TEACHERSNOTES

THE SCI FI NO MORE ISSUE

BROADER PERSPECTIVES

2015 ISSUE THREE

SECTION

PASTORAL

BIOTECHNOLOGY

01.

02.

- How values underlie writing

- Comprehension practice

Although most of us in Singapore are inclined to view the world through the lens of pragmatism, students may find themselves frustrated with only being able to argue yes because it works or no because it does not work. Their frustration is magnified by the fact that the success of solutions cannot be guaranteed, particularly when the context differs or when there are so many changeable variables to consider in the same context. What works in Singapore may or may not work in Hong Kong or even Singapore in 5 years time.

This article argues that we undertake the task of progress and making life better for ourselves and our fellow citizens because of love, hope, and a sense of shared responsibility. The emotions, values, and relational realities that undergird and drive our efforts forward can help students make meaning of why we continue to strive for progress when circumstances seem bleak or problems seem insurmountable. This provides balance for the sometimes painful conclusions of realistic pragmatic analysis of global problems, allowing students to end their essays on a note of hope or of the reasons why we need to keep up the fight to eradicate poverty, establish equality, or improve the environment.

Being able to talk about the universal intangibles that create our tangible reality is an important skill and we hope students will be encouraged to articulate this aspect in their analysis of current problems or solutions. Students writing also benefit from showing that the severity of problems and the necessity of certain solutions derive from human nature and our hearts: the absence or presence of love, hope, commitment, resilience, responsibility, and the willingness to persevere. There will be students in your class who resonate with such analysis and writing style and it will breathe life and verve into their writing. Others may struggle with it and only want to use it sparingly in their essays or perhaps only in their opposing arguments or conclusions. Some may be cynics and realists who will use this approach to buttress their arguments that sentiment is unnecessary or even harmful to real progress. Allow for the range and encourage some experimentation so that students can find what works for them.

TEACHING POINTS:

TEACHING POINTS:

NOTES

QUESTION 1 In what ways does mankind seem to be playing God (paragraph 1)? Use your own words as far as possible. (3 marks)

Skills: This requires the student to read the sentence that came before the connector yet and the rest of the sentence. The clue ways in the question would tell them to list more than one. In paraphrasing, the parts of the passage that imply extensive power and control should be paraphrased and categories found for the range that the author establishes, from hair colour to intelligence, agricultural, food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, should be included. The second phrase may be difficult to understand, but a clue comes in the bridging first sentence of the second paragraph.

Possible answer: Mankind seems to be attempting to be all powerful/ do things humans cannot normally do/ surpass our human limitations/ do what people believe only a supernatural divine being can, by controlling/intentionally changing all that is biologically predetermined, from our appearance to our capabilities and even the plants and animals that we use to feed and cure us.

Suggested: Students should pick out mankind seems set on course to manipulating the little codes within our bodies that determine everything from our hair colour to intelligence and an era of genetic engineering which promised to revolutionise the agricultural, food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

SECTION NOTES

QUESTION 2In paragraph 1, what does the author imply by placing the phrase playing God in inverted commas? (1 mark)

QUESTION 3In paragraph 2, what benefits does the author claim genetic engineering has brought about? (3 marks)

QUESTION 4From paragraph 4, explain what the author implies by using even when referring to scientists who have concerns about the environmental and ethical implications of such manipulation of nature. (1 mark)

Skills: Inference and explaining how the punctuation functions in this case to clarify some-thing about the authors standpoint or how the phrase should be understood.

Skills: Picking out the benefits and not the examples by focusing on the positive words.Suggested: tangible economic and health benefits, a step forward towards achieving food security and stability in the face of a growing world population, made it much safer for patient use and ensures their constant supply

Skills: Inference and explaining the effect of the use of the word even on the argument being made. Students can contrast scientists with the religious groups mentioned earlier in establishing the extensive range of people who have these concerns (see the 2nd answer).

Possible answer: The author implies that this is a recognisably common argument that does not originate from the author (i.e. the author is quoting someone else) and that this is a claim the author does not agree with or hold personally.ORThe author implies that he or she does not believe that scientists are actually trying to be God or that there is no intended religious significance to their experiments and discoveries. The inverted commas signal that the phrase is not to be taken literally.

Possible answer: Picking out the benefits and not the examples by focusing on the positive words.Suggested: tangible economic and health benefits, a step forward towards achieving food security and stability in the face of a growing world population, made it much safer for patient use and ensures their constant supply

Possible answer: With the word even the author implies that scientists are considered unexpected opponents since the technology used in advancing science/genetic engineering is scientific in nature/belongs to their field of study. The inclusion of scientists strengthens the validity of these concerns.ORThe author implies that those opposing the use of genetic engineering range more widely than one might expect, from those who argue based on their faith/beliefs/moral opposition to scientists who argue based on rationality and their understanding of how the technologies work.

