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Anglais · Bac Sciences Humaines · Coefficient 3

Advances in Science and Technology — English Bac Sciences Humaines

This theme feeds the Reading and Writing sections of the Bac Sciences Humaines English paper (coefficient 3), where a precise word field makes an answer stronger. Artificial intelligence, renewable energy, genetic medicine: scientific and technological progress is an essay theme that suits science-stream candidates especially well, since they already study its content in their other subjects.

Relu par Équipe Orka · 30 août 2026

Dans le programme du Bac Sciences Humaines

English carries a coefficient of 3 in the Bac Sciences Humaines stream — level with Arabic Language, just behind History-Geography, Philosophy and French (coefficient 4). It is a genuine average-mover, and the humanities focus of the stream makes its themes on society, citizenship, culture and development especially familiar territory.

À l'épreuve

Three parts: Reading Comprehension, Language, and Writing (a guided text of about 180 words, longer at the top of the mark range). Sciences Humaines candidates, used to handling ideas and social questions, can bring real substance to essay prompts on culture, citizenship and development — the discipline needed is to keep the writing in clear, accurate English.

Objectifs d'apprentissage

  • Reuse this vocabulary field in the Bac Sciences Humaines Reading answers and in the argumentative essay (coefficient 3)
  • Use the vocabulary of innovation: breakthrough, innovation, invention, discovery, cutting-edge technology
  • Name fields of technological advance: artificial intelligence, renewable energy, genetic engineering, space exploration
  • Weigh benefits and drawbacks: benefits / advantages vs risks / drawbacks / threats
  • Build a balanced essay on scientific progress (thesis, antithesis, personal position)

Notions clés

Vocabulary of innovation

breakthrough (a major advance), innovation, invention, discovery, cutting-edge technology. E.g. “The discovery of CRISPR was a major breakthrough in genetic engineering.”

Fields of scientific advance

artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, genetic engineering, space exploration — themes directly linked to the science content of many streams.

Weighing pros and cons

benefits / advantages (better health, efficiency, access to information) vs risks / drawbacks / threats (job losses, technological dependence, ethical questions). A successful essay presents both before concluding.

Erreurs fréquentes

1

Confusing invention (creating something new that did not exist) with discovery (revealing something that already existed but was unknown, such as a physical law or a species).

2

Writing a one-sided essay (only for or only against technological progress): the prompt almost always calls for a nuanced answer.

3

Using advance as an uncountable noun and over-generalising: speak of advances (plural) or an advance in a specific field to stay precise.

Exemple corrigé

Énoncé

Write a nuanced concluding sentence for an essay on: “Is artificial intelligence a threat or an opportunity for society?”

Correction

Recall both sides of the debate. Mention both the benefits (efficiency, medical advances) and the risks (job losses, ethical questions) already developed in the essay.
Take a nuanced personal position. Avoid an absolute verdict; prefer a conditional conclusion (“if properly regulated”).
Result. “Overall, artificial intelligence seems to offer more opportunities than threats, provided that governments and companies regulate its use responsibly to protect jobs and ethical standards.”

Le cours, puis l'entraînement.

Orka génère des exercices illimités et des examens blancs corrigés sur tout le programme de Anglais du Bac Sciences Humaines, avec un suivi de ta progression chapitre par chapitre.

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3 exercices pour t'entraîner

Exercice 1

Easy
Find the odd one out: breakthrough / innovation / drawback / discovery
Voir la correction
drawback — the other three name a positive advance, while drawback names a disadvantage.

Exercice 2

Medium
Complete: “The ___ of penicillin by Alexander Fleming saved millions of lives.” (invention / discovery)
Voir la correction
discovery — penicillin already existed in nature (a mould); Fleming discovered it, he did not invent it.

Exercice 3

Hard
Write a sentence contrasting a benefit and a risk of artificial intelligence with a contrast connector.
Voir la correction
“While artificial intelligence can significantly improve medical diagnosis, it also raises serious concerns about job losses in several industries.” — while joins a benefit (medical diagnosis) and a risk (job losses) in one balanced sentence.

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Questions fréquentes

How does this chapter specifically help science-stream candidates?

They already study energy, genetics or electricity in their other subjects; this chapter lets them reuse that scientific background — in English — to enrich an essay with precise, credible examples, an edge other streams do not always have.

Do I always have to conclude that technology is positive?

No; what matters is the quality of the argument and the balance between the two viewpoints, not the conclusion itself — a nuanced, well-justified conclusion (“both… but…”) scores better than a blunt position with no nuance.

What concrete examples can I use to illustrate this theme?

Varied, current examples: mRNA vaccines, electric cars, solar and wind energy, generative artificial intelligence — choose one you know well rather than citing several superficially.

How much English revision does a coefficient-3 subject deserve in my stream?

A regular slot, not an afterthought. Fix each chapter's rule or vocabulary with two examples, write a short essay every week, and use the society themes — where your stream gives you ideas — as your strongest material. Keep a reusable introduction and conclusion, and check accuracy as you go.

How do I use this theme in the Bac Sciences Humaines essay without sounding generic?

Anchor each key term in one concrete, personal example — a place, a person, a situation you know. A specific illustration in accurate English scores better than a long list of terms with no support, on any of the society prompts in the programme.