Subjects and Strategies

Essay Prompt: In many movies and novels set in the future, robots develop the ability to think and feel, something the artificial intelligence (AI) industry has not yet been able to achieve. However, some experts say the world of so-called "sentient" robots is not that far off. This excites the futurist Ray Kurzweil, who sees AI as the "pivotal technology" that will solve humanity's biggest problems. But the late astrophysicist Stephen Hawking was worried. "The development of full AI," he warned, "could spell the end of the human race. AI would take off on its own and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans couldn't compete and would be superseded." Will robots ever learn to think and feel like we see in science fiction stories? If they do, will this be a good or a bad thing? In other words, whose vision of the future, Kurzweil's or Hawking's, do you think will come true? Explain.

Essay prompt: Are you interested in any political or humanitarian causes? If so, which one or ones? Would you consider someday volunteering to work at or contributing in some other way to this cause

Essay Prompt: Read the article below. Then write an essay that answers the questions that follow. Article: According to long-term research conducted by psychologists at the University of California, our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives. The study found that personality traits were already established in children as young as five or six years old. These early traits can be used to predict adult behavior. For example, subjects in the study who were talkative as children were fluent speakers as adults. They were also highly intelligent and interested in intellectual matters. Children who weren't very talkative grew up to be the type of person who always seeks advice from or depends on others. As adults, they also tended to give up easily when faced with obstacles, and were awkward in social situations. The head of the study concluded, "Personality is a part of us, a part of our biology. Our personality follows us across time and contexts." Questions: (1) As the article states, do you think our personalities are really established at such a young age? (2) Do you think it's possible to change our personality? (3) If so, how can we do it?

Essay Prompt: Think of a time or experience when you learned something very important about yourself and life in general.

Essay Prompt: Write a personal expository essay that answers this question: "If you could recommend one book to a friend or classmate as one that you think he or she just has to read, what would it be and why?"

Essay Prompt: Write a personal compare-and-contrast essay that answers this question: "What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying in a public place like a library, study lounge, or coffee shop, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of studying in your own room at home?"

Essay Prompt: Write a process analysis essay in which you respond to this question: "If a friend were to ask you for advice on how to prepare for and behave during an interview for admission to a prestigious school (or for a part-time job), what would you tell him or her?"

Essay Prompt: Write a personal speculative essay that answers this question: "Twenty years from now, where will I be, what will I be doing, what kind of person will I be, and what will I have to do to get there?"

Essay Prompt: Write a personal cause-and-effect or narrative essay that answers this question: "What food do you really hate and why do you think you dislike it so much?"

Essay Prompt: Write a descriptive and argumentative essay that answers this question: "What is the most dangerous job in the world and how can it be made safer?" (First, describe the job and then present your arguments for how the job can be made less dangerous.)

Essay Prompt: Write a descriptive and persuasive essay that answers this question: "What place that you have been to do you think everyone should visit at least once?"