Writing for an Academic Discussion Do you believe the urgency and relevance of learning foreign languages will dwindle? - revised -

Do you believe the urgency and relevance of learning foreign languages will dwindle?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Your grandmother uses her phone during her travel in other countries. Is learning a language relevant to her?

2.        Fifty years ago, only businessmen stationed overseas saw the urgency to learn a foreign language. What about now?

3.        Why are you learning English?

4.        Do you use machine translation? Why?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Yes

1.        The vocabulary of AI translation is often better than that of most of humans, and its speed is much faster than humans’.

2.        We can use the extra time saved by machine translation for other activities.

3.        Google translate is pretty good as long as the sentences are not complicated.

 

No

1.        Acquiring a foreign language is becoming a friend of the people who speak the language.

2.        AI cannot completely replace humans in intellectual linguistic activities in such aspects as wit, humor, and sarcasm.

3.        Language learning is for expanding your knowledge.

4.        People trust the person who speaks their language.

5.        We are getting more immigrants. Also, increasing number of young people aspire to work abroad.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】I believe language learning for basic level communication that doesn’t require background information will become unnecessary for most people.

【Supporting Details】In fact, we are already communicating with people who speak foreign languages with the help of machine translation on social media. Some of the conversations are even in languages we have never heard of. Twitter used to translate most languages including minor ones before, and I hope it will recover the function soon. Also, Google Translate gives us translations of any combinations of languages, including minor languages. Even when the sentence you want to send is long and complicated, if you chop them into short sentences, you can get almost perfect translations. Moreover, AI beats most humans in terms of the size of vocabulary and the speed of coming up with an accurate word or expression.

【Conclusion】Therefore, those excruciating days of learning other languages will be gone for most of us who don’t need to have advanced levels of communication in foreign languages. (162 words)

 

【Thesis】I don’t think that learning foreign languages will become less meaningful or of urgent need, because of the increasing need of international discourse and cooperation.

【Supporting Details】To tackle international agendas like global warming and nuclear disarmament, people around the world need to understand the gravity of the issues and get motivated to work together for the survival of our species. For this, direct conversations between people who speak different languages are necessary. And here comes the necessity of language learning. Learning a language is not just for translation but also for mutual understanding and friendship between people with different cultures as Maria says. By speaking the language of the people that you are communicating with, you can overcome barriers in inter-cultural communication and earn trust and mutual understanding. This hardly happens when you communicate through each other’s phone speakers, which makes you look somewhat like aliens to each other.

【Conclusion】Thus, dwindling of the urgency and relevance of learning foreign language doesn’t seem to happen.  (163 words)

 

Writing for an Academic Discussion Should school rules be stricter or more relaxed?

In your opinion, is it more beneficial for schools to have strict rules, or should a more relaxed approach be taken?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Share examples of strict rules in schools.

2.        Why does school have rules?

3.        Talk about the pros and cons of more relaxed approach.

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        Rules protect children from troubles.

2.        Children must learn to follow rules to be a law-abiding citizen.

3.        Lack of discipline will make individuals dull like today’s rich retarded politicians who are contributing to the demise of the human race.

4.        It is wrong not to allow autonomy above certain level in anything.

5.        Creativity will be lost because children are not allowed free-thinking. Probably, the large number of strict rules at Japanese schools is related to the small number of protests and that protesters are regarded as if they were terrorists.

6.        Children cannot become independent because they do not learn to think by themselves.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Although I partly agree with Amanda in that some rules are vital for order and safety for proper learning environment, I believe a more relaxed approach to school rules should be taken. School in itself is a device to restrict children’s freedom. It forces children to attend 5 to 6 days a week for 4 to 6 hours a day during fixed hours. Some subjects are required subjects. This is already stressful to children even if these rules are intended to help them. Moreover, some schools have uniforms or strict dress codes. Many schools have many more meaningless rules that restrict students’ life to the last detail. The purpose of these rules is to control. By exacting obedience, school successfully makes children braindead. It is for this reason that any fascist entity has numerous rules. Therefore, for healthy environment for education to raise freer, creative minds, school must have as few rules as possible. (144 words)

 

