英検1級英作文・面接：メディア
2021年第1回の英検1級受験時に、英作文・面接対策として自分が書き溜めた原稿を公開しています。
Grammarlyに頼りつつ書いたもので、完全に独学で勉強していたため、不自然な表現や文法的に間違った英文が含まれている可能性もありますので、ご注意ご了承ください。
実績としては、本番は英作文・面接どちらもこのブログで公開している原稿から、使える部分を流用したような格好で解答を行いました。
得点もそれぞれ英作文が745/850で9割近い点数が獲れ, 面接は615/850と合格ギリギリの水準ですが、2分スピーチセクションであまりの緊張から10秒近く言葉が出てこなかった所から原稿の内容を駆使した決死の、華麗なる逆転劇があってのものですので、内容としてはまあ悪くない水準にあると思います。
そう信じています。
英検1級合格を目指す皆様に、こちらの原稿が少しでもお役に立てば幸いです。
-----------------------------------------------
Q.
Should playing online games be discouraged?
A.
When I was in high school, I was really into video games, so I know how fun they can be, and I can’t tell you not to play them. However, I think it is definitely not something that should be encouraged. There are two reasons that I can think of right now.
Firstly, video games are highly addictive, so just as adults need to be careful with alcohol and cigarettes, we need to be careful that our children do not play them inappropriately for long periods. In order to maintain a balance between the time spent on video games and other things, some limits will be necessary.
Secondly, there is no doubt that too much gaming can have a negative impact on your health. For example, watching TV or computer screens for long hours can be a major factor in deteriorating eyesight. In addition, studies have shown that the longer you stay seated, the shorter your lifespan will be, so you should at least discourage them from playing games for long periods of time.
In conclusion, for these two reasons, high addictiveness and health concerns, If anything, I think it’s better to discourage playing online games.
Q.
What are the effects of TV and movie violence on young viewers?
A.
I think that abnormal images like violent scenes can be attractive to some young people. Also, young people are often not yet thoughtful enough about what their bad behavior can cause. It seems that violent scenes can cause an increase in the number of young people who, out of a longing for extraordinary experiences, commit acts of reckless violence.
Q.
What do you think about some game software which can meet educational purposes?
A.
Recently, there has been an increase in the number of contents that allow people to learn math and English like a game, and I think there are a few disadvantages about that. It’s best if we can find enjoyment in learning, and it’s better than getting bored with reading thick and uninteresting textbooks and quitting the study.
Q.
Does individual privacy outweigh the public’s right to know?
A.
Now that not only news organizations but also individuals can easily spread information through social networking sites, the problems related to invasion of privacy seem to be getting more serious day by day. I think that individual privacy outweighs the public’s right to know for the following two reasons.
Firstly, the spread of information that an individual does not want can destroy that person’s life. Everyone has secrets that they don’t want others to know about, and if it is something criminal, it’s a different story, but if it’s not, I think revealing personal information is a great violation of human rights.
Secondly, it seems to me that advocating only the right to know of the masses could instill a mindset that distinguishes humans without good reason. As there is a term called “celebrity tax”, some people often argue that it is the price of being famous for celebrities to have their personal information exposed, but I don’t think that being famous is a good enough reason to revoke an individual’s privacy.
In conclusion, for these reasons, prevention from violating human rights, and avoiding a mindset that distinguishes human rights, I think that individual privacy outweighs the public’s right to know.
Q.
Should names and photos of juvenile criminals be made public?
A.
In Japan, juvenile offenders are treated very differently from adult criminals and their privacy is protected to prevent reporting on their real name and photos to give them a chance for rehabilitation. However, personally, I think that names and photos of juvenile criminals should also be made public for the following two reasons.
Firstly, juvenile crimes should be punished at the same standard as adult criminals for public safety. Considering past criminal examples, it is evidenced that there is a certain number of atrocious criminals regardless of their ages. Therefore, at first, protecting law-abiding citizens from vicious crimes should take precedence over the privacy of juvenile criminals.
Secondly, strict treatment under the standard criminal law will be an inhibition to juvenile delinquents. Reporting the name of juvenile criminals can be a deterrent to further crimes by juveniles, which will decrease the number of juvenile crimes.
In conclusion, for these reasons, protecting public safety, deterring juvenile criminals, names and photos of juvenile criminals should also be made public.
Q.
Does the benefit of the Internet outweigh its advantages?
A.
With the rapid development of IT technology, some people are concerned about the increasing flood of inappropriate and harmful information because of the Internet. However, I agree with the idea that the benefits of the Internet outweigh its disadvantages for the following three reasons.
Firstly, a huge amount of information provided by the Internet contributes to further innovative development. There is state-of-the-art information about any genre and field on the Internet, and people can easily share their ideas and opinions on websites, e-mail, or SNS services. They will encourage people to come up with ingenious ideas, which will lead to further innovation.
