A. Read
the following article carefully: “German Kids go to Camp for Internet Addiction”
Some years ago girls used to play
with dolls and boys with cars. But things have changed. Now most people don't
realize that hours spent online could be a symptom of Internet Addiction
Disorder. Now German parents whose children show signs of the affliction can
send them to a unique camp to get help. Internet addicts are seen as people who
sit for hours in darkened rooms, converse only in chat rooms and have virtual
relationships with the complete strangers who live thousands of miles
away. It is a huge problem that is affecting the Web generation all over
the world. Germany,
too, has its share of cases. Although there are no exact statistics, experts
say the number of Internet addicts in the country is close to 1 million. The
percentage has remained steady, but the number of Internet users has risen from
25 to 30 million. Much of the increase in Internet addiction is among children
and young teenagers who spend increasing amounts of time playing computer games
or surfing the Internet. Those seeking professional help now can take advantage
of a new project, a summer camp in Germany. It is the first camp of its kind in
Europe and aims to wean children off computers
by showing them that other aspects of life can be just as exciting. There is just one computer on the site which can be used
for half an hour a day -- but not for playing games or surfing the net. Every
morning there are counseling sessions and supervised physical activities at the
beach such as swimming, volleyball
and aerobics. It is quite a change for the self-confessed addicts who admit to
using the web and computer games for up to six hours a day to escape the
boredom of everyday life.
In Germany, many school children spend
only about four and a half hours a day at school, they often come home at 1.30
p.m. to an empty house if the parents are at work. Without supervision, the
time between their arrival and the time their parents come home from work can
often be spent surfing, mailing, chatting and playing games on the computer in
a darkened room. The course at the camp lasts for 28 days and in the final
week, parents are invited to attend and participate in the counseling and
activities to understand the problems and dangers facing their children. There are some factors which are important in
determining whether someone suffers from IAD
or not. According to the researchers’ studies, Internet activity becomes
troublesome when it interferes with someone's job or social life. The
researchers have compiled the problems central to the disorder under the
acronym MOUSE: More than intended time
spent online; Other responsibilities neglected; Unsuccessful attempts to
cut down; Significant relationship discord because of use; and Excessive
thoughts or anxiety when not online. The problems the children experience are
mostly related to social interaction and physical condition caused by bad diet
and lack of exercise. Children should exercise more and spend more time with
their friends. Parents have to look after them! The camp organizers say that
first results have been encouraging. The organizers say this situation will
change!
B. Grammar
1.
Find a verb in the following tenses. Why are
these tenses used?
Tense
|
Example
|
Why?
|
Past
continuous
|
Form:
|
|
Present
Perfect
|
Form:
|
|
Past
Perfect
|
Form:
|
|
Modal
Verb
|
||
Modal
Verb
|
2.
Find
an Infinitive of Purpose.
3.
Find
two cases of Passive Voice.
Example
A:
|
Example
B:
|
4.
Who
does the action? Is the agent mentioned in the text?
Example
A:
|
Example
B:
|
5. When is
the passive voice used?
6. Mention the reasons why the agent cannot be mentioned.
7. State
the function of the following words. Are they verbs, nouns or adjectives?
Exciting
|
|
Affecting
|
|
Swimming
|
8. Find a
relative clause of any type and underline its pronoun.
9. Find a
conditional sentence and state its type.
10. Find
a structure showing a habit in the past
C. True or false. Justify the false statements
in Spanish:
1. There are a lot of computers in the summer camp.
2. Internet addiction interferes with
the diet.
D. Answer the following questions in Spanish:
1.
Mention in a few sentences the
main idea of the article or draw a concept map about it.
|
|
2. What
did children use to play with some years ago?
|
|
4. How
many internet addicts are there in Germany?
|
|
5. What
is the main purpose of the camp?
|
|
6. When
are German children alone at home? Why?
|
|
7. Can
internet addicts stop using the computers when they want to do it?
|
|
8 What
should children do?
|
|
9. What
do children do with the computer?
|
|
10. Can
you explain with your own words the meaning of MOUSE?
|
|
11. Are
you an internet addict?
|
|
