Grade 9A

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• Grade 9A
• Reading Comprehension
• Internet Addicts

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Internet Addicts Need Help

• The amount of time kids spend online is a source
  of frustration for many parents. Initially,
  parents welcomed the Internet into their homes,
  believing they were opening up an exciting new
  world of educational opportunities for their
  children. However, many parents soon realized
  that, instead of using the Internet for homework
  or research, their kids were spending hours
  instant messaging with friends, playing online
  games or talking to strangers in chat rooms.

• Kids are not the only ones who develop addiction.
  Internet addiction is a growing problem. Research
  from the Center for Online Addiction suggests
  that people are spending an increasing amount of
  time online and then lie about it to hide their
  activities. Dr Kimberly Young, director of the
  centre for Online Addiction, sets out a series of
  questions she says may determine whether or not
  someone is an Internet addict. An Internet
  addict would answer yes to at least five of the
  following questions
• Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (Do you
  think about it constantly)?
• Do you feel the need to use the Internet with
  increasing amounts of time in order to achieve
  satisfaction?
• Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to
  control, cut back or stop Internet use?
• Do you stay online longer than originally
  intended?
• Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a
  significant relationship, job, educational or
  career opportunity because of the Internet?
• Have you lied to family members, therapist or
  others to conceal the extent of involvement with
  the Internet?
• Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from
  problems or of relieving, for example, feelings
  of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression?

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Most people agree that the Internet is a
productive tool, but research findings document
serious negative consequences when it is used in
a negative manner. The anonymity of the Internet
made it easier to indulge the addiction, and
encouraged "deviant, deceptive and even criminal
online acts, such as the development of
aggressive online personas or the viewing and
downloading of illegal images". In a true
addiction, a person becomes compulsively
dependent upon a particular kind of stimulation
to the point where obtaining a steady supply of
that stimulation becomes the sole and central
focus of their lives. The addict increasingly
neglects his work duties, relationships and
ultimately even his health in his drive to remain
stimulated. Computer addiction can have a
variety of negative effects on a person. The most
immediate are social. The user withdraws from
friends and family as he spends more and more
time on the computer. Relationships begin to
wither as the user stops attending social
gatherings, skips meetings with friends and
avoids family members to get more computer time.
Even when they do interact with their friends,
users may become irritable when away from the
computer, causing further social harm. Over the
long term, computer addiction can cause physical
damage. Using a mouse and keyboard for many hours
every day can lead to repetitive stress injuries.
Back problems are common among people who spent a
lot of time sitting at computer desks. Late-night
computer sessions cut into much-needed sleep
time. Long-term sleep deprivation causes
drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and
depression of the immune system. Someone who
spends hours at a computer is obviously not
getting any meaningful exercise, so computer
addiction can indirectly lead to poor overall
physical condition and even obesity.
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1. The purpose of this essay is
to__________________________________________3.
Complete At first, parents thought the Internet
could help their kids with __________________ or
________________ , but now they understand that
their kids ______________________________________
______
4. Copy the suitable English definition for the
word suggest as used in line 7. 5. Cause and
Effect Complete the following table based
lines 28-44 Cause
_______
Effect 1. ________________________
a. drowsiness
b. difficulty
concentrating
c.
__________________ 2.People spend too much time
sitting ____________________

____________________ 3. People want
to get more computer time ____________________