EST October 2020 | Literacy I Explanation | Passage 3

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By Mr. Osama Ahmad | July 25, 2023

EST October 2020 | Literacy I Explanation | Passage 3

EST October 2020 | Literacy I Explanation | Passage 3

Introduction:

Are you preparing for the Egyptian Scholastic Test (EST) and looking for comprehensive explanations to boost your score? Look no further! In this blog post, "EST October 2020 | Literacy I Explanation | Passage 3," prepared by expert tutor Mr. Osama A. Ibrahim, you'll find invaluable insights and strategies to excel in the EST exam. Discover in-depth explanations for the October 2020 EST Literacy I Passage 3, designed to help you master essential skills such as identifying main ideas, understanding context, and analyzing rhetorical techniques. With Mr. Osama’s proven approach and years of experience in EST preparation, you'll gain a competitive edge and feel confident tackling even the most challenging questions. Whether you're aiming for top-tier universities or seeking to maximize your EST score, this blog post is your ultimate resource. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your EST performance and secure a brighter academic future!

Will You Lose Your Job to a Robot ?

Automation has become a threat to society, and rapid technological advances are enabling machines to perform a growing number of tasks traditionally done by humans. Law firms now use artificial intelligence (AI) [23] to conduct contract analysis, for hunting down client conflicts, and even craft litigation strategy. McDonald's is replacing drive-thru workers with order-taking AI, and cashiers with self-checkout kiosks. From 1990 to 2007, [24] robots replaced about 670,000 U.S. jobs, mostly in manufacturing; every robot introduced into a local economy claimed 6.2 jobs. That trend will accelerate over the next decade, as advances in mobile technology, AI, data transfer, and computing speed [25]allows robots to act with greater independence. Oxford University researchers [26]concluded and established the result in a major 2013 study that 47 percent of American jobs are at "high risk" of automation within two decades.

23. A. NO CHANGE

B. to conduct contract analysis, hunt for client conflicts, and even craft litigation strategy.

C. to conduct contract analysis, to hunt for client conflicts,and even crafting litigation strategy.

D. conducting contract analysis,hunting for client conflicts, and even crafting litigation strategy.

When you see a list of actions or items in a sentence, it's important to make sure they follow the same grammatical structure. This is called parallelism. In this question, we have three actions that the law firms use AI for: conducting contract analysis, hunting for client conflicts, and crafting litigation strategy.

 

To maintain parallelism, all three actions should be in the same form. The best way to do this is by using infinitive phrases (to + verb). Option B does this correctly: "to conduct," "to hunt," and "to craft." It also places the word "even" before the last item to emphasize it.

 

Options A and C mix different forms (infinitive and gerund), which breaks parallelism. Option D uses all gerunds, which doesn't work with the main verb "use." So, the correct answer is B.

24.A. NO CHANGE

B. robots have been replacing

C. robots have replaced

D. robots were replacing

When discussing events that happened in a specific period in the past, we use the simple past tense. In this sentence, we're talking about the number of jobs that robots replaced between 1990 and 2007. This is a completed action in a defined time frame, so the simple past tense is appropriate.

 

Option A, "replaced," is in the simple past tense, making it the correct choice. Options B and C use the present perfect tense, which is used for actions that started in the past and continue to the present or have a connection to the present. Option D uses the past continuous tense, which is for ongoing actions in the past, often interrupted by another event.

 

Since the robot replacement occurred in a specific, completed time frame, the simple past tense in Option A is the best choice.

25.A. NO CHANGE

     B. allowing

     C. allowed

     D. allow

Subject-verb agreement is crucial in English grammar. This means that the verb form should match the subject. In this sentence, the subject is "advances," which is plural. Therefore, we need a verb form that agrees with a plural subject.

 

Option D, "allow," is in the present tense and agrees with the plural subject "advances." It also works well with the future tense "will" later in the sentence to express something that will happen in the next decade.

 

Options A and B use the gerund ("-ing") form, which doesn't agree with the subject. Option C uses the past tense, which doesn't match the future context of the sentence.

 

So, the correct answer is D, "allow," which agrees with the plural subject and fits the future context. 

26. A. NO CHANGE

      B. came to the conclusion and established

      C. concluded

      D. reached a conclusion

In writing, it's important to be concise and avoid redundancy. This means expressing ideas clearly without using unnecessary words or repetition.

