Words/Phrases
- access (n)
- accessible (adj)
- be less/more likely to do sth
- be likely to do sth
- drastic (adj)
- financially disadvantaged (adjp)
- intellectual property (np)
- morality (n)
- pose a/an (adj) threat to
- proclivity (n)
- reap the benefits of (collocation)
- severe (adj)
- surface (v)
- unfeasible (adj)
Exercises:
Task 1: Write sentences from given cues. Make changes to the cues when needed.
- Severe storms / be likely to / pose a threat / coastal villages.
__________________________________
- When / there / competitions / almost all fields / life / only / best / player / surface.
__________________________________ - Charge/ users/ download/ copyrightedmusic/ unfeasible/ those/ financially disadvantaged
__________________________________ - Invention / digital music download sites / helpful / protect / authors / intellectual property.
__________________________________ - Issue / morality / nuclear weapons / possession / be / on debate / today’s world.
__________________________________
- Internet / bring / students / more access / sources / knowledge / information.
__________________________________
- Young / songwriters / have / proclivity / plagiarize / musical beat / instead / whole melody /a song.
__________________________________
- Customers / those / reap benefits / competitions / service provider.
__________________________________
- During / past / six months / there / drastic / reduction / staffing levels / this company.
__________________________________ - Key / education / system / millennium / be / make/ learning opportunity / more /accessible/ adults
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Task 2: Fill in the blanks with suitable words/phrases
Modern technology has made it easier for individuals to download copyrighted music and books from the internet for no charge. To what extent is this a positive or a negative development?
Copyrights have evolved into a major topic of concern in the era of the Internet and modern technology, as copyrighted music and books can now be downloaded for free with a few simple mouseclicks. While some believe that there are certain advantages to this development, I would contend that it may lead to 1___________ consequences that far outweigh any benefit it brings.
There is a common belief that free downloading of copyrighted contents is broadly. People may argue that the public can benefit from having free 2___________to invaluable sources of knowledge.Those who are 3___________would then have equal rights to develop academically, which may have been previously 4___________. Some also claim that once music contents are free, they can enrich the musical soul of millions. As a greater diversity of music becomes more 5___________to a larger audience, their understanding of it may improve, and new musical talents can 6___________as a result.
However, Ifirmly believe thatthereare 7___________consequences when copyrighted contents are distributed freely for everyone. This trend may well put the career of many authors, artistsand creative workers in danger, as they receive a significantly lower income from selling their books and songs. Yet this is not only a problem of finance, but also an issue of 8___________. The 9___________of taking others’ work without permission is a form of disregarding their rights and stealing their work. From a broader perspective, when authors’ 10___________is not respected, they 11___________ positively contribute to society.
To conclude, despite the belief that the public can 12___________the benefits of free access to intellectual content, I am of the opinion that disrespecting copyrights is undoubtedly a nega¬tive development that 13___________society.
291 words
Key/Answer
Task 1:
- Severe storms are likely to pose a threat to coastal villages.
- When there are competitions in almost all fields of life, only the best players (can) surface.
- Charging users for downloading copyrighted music is (would be/could be/may be) unfea sible for those who are financially disadvantaged.
- The invention of digital music download sites is helpful in protecting authors’intellectual property.
- The issue of the morality of nuclear weapon possession has been on debate in today’s world.
- The Internet has brought students more access to sources of knowledge and information.
- Young songwriters have had a proclivity of plagiarizing musical beat instead of the whole melody of a song.
- Customers are those who reap benefits from competitions among service providers.
- During the past six months, there has been a drastic reduction of staffing levels in this company.
- The key to the education system in this millennium is to make/making learning opportunities more accessible to adults.
Task 2:
- (1) drastic
- (2) access
- (3) financially disadvantaged
- (4) unfeasible
- (5) accessible
- (6) surface
- (7) severe
- (8) morality
- (9) proclivity
- (10) intellectual property
- (11) may be less likely to
- (12) reap the benefits of
- (13) poses an alarming threat to