SECTION

VIRTUAL REALITY

03.

- Essay stylistics

Studying essay approaches can be helpful for students. This article highlights a few stylistic tricks which can be successful or painfully inept depending on the students ability. Highlight them to your students and have them think through what would make each strategy work effectively before experimenting to see if this would help them.

Total: /10

TEACHING POINTS:

NOTES

1

An imaginative, rhetorical opening (paragraph 1-2). Inviting the read-er to enter into a mental train of thought can be helpful, but this train of thought must be tightly controlled and focused towards a particular ob-jective. For example, for the purpose of introducing a particular concept, a rhetorical opening should include the main elements that help to illustrate the concept. In this instance, the introduction does not run on for too long, but gets quickly to the point of the article that virtual reality is bringing what we imagine into reality, where it can be experienced with our senses. The train of thought thus coincides with the insight outlined in the first line of the second paragraph, where virtual reality is demonstrated through its oxymoronic nature of being both real and yet imaginary.

2

A historical approach (paragraphs 2-4) tracing how the current day sit-uation came about. Students are often fond of this approach, but may go on for too long or not advance their essay with the historical survey. In this article, the historical survey intends to show that the desire to immerse au-diences in an experience goes back further than people think and involved the efforts of individuals who had a vision, governments who saw a use and corporations who brought it to the masses. Besides revealing the players, the author also includes the limitations of each stage of the development of virtual reality to help readers appreciate how far we have come.

QUESTION 5From the final paragraph, what does the author suggest is the humanity that so defines our species endangered by our quest for opportunity, convenience and perfection? Use your own words as far as possible. (2 marks)

Skills: Tracking the argument and inferring what makes us distinctively human.Suggested: Students should note that in this paragraph the contrast is between ethics and the opportunity offered by genetic engineering. The final warning about the genetically elite supremacy is also relevant to the argument about loss.

Possible answer: The author suggests that what makes us distinctively human is our ability to differentiate right from wrong and the equality of humans because all of us are genetically imperfect.

SECTION

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, SMART PRODUCTS

04.

-21st Century context

-Further Essay Practice:

Students will be familiar with AI and Smart products as part of their daily lives and these articles will be a helpful springboard for starting them off on thinking about and articulating what the benefits of and concerns about technology are. If time permits and a broader group work exercise is desired, the articles on Nanotechnology, The Internet of Things, and Space Travel can be included. Often students talk about science in broad strokes, and lack specific cutting-edge technology examples to ground their points. Using these articles they can pick out the characteristics, uses of and concerns about these technologies and how they relate to individuals, governments and corporations. Tracing such improvements in technology can also help them make stronger points relating to modern day changes and in arguments that contrast past and present.

Encourage students to really figure out where they are on the spectrum of support for technology, first on a personal level, then based on Singapores unique context, and finally on the global level. They should consider the concerns raised in the last 2 paragraphs of the AI article: if the social, legal and economic areas have progressed sufficiently and what pre-emptive precautions may be helpful. This would help them in writing grounded essays that argue their stand with specific knowledge of how science and tech is evolving, what contexts and players are most relevant, and what their personal voice is in this debate.

TEACHING POINTS:

NOTES

3

Signposting a turn in the argument (paragraphs 5-6) and explaining the logic. The last 2 paragraphs set up the downside of virtual reality. Students should be aware of the need to signal turns in the flow of the argument such as these for impact and clarity, as seen in the sentence Inevitably, there is a catch.

The logic of the counter-argument is then set out in the following sen-tences: The more advanced such technology gets, the more difficult it is to distinguish between reality and perception. In the amoral, lawless and uncontrolled world of virtual reality, there are no consequences. In-dividuals may be emboldened and desensitised, allowing their actions in the virtual world to translate into real-life consequences. Students who tend to write long paragraphs would benefit from practicing writing more concisely especially in setting out the crucial arguments in 3 sentences or less. Here the author starts with establishing the problem associated with the advancement of virtual reality technology, and then fleshes it out by describing the most pertinent characteristics of the virtual reality world, and their effect on individuals who extend virtual reality into the real world.

4Other students who like to use hypothetical situations (ifthen) to argue may use the example in point (3) to study how to set up trends that are persuasive while still being qualified (individuals may).

To what extent is it acceptable for private companies to be involved in funding scientific research? (2011, q4)

How far is it acceptable for technology to be used only for financial benefit? (2012, q12)

Is there any point in trying to predict future trends? (2013, q3)