Group Activity 3 (At least 2 students are required to finish this activity) I.Read the following passages in 10 minutes. 1.Introduction Internet,computer-based global information system.The Internet is composed of many interconnected computer networks.Each network may link tens,hundreds,or even thousands of computers,enabling them to share information with one another and to share computational resources such as powerful supercomputers and databases of information.The Internet has made it possible for people all over the world to effectively and inexpensively communicate with one another.Unlike traditional broadcasting media,such as radio and television,the Internet does not have a centralized distribution system.Instead,an individual who has Internet access can communicate directly with anyone else on the Internet,make information available to others,find information provided by others,or sell products with a minimum overhead cost Browser A browser is a program,such as Microsoft Corporation's Internet Explorer,that allows a computer to display documents containing text,graphics,photographs,sounds,videos,and animations.Most browsers are used to view information on the World Wide Web or on intranets of companies or organizations.Browsers have various buttons that allow users to print out the contents of a Web site,move backward or forward between sites already accessed,and use a search engine to find information. Electronic Newspaper In the late 1990s newspapers began offering their content on the Internet in record numbers.By the end of the decade,more than 1,000 North American newspapers offered online versions,most available to Internet users free of charge.Electronic newspapers spared publishers one of their highest expenses-newsprint-and many brought publishers additional advertising revenue The Internet has brought new opportunities to government,business,and education.Governments use the Internet for internal communication,distribution of information,and automated tax processing.In addition to offering goods and services online to customers,businesses use the Internet to interact with other businesses.Many individuals use the Internet for shopping,paying bills,and online banking Educational institutions use the Internet for research and to deliver courses to students at remote sites. 2.Internet does not harm kids THE Internet has not had a great impact on the school performance of China's youth,according to a survey published last week.Nor has it affected the time children spend with their families. The survey of over 3,000 students aged 10 to 18 in seven major cities was conducted by the
Group Activity 3 (At least 2 students are required to finish this activity) I. Read the following passages in 10 minutes. 1. Introduction Internet, computer-based global information system. The Internet is composed of many interconnected computer networks. Each network may link tens, hundreds, or even thousands of computers, enabling them to share information with one another and to share computational resources such as powerful supercomputers and databases of information. The Internet has made it possible for people all over the world to effectively and inexpensively communicate with one another. Unlike traditional broadcasting media, such as radio and television, the Internet does not have a centralized distribution system. Instead, an individual who has Internet access can communicate directly with anyone else on the Internet, make information available to others, find information provided by others, or sell products with a minimum overhead cost. Browser A browser is a program, such as Microsoft Corporation’s Internet Explorer, that allows a computer to display documents containing text, graphics, photographs, sounds, videos, and animations. Most browsers are used to view information on the World Wide Web or on intranets of companies or organizations. Browsers have various buttons that allow users to print out the contents of a Web site, move backward or forward between sites already accessed, and use a search engine to find information. Electronic Newspaper In the late 1990s newspapers began offering their content on the Internet in record numbers. By the end of the decade, more than 1,000 North American newspapers offered online versions, most available to Internet users free of charge. Electronic newspapers spared publishers one of their highest expenses—newsprint—and many brought publishers additional advertising revenue. The Internet has brought new opportunities to government, business, and education. Governments use the Internet for internal communication, distribution of information, and automated tax processing. In addition to offering goods and services online to customers, businesses use the Internet to interact with other businesses. Many individuals use the Internet for shopping, paying bills, and online banking. Educational institutions use the Internet for research and to deliver courses to students at remote sites. 2. Internet does not harm kids THE Internet has not had a great impact on the school performance of China's youth, according to a survey published last week. Nor has it affected the time children spend with their families. The survey of over 3,000 students aged 10 to 18 in seven major cities was conducted by the
Academy of Social Sciences.It showed that 29 per cent of students find the Internet useful for study.While over 40 per cent say it does not negatively affect their work. The Internet does not cause social isolation either,according to the survey.Instead,Internet users are more satisfied with their lives and feel less lonely than non-users. In spite of the survey results,some youth workers still have concerns about cyberspace ?especially the sex and violence it exposes young people to. "Online gaming means many college students are stopped from studying and some of them lose the chance to go to the school they want to,"said Sun Yunxiao,vice director of the China Youth Research Centre. Pu Wei,the survey's director,sees such criticisms as narrow-minded."It is those who are frustrated by their studies,criticized by teachers,and lack friends who are likely to become addicts of the web.To others who are happy with life it has little bad effect." Pu says students can gain a lot from the web and should be introduced to the concept of "web quality-education."If they're taught how to use the Internet properly,they are less likely to abuse it.This requires participation by parents,and encouraging the children to use the Internet properly rather than keeping them from it. 3.Internet alienates users THE Internet provides an amazing way for people to exchange their ideas.The few restrictions governing access makes it the ideal tool for people who want to learn about the world around them. There has been much talk about the "new information age."But much less widely reported has been the idea that the Internet may be responsible for furthering the breakup of society by isolating its individual users from the outside world. At first this might sound like a contradiction.How can something,that is on the one hand responsible for letting people across the globe communicate with each other isolate the people who use it? One user said he had a"problem"with the Internet.When questioned further he said that he became "addicted"to using the Internet.He has since"forced"himself to go offline.He said that he felt like an alcoholic,in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him and sometimes he would spend 24 hours of the day online. He said:"the Internet isn't real,but I was spending all my time online,so I just had to stop."He went on to say that the time that he spent online might have distorted his sense of reality The breakup of society has been mourned for some time now.Even before the Internet's
