Well, I’m a little bit obsessed now.  I generated another TOEFL-like integrated writing question using ChatGPT.  I spent about half an hour on this one, generating the passages and revising them to be more TOEFL-like.

(here is my original blog post about this process)

As before, here is the required disclaimer:

“The author generated this text in part with GPT-3, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model. Upon generating draft language, the author reviewed, edited, and revised the language to their own liking and takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.”

Here is the reading:

Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel situated in the Andean Mountains of Peru. This ancient site has puzzled historians and archaeologists for centuries, with many theories proposed as to its purpose. Archaeologists have put forth three possible reasons for the construction of Machu Picchu.

One possibility is that Machu Picchu was built as a permanent royal estate for the Inca emperor, Pachacuti. As the ruler of a major empire, Pachacuti would have needed a luxurious and impressive residence. Located at the top of a mountain, with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, Machu Picchu would have been an ideal location for such a residence. Anyone coming to meet with the emperor would have been impressed by his apparent power and wealth.

Another theory is that Machu Picchu was built as a ceremonial and religious center. The Inca were a deeply religious people, and their empire was filled with temples and shrines dedicated to their gods and goddesses. Machu Picchu, with its impressive stonework and intricate carvings, may have been built as a sacred site for religious ceremonies and rituals. 

A third possibility is that Machu Picchu was built as a defensive fortress. Located at the top of a mountain and surrounded by steep cliffs, the site would have been very difficult to access, but easy to defend. This strategic location, combined with the strong walls and terraces of the citadel, would have made Machu Picchu a perfect military stronghold. Invading armies would have found it a very challenging target.

Here is me badly reading the lecture:

 

Here is a prompt:

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.

Here is a transcript of the lecture:

The author’s ideas about the purpose of Machu Picchu  are certainly interesting, but each of them has a few flaws.

A problem with the idea of Machu Picchu as a royal residence is its remoteness. While the site is located in a beautiful area, it’s far from the center of the Inca empire and would have been difficult to access. This would have made it impractical as a residence for the emperor, who probably needed to be close to the political and administrative centers of the empire. For this reason, the site may have been a temporary vacation home for the emperor, rather than a full-time residence.

Next. While the idea that Machu Picchu was built as a ceremonial and religious center is a popular theory, it is not without its flaws. One challenge to this idea is the lack of evidence of religious activity at the site. While the citadel contains impressive stonework and many elaborate carvings, there are no clear indications that it was used for religious ceremonies or rituals. In contrast, other Inca sites, such as the Temple of the Sun in Cusco, contain clear evidence of religious activity, including altars, offerings, and other religious artifacts.

Lastly, it is difficult to claim that Machu Picchu was built as a defensive fortress.  While the citadel contains strong walls and terraces, there are no clear indications that it was used for military purposes. Very few actual weapons or military tools have been found there. The Inca were known for their elaborate military practices, and the remains of their soldiers and weapons have been found at many other Inca sites. The absence of clear signs of military activity at Machu Picchu suggests that it was not used for defensive purposes.

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