Read the following passage. You have 3 minutes to read the passage. Get your timers or your stopwatch ready to time yourself. The time starts as soon as you begin reading the passage below.
READING
5G
Using both microwaves and millimeter waves, 5G technology has the capacity for faster internet connections. However, efficient connectivity is one small aspect of the expansive capabilities of 5G networks. The advent of 5G technology will positively impact the environment, transportation systems and human health.
Through connection to a 5G network, each home will become more energy efficient. Reducing energy consumption means a decrease in harmful emissions from power plants that burn fossil fuels. By capturing data from sensors connected to home appliances, information about each home’s energy usage can be calculated and energy waste can be mitigated. Temperature and lighting can be adjusted according to room occupancy, expending energy only when necessary.
Driverless cars connected to 5G networks will provide safer and more effective transportation. With the ability to communicate wirelessly, these smart cars will be able to detect traffic signals with the benefit of synchronizing a trip with green lights. They have the ability to communicate with other cars on the road as well, negotiating turns and merging into lanes. Self-driving cars connected to 5G receive information on the movement of ambulances, automatically and safely pulling over to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
Revolutionary advances in healthcare systems through 5G networks are set to improve people’s healthcare. With robot-assisted technology and high speed connection, an individual can safely be operated on by a surgeon located in another part of the world, making surgical expertise more accessible. In addition, remote monitoring devices can send patient information to the healthcare team in real-time, enabling patients to remain in the comfort of their home while still being overseen by their doctors and nurses.
Now, listen to the Lecture. You may take notes as you listen.
You have 20 minutes to write an essay explaining how the points in the lecture oppose the points made in the reading.
Here is a 5G example essay.
Both the reading and lecture discuss 5G. While the reading says that 5G will benefit our environment, transportation systems, and healthcare, the lecture disagrees.
First, the reading claims that 5G will make homes more energy efficient. Sensors will be able to measure the use of energy. Electricity output can be adjusted based on whether or not the room is in use. In this way, energy wastefulness will be reduced. However, the lecture insists that 5G has negative consequences for our environment. For example, 5G radio frequencies can be absorbed by insects. This absorption can negatively affect their body and behavior. It can even disrupt insects' ability to migrate. Considering that insects are pollinators, this will have consequences to our food supply.
Next, the reading asserts that 5G will encourage effective and safe transportation. Smart cars connected to a 5G network will be able to communicate with other vehicles, making driving safer. In contrast, the lecture argues that internet connections are not always reliable, especially in very rural areas. Also, any device connected to the internet could potentially get hacked. Hackers could gain access to information through the smart car or even take control of the car. This is not safe at all.
Finally, the reading states that 5G will be beneficial for health care. Surgeons in other parts of the world will be able to operate on someone at a distance. Patients’ health and recovery can be monitored from their home with their healthcare team receiving up to the moment information on their vital signs and functions. On the other hand, the lecture points out that there is no certainty that 5G is even safe for human health. In one study researchers found that brain and heart tumors were found in rats exposed to 2G and 3G radio frequencies. 5G millimeter waves can negatively affect immune and cardiovascular systems. There is no evidence that exposure to 5G is safe for human health.
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