 

Option C, "concluded," is the most concise and clear choice. It conveys the idea that the researchers analyzed the data and arrived at a result.

 

Options A and B are wordy and redundant. They repeat the same idea using different words ("concluded," "established the result," "came to the conclusion"), which is unnecessary. Option D, while not repetitive, is still wordier than needed.

 

In summary, Option C is the best choice because it expresses the idea clearly and concisely, without redundancy or wordiness.

Jobs that are mostly at risk are those involving repetitive physical tasks in predictable environments.[27] The Palm Beach County Court recently began using four robots —Wally Bishop, Rosie Tobor, Kitt Robbie, and Speedy — to read court filings, fill out docket sheets, and input data into its case management system. In theory, at least 91 percent of a short-order cook's tasks can be automated using existing technology. It's 100 percent for a dredge operator, plasterer, stucco mason, motion picture projectionist, and logging equipment operator.

[28]Similarly, jobs that involve managing people, social interaction, and creative thinking, will see less automation. But even the jobs you'd think are safe aren't. The Guardian Australia newspaper published its first article this year written entirely by a computer. The Indian e-commerce site Myntra recently created one of its best-selling T-shirts by delegating the design [29] for two algorithms that analysed previous designs and invented new ones.

27. The writer is considering inserting this sentence at this point in the passage:

For instance, some restaurants in China have already begun replacing servers with robots.”

Should he make this insertion ?

A. Yes. Servers are the only jobs that have repetitive tasks.

B. Yes. It is a supporting detail for the sentence before it.

C. No. Servers’ jobs are not repetitive.

D. No. Robots cannot perform a server’s job.

When deciding whether to add a sentence to a paragraph, consider if it supports or elaborates on the main idea of the previous sentence or paragraph.

 

In this case, the previous sentence discusses jobs that involve repetitive tasks in predictable environments being at risk of automation. The proposed sentence, "For instance, some restaurants in China have already begun replacing servers with robots," provides a specific example of this idea.

 

Therefore, Option B is correct. The sentence is a supporting detail that strengthens the main idea of the previous sentence by giving a real-world example.

 

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they focus on the specific job of servers rather than the broader concept of jobs with repetitive tasks being at risk of automation.

28. A. NO CHANGE

B. Conversely,

C. Moreover,

D. Accordingly,

The correct answer is B. Conversely,. Here is why:

Transition words help guide readers through the logic and flow of a paragraph. They show how sentences and ideas relate to each other. In this question, we need a transition word that shows a contrast between the types of jobs at risk of automation and those that are less likely to be automated.

 

Option B, "Conversely," is the best choice because it signals a contrasting idea. It tells the reader that the following sentence will discuss jobs that are different from those mentioned in the previous sentence.

 

Option A, "Similarly," would suggest that the next sentence discusses jobs that are alike, which is not the case. Options C and D, "Moreover" and "Accordingly," imply addition and consequence, respectively, which do not fit the context of contrasting job types. 

29.A. NO CHANGE

     B. about

     C. to

     D. in

Prepositions are small but important words that show the relationship between a verb and its object. Different verbs often require specific prepositions to make the sentence grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning.

 

In this sentence, the verb is "delegated," and the object is "two algorithms." We need to choose the preposition that best fits this verb-object relationship.

 

Option C, "to," is the correct preposition to use with "delegated." When you delegate something, you assign it to someone or something else. "To" indicates the recipient or agent of the delegated task.

 

Options A, B, and D (for, about, in) do not work with the verb "delegated." They have different uses, such as indicating purpose, topic, or location, which do not apply in this context.

 Despite the number of people losing their jobs to automation, many prophesy that artificial intelligence is still years away from sending all of humanity on a permanent vacation. [30]History has shown that previous fateful warnings about technology wiping out the need for human labor [31] have proved untrue — although there is often a difficult transition period to new jobs requiring new skills.In the 19th century, farmers rendered [32] out of fashion by mechanized agriculture found their way to new, better- paying jobs in factories.

30. Which choice is most logically inserted at this point in the paragraph ?

A. NO CHANGE

B. Consequently, these people have been uneasy about the idea that automation would

replace human workers.

C. The economy will not have time to create new professions to absorb the tens of millions

of workers displaced by automation.