Academy of Social Sciences. It showed that 29 per cent of students find the Internet useful for study. While over 40 per cent say it does not negatively affect their work. The Internet does not cause social isolation either, according to the survey. Instead, Internet users are more satisfied with their lives and feel less lonely than non-users. In spite of the survey results, some youth workers still have concerns about cyberspace ?especially the sex and violence it exposes young people to. "Online gaming means many college students are stopped from studying, and some of them lose the chance to go to the school they want to," said Sun Yunxiao, vice director of the China Youth Research Centre. Pu Wei, the survey's director, sees such criticisms as narrow-minded. "It is those who are frustrated by their studies, criticized by teachers, and lack friends who are likely to become addicts of the web. To others who are happy with life it has little bad effect." Pu says students can gain a lot from the web and should be introduced to the concept of "web quality-education." If they're taught how to use the Internet properly, they are less likely to abuse it. This requires participation by parents, and encouraging the children to use the Internet properly rather than keeping them from it. 3. Internet alienates users THE Internet provides an amazing way for people to exchange their ideas. The few restrictions governing access makes it the ideal tool for people who want to learn about the world around them. There has been much talk about the "new information age." But much less widely reported has been the idea that the Internet may be responsible for furthering the breakup of society by isolating its individual users from the outside world. At first this might sound like a contradiction. How can something, that is on the one hand responsible for letting people across the globe communicate with each other isolate the people who use it? One user said he had a "problem" with the Internet. When questioned further he said that he became "addicted" to using the Internet. He has since "forced" himself to go offline. He said that he felt like an alcoholic, in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him and sometimes he would spend 24 hours of the day online. He said: "the Internet isn't real, but I was spending all my time online, so I just had to stop." He went on to say that the time that he spent online might have distorted his sense of reality. The breakup of society has been mourned for some time now. Even before the Internet's
widespread popularity,people were already becoming isolated from their families and neighbours. And in the present day we see that people can and often do develop online relationships with individuals on the other side of the globe.But this is at the expense of the time that would have otherwise been available for more sociable activities which might develop a sense of community in their villages,towns and cities. Whilst children nowadays spend most of their time playing computer games on their own,in the past they would play outside with their friends.Yes,the times they are changing. The Internet is a powerful tool that presents an opportunity for people to acquire knowledge at the click of a mouse button.But it can also distort people's perception of reality.Is the Internet a real place?Depending upon how a "real place"is defined it might very well be.But when we use the Internet,we are forced to ask questions about how we perceive the world around us.Some would argue that the virtual existences created by some users who debate,shop,travel online are in fact not real. The key to realizing the potential of the Internet is by achieving a balance in our lives.This would allow us to maximize its potential without loosing our ability to interact with the outside world. However like most things that is easier said than done.It seems to me that we are a society that values immediate satisfaction above all else.None of us are at all certain where the "information superhighway"will lead us.Some believe it will lead to paradise,while others feel it's the road to hell. IL.After you have finished all the passages,discuss the following topics with your partner or group members. 1.Do you like the internet?Why? 2.What do you usually do when you are surfing on the net? 3.Do you realize that there are various kinds of dangerous situations on the net?Could you name some? 4.How do you prevent yourself from harm?Do you let your children surf on the internet? III.Many countries have folk tales or very old legends in which some form of magic plays an important part.Can you think of any from your own country? Here are some stories without ending.You can ask some students to make the whole stories up. StoryA: Once there was a man.He found that a tree began to grow at the top of his head.He asked his wife to cut the tree off,but she was afraid that the man would die if she did this.The man insisted that he had done nothing wrong,so he went to see a witch to get the answer.(To be continued.)
widespread popularity, people were already becoming isolated from their families and neighbours. And in the present day we see that people can and often do develop online relationships with individuals on the other side of the globe. But this is at the expense of the time that would have otherwise been available for more sociable activities which might develop a sense of community in their villages, towns and cities. Whilst children nowadays spend most of their time playing computer games on their own, in the past they would play outside with their friends. Yes, the times they are changing. The Internet is a powerful tool that presents an opportunity for people to acquire knowledge at the click of a mouse button. But it can also distort people's perception of reality. Is the Internet a real place? