Practice Test 5

Case study (Smart Devices): A city installs “smart” streetlights with motion sensors and networked controllers. The lights dim when streets are empty and brighten when pedestrians or cars approach, aiming to reduce energy costs. A central dashboard collects status data (bulb health, power usage) and sends maintenance alerts. Similar systems appear in many municipalities as part of smart-city initiatives, and vendors often claim measurable energy savings from adaptive lighting.

Benefits: The city reports lower electricity bills and quicker repairs because crews replace failing lights before outages occur. Residents also report feeling safer on well-lit routes that brighten as they walk.

Harms: The networked design introduces new security risks: if attackers access the control system, they could disrupt lighting patterns. Privacy concerns arise because motion data, while not always personally identifying, can still reveal patterns of movement in specific neighborhoods. The city also becomes reliant on the vendor for software updates; when support is delayed, known vulnerabilities remain unpatched longer than desired. Considering the described technology, what are two benefits and two risks associated with smart devices as described in the passage?

Case study: A school district adopts a social media platform-style app for announcements, student clubs, and parent-teacher messaging. The app’s feed is curated by a recommendation algorithm (a set of rules learned from data) that promotes posts likely to get reactions. It offers translation and automatic captioning, helping multilingual families and students with hearing differences. Teachers post homework reminders, and emergency alerts reach phones immediately.

Benefits: Communication improves: parents who work multiple jobs can still message teachers asynchronously, and clubs recruit members quickly. Pew Research Center surveys consistently show a large majority of U.S. teens use social media, so the district meets families where they already communicate. Rapid updates reduce missed assignments and improve attendance at events.

Harms: The same engagement-focused design can amplify misinformation and rumor, because sensational posts often get more reactions. Researchers link heavy social media use to mental health concerns for some adolescents, including sleep disruption and anxiety, though effects vary by individual. The district also learns that the vendor collects behavioral data (clicks, time spent) to personalize content, raising privacy issues, especially for minors. A student-created false account spreads a fabricated “school closure” post, causing confusion and missed class.

Considering the described technology, in what ways does the school’s social-media-style app improve and challenge societal norms as mentioned in the passage?