B1 – Intermediate
Internet addiction is one very common problem among teenagers these days. In China, one way to combat this addiction is to take children to a boot camp.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript on a boot camp for internet addicts.
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/can-boot-camp-cure-internet-addiction/2442322.html
Discussion Questions:
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
4. What are the ways you can prevent internet addiction?
22 replies on “Boot Camps for Internet Addicts”
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
Every day I spend approximately ten hours surfing the internet, which are divided into eight work hours and two leisure hours.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
Yes, I am a data analyst and I need the internet to work, so I use the internet during my whole work day.
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
I think that internet addiction can cause damage to our health like any other addiction so I could consider internet addiction a disease, I think that it could be considered a behavioral addiction or a mental health disorder
4. What are the ways you can prevent internet addiction?
I think that there are several ways to prevent internet addiction, such as set usage limits by establishing clear guidelines for screen time and online activities and encourage a balance between online and offline activities, such as physical exercise, hobbies and social interactions.
Great work with your responses!
Here are a few adjustments you can make in this sentence:
Keep up the good job.
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
I spend the time that I need to locate the professional information that I need, some days it may be five minutes and others may be one hour. I don’t usually spend surfing wihtout a clear objetive and with a limit of spending time.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
Yes, at work, I am highly dependent on the internet because I have to connect with database servers and I have several meetings a day.
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
Well, I think probably internet addiction is a disease, It may trigger need and doing necessary a medical treatment.
4. What are the ways you can prevent internet addiction?
I think the ways you can prevent internet addiction are educational ways, advertising campaigns, definitely educational methods.
You are doing a good job trying to improve your writing so far.
Here is a sentence you can revise:
Remember: the more you practice, the better you become at something.
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
When I am working I spend 8 hours, but in my free time I spend, more or less, 1 hour.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
Yes, I depend on the internet a lot because I am computer engineer.
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
Yes, I would consider internet addiction as a disease. I think people are addicted just like other drugs.
4. What are the ways you can prevent internet addiction?
As in other addictions, I think it is necessary to avoid excessive use of internet.
Well done continuing with this exercise.
Take a look at a few minor revisions you can make in these sentences:
In addition, perhaps you can also state the things you use the internet for to be able to do your job.
Try to always be as elaborate as possible in your answers so you can express yourself better.
1. Maybe I surfing 5-6 hours for day in internet. For my job and after for searching idees for play the kids, buying for home, clothes,….
2. Yes, maybe not surfing in diferents webs but in our web yes.
3. Totally, Internet is the drug of the present and the future. With internet you can do all… and this is very dangerous.
4. Education. It’s important that the kids undersantd that internet is a wonderfull windows to the world but too, a dangerous place with millions inputs positive and negative, and they should can dosificate the use for not use internet and not using like a alternative to the real world.
Keep going with this exercise. You are doing a good job improving your writing skills so far.
Take a look at the proper word order and structure of this sentence:
Here’s to more improvement in your skills!
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
I usually spend more than 4 hours surfin the internet, i like to watch videos from youtube.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
Al work i´m really highly dependent on the internet because i used for giving me ideas of how to improve teams by retrospectives.
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
I would consider internet addiction as a disease in some cases where people can´t stay away from it or if you used all day long, forgetting the interacción with your family or friends, real friends from flesh and bones.
4. What are the ways you can prevent internet addiction?
We can prevent internet addiction by giving people motivation for doing activities with real people, by giving them the confidense to stay away from your computer or cellphone.
Great job with your writing practice! Keep on it!
Here is a sentence you can rewrite to improve:
Here’s to more entries from you!
Most of the time I spend on Internet is for work as my job requires Internet connection the 70-80% of the time. In my free time, I must spend maximum 3 hours per day, especially chatting by WhatsApp or checking Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter. Moreover, on weekends I use my phone only to check quickly the social network.
I don’t like abusing of the technology in my free time. I’m not used to watch Netflix, neither I’m posting everything I do in social networks.
