CBEST: The Age of Invention

A new topic and a new essay from CBEST serial. Thank you for all feedback.

The Age of Invention

The twentieth century will probably be remembered not only as a century with two world wars, but also as The Age of Invention because of the many technological advances that have been made. My life was completely changed during those years. I now have a different lifestyle than fifty years ago. I could argue that, even if I were just to consider computers. Computers are now used at work, at home, and almost everywhere else.

At work, my life as a teacher has become easier; because I can use the computer to track information about my students: their names, addresses, phone numbers, grades, and more. Five years ago, I needed to contact a family to inform about bad grades that their child got it. The student's information was incomplete, but with my class computer I could find his parents' phone number. Class activities are now more attractive. On line lessons and demonstrations help students to understand better the topic. The results have been seen in their grades and the quality of our schools, today. Tests and quizzes are easy to be created on line using multiple resources. Sometime, I like to use the computer lab to administrate on line, a quiz or a test. Students and I discover that irresistible because the results appear in seconds. Moreover, the wrong answers come back with explications and that help students a lot. My life as a teacher has been made considerably easier by the use of a computer.

At home, my family life has been made easier, also. With the computer, money and bank accounts are simple to manage. Today, all bills are possible to be paid from home, using the computer. Moreover, I have total control on my credit cards. Internet offers the chance to connect with friends and other persons. Face Book and My Space are just two web pages where people can meet, and share their hobbies, for example. As a result, I found many friends using these two web pages. Beside, my wife has her own web page, which was created by me. Through that page, her clients can make an appointment or check when she is available for a massage. Also, she uses her webpage for advertising. Now all my family members are using their own computers at home for shopping, for news, and more. In addition, all my appliances were ordered over the Internet. Therefore, my life at home is easier now than it was twenty years ago.

Computers are used in all sorts of places. Movie industry uses the computers to create modern cartoons for kids. In the past, for a cartoon, were necessary a lot of pictures drawn by hand. It took too many days to create just one movie. Today, with the computer help, the cartoon movies are created and ready to broadcast fast. The computer simulation helps meteorologists to understand and predict the weather. Hurricanes' paths are calculated in advance. If there is any danger, people are evacuated. For example, many lives were saved in hurricane Katrina's case. Also, computers are used in airports for traffic control. These, help controllers to schedule each airplane for arrival or departure without collisions. Every minute, the monitors keep passengers informed about their fly. Likewise, with the computer help, the airplanes are safeties transportation. Our life has been made easier, when computers are used.

Everything today is possible because of the many technological advances made in the twentieth century. Every new technology has become part of our life now. Today, many teenagers cannot concept the world without all discoveries of last century. Life is easier nowadays than it has been in the past. Computers, together with many other recent inventions, have radically changed my life.

Are you more than 50 years old? If not, then you need to say "I now have a different lifestyle than I would have had fifty years ago."


This is maybe not such a good example. Despite high-tech weather tracking, plenty of warning, and transportation technology, many people died due to the age-old problem of poverty. If anything, Katrina showed the limits of technological advancement. If not paired with social advancement, you might argue, technological advancement only goes so far.

Thank you, Simone! I will change the example about Katrina.
Now, if my sentence: "I have a different lifestyle now, than fifty years ago" create in the reader's mind the image of a person older than fifty is fine for me. Is it grammatically correct? The essay fit better if I am younger or older?

Also, please let me know if the essay is on the topic. Are there any other grammar mistakes? Please and thank you!

Again, if you are younger than fifty, say "I have a different lifestyle than I would have had fifty years ago." If you are older than fifty and describing an actual rather than hypothetical change, say "I have a different lifestyle now than fifty years ago."

"Tests and quizzes are easily created on line using multiple resources."

"Today, all bills can be paid from home, using the computer."


I'd say it is still a good example. Many lives were saved, with the city being evacuated days in advance of the storm striking, because technology gave forewarning of the hurricane's path. Imagine the death toll if the city had been taken unawares. It is true, technology could not save those who refused to heed the warnings and who chose to remain behind, nor could it prevent widespread property damage in a city that refused to build levees high enough to withstand a category 5 storm, despite being below sea level and in a hurricane corridor. However, that human stupidity led to disaster in New Orleans was not the fault of technology, nor does it nullify the fact that, without technology, the disaster would have been a lot worse.

thank you! I see your points. Maybe I will add a bit more details to that example to clarify the advantage of technology, despite of number of people who died in New Orleans.