Back to days I-IV of Block 2 'Information Overload'
Day V.
1. Watch the video below and write an essay on the topic using some ideas from the video:
How does the internet harm us? How can it be put to good use?
1.2. Learn these phrases to use in your essay using the autoplay mode the way it's shown in the picture:
Internet_Harm_B1_B2
Internet_Benefits_B1_B2
Click to see templates for the direct double question essay and guidelines [Or direct one question essay]
2. The bar-chart below shows the distribution of a social network's users worldwide as of April 2024, by age group and the pie chart illustrates the most popular activities of social network users of 2 age groups. Describe the charts, write at least 150 words.
Day VI.
1. Read this passage quickly to get a general idea of its meaning.
Don't worry if you don't understand every word. Time yourself as you read.
Decide on a heading for each paragraph. Enter the letter (A-E) for each paragraph:
A. Selecting your sources
B. Creating the optimum environment
C. Taking on the scholastic challenge
D. Approaching your first essay
E. Choosing the most suitable reading skill
Total Questions: 4
Incorrect Answers: 0
Reading as part of writing
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One of the techniques of writing successfully in an academic environment is to be able to integrate the important points of what you have read into your own writing. To do this, you must have a clear picture of what you have read, and this in itself entails active and focused reading. With academic reading, it is necessary to maintain a constant grip on what the author is saying. Yet many academic texts are densely written in unfamiliar ways, which make them much more difficult to manage than, for example, a novel or a magazine article.
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Although sometimes there may be reasons why you need to skim-read an article or book, this is likely to be only to get the gist of what is being said, as a way of deciding whether it is appropriate reading material or not. In general, skim-reading is not a particularly useful strategy for a student, but you may well be used to doing this in other contexts, for example, skimming through a newspaper article or surfing the web. Instead of skim-reading, you will be developing ways of concentrating on large chunks of quite dense text and making sense of them.
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Even though you may only be reading for short bursts of time, it is likely that you will have to concentrate far more intensely on academic reading material than, for example, when reading for pleasure. You don't necessarily have to work in the library, but you will need to decide what type of location and atmosphere suits you best, and establish conditions that are conducive to effective study.
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The final stumbling block that most students face is choosing their reading. The first thing to do is to consult the reading list you have been given for books and articles that seem relevant to your particular assignment. Doing a library search, by key words or subject, is also useful if the references on your reading list are already on loan from the library. Your tutor should also be able to advise you as to which are the most relevant publications or websites.
Find words or phrases
1. Involves (paragraph 1)
2. Keep hold of (paragraph 1)
3. The general meaning (paragraph 2)
4. On different occasions (paragraph 2)
5. Extensive extract (paragraph 2)
6. Decoding (paragraph 2)
7. Is right for you (paragraph 3)
8. Advantageous (paragraph 3)
9. Hurdle (paragraph 4)
10. Borrowed (paragraph 4)
Total Questions: 10
Incorrect Answers: 0
2. Read the article below and write an essay on the topic "Being a modern person means it is impossible to cope with information overload you are constantly exposed to. To what extent do you agree or disagree?" Write at least 250 words. Try to write the essay in 40 minutes.
10 Steps To Conquering Information Overload
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I write and podcast about crypto/blockchain technology.
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Nov 14, 2014,08:00am EST
Updated Jun 29, 2021, 04:55am EDT
We've all heard the term "information overload," often associated with tweets, texts, emails, and endless online distractions. However, the cognitive flood can be much simpler, says Daniel Levitin, a McGill University psychology professor and author of The Organized Mind.
In 1976, grocery stores had 9,000 products, compared to 40,000 now. Yet, most people only need about 150 items, forcing us to ignore thousands of options. Similarly, we’ve created more information in the last decade than in all of human history before it, overwhelming a brain designed to focus on only three or four things at once. Excess information leads to poor judgment and reduced focus, necessitating conscious strategies to manage it.
Tips for Overcoming Information Overload:
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Brain Dump: Write down everything on your mind to clear mental clutter. Categorize tasks into what to do today, delegate, defer, or drop. Break down vague goals into actionable steps.
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Two-Minute Rule: Dedicate daily time to completing quick tasks like emails and phone calls.
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Task Clumping: Group similar tasks to stay focused and save mental energy.
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Avoid Multitasking: Switching tasks depletes your brain’s energy, impairing focus and memory. Instead, work on one task at a time for better efficiency.
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Limit Email Distractions: Check emails at set times and disable notifications to avoid constant interruptions.
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“Eat the Frog” in the Morning: Tackle the hardest or most important task first thing when energy and focus are at their peak.
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Time-Worth Decisions: Spend time on tasks proportionate to their importance. For example, store old bills in a box instead of organizing them extensively.
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Take Breaks: Short breaks every couple of hours improve productivity and creativity by resetting the brain.
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Daydream: Let your mind wander occasionally to foster creativity and refresh cognitive resources.
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Delegate Authority: Empower others to make decisions, reducing the manager's information load and enhancing team efficiency. For example, General Stanley McChrystal shared how soldiers in Iraq would call him at night, saying, “‘We’ve been watching this building and we think it might have some munitions in it. We’d like your permission to bomb it.’” He would reply, “‘There’s nothing you can tell me on the phone at 2am in five minutes that’s going to make me more expert than you already are. If you think we should bomb it, you should bomb it.’”
By following these strategies, we can combat the cognitive overload of modern life and achieve greater productivity and focus.
You can use the second of the following templates [click to open/close the templates]
Day VII.
1. Do the tasks here.
2. Prepare a speech on the problem of information overload and ways to fight it. Mention sources of extra information, negative effect of it on our brain and work.