Describe a Time when You Needed to Search for Information

Describe a Time when You Needed to Search for Information

• What Information do you need to Search For?
• When You Searched for It?
• Where You Searched for It?
• And Explain Why You Needed to Search for It?

Okay, so this is something I do all the time, but one recent example really sticks out. It was just a few weeks ago, on a Saturday, when I got this sudden, intense craving to cook some authentic Korean food right at home.

The specific information I needed to search for was a recipe for Bibimbap. You know, I’ve been watching a lot of K-dramas on Netflix lately, and in almost every show, they are eating this amazing-looking food. Bibimbap is that famous, beautiful rice bowl with all the colourful, separately cooked vegetables, some marinated meat, a fried egg on top, and that signature spicy red sauce. I’ve had it in restaurants here in Punjab, but it’s never quite right. I wanted to make the real thing, from scratch.

So, I went straight to Google and just typed in “best authentic bibimbap recipe.” My search first led me to a few food blogs. The problem was, Bibimbap isn’t just one dish; it’s like six small dishes in one. You have to prepare the spinach, the carrots, the mushrooms, the meat, and the sauce all separately. The text recipes were just confusing me. I am a very visual learner; I need to see someone do it.

This is when my search moved from Google to YouTube. This was the goldmine. I found a fantastic video by a famous Korean chef, I think her name is Maangchi. I must have watched her 15-minute video at least three times.

The reason I had to search so thoroughly was because the ingredients and techniques are totally different from our Indian cooking. I needed to know the exact ingredients for the all-important gochujang sauce, which I had to buy. I needed to see how to julienne the vegetables, how long to blanch the spinach, and how to get that crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl.

I had my phone in the kitchen, pausing the video at every step. It took me nearly two hours, but the search was a total success. It looked just like the pictures, and it tasted incredible. It was all thanks to that detailed YouTube search.

Part 3 Questions: Describe a Time when You Needed to Search for Information

Question 1: How can people search for information now?

Arre, today it’s easier than ever, no? The first answer is just one word: Google. Anything you want to know, from a complex physics theory to a simple recipe, you just ‘Google it’. But it’s not just Google. For any ‘how-to’ information, like fixing a tap or learning a skill, YouTube is the new teacher. And for news or trends, people just scroll Instagram or Twitter. Even AI assistants like Alexa are used. We’ve moved far away from the old days of only using encyclopedias or libraries.

Question 2: What information can people get from television?

Television is still very dominant in India. The main information people get is news, 100%. We have hundreds of 24-hour news channels. This is especially true for our parents’ generation, who trust TV news more than the internet. You also get detailed weather forecasts, political debates, and lots of health-related programs. And, of course, channels like National Geographic or Discovery provide amazing documentaries. So, it’s mostly for news, current affairs, and general knowledge.

Question 3: Do you think libraries are still important in the digital age?

Yes, absolutely. I think libraries are more important than ever, but for different reasons. In India, many students live in crowded or noisy homes. A library is the only silent, peaceful place they can go to study for their exams. Secondly, libraries are important for digital access. Not everyone has high-speed internet or a computer at home, so the library provides that for free. And finally, they still hold historical archives and rare books that you will never find on Google. They are pillars of the community.

Question 4: Does the development of the internet have any impact on some disadvantaged people?

Oh, a huge impact. On the positive side, it has been a miracle. A farmer in a remote village can now check weather reports and market prices on his phone. A child can learn coding from free YouTube videos. But it has also created a big problem called the “digital divide.” If you are poor and cannot afford a smartphone or a data pack, you are now at a bigger disadvantage. During the pandemic, rich kids had online classes, while poor kids with no internet access lost two years of education. So, it’s both a blessing and a curse.

Question 5: How do people identify reliable information on the internet?

Honestly, this is the biggest challenge of our time. In India, we have a huge problem with fake news, especially on WhatsApp. The best way to identify reliable information is to first check the source. Is it a trusted newspaper, a government website, or a university? Or is it just a random blog or a forwarded message? Secondly, you must cross-check. If one news site reports something, I always check two or three other major news sites to see if they are also reporting the same facts. If only one person is saying it, it’s probably not true.

Question 6: Is it good if people could have more access to information in the future?

Yes, I strongly believe it is a good thing. More access to information means more power for the average person. It means a student can learn anything they want, a patient can understand their medical condition better, and citizens can hold their government accountable. It breaks down barriers. The only challenge is not the access to information, but the quality. We don’t just need more information; we need more reliable information and the skills to tell the difference. But overall, access to knowledge is always a good thing for humanity.