The Limits of Turning Every Experience into Data
About this practice test
An argumentative essay considers when measurement clarifies experience and when it distorts judgement, changes behaviour, threatens privacy, or removes essential context.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
12 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Yes / No / Not Given
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
The Limits of Turning Every Experience into Data
Every day, ordinary acts are converted into records: steps walked, minutes slept, keystrokes made, seconds spent looking at a screen. It is easy to see the attraction. Numbers seem tidy, portable and comparable, and they suggest that messy life can be made legible. I understand that appeal. But I think the limits of measurement matter as much as its convenience, because turning experience into data can clarify the world only if we remember what the data cannot do. In the right setting, data is genuinely useful. A wearable device can tell a runner when pace is slipping, or help a patient notice an unusual pattern in heart rate. A manager can see that a train is late, an energy meter can show when a building is wasteful, and a teacher can spot attendance problems sooner. A pace alert may be helpful, yet it is not the same as understanding why a runner is tired. In medicine, too, a useful reading still depends on a professional who can ask whether the pattern is new, serious, or simply noise. None of this makes data the enemy. What matters is whether the figure points to something real, or merely flatters us by looking precise. The difficulty is that a number always leaves something out. A mood, for example, may be reduced to a score on an app, but the score does not reveal whether the person is tired, grieving, relieved or simply distracted. A map is useful because it omits; it becomes dangerous when we forget that it omits. Once we treat the map as the territory, we start to believe that what is not counted does not count. For that reason, I distrust the idea that more measurement automatically means better judgement. In many workplaces, schools and hospitals, metrics are introduced as neutral aids to decision-making. Yet a neat table can hide the assumptions behind it: which outcomes were chosen, whose behaviour was ignored and what was made invisible so that the spreadsheet would stay simple. A school may celebrate higher attendance while overlooking that anxious pupils now stay quiet rather than absent. A hospital may reward shorter waiting times while missing whether people left before being seen. Data can improve decisions, but only when its limits are named aloud. That is why a good analyst does not worship a dashboard; a good analyst asks what the dashboard cannot see. This is the difference between evidence and authority. Evidence should provoke questions, not silence them. If a report says that one class performs better, we still need to know who was absent, what was tested and whether the test rewarded speed over understanding. Context is not decorative. It is the condition that lets data mean anything at all. The danger grows when people know they are being measured. Then they may begin to perform for the metric rather than for the activity itself. Students write for the grade, workers answer for the statistic, and athletes train for the display on the watch instead of the body they are trying to build. The measure was meant to describe behaviour, but it starts to shape behaviour. I do not think this makes measurement useless; I think it makes it powerful and therefore risky. Privacy is one concern, but not the only one. Data collected for a harmless purpose can later be combined, sold or interpreted in ways the original user never intended. A location log made for a cycling app can reveal routines, relationships and absences. A search history can become a profile that follows a person long after the original question has been forgotten. A route log that began as a tool for fitness can disclose home addresses, work hours and habits that were never meant to be public. Once such traces circulate, it is difficult to put them back into their original box. The issue is not simply that data exists. It is that data tends to outlive the moment that produced it. So I would not ask whether we should collect every possible trace. I would ask which traces are worth keeping, for whom and under what safeguards. Sometimes the right answer is more data, because a problem is genuinely opaque without it. Sometimes the right answer is less, because clarity has been confused with control. The most useful question is not how much can be measured, but whether the number clarifies the world or merely narrows it. The point is not that measurement has no place, but that its place should be limited by judgement.
-
Question 1 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer thinks that turning an experience into a number always preserves its meaning.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- No
No. The writer argues the opposite: numbers leave things out and can become misleading if treated as the whole reality. This is a direct disagreement with the statement. The passage repeatedly warns that what is not counted may still matter.
The difficulty is that a number always leaves something out
Once we treat the map as the territory, we start to believe that what is not counted does not count
Yes: Incorrect: the writer says numbers leave something out, so meaning is not always preserved.
No: Correct: the writer explicitly warns that a number leaves something out and can distort reality.
Not Given: Incorrect: the writer clearly addresses this view and rejects it.
-
Question 2 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer thinks that adding more sensors will solve the problem of interpretation.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- No
No. The writer distrusts the idea that more measurement automatically means better judgement, so adding more sensors would not, in the writer's view, solve interpretation problems by itself. The passage argues that context and judgement are still necessary. The statement is therefore contradicted.
I distrust the idea that more measurement automatically means better judgement
The most useful question is not how much can be measured, but whether the number clarifies the world or merely narrows it
Yes: Incorrect: the passage does not say that more sensors solve interpretation problems.
No: Correct: the text explicitly questions the value of more measurement as a route to better judgement.
Not Given: Incorrect: the passage does address the effect of more measurement on judgement.
-
Question 3 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that data can be useful when it is treated as one part of a broader picture.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Yes
Yes. The passage accepts that data has value, but only when it is interpreted with limits and context in mind. The idea is not that data alone is enough, so the statement matches the writer's view. The opposite claim, that data is useless or should stand by itself, is rejected.
In the right setting, data is genuinely useful
Data can improve decisions, but only when its limits are named aloud
Yes: Correct: the writer sees data as useful when it is interpreted carefully and alongside context.
No: Incorrect: the writer does not dismiss data; the passage says it can be genuinely useful.
Not Given: Incorrect: the writer does state a clear opinion about this.