I agree Internet addiction can be considered a disorder. In my opinion, Internet steals quality of time, especially when we’re accompanied by someone else. However, it takes part of our everyday and I don’t believe it will reduce the time that persons spend in Internet (perhaps only with the passage of time, with age). Moreover, it is my understanding that Internet abuse affects neurons.
I think that the unique way to prevent Internet abuse is educating children and avoiding giving them tablets or mobile phones when they’re bored, boosting their creativity to invent other forms to spend time when they don’t know what to do. I think that forbidding or limiting the use of Internet in a social level is something unrealistic and impossible.
You did quite a very good job with your answers. Do go on with it!
Here is just one thing you can improve a bit:
Practice only makes your skills better and stronger so keep on doing it.
*I do not use the internet on a daily basis unless it is for work. At most I am half an hour, the day I am more is an hour.
* Only in some cases, due to a query from an official bulletin that I have to look at.
* like any other addiction, although I consider that it is not as aggressive.
* Putting a lock, like the one put on children. I do not think it is necessary to enter anyone in a specialized center. Only in extreme cases and with the help of a psychologist.
You did your best in writing your responses.
Take a look at the correct way of writing this sentence:
Keep working on improving your writing skills by consistently practicing.
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the internet?
As hobby 1 hour maybe the weekend I can surfing a little more but not much more
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the internet?
Yes, I depende a lot of internet for my work especially since I work at home. When I was in the office not as much as now
3. Would you consider internet addiction as a disease?
Yes, is a problem very serious especially among the teenagers, they spend a lot of time on social media and parents, because they spend a lot of time at work, do not realize what a problem of this is
4. What are the ways you can prevent Internet addiction?
Looking for hobbies that are not related to computers.
We need be more pending of our children exist tools as “Parental control” but we have what controller the time that our children spend witch internet
There are more games for our children, like we used to play in the street with friends and at home we play games with them so they can think and see that there are more things apart from the internet
Good to see you really working on your writing skills. Your efforts are much appreciated.
See how this sentence can be written a bit better:
Good job but keep on going with your writing practice.
1.How many hours do you usually spend surfing the Internet?
I spend many hours on the internet due to my job. But except from that, I spend 2-3 hours daily surfing the internet
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the Internet?
Absolutely, I’m totally connected to the internet and I can’t work without it.
3. Would you consider Internet addiction as a disease?
Yes, specially with young people.
4. What are the ways you can prevent Internet addiction?
I think a way to prevent Internet addiction could be parental controls and also education at school
Welcome to the Phoneenglish blog! You did well on your first entry. Keep it up!
Please see how you can write this sentence a bit better:
Feel free to keep using this exercise to further develop your writing skills. To more entries from you!
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the Internet?
I spend many hours with the computer and surfing the Internet because my job requires it, to solve daily problems and to be able to continue training.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the Internet?
Yes, it is essential.
3. Would you consider Internet addiction as a disease?
Yes, it is a disease equivalent to addiction to gambling and drug addiction.
4. What are the ways you can prevent Internet addiction?
Looking for hobbies that are not related to computers.
Well done answering this lesson’s questions.
See how you can improve this sentence a bit.
1. How many hours do you usually spend surfing the Internet?
I usually spend less than two hours on week days, but that number may double at weekends.
2. At work, are you highly dependent on the Internet?
I work in IT so I am 100% dependent on the Internet, these days more than ever. But if the question is if I need to surf the Internet to get information for my job tasks, the answer would be not to much really.
3. Would you consider Internet addiction as a disease?
I think it’s like any other addiction and it can cause damage to our health, so yes.
4. What are the ways you can prevent Internet addiction?
It’s very difficult to prevent an addiction to something we all carry in our pockets the whole day, but I think a good way could be to practise some sports or having hobbies that requires interacting face to face with other people.
Well done expressing your thoughts.
Here is how this phrase can be improved: