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Question
Certainly anyone who insists on condemning all lies should think about what would happen if we could reliably tell when our family, friends, colleagues, and government leaders were deceiving us. It is tempting to think that the world would become a better place without the deceptions that seem to interfere with our attempts are genuine communication. On the other hand, perhaps there is such a thing as too much honesty. - Adapted from Allison Kornet, "The Truth About Lying"
Would the world be a better place if everyone always told the complete truth? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Solution
The concept of truth and its role in human interactions has been a subject of philosophical debate for centuries. While it might be tempting to believe that a world where everyone always told the complete truth would be an ideal utopia, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that the issue is far more nuanced. Absolute honesty can indeed lead to positive outcomes in certain situations, but it can also bring about unintended consequences that disrupt relationships, undermine societal structures, and hinder personal growth.
Human relationships are built on a delicate balance of transparency and diplomacy. Sometimes, minor lies or omissions can be employed to maintain the harmony within these relationships. For instance, consider a scenario where a friend prepares a meal with genuine effort, but it turns out to be less appetizing than expected. In this case, pointing out the truth might hurt their feelings and strain the relationship. A gentle lie or a more tactful approach could spare their feelings while preserving the bond between friends.
In conclusion, the idea of a world where everyone always tells the complete truth is an appealing notion on the surface. A balanced approach that considers the impact of honesty on relationships, society, and personal well-being is crucial. The challenge lies in striking a harmonious balance between honesty and the preservation of social bonds, personal emotions, ethical principles, and individual growth. As Allison Kornet wisely noted, there is indeed such a thing as too much honesty, and recognizing this complexity is key to navigating the intricate web of human communication and interaction.
Notes
The marks may be divided as:
- Content – 2 marks
- Organisation – 1 mark (fluency, coherence, logical flow)
- Expression – 2 marks (vocabulary, originality of ideas, grammatical accuracy)
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Have you are wondered why soldiers are always clad in green? This is to enable them to camouflage themselves during wartime. Hiding in the jungles, their green attire blends into the surrounding trees and shrubs, making it difficult for the enemies to spot them.
Long before man-made use of camouflaging, insects have already adopted the tactic of disguise to escape from the clutches of their predators. By having body colour close to those of the rocks and dried leaves, they can escape from being pursued by the predators.
Butterflies and moths have developed a variety of camouflage strategies since they are quite defenceless and their predators are abundant. Possessing wings which resemble dried leaves help certain butterflies and moths to hide among heaps of dried leaves when predators are around.
Fortunately, not all insects choose the art of disguise to escape from their predators; otherwise, the world would be so dull and colourless. There are insects which assimilate the bright body colours of bees and wasps to escape from being pursued by their predator. Long ago, birds have already learnt to avoid brilliantly coloured wasps and bees in fear of their painful stings. Hence, over millions of years, many harmless insects have assimilated the bees and wasps by imitating. their bright body colours and shapes. In this way, they appear dangerous and hence ward them off.
The beefy, not only appears like the bumblebee in terms of body colour, even its hums sound similar too. The only difference is that the beefy does not have a stirring and is hence harmless. The hoverfly is another insect which imitates. the body colours of the wasps. Their bodies are striped yellow and black. The only deviations are that hoverflies do not have stings, and they have only one pair of wings each while wasps have two pairs each. These variations are hardly noticed by the predators and hence help them to escape.
A1. Complete the table with the information from the passage : (2)
| Insects | Similarity | Difference |
| Bumblebee - Beefy | ||
| Wasp - Hoverfly |
A2. Complete the tree diagram : (2)
A3. Find out : (2)
‘Nature has given a self-protection mechanism to insects’.
Find out at least two examples from the passage to prove this statement.
A4. Vocabulary - (2)
Find the words from the passage for :
(i) animal or bird that hunts other for food
(ii) to get free from danger
(iii) to prevent something from harming
(iv) to make a copy
A5. Personal response - (2)
‘Soldiers disguise themselves to prevent enemies to spot them’.
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A6. Grammar - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) They have only one pair of wings.
(Make it negative without changing the meaning)
(ii) Insects have already adopted the tactic of disguise to escape from the clutches of their predators.
(Replace infinitive with gerund and rewrite)
(B) Summary : (3)
Summarise the above extract with the help of the points given and suggest a suitable title.
Camouflage of soldiers and insects - reason and ways for disguising - assimilation of insects - need of imitation.
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