Ø What are the pros and cons of computer, Internet, and mobile phone technology as well as modern technology as a whole?
这是在过去五年的雅思写作高频话题里名列第三位的题目。在过去五年的考试中，有14次考试的内容都直接或者间接地涉及到了这个内容。
首先，好处包括可以更方便地，获取更多的信息和资源，尤其对于专业人士；网上购物，银行，娱乐等；方便交流，视频通话；多媒体的信息增加了学习和工作乐趣；不受地理位置限制，可选择的学习和工作的范围很广泛；环保，不需要出行等。坏处包含了网络病毒的传播破坏重要资料，传播一些不良信息，网上有很多娱乐，难以专注；缺乏有效的监督，学习和工作效率下降；手机让人们缺乏面对面交流等。
其次，考生还应该注意到如果题目涉及到整体现代科技问题的话，还应该包含其他的科技类别，比如说交通（方便出行，但是会造成环境问题），农业和工业（提供了生产力和效率，但是食品不安全，破坏土壤肥沃度；自动化让工人失业等），以及其他类型的科技。因为很多内容非常类似，所以朗阁海外考试研究中心的专家们将这个大话题下的内容归结为以下几个方面。这一讲的重点主要在网络，电脑，和手机这几个科技方面。
1. 因特网里含有大量的信息，并且非常方便用户获取
The Internet is a repository of an immeasurable amount of data of all sorts that have been rendered available and accessible to the Internet denizens (netizens) at the clicks of their mouse.
- College undergraduates may find prominent journal articles and electronic books hugely helpful to their drafting of graduation theses/ thesis.
- Youtube, one of the largest online video-sharing websites, boasts of billions of video clips it is ready to offer to the viewers.
- Even the most obscure subject matters will find a remarkable following in the online community.
Argument development:
这里主要是通过两个方面来证明因特网的优势：信息量大以及获取信息的便利性。其实，很多时候这两个方面并没有必要完全分开，完全可以合在一起。我们很多时候可以通过一些例子来将两个方面结合起来，这样一来效果会更好。这里，主要是从三个例子来论证的。第一个是生需要去网上搜索相关的资料来撰写论文；第二个是Youtube这个视频分享网站上有大量的资料可以供各个用户随时随地免费观看；第三个是说最不被人了解的话题也往往在网上会找到很多感兴趣的人。
Takeaways:
l a repository of something
repository: 存储东西的容器和地方
Example: He is a repository of literary knowledge spanning the Medieval period.
l an immeasurable number/amount of something
immeasurable: 无法测量的
Example: The immeasurable amount of data stored in digital libraries really comes in handy when college students search for relevant academic materials.
l render something adj.
render: 使什么变得怎么样
Example: The new policies have rendered the old laws ineffective.
l Internet denizens
denizen: 居民
Example: The number of Internet denizens has been multiplying over the last decade.
l prominent journal articles
prominent: 重要的，著名的
Example: Stephen Hawking is one of the most prominent astrophysicists in the 21st century.
l draft graduation theses/a paper/a law
draft: 撰写
Example: The legislative body of the country is responsible for drafting the constitution and laws.
l boast of something
boast: 吹嘘，引以为豪
Example: China boasts of an enduring history and a rich culture.
l obscure subjects
obscure: 不被人所熟悉或知道的
Example: Jose Mourinho used to be a footballer of obscure reputation.
2. Mobile phone, a technological novelty that has almost entirely replaced letter writing as the predominant mode of communication in contemporary society, facilitates interpersonal communications over a long distance.
- Overseas students can video-chat with their parents at anytime, anywhere
- The multiple, newly emerging mobile applications such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and among others have redefined the textual and voice communications over the phone: the instant transmission of pictures, videos, and even emoji/smiley has truly enriched the meaning of the messages conveyed compared to traditional voice communication.
