Getting Close to the Machine

1.0: ESL LEARNER`S TEXT

The following student essay is based on a reading from the December 1999 exam: an essay: “Getting Close to the Machine” by Ellen Ullman.

Why do we have computers? Computers are invented in order to facilitate the satisfaction of our needs. We want to satisfy our needs daily and computers are composed of our thoughts and of how we would realize the action performed by the computer. In Ellen Ullman’s “Getting Close to the Machine”, the effects and compositions of a programmed computer is clearly illustrated through many examples. They one by one demonstrate how computers are a reproduction of the human mind and how they will have effect to separate each human from reality of life, where there is complications and confusions.

Ellen illustrates many example that take meaning of how we are trying to reproduce the minds of humans in order to satisfy there scare needs. He begins by telling the reader that computer programming is logical which at once does not correspond to how humans are. A human mind is not logical, it is the complete opposite, it is confused and analyzes situations in many different ways so a program cannot be like a mind. The author also shows how once again computers cannot be a human reproduction because of feelings. He uses the example about how the girl was dreaming about how she could program a computer to make two people in love. Ellen tells us that when one is using the programs, he should not lose his focus and wholly devote himself to the computer. “What you are actually doing is programming your mind and your thoughts which are those of many others because there is no other way that you could program a computer”. We are all alike in many ways and we desire the same things so with the use of computers, we can satisfy these desires.

Then she tells us how computers will affect the lives of every human being on earth. He shows this through the description of how the computers are programmed. The engineers do not interact with one another and not communicating their thoughts and ideas. They simply programme everything they think of and wish not to be disturbed will doing it because it will create a bug meaning they will miss an idea. So this only represents how everything will results as everyone will seek to satisfy their needs by interacting with the applications in computer which are merely not with human beings. We will become even more rational as our feelings will slowly disappear and we no longer interact with others.

In conclusion, the author sums everything up with the perfect object to illustrate how we will be lead by computers. This meticulously chosen object, the train, has important meaning. The train is first introduced to the reader as an explanation of programming device, “it is like riding a train and never being able to get off.”That is exactly what computers are about. They will create a path that some people will use to satisfy their needs. More people will use this
‘transportation’ because they don’t want to make their own decisions, meaning to satisfy our needs. Finally we will all find ourselves at the same place lead by the same person or computer. As we get to the “glare” we will continue our paths. This text is a great text that shows how computers have changed human beings. The author does this by stating clear and simple examples that are seen through the eyes of a lady. Her experiences and the description of them allow us to see the results of computers, which are that we are getting closer to the machine. Soon we will be programmed by the computers that where programmed by someone who merely resembles the individual and that has no feelings at all.

2.0 : FIRST ERROR

1) Ellen illustrates many example that take meaning of how…
Error:
The word `example’

Explanation:
In the above sentence, the student did a mistake in choosing the correct countable noun when it comes about the position after the word ‘many’.
According to the grammar rules, plural noun should take after the quantifier, ‘many’.

Correction:
Ellen illustrates many examples that take meaning of how…

3.0: SECOND ERROR

2) In Ellen Ullman’s “Getting Close to the Machine”, the effects and compositions of a programmed computer is clearly illustrated through many examples.

Error :
The word ‘is’

Explanation:
In the above sentence, the student did a mistake in writing the correct be verb ‘is’

Correction: In Ellen Ullman’s “Getting Close to the Machine”, the effects and compositions of a programmed computer are clearly illustrated through many examples.

4.0 : REFERENCES

1) Example of student`s essay : http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/publications/publications/Ens_Sup/Affaires_universitaires_collegiales/Ens_collegial/sample_student_essays.pdf

2) Eastwood, J. (2009). Oxford Learner`s Grammar: Grammar Finder. Great Clarendon Street: Oxford University Press.

References: 1) Example of student`s essay : http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/publications/publications/Ens_Sup/Affaires_universitaires_collegiales/Ens_collegial/sample_student_essays.pdf 2) Eastwood, J. (2009). Oxford Learner`s Grammar: Grammar Finder. Great Clarendon Street: Oxford University Press.