Trabajo práctico CIV 2018 - Salud (tema Internet Addiction)

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?
3. What are addicts like?
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?