look after the baby while the parents are at work. But that
is not the only example, family members can always turn to the extended family
for small favors, which can make their lives much easier.
Finally, it's also possible to learn something from them. My uncle is a driving
instructor and when I was learning how to drive, he put in a lot of energy and
effort to help me become a good driver which was truly invaluable for me. When it

comes to the extended family, it's likely that somebody possesses a useful skill or
knowledge and it can be a huge opportunity to learn from them.
To sum up, I think the reasons I used to illustrate my point are just as valid
nowadays as they were many years ago, therefore I think that keeping in touch the
extended family is just as important today as it was in the past.

Writing 14
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast
doubt on the specific points made in the reading passage.
Salvage logging is a contradictory topic. While it may have some upsides as the
article presents, according to the professor the disadvantages overshadow the
advantages.
First, the lecturer argues that despite what the article may suggest, cleaning up
forests after a fire does not mean a better tree growth. As the dead trees
decompose, they supply the soil with nutrients that are vital for the ecosystem.
Therefore salvage logging might prevent healthy fresh growth.
Secondly, according to the passage decaying wood is an optimal habitat for
detrimental insects like the spruce bark beetle. However, the professor points out
that clearing out dead trees would cause more harm than good, as beneficial
insects and birds couldn't sustain their lives either.
Finally, the professor contradicts the article's view about economical benefits. She
thinks that the recovery proccess is expensive as it mainly requires helicopters, and
when it comes to the newly created jobs, they are temporary and mainly filled by
outsiders, not local residents. This way the economical benefits are neither
significant, nor long-lasting.
To sum up, in contrast to the article's optimistic viewpoint, the professor states that
on the long run salvage logging can actually be damaging for the environment.
b) Agree or disagree: people benefit more from traveling in their own country than
from traveling to foreign countries.
Nowadays traveling abroad became more affordable with the rise of cheap plane
tickets. While I think that one should know their homeland well, there are some
undeniable benefits of exploring foreign countries that I would like to present
below.
First, the traveler will be exposed to an another culture. Getting to know an
anothervarious ways of living is exciting, and trying to integrate into an another
culture, even for a short period of time, can be a great experience of adaption and
tolerance. These kind of experiences lead people towards a better understanding of
the world and present a way of self-improvement as well.

Secondly, the traveler can familiarize himself with a new language, and it may
even be an inspiration for studying that language. When I was in Italy, the people,
their language and their way of living fascinated me so much that I felt the urge to
study Italian, accompanied by a strong wish of living in the country for a while. It
is said that knowing a number of languages enrich people's lives and personalities,
and a trip abroad can be a good influence in this area.
Finally, every country has its own style of art. It doesn't take a hardcore art
enthusiast to enjoy paintings and sculptures from different parts of the world, and
there is the joy of discovery when one notices the differences between two pieces
of art originated from two different countries. Being exposed to such variety
enhances one's aesthetical skills and values, as well as broaden their minds in
terms of styles and meanings.
It is true that knowing our homeland is crucial and sometimes inevitable, but I
think that whenever an opportunity arises for a travel abroad, one should take it in
order to gain experience and grow as a human being on a major scale.

Writing 15
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast
doubt on specific solutions presented in the reading passage.
The passage mentions three different solutions for stopping the spread of the cane
toad in Australia, however, the lecturer thinks that these animals won't be so easy
to get rid of, and she perceives the suggested solutions as ineffective or threatening
for the environment.
First, the lecturer points out that a national fence wouldn't stop the spread of the
toads, as rivers and streams can easily carry them through it. In conclusion,
building a fence would be ineffective despite what the article suggests.
Secondly, according to the article volunteers could be utilized to capture and
destroy the toads, however, the lecturer thinks that while this may bring some
success, the untrained people could destroy other frogs, even endangered ones.
Therefore, volunteers may do more harm than good.
Finally, the professor thinks that the virus described in the article is a terrible idea,
as it could spread and have tremendous consequences, such as causing harm in the
Americas too, where cane toads are native and part of the ecosystem. If such virus
existed, its transport by researchers or pet collectors would be inevitable and could
potentially cause an ecological disaster in the Americas.
To sum up, the problem of cane toads is a difficult one, and according to the
professor neither solutions mentioned in the article would bring success.

b) Agree or disagree: In order to become financially responsible adults, children

should learn to manage their own money at a young age.
Managing money is generally a difficult and complex topic, and developing the
skills required to understand finances is crucial for financial success nowadays. In
order to become truly skillful in this area, I think children should learn to manage
their own money at a young age.
First, children learn and form habits fast. If a kid learns about the concept of
money and the proper management at a very young age, it becomes normal for
him, and it's less likely that he will have financial troubles later on. It's important
for any child to realize that money is not infinite and not everything he wants can
or will be bought. These habits carry over to adult life as well, making it easier to
spare and maintain a healthy financial status.
Secondly, the transition from youth to adult life wouldn't be such a radical one if
children learnt how to manage money. With adulthood come financial issues,
banks, loans and if someone didn't learn about these in his childhood, dealing with
such matters can be perplexing and overwhelming, for example not knowing who
to turn to, what terms mean and what to look for. Learning finance management is
invaluable in this area as well.
Finally, learning how to manage money on a small scale is not too risky, but still
beneficial. My cousin gets some pocket-money every week, and in the early days
he spent it immediately on candy and chewing gum. However, by now he realized
that if he spends his money quickly, he doesn't receive more immediately and he
can't buy some things he desires, therefore he formed a habit of sparing. Since he
learned from his experience on a small scale, I believe he will be responsible when
it comes to adult finances as well.
To sum up, as complex and overwhelming money management might seem, I
think that learning about them at a very young age is crucial in terms of becoming
a financially responsible adult.

