Use the correct words to fill the gaps in these sentences. You are given a paraphrase of the meaning in brackets.

1. I sent a photo of my house by e-mail to my friend in Canada, but it took ages to…… .................................................... (transfer from here to there) and I spent 20 minutes ................................................... (connected to the Internet).

2. I've had your message in my ................................................... (a place where unread e-mails are stored) for two days but haven't had time to read it yet.

3. I had a lot of trouble trying to ................................................. (add to the programs already on my computer) that new software I bought.

4. How do I....................................................... (restore something accidentally rubbed out) on this computer?

5. I write my e-mails ........................................................ (while disconnected from the Internet) and then connect to send them.

— Speaking

Do the quiz and discuss your answers with a partner.

THE INTERNET/AND YOU

1. How long have you been using e-mail and the Internet? How, much have they changed your life?

2. How often do you check your e-mail?

3. How many messages do you send or receive each day?

4. Do all your family have e-mail?

5. Do you use it for work or for your own private interest?

6. How quickly do you find what you want on the Web?

7. Which search engines do you use?

8. What are your favourite Internet sites?

9. What's the most unusual site that you've ever visited?

10. Are there any companies whose sites you find particularly good or bad?

11. Have you ever logged on to a chat room?

12. lf so, do the people you meet there have similar interests to yours?

13. Do you know anyone who's met someone through the Internet?

14. Should the Internet, which is now used by millions of children worldwide, be subject to censorship laws? Should these laws be international?

Internet addiction

Last week, in a private rehabilitation clinic outside Edinburgh, Leo Edwards, a sixteen-tear-old schoolboy, was going through severe withdrawal symptoms. Is body often shook violently and uncontrollably, and at mealtimes he regularly threw cups and plates around the dining room. The boy’s addiction had nothing to do with alcohol, drugs, gambling or food. His problem was ‘Net obsession’ – an over dependency on the Internet.

An international group of psychologists has recently suggested that anyone who surfs the Internet for long periods is clinically ill and needs medical treatment. According to their report, Internet addicts should be treated in the same way as alcoholics, drug addicts, compulsive gamblers and people wit eating disorders.

Leo Edwards is not an isolated case. Russell Hopkins, aged fifteen, from Gateshead in north-east England, is a typical online addict. Every day after school, and after dinner until tree or four in the morning, he will be found in his room surfing the Net or playing computer games. By the end of the day he will have spent more tan six ours online. Understandably, is parents are extremely worried. Not only has his school work suffered, but Russell’s addiction has also destroyed is social life and his spare time interests. For instance, he has just dropped out of is school’s basketball team in order to spend more time at is computer. Instead of spending next weekend having a good time out wit friends, he’ll be spending it indoors surfing the Internet.

Russell has recently joined an Internet online support group. It may seem ironic tat many of the support groups for Internet addicts are online but at least Russell has sought help. Not everyone does. Dr Ann Hoffman, who runs an online support group, says ’People don’t realise that being online for more than four hours a day amounts to addiction and that they have a serious problem. I predict that the number of people who join online support groups will have risen dramatically within three years.’

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1940