I agree with the opinion of Peter that excessive control diminish students’ independence. It is violation of human rights when children are deprived of freedom above certain level. Of course, some rules are necessary for smooth and effective education. For example, smoking is prohibited for healthy development of children. However, rules of underwear colors or the number of times a student can use a bathroom are useless, if not harmful. Forcing students with wavy hair or brown hair by birth to change their hair into dark straight hair is torturous. Prohibiting students from wearing a heavy coat during winter and drinking water in the classroom is life-threatening. These rules all violate students’ right to pursue a healthy and cultural life and happiness. Therefore, school rules should not be strict. (119 words)

 

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:

Writing for an Academic Discussion What is one job that you think won’t be replaced by robots in the future and why?

 What is one job that you think won’t be replaced by robots in the future and why?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Paraphrase the points of Janet and Thomas.

2.        What jobs have already been replaced by machines and AI?

Notes:

-        Many of factory workers, couriers, cashiers, receptionists, telemarketers, bank tellers and clerks, and bookkeeping clerks have already been replaced by machines.

-        It is said that machines will not totally take over humans in work places but rather support humans by doing repetitive tasks.

 

3.        Sort out the occupations in the box into the following categories, creatives jobs and jobs that require human touch. If you think of other categories, add them for classification.

 

A: Creative jobs

 

B: Jobs that require human touch

 

 

occupations to make AI such as coders, architects, engineers, researchers, artists (i.e. musicians, actors, film makers, etc.) athletes, news anchors, satirists or comedians, TV personalities, writers, detectives, judges, soldiers, first responders (i.e. firefighters, police officers, and paramedics), zoo attendants, traders, tour guides, social workers, politicians, social media influences, language instructors, yoga instructors, essential workers (i.e. healthcare staff, farmers, restaurant workers, construction workers, teachers, etc.)

 

 

☆Response for Ideas and Expressions

In accordance with the opinion of Thomas that robots cannot do the jobs of creators that require high level of emotional insights, I believe artists won’t be replaced by AI. Fine art is the area that takes care of human heart as well, and AI always fails to make a moving picture, except by accident. Pictures that AI produces are just a combination of existing information of works related to the given theme. For example, AI would be able to copy works of Vincent van Gogh or produce works that look like a van Gogh. However, they won’t be able to reproduce his anxiety or longing in a new piece because an AI doesn’t have a suffering soul that van Gogh had. It has no spirit at all. Neither does it have a hand or eyes wired to the brain where the suffering and joy of life occurs. For the same reason, it won’t be able to make humans laugh with humor except for unintended ones. It cannot have empathy or mercy, nor can it have dream or vision. It has no concern, insight, or inspiration, either. It has no passion. It cannot love even a puppy. Not a bit of mind shared by life exist in it. Thus, it cannot make a masterpiece that truly impress us. Unless humans lose spirit, heart, or mind, AI artists won’t be able to fool us. At best, it would be a tool for inspiration whose random results we may find interest in just like photographs inspired some artists in Paris in the 19^th century to start the school of painting called the impressionism. (261 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion: 

Writing for an Academic Discussion The most influential film of all time and why? - revised -

Considering the vast array of cinematic works, which movie do you believe is the most influential of all time and why?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        List up the vocabulary Laura and Luke use to describe the movie of their choices.

2.        Think of the movies that fit the descriptions that you listed up in Question 1.

3.        What is the movie of your choice?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        “The Wizard of Oz” teaches that courage and believing in yourself will get you out of the world of deception, which is relevant in making a difference.

2.        “The Matrix” transformed how we see today’s world.

3.        Such war movies as “Apocalypse Now”, “El Salbador”, “Platoon”, “The Deer Hunter”, “All Quiet on the Western Front”, and “Dankirk” show you the real of war.

