Victory for the ACT Student Text 15e

174 • W RITING

LESSON

The following essay topic will be used during the Writing Lesson to illustrate proper essay development and good writing skills. Follow along with your instructor to outline and develop sample responses to the prompts. Sample essay responses begin on page 433. DIRECTIONS: You have 40 minutes to plan and write an essay. Read the prompt carefully and make sure you understand the instructions. A successful essay will have the following features: it will evaluate each of the perspectives given in the prompt; it will state and develop a personal perspective; it will explain the relationship between the given perspectives and your personal perspective; it will present ideas with logical reasoning ƒ†…Ž‡ƒ”ǡ ’‡”•—ƒ•‹˜‡ ‡šƒ’Ž‡•Ǣ ƒ†ǡ ϐ‹ƒŽŽ›ǡ ‹– ™‹ŽŽ ‹…Ž—†‡…Ž‡ƒ” ƒ† ‡ˆˆ‡…–‹˜‡ Žƒ‰—ƒ‰‡ ‹ accordance with the conventions of standard written English. Technological Advances Technological advances have enhanced our capacity to communicate. Email, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms have made sharing information and networking with others ‡š’‘‡–‹ƒŽŽ› ‘”‡ ‡ˆϐ‹…‹‡–Ǥ Š‡–Š‡” –Š‡ Ǯ‘–Š‡”ǯ ‹• ‘—” ‡š–Ǧ†‘‘” ‡‹‰Š„‘” ‘” •‘‡‘‡ ŠƒŽˆ™ƒ› ƒ”‘—† –Š‡ ’Žƒ‡–ǡ ‘—” ƒ„‹Ž‹–› –‘…‘‡…– ™‹–Š ‘‡ ƒ‘–Š‡” Šƒ• „‡‡ ƒŽ‘•– ‹ϐ‹‹–‡Ž› ‹’”‘˜‡†Ǥ However, critics claim that while we now communicate more quickly, we also interact more •—’‡”ϐ‹…‹ƒŽŽ›ǡ ƒ† –Š‡ ‡ƒ•‡ ‘ˆ ‹–‡”ƒ…–‹‘ Šƒ• ”‡†‡”‡† —• ‘”‡ ‹•‘Žƒ–‡†Ǥ Ž–Š‘—‰Š –‡…Š‘Ž‘‰› Šƒ• ƒ†‡…‘—‹…ƒ–‹‘ ‡ƒ•‹‡”ǡ ƒ”‡ ™‡ ƒ…–—ƒŽŽ› Ž‘‡Ž‹‡” ™‹–Š ‘”‡ †‹‰‹–ƒŽ ƒ† Ž‡•• ˆƒ…‡Ǧ–‘Ǧˆƒ…‡ interaction? As more and more communication happens online, it is important to assess the psychological effects of this changed interaction. Read and consider the perspectives below. Each perspective suggests a particular way of thinking about the impact of technology on human interaction. Perspective 1 Despite technology improving information sharing, so much of what is shared is facile and shallow. We are now in a “fast food” age of information: quick turnaround with only “empty calories” of communication. Perspective 2 Though we connect more easily with one another, there is a feeling that we are becoming ever more isolated from each other. We have a need for closer contact with the people we know. Perspective 3 Technological advances have made it far easier to communicate in –‘†ƒ›ǯ• ™‘”Ž†Ǥ ‡…ƒ connect to individuals, groups, and societies in an instant.

Don’t Ditch the Directions Up until now, we have encouraged you to ditch the directions when approaching each test section. If you can memorize the Writing section directions, great! However, many •–—†‡–• ϐ‹† ‹– helpful to refer back to the Writing test directions to structure and remember what to address in their essays. The directions for this section contain crucial information about what your Writing test graders will be looking for when evaluating your essay.