Advanced English II Midterm: Pseudo-archaeology, Pandemics, Ethics

Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
Name & Surname: Burcu Erışık
Student Number: 21012126
Department: English Language and Literature
ADVANCED ENGLISH II
MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT
PART A (30 POINTS)
WATCH THE VIDEO LINK BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS (write at least 3
sentences for each question)
https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kurnick_aliens_built_the_pyramids_and_other_absurdities_
of_pseudo_archaeology?utm_campaign=daily&utm_content=image__2021-0222&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily#t-709246
1-What is pseudo-archaeology? Can you think of any other examples?
Pseudo-archaeology is something that seems like archaeology but it is not. Actually, it
is something different. It entails speculating about the past of humanity and making
outrageous statements like pyramids were built by aliens. Another example is Nebraska Man.
Nebraska was regarded for a number of years in the 1920s in North America as proof of a
missing link" in human evolution.
2-What is wrong with advocating pseudo-archaeology?
Products of pseudoarchaeology, a deceptive form of actual archeology whose
proponents depend on bias while neglecting reliable scientific methods and data to construct
irrational notions about the past. Although prejudice cannot be eliminated from archeology,
people who practice pseudoarchaeology are taking it to a whole new level. In response to the
incorrect interpretation of the facts, pseudoarchaeological theories are developed. And the
Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
majority of pseudoarcheology is racist and xenophobic, and like other forms of entertainment,
it has a significant impact on individuals and our culture.
3-Can history be taught objectively? If so, how? If not, why not? (your own opinion)
According to my opinion, I do not think that it is possible because every person has
their own subjective opinion, and while learning and teaching history, it is impossible to
ignore them. Also, we can not be sure about any historical event because there may be other
pieces of evidence that have not been revealed. We just weren't there to witness all those past
historical events therefore we can't say what happened or how it happened objectively. Based
on the data, we can, nevertheless, make a very good estimate as to what it was.
4-What is the heated debate about public monuments?
Currently, there is a discussion going on over placing public monuments in public
places. “Should monuments be preserved in their current state, destroyed, or placed in
museums?” is the main concern. According to Sarrah Kurnick, similar issues are raised by
discussions on historical curricula and public monuments which we can understand that the
past is political because our decisions about what to remember and what to forget are
influenced by political considerations.
5-What has changed in the domain of archaeology throughout the years?
Archeology changed its focus in the late 1960s. Instead of focusing on public
engagement, archaeologists started working together to professionalize the field. Archeology
abandoned the public in the process. Pseudoarcheology developed to fill the hole left by their
absence from the media.
Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
6-Explain what you understand from the sentence below:
“Every statement about the past is a powerful statement about the present.”
Past is an inevitable part of the present and future because we relive what has
happened in the past. When we agreed that all those historical studies and experiences show
us about the past and what happened in those times we should also consider that they are also
a clue about our president and future. When we look at a past event, we need to take a lesson
from it because every occurrence is a statement for the future. We can learn about the past by
studying history and archeology and taking them into consideration.
PART B (20 POINTS)
Bill Gates in his essay titled “It’s not too soon to start thinking about the next pandemic”
asserts that “There’s one area where I hope we never go back: our complacency about
pandemics.”
Here is the link to access the essay: (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-too-soon-startthinking-next-pandemic-bill-gates/)
Explain this statement briefly and write whether you agree or disagree with Gates. (Write at
least 150 words)
Humanity is faced with much suffering, and pandemics are one of the troubles. Past
few years, people have been facing with Covid – 19. It is not the first plague that ever
happened and we know that it won’t be the last. If we don’t do anything to prevent it the
threat of the next pandemic will always be there. We may do many mistakes and fail to cope
with Covid-19 in many ways, it does not have to be again. The risk of a pandemic must be
taken as seriously to avoid the hardship of this past year repeating. The following time, I think
our treatments will be more effective in many ways. In my opinion, Bill Gates wanted to
emphasize that people were too complacent and did not make everything that it needs to be
Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
done. We do not know when another pandemic will strike but we should take precautions and
be ready both mentally and technically.
PART C (25 POINTS)
Explain the difference between animal welfare and animal rigths based on the video and
give your own opinion. (at least 150 words)
Here is the link to access the video:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjwcrMeJBPo&t=3s)
When we considered animal welfare, ıts primary concern is the welfare of the animals.
Taking care of an animal's emotional and physical requirements is essential to protecting its
welfare. According to animal welfare, humans are responsible for their care. Abuse and
neglect are unacceptable, but they can be utilized for food research as long as they receive
good care and have their requirements satisfied. On the other hand, the idea of animal rights
says that animals should always be treated with the same respect as humans and should never
be used for human advantage, including for things like food, clothes, research, education, or
pet ownership. The premise is that animals ought to be permitted to enjoy their lives without
being harmed or exploited by humans. These two concepts appear to have benefits and
drawbacks.
In my opinion, for sure, animals’ health and welfare should be taken into consideration.
Since there was not so much industrialization and people in the world in the past, animals
were dominant in their habitats but today animals’ areas are limited that's why they have
become needy to humans in some ways. So I think we should consider animal welfare
primarily. As long as their mental and physical requirements are covered properly, we can
benefit from them for research and education.
Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
PART D (25 POINTS)
Read the different views about spanking in the two texts below. Compare and contrast
their arguments and finally reflect your own opinion about the subjects. (at least 150
words)
https://www.verywellfamily.com/is-spanking-children-a-good-way-to-discipline-1094756
https://time.com/3387226/spanking-can-be-an-appropriate-form-of-child-discipline/
The subject of spanking is highly debated. Although the majority of professionals
oppose corporal punishment, some parents think that spanking is a useful disciplinary tactic.
Some parents acknowledge that they had occasionally hit their kids, particularly when they
were too anxious. There are two sides as we can see in articles that deal with its pros and
cons.
The first side defense is that spanking is not an effective way because it could seem like
spanking is the best option only if you don't have a reliable disciplinary plan. Although
spanking can temporarily change a child's behavior, it rarely has a long-term beneficial
impact. We should consider that it is not recommended by doctors and it doesn't work for
older kids and teens because when you when using psychical punishment on your kid, they
think that stronger people can hurt others. Also, it doesn't teach appropriate behavior at the
end.
On the other hand, the other side says that discipline develops obedience and feelings of
security since it is motivated by love for the kid and looks to the future. When properly
understood and used, spanking works best as a behavior deterrent not for infants but for
younger preschoolers. In general, they advise parents to use spanking punishment only in
severe cases of wilful disobedience or defiance of authority and never for mild irresponsibility
Submission Deadline: 18 April 2023
but it should never be applied harshly, hastily, or in a way that could endanger one's physical
safety. People who spank their kids think that spanking should be consistently applied with
care. The lesson should then be gently emphasized to ensure that the youngster retains and
benefits from this educational experience.
In my opinion, spanking or physical punishment is never an option. It does not build a
healthy relationship between the kids and the parent. It creates shame for kid and destroys
their confidence.
*GENERAL NOTES
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GOOD LUCK 