Name: Date: reading (10 marks) 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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WRITING TASK 7 MODEL ANSWER

Choose one new area of technology or invention and outline its advantages and 

disadvantages.

One of the most important inventions in recent years has been the smartphone, the result of years of 

innovation in the fields of personal computing and wireless communication. However, this technology 

has caused major changes in the way we live, and used thoughtlessly can lead to anti-social behaviour. 

This essay will argue that the advantages of smartphones outweigh the disadvantages, but that 

smartphone owners must treat their devices with caution.

Smartphones offer numerous benefits. The main advantage is permanent access to the Internet, 

which is far more important for most users than the ability to make phone calls. This gives workers 

the possibility of continuing their work outside of the office, allowing for a more flexible lifestyle and 

better use of otherwise ‘dead time’. Away from work, people can communicate with friends via instant 

messaging services and social networks. They can enjoy mobile games and can access all the music 

they could ever want.

However, these advantages come at a cost. Perhaps the biggest concern with smartphones is their 

effect on the individual user. Wherever you go in public you will see people glued to their screens, 

nervously checking their emails and flicking through friends’ status updates. There is a joke at the 

moment which goes, ‘My friends are coming over tonight to play with their mobile phones’. Another 

point against smartphones is the blurring of personal and professional lives. They are also expensive to 

buy and to use, and they become outdated almost immediately.

Used with caution, smartphones can be a wonderful asset. However, we must remember that the world 

is not entirely digital, and that we could all benefit from some downtime to enjoy offline friendships and 

the world around us. 

ADDITIONAL WRITING TASK 7

Choose one area of new technology. How does this technology benefit you? Are there any 

possible disadvantages involved in its use?