Science and technology

Time allowed: 40 minutes. Write one essay in English. First read the brief introduction to the issue and the three perspectives that follow it. Essay Task: Answer the question posed in the introduction in a single, well-organized essay. Make your own perspective on the issue clear and develop it, and analyze how your perspective relates to at least one of the perspectives given (it may agree with one fully or partly, combine elements of several, or differ from all three). Support your ideas with sound reasoning and specific examples, present them in a logical order, and write in clear, correct standard written English. The position you choose does not affect how your essay is evaluated. Planning Your Essay (optional; notes are not scored): When have you relied on directions from a phone, and what did you notice or miss? Is losing a skill to a new tool always a loss? Are there situations where the answer changes?

Finding the Way

Navigation apps on phones now give turn-by-turn directions almost anywhere, and many drivers and walkers follow them without ever looking at a map. Some people worry that relying on these apps weakens our ability to find our own way and leaves us stranded when a battery dies or a signal drops. Others see the apps as a helpful tool that frees attention for other things. Should people make an effort to find their way without relying on navigation apps?

Perspective One Knowing how to find your way is a basic skill. People who always follow a voice telling them where to turn never learn the layout of their own town, and they are helpless when the technology fails.

Perspective Two Every generation worries that new tools will make people less capable. Few people today can navigate by the stars, and nobody considers that a loss. Using an app lets people spend their effort on things that matter more.

Perspective Three Whether to rely on an app depends on the situation. On an unfamiliar highway, clear directions make driving safer; in one's own neighborhood, paying attention to streets and landmarks builds knowledge worth having.