4.        “Dr. Strangelove” instills us with the horror of an accidental nuclear war that ends our times.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Michael Moore blockbusters have all caused seismic shifts in our awareness and understanding of the current world dominated by the capitalist American empire, from his debut film “Roger & Me” on the corporate greed and his deteriorating Ford hometown, Flint, to Academy Award-winning “Bowling for Columbine” on school-shootings and the American society founded on violence and oppression, to anti-war masterpiece “Fahrenheit 9/11”, in which he reported the corruption of the George W. Bush administration going to the Iraq War and the suffering of the people in Iraq and the U.S. soldiers and their families, to “SiCKO” on the endemic American healthcare system, to “Capitalism: A Love Story”, which proved that capitalism is a sin, to “Fahrenheit 11/9” about America ending with a clown like Donald Trump and hope fond in the struggle of the people, to “Where to Invade Next”, about the countries thriving with socialist ideas, to the latest “Planet of the Humans”, which showed the deception of renewable energies and corruption of the leaders of the environmental movements. But I think “Roger & Me” is the most significant because it changed the image of documentaries. It never bored the audience with a textbook-like teaching even though it’s backed by academic knowledge. In other words, it made documentaries an entertainment. It also featured a style in which the director and narrator goes to see VIPs without appointment or any other preparation, which provoked thrills and the spirit of rebels. Last but not least, Michael Moore’s character, his dialogue-like monologue, and unexpected turnouts gave the content reality. These radical and courageous approaches to expressions recreated documentaries as a genre. (269 words)

 

“Barbie” is the most influential ever because it will change our awareness about ourselves and the world. Boys must go see it if they want girls to like them. It relentlessly satirizes the shortcomings of men like childishness, narcissism, excessive masculinity, desire for dominance, dependent mentality, ego, misogyny, violence, and contentment with patriarchy, but it does so with humor and in style, which makes women laugh out loud, transcending their bags of spite towards men, and men realize these shortcomings of theirs without anger. The movie also satirizes a trap that independent single women fall into by showing unrealistic Barbie Land, or female-dominated world, which is seemingly a women’s utopia but actually a totalitarian dystopia controlled by lookism, capitalism, consumerism, and fascism. Moreover, this movie gives girls and young women a guideline on how to get a life as a woman in today’s world. In the beginning of the plot, little girls go through the dawn of woman and change from a baby feeder into a woman by destroying their babydolls after seeing a Barbie doll as an icon of a fashionable and independent young adult woman, completely in sync with the famous scene “ The Dawn of Man” in the classic “2001: A Space Odyssey”, but in the end a stereotypical Barbie doll chooses to leave Barbie Land and live as a human for the sweet pain and joy of motherhood and the true beauty of womanhood even though she is informed of the oppression of women in the patriarchal real world, being free from the feminism mantra and reactionism. This plot―a doll gets heart and becomes a human woman―is woven into radical satire of patriarchy and feminism and perfect parodies to make both men and women see themselves from a viewpoint above themselves for reflection and real feminism. Therefore, “Barbie” will certainly be the most influential. (312 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

【Thesis】

【Supporting Details】

【Conclusion】

Writing for an Academic Discussion Do you believe the urgency and relevance of learning foreign languages will dwindle? - revised -

Do you believe the urgency and relevance of learning foreign languages will dwindle?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Why are you learning English?

2.        Do you use machine translation? Why?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Yes

1.        The vocabulary of AI translation is often better than that of most of humans, and its speed is much faster than humans’.

2.        We can use the extra time saved by machine translation for other activities.

3.        Google translate is pretty good as long as the sentences are not complicated.

 

No

1.        Acquiring a foreign language is becoming a friend of the people who speak the language.

2.        AI cannot completely replace humans in intellectual linguistic activities in such aspects as wit, humor, and sarcasm.

3.        Language learning is for expanding your knowledge.

4.        People trust the person who speaks their language.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】I believe language learning for basic level communication that doesn’t require background information will become unnecessary for most people.

【Supporting Details】In fact, we are already communicating with people who speak foreign languages with the help of machine translation on social media. Some of the conversations are even in languages we have never heard of. Twitter used to translate most languages including minor ones before, and I hope it will recover the function soon. Also, Google Translate gives us translations of any combinations of languages, including minor languages. Even when the sentence you want to send is long and complicated, if you chop them into short sentences, you can get almost perfect translations. Moreover, AI beats most humans in terms of the size of vocabulary and the speed of coming up with an accurate word or expression.

