2004 Paper 2

Suggested Answers

Passage A

1a. "boasts"

1b. The author is emphasizing that technology can be accessed from the most remote/isolated/inaccessible areas

2. He means that despite the fact that handphones causes brain damage, we do not want to think of it.

3. It is self-defeating because in the effort to save time, people tend to lose efficiency as they rush through their work.

4. The author cast doubts over their intelligence despite their fast response/reaction.

5. It is attractive because the routine of cultivating land or tending crops is predictable and thus less stressful. and living such a life at a slower pace means that one can savour the pleasures of life.

6. The time saved is insignificant as opposed to the dangers of of speeding to save that time.

Passage B

7. He was powerfully built/well-built and set/focused on winning.

8. He had Zhang initially boxed in and finally forced out of a trial run by two atheletes who resorted to foul means on the coach's instructions.

9. Zhang "hung his head"  in shame as he realized that he had done the very thing that he complained about - foul play on others.

10a. "fury" and "frenzied"

10b. His speed seemed foolish as he was running round a bend and his speed might cause him to lose his balance and fall.

11. He was hit by a sudden realization his current speed would not enable him to negotiate the bend safely.

12. It was credible because firstly, he did not give in to the temptation of winning through foul means, and secondly, the victory over himself brought about the victory for his team.

13.

(1) Impact - influence; strong effect

(2) Primitive - outdated; early and basic stage

(3) Banished - discarded; put away and stopped

(4) Angle - point of view

(5) Effectively - successfully; completely

Summary

Advantages and Disadvantages that technology bring to people's working lives and behaviour

1. Speed in travelling long distances; communication; access information
2. Speeding across the world - jet-lag
3. Prolonged use of computers - physical pain
4. Mobile phones - harmful radiation
5. Impatience, reflected in our clothes
6. Multi-tasking - efficiency/quality of work declines
7. Speed of thinking confused with intelligence
8. Difficulty in using time saved to relax
9. Modern machinery frees people from menial tasks in farming
10. Make factory work less tedious
11. Printing speed increased
12. Motor car - pollution and roads taking up space,
13. Motor car - save time, more comfort in travel unlike in the past

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