TPO 30 Integrated Writing Task A little over 2 200 years ago the Roman navy attacked the Greek port city of Syracuse According to some ancient historians the Greeks defended themselves with an ingenious weapon called a burning mirror a polished co

The article and the lecture are both about burning mirror used by ancient Greeks. While the author in the article claims that ancient Greek was not likely to use burning mirror for several reasons, the lecture disputes the arguments presented in the article. His position is that Greek actually had used burning mirror.

According to the reading, making burning mirror required advanced technology which ancient Greek didn't have. He claims that it required mirror in large size and highly precise. It was impossible to achieve by ancient Greek. The argument is challenged by the lecturer. He points out that the mirror was not made by a single copper but by a dozen of copper. He goes on to say that ancient Greek could assembly the little piece of copper into a large mirror.

Secondly, the author in the article puts forth that it takes long time to set fire through the burning fire. He further says that an experiment confirms that setting fire in a wood need ten minutes at least. The lecturer, however, holds that view that the time depends on the material that it wants to burn. He further mentions that ancient ships had a coating called pitch which could burn in second with the use of burning mirror.

Finally, the author asserts that there were other weapons to take the place of burning mirror. He continues to say that ancient Greek use flaming arrow to set fire. In contrast, the lecturer's stance is that burning mirror could be used to surprise the army. He also says that it made that battle more effective.