Writing 16
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how the new
guidelines adopted in the United Kingdom helped to address the specific problems
discussed in the reading passage.
According to the passage, archaeology in Britain faces serious problems, but as the
lecturer points out, these problems were mostly solved by the new guidelines the
United Kingdom adapted in 1990.
First, according to the lecturer sites have to be examined before beginning any
constructions, therefore the problem outlined in the article regarding the loss of
artifacts to construction projects is already solved. This way if the site proves to be
archaeologically interesting, it will be preserved.

Secondly, the article mentions financial problems. However, the professor points
out that since the new guideline construction companies fund the archaeologists
and not the government like in the earlier times. Furthermore, archaeologists are
included in the preservation plan, their work is needed and they get paid
accordingly.
Finally, the new guideline also made it possible that new paid jobs could emerge,
and since its implementation it got easier to pursue a career in archaeology despite
what the article may suggest. According to the lecturer, archaeologists get hired at
all stages of the preservation plan and the number of career opportunities
increased.
Archaeology in the United Kingdom might have gone through a rough patch
before, but the new guidelines solved most of the problems archaeologists had to
face earlier.
b) Agree or disagree: the best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide.
When it comes to traveling, nowadays people have two main options - to plan the
travel and go by themselves or use the services of a travel agency and participate
in a group travel led by a tour guide. In my opinion the latter is better, and below I
will present my reasons to support my views.
First, tour guides are knowledgeable professionals. When I was in Sicily, our tour
guide was extremely passionate and knew an astonishing amount of things about
each city, even pieces of information like which restaurant to go to and where can
we buy the best almond wine. Her enthusiasm made all of us fall in love with the
island. No travel book or website can compete with this level of experience,
knowledge and passion.
Secondly, group travels are often more economical than self-planned trips. Travel
agencies often get discounts from hotels and the costs of gasoline for the bus is
distributed among all the participants.When I was planning a trip to Venice, I was
on a budget and I found that three nights in a hotel would cost the same as a whole,
four day trip offered by a travel agency. To sum up, oftentimes a group travel is the
most reasonable option financially.
Finally, group travels offer a great opportunity to meet new people. Travel mates
can become good friends and they might travel together again when wanderlust
hits. It's not easy to meet likeminded people, but group travels provide something
in common and create an excellent environment for this purpose as well.
In conclusion, the presence and knowledge of the tour guide can really improve
the overall satisfaction of the traveler, not to mention the new information that can
be aquired this way. Apart from that, group travel can be the best offer when
considering financial and social wievpoints as well.

Writing 17
a) Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they
challenge the specific points made in the reading passage.
The topic concerning the effect of human expansion on bird populations seems
controversial - while the article views it in a dark light, the lecturer thinks that the
arguments presented in the passage are not convincing.
First, in contrary to the argument in the article, the professor points out that while
some bird populations may sink with the urban development, for some other
species cities offer a suitable habitat. With the expansion of cities these
populations will find better and larger habitats, therefore the decline is not
uniform.
Secondly, according to the lecturer agriculture will grow, however, less land will
be used in the future, not more like the article suggests. The professor sees the
future of agriculture in developing new crops that yield more than before, this way
there will be no need to expand agricultural sites to wilderness areas, so birds
living in these places are safe.
Finally, the lecturer agrees with the article that pesticides are detrimental.
However, she also points out that in the future new, less toxic pesticides will be
used, and also pestresistant crops will be introduced in order to lessen the chemical
emission. These changes also work in the favour of keeping birds safe.
In conclusion, while the lecturer agrees on some points with the article regarding
the bird population decline, she thinks that the arguments presented in it are
unconvincing.
b) Agree or disagree: Most advertisements make products seem much better than
they really are.
Nowadays television takes a leading role in people's entertainment and this not
only means TV shows and movies, but also advertisements. In my opinion
advertising is the art of deception, as these short clips rarely show the product as it
is, rather an enhanced version is portayed - and for a good reason.
First, making the product seem perfect is an effective way to sell anything. When
my last cell phone broke and I wanted to buy a new one, advertisements made a
huge impact on my decisionmaking proccess and I actually ended up buying a
model I saw in a commercial. If it wasn't for that short clip, I might not have been
aware of the existence of that particular cell phone and I might not have been
tempted to buy it.
Secondly, manifacturers know about the weaknesses of their product but they don't
want to endorse them. It's a logical thing to do, as pointing out the faults might
lose them some customers. If the commercial mentioned that the cell phone I

ended up buying makes bad quality pictures and sometimes deletes all my
contacts, I might have searched elsewhere for a different model and the company
would have lost me as a buyer. Consumers know that no product is perfect, but
pointing out flaws is not a wise marketing choice.
Finally, commercials sell a lifestyle as well. Perfume ads are the greatest example
for this as they usually portray beautiful, successful young people living the
dream. Consumers often want a piece of this glamorous picture and this attracts
them to the product even though the lifestyle portrayed in these ads is unattainable
for them. Still it's an effective strategy to gain customers.
To sum up, advertisements' main goal is to sell the product and create a hype
around it, even if it requires some deception and enhancement of the features.
Therefore commercials shouldn't be treated as grains of truth, but an artistic way to
portray a product.