D. People’s predictions vary, and there is a lot of grim prognostication about a "robot apocalypse.”

When choosing a sentence to insert into a paragraph, consider how well it introduces the main idea of the paragraph and connects to the previous sentence.

 

Option A, the original sentence, works best because it effectively transitions from the previous sentence's mention of a "permanent vacation" due to AI and introduces the paragraph's main idea that history has shown that technology does not eliminate the need for human labor.

 

Option B focuses on people's uneasiness, which doesn't effectively introduce the paragraph's main idea. Option C contradicts the main idea by suggesting that the economy won't create new jobs. Option D mentions varying predictions but doesn't clearly connect to the previous sentence or introduce the main idea.

 

Therefore, Option A is the most logical choice for introducing the paragraph and connecting it to the previous sentence. 

31 A. NO CHANGE

     B. has proved

     C. will have proved

     D. will prove

Verb tenses indicate when an action takes place. The present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) is used for actions that began in the past and continue to the present or have a connection to the present.

 

In this sentence, the warnings about technology replacing human labor started in the past and have proved untrue over time, continuing into the present. Therefore, the present perfect tense is appropriate.

 

Option A, "have proved," uses the correct present perfect tense and agrees with the plural subject "warnings." Option B uses the singular "has," which doesn't agree with the plural subject. Options C and D use future tenses, which don't match the context of the sentence.

 

So, the correct answer is A, "have proved," which uses the appropriate present perfect tense and agrees with the plural subject.

 32. A. NO CHANGE

      B. obsolete

      C. redundant

      D. asinine

When describing how something or someone is affected by an action or event, it's important to choose a word that accurately conveys the intended meaning and fits the context of the sentence.

 

In this sentence, the farmers were affected by the mechanization of agriculture. Option B, "obsolete," best describes their situation. "Obsolete" means no longer in use or out of date, which is appropriate for farmers whose skills were replaced by machines.

 

Option A, "rendered," is not followed by an appropriate adjective or noun. Options C and D, "redundant" and "asinine," have different meanings (unnecessary and foolish, respectively) that do not fit the context of farmers losing their jobs due to technological advancements.

 

Therefore, Option B, "obsolete," is the most suitable word to describe the farmers' situation in the context of the sentence. 

When industrial automation in the 20th century threatened factory workers, [33] this created an ever-growing pool of unemployable humans who could not compete economically with machines. If history is any guide, According to 2013 study," we could also expect that 8 to 9 percent of 2030 labor demand will be in new types of occupations that have not existed before."

33. Which of the following would be most consistent with the ending of the paragraph?

A. NO CHANGE

B. industrial automation re-shaped the global workforce, and a dangerously uncertain future subjected people to dismissal from their jobs.

C. AI had a high impact on the workforce because it is capable of outperforming humans.

D. a wave of nonexistent jobs, soon flourished.

The ending of a paragraph should tie together the main ideas and leave the reader with a clear understanding of the key points. When choosing a sentence to conclude a paragraph, look for one that is consistent with the paragraph's main idea and provides a logical closing thought.

 

Option D, "a wave of nonexistent jobs, soon flourished," best fits the paragraph's main idea and provides a strong conclusion. The paragraph discusses how, historically, technological advancements have led to the creation of new types of jobs. Option D supports this idea by suggesting that a wave of previously nonexistent jobs emerged.

 

Options A and B focus on the negative effects of industrial automation, which doesn't align with the paragraph's main idea of new jobs being created. Option C introduces the concept of AI, which is not mentioned in the paragraph and doesn't provide a logical conclusion.

 

Thus, Option D concludes the paragraph most effectively by reinforcing the main idea that technological advancement leads to the creation of new jobs.

EST October Writing Resources:

EST October 2020 Passage 1 Explantion HERE

EST October 2020 Passage 2 Explanation HERE

EST October Literacy I Mock Test and Report Click HERE

EST Writing and Grammar Skills Click HERE

EST Writing Drills Click HERE

EST October 2020 Reading Resources:

October 2020 Reading Passage 1 Click HERE

October 2020 Reading Passage 2 Click HERE

October 2020 Reading Passage  3 Click HERE

October 2020 Reading Passage 4 Click HERE

Take the full October 2020 Mock Test and Receive a Free Report HERE

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