-
Question 4 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that organisations should delete location logs immediately after they are collected.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The writer warns that location logs can reveal routines and that traces outlive the moment that produced them, but no rule about immediate deletion is stated. The passage argues for judgement about what to keep, not an automatic deletion policy. So this exact view is not confirmed.
A location log made for a cycling app can reveal routines, relationships and absences
It is that data tends to outlive the moment that produced it
Yes: Incorrect: the passage does not say location logs should be deleted immediately.
No: Incorrect: the passage does not give the opposite policy either.
Not Given: Correct: the text discusses risks and safeguards, but not immediate deletion.
-
Question 5 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that companies should publish the raw data behind every dashboard.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage criticises blind trust in dashboards and asks what they cannot see, but it never recommends publishing raw data behind every dashboard. That specific policy is simply not discussed. The writer's point is about careful interpretation, not a rule about disclosure.
a good analyst does not worship a dashboard; a good analyst asks what the dashboard cannot see
Data can improve decisions, but only when its limits are named aloud
Yes: Incorrect: the passage does not recommend publishing raw dashboard data.
No: Incorrect: the passage does not take the opposite explicit position either.
Not Given: Correct: no recommendation about publishing raw data appears in the text.
-
Question 6 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that data gathered for one purpose can be reused in ways the person did not expect.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Yes
Yes. The writer explicitly says that data collected for one harmless purpose may later be combined, sold or interpreted in unintended ways. That is exactly the idea in the statement. The writer presents this as a real risk, not a remote possibility.
Data collected for a harmless purpose can later be combined, sold or interpreted in ways the original user never intended
A location log made for a cycling app can reveal routines, relationships and absences
Yes: Correct: the passage directly states that later reuse can go beyond the original purpose.
No: Incorrect: the writer explicitly warns that this can happen.
Not Given: Incorrect: the issue is directly discussed.
-
Question 7 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that handwritten notebooks are a better choice than digital records for protecting personal privacy.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage never compares handwritten notebooks with digital records, and it does not claim that one is safer than the other. The writer's concern is about how data is collected, used and interpreted, not about choosing paper over digital storage. So this view cannot be confirmed.
Privacy is one concern, but not the only one
The issue is not simply that data exists
Yes: Incorrect: there is no claim that notebooks are safer.
No: Incorrect: the passage does not directly deny this comparison; it simply does not make it.
Not Given: Correct: the safety of handwritten notebooks versus digital records is not discussed.
-
Question 8 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer argues that fitness trackers should be banned in offices.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage mentions wearables and discusses the risks of measurement, but it does not recommend banning fitness trackers in offices. The writer focuses on interpretation, behaviour, and data use rather than an office policy.
A wearable device can tell a runner when pace is slipping, or help a patient notice an unusual pattern in heart rate
The issue is not simply that data exists
Yes: Incorrect: the passage never recommends banning fitness trackers in offices.
No: Incorrect: the writer does not take the opposite stance either.
Not Given: Correct: office bans are not discussed, so this view cannot be confirmed from the text.
-
Question 9 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that numbers can improve decisions when they are checked against context.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Yes
Yes. The writer says data can improve decisions, but only when its limits are made explicit and context is considered. This fits the statement precisely. The passage does not support the idea that numbers alone are enough.
Data can improve decisions, but only when its limits are named aloud
Context is not decorative. It is the condition that lets data mean anything at all
Yes: Correct: the writer explicitly links better decisions with named limits and context.
No: Incorrect: the writer does not reject numbers; the writer qualifies their use.
Not Given: Incorrect: the point is clearly stated in the passage.
-
Question 10 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that a single large dataset can replace human judgement.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- No
No. The writer insists that evidence should provoke questions and that context is necessary. A dashboard or dataset cannot replace judgement because it cannot see everything that matters. The statement contradicts the writer's argument.
a good analyst does not worship a dashboard; a good analyst asks what the dashboard cannot see
Evidence should provoke questions, not silence them
Yes: Incorrect: the writer rejects the idea that data alone should rule.
No: Correct: the writer says evidence must be questioned and contextualised, not blindly trusted.
Not Given: Incorrect: the passage clearly takes a stance on this issue.
-
Question 11 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer believes that privacy is the only serious problem created by constant measurement.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- No
No. The writer names privacy as one concern, but also discusses distortion, performance for metrics, and the way measurement can shape behaviour. So privacy is important, but far from the only issue. The statement is too narrow for the passage.
Privacy is one concern, but not the only one
The measure was meant to describe behaviour, but it starts to shape behaviour
Yes: Incorrect: the writer explicitly says privacy is not the only concern.
No: Correct: the writer lists several other problems besides privacy.
Not Given: Incorrect: the passage directly answers this point.
-
Question 12 · Yes / No / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the writer’s or speaker’s view. Choose Not Given when the view is not stated.
The writer thinks people sometimes perform for the metric rather than for the activity itself.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Yes
- No
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Yes
Yes. This is stated very directly in the passage. The writer says people may begin to perform for the metric, which means the measurement changes the purpose of the activity. The statement matches that argument closely.
Then they may begin to perform for the metric rather than for the activity itself
The measure was meant to describe behaviour, but it starts to shape behaviour
Yes: Correct: the writer directly describes this effect of measurement.
No: Incorrect: the passage explicitly says the opposite can happen.
Not Given: Incorrect: this is clearly discussed in the text.
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.