Self - assessment of ESP learning

Writing skills: It's natural that I feel progression in my writing, because I practice writing quite much. The easiest way to feel this progression is to write something in my weblog, because I can write what I want in it and it's easy to express my mind when all weblog depends on my will. Worse situation is in writing summaries. We wrote lots of them, but it's still difficult to differentiate one type of summary from another. Moreover, it is harder to write when you are stuffed into some frames and have to stick to the rules. That's why I don't find myself so lucky in this area. The worst skills are in learning ESP vocabulary tests. I have never remembered the words that I used very rarely. Talking about dictations and self - designed tests, it's very funny for me, but I can't evaluate my abilities there. The reason might be that we haven't enough practice with it.

Speaking skills: I haven't made a presentation this term yet, so I can't evaluate myself in this area. Participation in class discussions is a bit harder than speaking in pairs, but I'm feeling like I'm constantly improving my skills. It's a long and slow process, but I feel that i've made a little progress in this area.

Listening skills: The most intensive are listening activities in class. It was always one of the most difficult tasks to me, but I'm happy now. It's a rare success to make an exercise without mistakes, but I feel like I'm a step forward. I've listened to podcast just once, so it's difficult to evaluate my skills objectively. And I should admit I have never practiced listening outside the class. Unless we introduce in this listening practice films or other videos watching in English and listening to English music.

Reading skills: Reading is similar to speaking, because perfection in this area is also long and slow process. The most noticeable progress I feel in home reading and computer tasks, because the more I read, the less I need to use a dictionary. Reading comprehension exercises aren't my favorites, I can't say if I'm improved doing this. I just know that it's not the most successful exercise for me. It's also difficult to concentrate when I read in the class, because I have to adapt to my colleagues and it's not always comfortable to me, that's why I can't evaluate myself successfully.

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Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is related with intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. Today it’s not surprising that on XXIst century, so called technology age, new devices integrate in our society more and more, but it’s a risk that new electronic devices will replace human beings.
New machines appear almost every day. Computer programs, robots that could help satisfy daily living needs, will make our lives easier. That’s the reason why artificial intelligence is good – it serves for human well being, but there is also another side.
There are many films where robots replace people and occupy the world. I don’t say that it is going to happen. But artificial intelligence reduces the need of perfection and replaces the necessity of human work. Why should we make an effort and waste time learning to do something if there is a machine that could do it instead of us? It is terrifying because new technologies create a situation where people are unnecessary at all. We could lay in our beds all day long like vegetables, because every job could be done by robots. But it’s only an existence, not a life worth living.
All in all, the artificial intelligence serves for human, but everything could change if we would not keep this in balance. Computers shouldn’t replace human, computers should be just the tool that makes our life better, only helpful servants, and nothing more. Everything is good until it is in measure.

Reference: http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html

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