Argument development:
这个点主要是说手机已经基本完全代替了写信，成为了现今社会主要的远程交流方式。这里可以从两个方面来展开说，一个就是举考生们的例子，比如说他们到国外后可以与家人和国内的朋友进行视频聊天，而且不受时间和空间的限制；第二个方面可以说一些新的，已经变得非常流行的社交媒体已经重新丰富了信息内容比较传统的交流。
Takeaways:
l a technological novelty
novelty: new, creative ideas or things
Example: This state-of-the-art novelty is of quite recent origin.
l a predominant mode of communication
predominant: 主要的
Example: Subway is the predominant form of public transport for New Yorkers.
l facilitate something
facilitate: 使什么非常方便
Example: The dawn of Uber has truly reshaped the landscape of taxi industry by facilitating cab service to all customers.
l redefine something as something
redefine: : 把什么重新定义为什么
Example: The advent of computers has redefined our traditional understanding of machine power.
l transmission of data
transmission: 传输
Example: The power transmission is back on after a lengthy citywide blackout.
l enrich something
enrich: 使丰富
Example: The internship at Samsung is indeed an enriching, aspiring experience.
l convey something to somewhere
convey: 传输，传递
Example: The implicit message conveyed by this act to the public is truly thought-provoking.
3. The unusually frequent use of mobile phones - mostly the applications installed - has in fact taken a toll on traditional, face-to-face communications that the earlier generations take for granted.
- While underground riders busy themselves with updating their Facebook status or college students surfing eBay for the auction progress on their products, they may easily neglect the real, physical world around them. What they may miss out on the fun in real world might outweigh what they can gain from cyberspace.
Argument development:
这个点的内容是说手机的频繁使用其实对传统的面对面交流有一定的伤害。然后我们可以从下面几个例子来证明。比如说很多乘坐地铁的乘客在旅途中都会更新他们社交媒体上的状态或者是上网去看一下他们所拍卖产品的进展。他们很有可能忽略了现实的生活，而这部分所失去的往往会远远超过他们所得到的。
Takeaways:
l take a heavy toll on something
take a toll on something: 对什么造成损失或者伤害，以什么为代价
Example: The rapid corporate expansion has taken a heavy toll on the quality the company has always upheld.
l take something for granted
take something for granted: 本来以为就应该有的而不珍惜的东西
Example: The second-rich generation often takes their vast personal wealth for granted while the homeless survive each day on begging for money.
l busy oneself with something
busy oneself with something: 忙于做某事
Example: The housewives busy themselves with picking up goods on their shopping list during the great sale.
l auction off something
auction: 拍卖
Example: The collector auctions off one of his most valued piece of artwork.
l neglect something
neglect: 忽略，忽视
Example: While parents are pursuing higher income and brighter career prospect, they often neglect the feelings of their children.
l miss out on something
miss out on: 错过想要做的事
Example: They do not want to miss out on the final game although the examination is just a couple of days away.
4. Online games are highly addictive.
- A great proportion of students may skip regular classes to indulge themselves in playing computer games. This could serve as a big distraction to students from their academic learning. After all, the primary responsibility of students is to absorb new knowledge from classroom learning.
Argument development:
这个点主要阐述的重点在于网络内容非常容易让人上瘾。为了证明这个点，考生可以举一些例子。比如说很大比例的学生可能会翘课去玩电脑游戏，而这会很大程度上影响孩子的学习。毕竟学生的主要责任是从课堂中吸取新的知识。
Takeaways:
l be addicted to something
addict: 上瘾
Example: Those who are addicted to drugs are subject to cruel treatment in the rehabilitation center.
l serve as something/serve to do something
serve: 起到什么样的作用和目的
Example: The souvenir serves as a reminder of the sweet, fond memory of the trip with my first love to Los Angeles.
l be distracted by something
distract: 干扰，打扰
Example: Students are easily distracted by the noises outside the classroom.
l after all
after all: 毕竟
Example: The new policy is of paramount importance to farmers. After all, their livelihood depends heavily on it.
l absorb new knowledge
absorb: 吸收
Example: If you pack too many materials in the package, it will reduce the ability to absorb shock.
5. The advent of the Internet has greatly revolutionized the way we lead our life.
- Such Internet giants as eBay and Alibaba provide consumers a diverse array of products and services within the reach of a mere few clicks of mouse.
- Distance learning programs have also been launched on campus websites by many universities worldwide in an attempt to facilitate the recruitment of some of the most brilliant minds in the world.
