Crewlees cargo ships

While the reading passage presents the reasons why crewless cargo ships should be
used, the lecture presents a series of points that challenge the points made in the reading.

The first point in the reading passage is that one benefit of using crewless ships is that it
would reduce shipping costs because the crew would not have to be provided with food,
sleeping places or entertainment. However, the lecture stated that the crew is necessary in
cases where broken equipment needs to be repaired, something that technology could not
do.
Second, crewless ships would be less attractive to pirate attacks, because not having
places where people could board would make it more difficult for pirates to enter.
Nevetheless, the lecture highlights that there are high-tech pirates who could hack the
boat's guidance system to change its path and crash and guide it where they want. Which
also represents a negative aspect for ships without crew.
Finally, the professor mentions that the crewless cargo ships would not be less prone to
accidents, this is because the error lies in the fact that the ships are very slow to change
their course. Even if a threat was detected, change the course of the ship so that it does
not collide it would be very slow and would also pose a threat to cargo and crew. He points
out that the human being's ability to prevent is not comparable to a technological system
based only on logic.

Simmulation Meat
Many people are changing their way of eating away from meat and opting for simulated
meat that is made from plants and fungi. So while the reading passage shows some
advantages of simulated meat, the lecture refutes these points by showing some
disadvantages of this product.
The first benefit presented by the reading passage is that simulated meat is better for the
environment because by eliminating the animals, the amount of resources such as land
and water that they use would be reduced. Also, the reading mentions that this would help
reduce water and air pollution. However, the lecture mentions that although the use of land
and water would be reduced, simulated meat poses threats to the environment because
being made from plants and fungi, it is necessary to keep the crops strong and continue to
grow and this is only achieved by using pesticides and fertilizers that are highly polluting
for the soil.
The second benefit presented in the reading passage about simulated meat is that it is
much healthier for your health because it contains more vitamins and minerals. Contrary to
meat, which has a lot of fat and increases the chances of developing some type of cancer.
However, the lecture mentions that meat is necessary because it has vitamins and
proteins that vegetables do not have. Also that vegetables, many times, are manipulated
to improve the flavor or color and for this it is necessary to add ingredients that in the end
make the vegetables have a high amount of sodium and vegetable fats.
And lastly, the reading passage mentions that simulated meat is much safer because it
reduces the chances of being contaminated by bacteria that are transferred from animals
to humans causing disease. However, the lecture refutes this, arguing that simulated meat
also poses a danger due to more allergy reaction problems because many of the products
used in its creation are not on the label and this can have repercussions.

Plastic bags
Plastic bags pose a threat to the environment because they take many years to break
down. From my point of view and in my experience as a volunteer in an environmental
preservation organization, the use of plastic bags should be banned everywhere due to the
following reasons. First, plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife. The amount of this product is
exaggerated and its poor disposal means that plastic bags end up in the natural habitat
that is home to many animals that end up being affected by the amount of plastic.
According to data contained in the report "The impact of plastic pollution in Protected
Natural Areas", prepared by Greenpeace, it is estimated that each year more than one
hundred thousand marine mammals, more than one million sea birds, die from this cause.
as well as one in three sea turtles, in addition to other species that are affected by
production and consumption models that urgently need to be rooted out. Second, single-
use plastics have an ephemeral useful life, but as waste they generate enormous amounts
of pollution for years. Although there are no exact estimates, according to the previously
cited UN report, plastic bags take thousands of years to decompose. This means that
plastic travels a long path in its life, affecting many ecosystems, including ours. This also
makes it more difficult to recycle, since only 9% of plastic is recyclable. In conclusion,
plastic represents a direct and indirect threat to the environment and therefore its use
should be banned.

Having Childrens was more important in the past

The new generations care a lot about their lifestyle, their happiness and their emotional
stability. This is also a reason why new generations do not want to have children, because
it represents a change in their lifestyle. In my opinion, I do think it is less important to have
children now than in the past and I see it a lot in my group of friends because only 4 out of
10 want to have children. I believe that the first reason is due to the prioritization of social
problems that the new generations have. There are so many problems, such as climate
change, human rights or famine, that it is very difficult to focus on bringing a child into the
world. In addition, the economic crisis that is being experienced due to the covid pandemic
must be highlighted. The second reason, as i mentioned before, new generations care a
lot about their lifestyle, their happiness and their emotional stability. Today's lifestyles are
more focused on traveling and working than raising a baby. And this factor makes them
more focused on working to achieve their personal goals. I consider myself part of this
option because in my bucket list most of the dreams I have is to travel all over Europe and
get to know the beautiful Italy. And finally, it should be taken into account that fertility rates
have fallen in recent years. This is a more physical reason, but it continues to affect the
birth rate. I also have to mention that many of my friends suffer from problems related to
their ovaries, which in the future will affect their level of fertility.