【Conclusion】Therefore, those excruciating days of learning other languages will be gone for most of us who don’t need to have advanced levels of communication in foreign languages. (162 words)

 

【Thesis】I don’t think that learning foreign languages will become less meaningful or of urgent need, because of the increasing need of international discourse and cooperation.

【Supporting Details】To tackle international agendas like global warming and nuclear disarmament, people around the world need to understand the gravity of the issues and get motivated to work together for the survival of our species. For this, direct conversations between people who speak different languages are necessary. And here comes the necessity of language learning. Learning a language is not just for translation but also for mutual understanding and friendship between people with different cultures as Maria says. By speaking the language of the people that you are communicating with, you can overcome barriers in inter-cultural communication and earn trust and mutual understanding. This hardly happens when you communicate through each other’s phone speakers, which makes you look somewhat like aliens to each other.

【Conclusion】Thus, dwindling of the urgency and relevance of learning foreign language doesn’t seem to happen.  (163 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

【Thesis】

【Supporting Details】

【Conclusion】

Writing for an Academic Discussion Large social networks or a smaller, intimate group of friends - revised -

Social dynamics are intricate and highly individual. While some people thrive in large social networks, others draw comfort from a smaller, intimate circle of friends. Reflecting on this, which approach do you find more appealing or beneficial, and why?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Why do you think so?

2.        What are the benefits of networking with various kinds of people?

3.        Have you ever had an intimate friendship? What was good about the experience?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Benefits of large social networks

1.        The more, the merrier.

2.        Contact with a large number of people with different backgrounds can widen your views.

3.        Various information and help are available.

4.        A large network of people is potentially a power to make a difference.

5.        Large networks of people can include your close friends.

 

Benefits of a smaller, intimate circle of friends

1.        They have mutual interest or hobby.

2.        A small group is more relaxing.

3.        They are like a family, understanding each other very well.

4.        It is easy for a small group to have fun together because of few disagreements in anything.

5.        Only family and real friends will help you in difficult times.

6.        Individuals of the same value are precious.

7.        Life with intimate relations is fulfilling.

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Having large social networks is more appealing and beneficial to me. Acquaintances on the contact list who share various interests and specialties will be beneficial in various aspects of life, from work to hobbies to emergency. It is easy to find a business associate, a hiking partner, an adviser, or a private doctor among them. Besides, you won’t feel lonely because there will always be someone to contact if you know many people. Another advantage would be that a large network of friends will make it possible to start a huge project or a movement. Tens of thousands of people on social media, for instance, share information, have protests, boycott, rescue, or donate, which often lead to positive results. Lastly, although helps in hardship will usually come from family and very close friends, anonymous helps from those who are concerned could also be protecting you while you are unaware, and in this sense, acquainting yourself with as many people as possible will let you survive and make life profoundly meaningful to you. (172)

 

Smaller. Intimate circle of friends

I would be lucky if I enjoyed relationships with a smaller, intimate circle of friends. Usually, they are a close-knit group of old mates of decades of relationships. What connects them is time they have spent together. They often live close to each other, and get together frequently. By doing so, they bond and deepen their intimacy. Often, their relationships include their family members. All of these conditions make them feel as if they were one large family. Trust exists between them as a warm tie and protect them mentally. In the modern world, where human bondage is weak, such relationship is a treasure. The drawback of such groups would be that they tend to be exclusive and content with fun and the thrill which only the members share, sometimes making themselves strange and out of touch in the eye of those who are outside of the group. With this caveat in mind, I would be more than happy if I could stick together with a few close friends, sharing good times and bad times till the end of my life. (181 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:

Writing for an Academic Discussion A crucial subject currently missing from most school curriculums that is necessary for the future - revised -

What do you think is a crucial subject currently missing from most school curriculums that could better equip students for the rapidly changing world?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

Share your answer to this question, or choose one of the subjects listed below in Hints for Points and explain why you are interested in it.

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        Constitution: Changing, not amending, the Constitution means losing your country. Fascists are always aiming to change the Constitution. Thus, students need to learn about it and protect it.

 

2.        Pandemic: New viruses like COVID-19 will keep appearing as human society keeps developing into the wild. Nevertheless, many people have wrong ideas about the prevention and treatment.