- Uber brings taxi service that used to be inconvenient and slow in many regions closer to commuters. Now, Internet has already penetrated almost every part of lifestyle. It is by no means an overstatement that mankind has come to depend on it more than any other invention witnessed in the history.
Argument development:
这里是说网络的出现极大程度上改变了我们的生活方式。网络巨头比如说易趣和阿里巴巴能够让消费者点几下鼠标就能够获得各种各样的产品和信息。很多也早已经退出了远程教育的课程为了招募世界上最好的人才。优步公司也提供出租车服务的替代品，让不方便、很慢的出租车服务在很多地方成为过去式。所以，整体来说因特网已经在很大程度上改变并且改善了我们的生活。
Takeaways:
l Internet giants
giant: 巨人，巨头
Example: Standing on the shoulders of giants is not a viable option if risk-prone business people hope to explore uncharted territories.
l within the reach of a mere few clicks of mouse
click: 点击
Example: The answer to this question is just a few clicks away.
l launch programs
launch: 推出，发射
Example: The automaker company is about to launch a series of new models in order to consolidate its grip on the auto market.
l in an attempt to do something
attempt: 尝试
Example: Steve Job’s attempt to catapult Apple to a sustainable growth and expansion eventually succeeded.
l brilliant minds
brilliant: 杰出的
Example: The group brilliant scientists has eventually managed to isolate cancerous cells from their non-cancerous counterparts, the first crucial step in the quest of the ultimate cure to cancer.
l by no means
by no means: 绝不
Example: The criticism that the government on the other side of the planet is corrupted and ineffective is by no means a pretext for interfering into the domestic affairs of another state.
l an overstatement
overstatement: 过度的话，夸张的内容
Example: China’s economic rise has largely been overstated by both domestic and overseas media; the truth is that the real estate bubble, a consequence of the booming property industry over the past decade or so, is about to burst.
l depend on
depend: 依赖
Example: How to revive the sluggish market and stagnant economy depends on a multitude of governmental policies scheduled to be introduced later this year.
6. The issue of cyber security has come to the fore only fairly recently. The online theft of credit card number, the encroachment into privacy of Internet denizens, and mirror websites aimed to deceive and trick customers into giving up the information to which no one else is privy have made the concerns over Internet security grow. It is a misconception that anti-virus software alone suffices to do the job; risk-averse behaviors and actions are expected from the consumer side to make them less vulnerable.
Argument development:
这个点的重心在网络安全领域，而这个问题是最近才刚刚出来的。一些现象比如说网上盗用信用卡号码，非法侵入网民的隐私，以及一些用来欺骗客户的镜像网站会骗取客户的隐私信息，让网络安全问题处在风口浪尖上。单纯的依靠一些杀毒软件并不能很好地解决这些问题，客户必须采取一些适当的规避风险的行为来降低自己的脆弱性。
Takeaways:
l cyber-security
cyber: 网络
Example: In the era of Web 2.0, cyberspace has turned increasingly into a vast space for user-generated trash.
l come to the fore
come to the fore: 出现，被人们所关注
Example: The issue of academic plagiarism gradually comes to the fore when the papers submitted by the two international students are found to bear uncanny resemblance to a number of prominent articles published in Denmark last year.
l encroachment into: 侵入
encroach: 侵入
Example: The act of encroaching into intellectual property rights will not go unpunished.
l trick somebody into doing something
Trick: 欺骗，欺诈
Example: By tricking the public into believing that the hit-and-run accident was not masterminded by anyone belonging to a higher rank, it successfully diverts public attention to the gravity of drunk driving.
l misconception
misconception: 错误的想法
Example: The popular misconception that western education is superior because it stimulates creativity and emphasizes the importance of individuality has misled many to blindly pursue further study in the UK and US.
l be privy to something
privy: 知道，了解什么机密信息
Example: Even FBI officers do not have a security clearance level high enough to be privy to such sensitive information.
l risk-averse
risk-averse: 规避风险的
Example: Risk-averse investors fail to seize this opportunity simply because they err on the side of caution.
l vulnerable
vulnerable: 脆弱的
Example: Dwarf plants are more vulnerable to such harsh weather as strong winds or heavy rains, though their yields are much lower than those taller varieties.
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