Secondly, the Internet contributes greatly to economic growth. Nowadays, we can buy what we need on the spot through online shops such as Amazon. The development of video meeting tools such as Zoom has encouraged to increase occasions of the business conference not only with domestic companies but also with overseas companies. The internet stimulates customers’ consumption and business opportunities.
In conclusion, I think that the benefits of the Internet outweigh its disadvantages for these two reasons.
Q.
What are effective countermeasures for increasing cyber-crime?
A.
There are many measures that can be taken, such as stricter policing or recommending the use of security software, but I think the most important thing is that we all need to improve our Internet literacy. Criminal schemes are constantly being created, and they are always trying to get around regulations and systems. The most effective way to avoid getting caught up in scams and crimes is to learn to recognize the dangers of the Internet ourselves.
Q．
What are the benefits of online shopping?
A.
By exploring numerous online sites, you can find what you want from a myriad of products and buy it cheaper than in real stores, which is a significant benefit from the consumer side.
As a seller, you do not need to incur the cost of having a physical store, and you can receive orders from all over Japan, and in some cases, from all over the world. In fact, cross-border EC services such as Shopify are becoming more and more popular, so online shopping can greatly expand the possibilities of your business.
Q.
Will the Internet harm interpersonal communication?
A.
I think that possibility certainly cannot be denied. To put it in an extreme case, if you don’t talk to people in person and rely only on chat rooms and e-mails, you might feel a little afraid to talk to people face to face. Human behavior and actions are easily influenced by mental conditions, and this stress can be an impediment to smooth communication. Some people may take advantage of their anonymity to make violent remarks, which is also a risk that can create fear of interpersonal communication. If we keep a proper balance in mind, such things will not happen, but it is important to have balance and information literacy.
Q.
Do the advantages of advertising outweigh its disadvantages?
A.
While there are many problems with advertising, such as hype, there is no arguing that it is essential and beneficial to companies. From the consumer’s side, there are some disadvantages as I mentioned just now, but I think the advantages of advertising outweigh the disadvantages in the following two points.
Firstly, from the perspective of society as a whole, advertising is necessary for the economy. It is definitely true that advertising has a role to play in promoting consumption and keeping the economy moving and not stagnating.
Secondly, advertising helps to promote sports and entertainment activities. For some athletes and entertainers, advertising is a valuable source of income. By earning advertising revenue, many athletes and entertainers are able to have an environment to focus on their practice, which should help raise the level of the industry as a whole.
In conclusion, for these reasons, supporting the economy and athletes and entertainers, I think that the advantages of advertising outweigh its disadvantages.
———————
Q.
Don’t you think that advertising promotes mass consumption, thus contributing to a throw-away society?
A.
Mass consumption is certainly one of the negative effects that advertising can have. However, while it may have been the case in the past, I think the situation is changing: with the spread of SNS and the Internet, consumers are now able to obtain a lot of information on their own. If unnecessary consumption is caused by advertisements, I think it is a problem of consumer literacy rather than a problem of advertisements. Since it is important for the economy to encourage consumption in moderation, I think the benefits of advertising are still superior.
Q.
Should cigarette advertisements be banned?
A.
I agree with you on this. Advertising is a useful tool, but when it comes to tobacco advertising, the disadvantages are much greater and should be regulated. It is scientifically proven that smoking causes many health hazards, and the effects are harmful not only to the smoker but also to the non-smokers around the smoker. I agree that advertisements about products like cigarettes that carry too much risk of health hazards should be banned.
Q.
Concern about health risks such as eye strain and stiff shoulders will discourage people from using electronic media.
A.
Health problems caused by digital devices are certainly one of the drawbacks. However, there are several ways to avoid them. If you use blue light-cutting glasses, you can greatly reduce the damage to your eyes, and as long as you pay attention to maintaining the right posture, there should not be a serious health concern. Overall, I don’t think the problem is enough to override the benefits of electronic media.
Q.
Printed media has a tangible asset value that is lacking in electronic media.
A.
I think that point is well taken. The existing historically valuable books in paper media should be preserved also in the future. However, I think the essence of media content is the content, not whether it is on paper or not. They had value because there were so small numbers of them in the first place. I doubt that it is worth preserving the new media that will be born in the future as tangible assets. It seems to me that obsessing about it is distracting from the point.
Q.
In general, printed media have such aesthetic value and appeal that they can become part of interior decoration.
A.
I see… Exactly it makes sense. But I feel that it is a little out of the scope of the essence. I agree with the idea that it is a kind of interior design, but I feel that it is an interior design and not media anymore. From that point of view, if it is used as a decorative item, the content itself is not important. If we think about this, it is possible that the roles of paper books and e-books will become completely differentiated. So, I think the advantage as a media is still in the digital content, but it is an interesting perspective for sure.
