International Language Center of Amirkabir university of Technology
Reading Intermediate
Project 1
Read the text below and paraphrase the first three paragraphs, considering
the fact that you need to paraphrase the highlighted words too.
Will They Call Us "Generation Isolation"?
A Retail sales of cell phones and MP3 players are rising year after year. More
chunks of their lives in virtual worlds. And the use of social networking websites is
continually increasing. Now, amid fears of the dangers of decreased social
interaction, a backlash has begun. With parents and teachers alike grumbling
about youngsters being stuck indoors by themselves, kids are being told to put away
their game consoles and have more face-to-face fun with their friends. Likewise,
kids are complaining about their parents taking work calls and e-mails during family
time and so are forcing adults to rip themselves away from their cell phones and
laptops. However, is there any scientific evidence to verify that we are, in fact,
Reduction interacting less? Is it an exaggeration to say we are becoming "Generation
Isolation"?
B According to psychologists, social isolation occurs when people have only
modest amounts of interaction or no interaction with their peers. Frequent use of
the Internet, video games, and MP3 players might contribute to this. For example,
Defention
results from a questionnaire sent out to more than 4,000 American adults found that
the more time the respondents spent online, the more socially isolated they
became. Of those who spent five-plus hours per week online, approximately 10
percent attended fewer social events than they had in the past. Nearly 15 percent
found that the time they spent with family and friends had shrunk. And nearly 25
percent spent less time talking to family and friends on the phone.
C Another study found that there are mounting numbers of people living by
themselves, couples spending time apart, and parents spending time away from their
children. In fact, face-to-face interaction has halved over the past twenty years,
living whereas use of electronic media has doubled. Likewise, the number of people with
style
"core partners" (people with whom you discuss your most sensitive issues) is 30
percent lower than a generation ago.
D This evidence seems to suggest that if we limit the use of electronic media,
we can avoid social isolation. Yet research shows that the occurrence of "severe
social isolation" has not changed over the past twenty-five years. In fact, research
indicates that technology users have larger discussion networks than nonusers. For
Solutioninstance, if you own a cell phone, your number of core partners is likely to be 25
percent higher than if you don't, and your core partners are likely to be more diverse.
For Internet users, the figure is closer to 15 percent and significantly more for those
who use the Internet more frequently. Researchers also have discovered that using
the Internet doesn't stop people from visiting public places, as originally thought.
Because the Internet is such a convenient way to find information about places such
1
International Language Center of Amirkabir university of Technology
Reading Intermediate
as libraries, museums, and bars, Internet users are more inclined to visit
these places-places where they are more likely to meet new and charming people
from a variety of backgrounds.
E There is also evidence to suggest that social networking websites, blogs, and
chat rooms are having a positive impact on democratic politics. This is because they
Benefits
are solutions to the so called "spiral of silence" problem. Some people find it difficult
to express their views face-to-face because they are anxious about what their peers
may think. This is bad enough when it happens with children, but when it happens
with adults, it can have a devastating effect on political engagement. It is vital that
there be opportunities for adults to share diverse ideas and opinions. Active
participation in political debate is a key feature of a vigorous democracy. The
advantage of communications technology is that it facilitates equal access to
discussions and an equal right to be heard without sacrificing privacy. This, in turn,
means greater social participation and decreased isolation.
F So, is the use of social networking websites putting us at risk of greater social
isolation? It seems that there isn't a simple yes or no answer to this. As technology
Q develops, it becomes ever more sophisticated, which allows greater social
interaction. However, we need to remember that in order to send a friend an e-mail,
text message, or chat invitation, we need to have met them in the first place. So
perhaps this is as good a time as any to log off and go out.
Reading Passage has six paragraphs A-F.
Match each paragraph with the correct heading i- vii.
1. Paragraph A i. An unanswered question
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph C ii. Benefits of social networking sites
4. Paragraph D iii. Life affected by social media and technology
5. Paragraph E iv. The definition of social isolation
6. Paragraph F
v. A solution that has not worked properly
vi. Reduction of social interactions
vii. Government’s response to social networking
sites