Theories of Giza Contruction

One of the mysteries of humanity are the pyramids of Giza. Not only because of their
content, but because of how they were built. The reading passage presents three theories
of a possible solution to the question. However, the lecture mentions some critical
weaknesses of the theories presented.
The first reading passage theory states that the Egyptians used an external ramp on the
side of the pyramid to transport large blocks of stone to the top. This ramp would be
dismantled after the construction of the pyramid was completed. However, the lecture
mentions that this could not be possible because the ramp to be used would be
approximately 1.5 kilometers. Which is excessively long and heavy. There would be no
room in the pyramid for such a ramp and it would be a pain in the ass to dismantle.
The second reading theory talks about an internal spiral-shaped ramp with wooden
barriers on the sides to guide and transport the cement blocks up. This theory was
proposed by a French architect. But, the lecture contradicts this by arguing that the
transportation of the blocks would be very difficult due to the angle of elevation of the
ramp. In addition, he adds that wood in those times was almost non-existent in Egypt.
And finally, the third theory presented by the reading passage called concrete casting
explains that the Egyptians ground the stones to create limestone and then mixed it with
water to create a concrete-like substance. However, the lecture dismisses this theory as
there is insufficient evidence to define this process, since any evidence for limestone is
from reconstructions that have been done on the pyramids in recent years.

Practical skills
In my opinion, I prefer to spend my free time learning a practical skill. Due to two main
reasons.
First, practical skills like leadership, public speaking, or writing help develop critical
thinking. In this way, when faced with a problem, it will be possible to better analyze the
situation and make decisions. I remember that in my third year of university, my
classmates chose me as a director to develop a fiction short film for one of our film
classes. However, the production was a total disaster because I did not know how to
manage people and solve problems well. Months later I enrolled in a course for young
leaders where they taught us some techniques for working in groups and analyzing
conflicts. The following year, to develop another feature film, I felt more confident in myself
and in my ability to understand problems and devise an effective solution to any situation.
Second, learning these skills improve the communication process that are important to any
job. As I mentioned before, after taking the leadership course it became easier for me to
communicate clearly and precisely as well as being friendly, which is also essential when it
comes to communication. It was easier for my colleagues to understand my vision of the
project and they also felt more comfortable and part of the production process. This made
the whole group have a positive attitude and a good atmosphere.
In conclusion, learning practical skills improves many areas in personal and work life
because it helps the person to develop critical thinking to face day-to-day problems and
also facilitate communication between the work group and other people with whom we
interact.

Short-faced bear
The extinct short-faced bear is an exciting species to investigate because of its distinctive
features and lifestyle that is poorly understood to date. The great debate is whether the
bear is carnivorous or omnivorous. The reading passage presents some qualities of this
species that argue that it had a carnivorous diet. On the contrary, the lecture argues a few
things in favor of the fact that the short-faced bear was omnivorous.
First, the reading passage mentions that the bones are proof of the nature of the short-
faced beard because they present large amounts of chemical signatures present in the
bones of carnivorous animals. However, the lecture mentions that the test carried out to
determine the chemical signatures is not 100% conclusive and that the fact that this animal
could be omnivorous cannot be excluded.
Second, the reading passage talks about the size of the bear. This is an essential
characteristic to determine the diet. The size of the short-faced bear is similar to that of
polar bears and this species feeds mainly on meat. However, The Lecture argues that the
diet of both bears cannot be judged due to the diverse environments in which they thrive.
The polar bear is from a frozen environment where the only food source is meat. But, the
environment of the short-faced bear is the forest, so its main source of food would be
plants.
Third and final feature are the legs of the bear. The reading passage mentions that
because its legs were long, this gave the animal an advantage in running fast to attack the
press. The lecture, on the contrary, argues that the bear's legs were very thin, which did
not represent a threat when hunting, but they are favorable for traveling long distances in
search of food and grabbing plants found in high places.

Nutrias
Otters are a big problem for the population near semi-aquatic areas because these
animals are very destructive to agriculture and plant life. So the reading passage presents
three options to combat the otter problem. However, the lecture argues that these options
are not effective for several reasons. As a first option, the reading mentions that it would
be good to build metal defenses to keep the otters in their habitat and not invade the crops
of the population near them. However, the lecture contradicts this, as otters are very good
at digging. Putting up metal defenses wouldn't fix anything because he can go under them
and get to the crop anyway. Second, the reading passage mentions that the water should
be removed from the drain. This would reduce the characteristics that attract otters to that
location and drive them away. However, the lecture mentions that this would not be a good
solution because for the rainy season the drains would fill up with water again and it would
have to be drained periodically. This would mean a lot of work for the farmers. Third and
last solution is to capture the otter. The reading passage explains that this method consists
of putting traps with potatoes or carrots inside to catch the otter and humanely eradicate
them, that would decrease the number of otters in the farms. But, the lecture contradicts
this by arguing that a single pregnant female otter can keep multiplying the otter population
because they reproduce so fast. In addition, being close to otters would bring health
problems to farmers, since they have many insects in their bodies that contain diseases.
Therefore, this option would not be convenient.