 

3.        Survival Skills: Climate change has started to bite. Plate tectonics has entered its active phase. We need to learn how to survive without infrastructure in the worst-case scenario. For instance, we need to know how to secure drinkable water, edible food, and safe shelter by ourselves.

 

4.        Languages of Minorities and Neighboring Countries: Children need to be able to have basic conversation with minority people and people from neighboring countries.

 

5.        Relationships: Social changes have been isolating people, and children grow up with less natural, in-person interactions. Therefore, they must learn about relationships to live a better life.

 

6.        Making Documentary Films: It is expected that drastic, unexpected changes will happen in this century. We, as a human race, need to record the changes. As we don’t know how many of us will survive, everyone must know how to make a documentary.

 

7.        Traditional Songs and Dances: Multi-ethnic society will increase as migration and immigration increase around the world due to unrest such as conflicts and disasters. Learning songs and dances around the world will facilitate smooth bonding and mutual understanding between individuals and ethnic groups.

 

 

☆Response for Ideas and Expressions

I think communism should be a required subject. Communism is the most stigmatized and yet the most necessary idea for the people in this century. The word originates from community, and it’s about how people in the modern world can live helping each other like a family, free from drawbacks of capitalism. The West has treated communist countries like Russia, China, and Cuba as enemies to protect capitalism, to keep making money exploiting developing countries. People in the West also have had a bad image about communism because communist countries became dictatorships or oligarchies. Taking advantage of this, capitalist governments have made propagandas that communists are antisocial. For example, many people believe that Japanese Communist Party is attempting a violent revolution, but the special police have found no evidence of their vandalization after 70 years of investigation. As capitalism has extremely widened wealth gaps, weakened democracy, and deteriorated the environment, a new idea that can be a call for action to build a society where everyone can live happily is needed. Communism is adequate for the role. Thus, children need to learn about the general idea and history of this theory. (191 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:

Writing for an Acdemic Discussion Should gambling be legalized? - revised -

 Do you think gambling should be legalized?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        What are the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing gambling?

2.        Which partner would be the most dangerous to you, a smoker, a drinker, or a gambler?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        Gambling is addictive.

2.        It raises crime rates.

3.        It enriches antisocial groups.

4.        Tax revenue from cassinos not so much help the city as reduces its budgets that should be used for other purposes like healthcare, education, and welfare.

5.        Banning makes gambling go underground.

 

 

☆Responses for Ideas and Expressions

Ethical issues:

I respect individual freedom, but I cannot support legalization of gambling because it causes serious ethical issues. Fundamentally, gambling is ethically wrong because these so-called games of chance are for profits that are designed to make visitors lose. Nevertheless, it does not choose customers. Other than wealthy people who have a large amount of disposal income, ordinary citizens can get involved in gambling and lose a fortune, which destroys lives of addicted gamblers and their families. In addition to these tragedies, the mindset for hitting-a-jackpot and becoming a tycoon without caring others will deteriorate conventional lives based on diligent and conscientious daily labor, and this will drive people into an insane state of mind. It is the hotbed of get-rich-quick schemes and acceptance of neoliberal practices that make people worship those who make money and dehumanize those who lost in competition. Those inhumane comments made by neoliberalists show the emptiness and ruthlessness of their mental life. In this way, gambling is potentially harmful to the humanity. (166 words)

 

Economic problem

Legalization of gambling can weaken the economy of the society. In general, antisocial groups like mafia and yakuza do gambling business. Thus, legalization of gabling allows white-collar mafia to expand their illicit businesses, and this will influence normal economic activities because bad money drives out good money. In addition, gambling does not always increase tax revenue. It often wrecks the economy of the cities, except for the traditional gambling cities, such as Las Vegas and Macao. Newly-built gambling cities have all failed. A plan called Osaka Integrated Resorts (Osaka IR), which was launched after the legalization of some types of gambling in Japan in 2018, has been causing concerns that its large cassino targeting the wealthy may cause a huge deficit because it is hard to expect that it will attract enough visitors. Underground gambling is bad enough, but government-owned cassinos will cause more harm because tax money used to make up for the loss surpasses the revenue from the cassino. Therefore, gambling is all harm, no good, and so we must keep gambling illegal. (175 words)

 

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion: