TPO 25 Integrated Writing Task

Both the reading and the listening sections are about ancient clay jars that might have been used as electric batteries. The author of the reading passage argues that it is not likely at all that vessels were used as electric batteries and provides 3 reasons. The lecturer, however, challenges the claim made by the author. She is of the opinion that arguments raised in the article are not convincing, and the battery explanation could be correct.

Firstly, the article argues that if vessels were used as batteries they must have been attached to some electricity conductors such as metal wires. The listening section, by contrast, mentions that the vessels were discovered by locals not by trained archeologists. Additionally, she contends that they may not have recognized the importance of that material. So the materials that were serving as wires or conductors might have been overlooked as uninteresting or even thrown away.

Secondly the text suggests that that copper cylinders inside the jars were look like copper cylinders found in Seleucia which were used for holding scrolls. The lecturer, by contrast, rebuts this argument by pointing out that it is true copper cylinders are similar but that does not really prove anything. In addition to this she notes that it is possible that copper cylinders were originally designed to preserve scrolls but than some ancient inventors discovered that cylinders could produce electricity. To put it differently once it could be used for one reason but then adopted to another purpose.

And finally, the reading passage points out that even if copper cylinders could generate electricity ancient people had no devices that relied on electricity. The lecturer, rebuts this by noting that cylinders might have provided mild shock. She elaborates on this by bringing up the point that it could be interpreted as evidence of some invisible power and people could easily convince others that they have magical power. Also, it could be used in medicine for healing, to stimulate muscles, some aches or pai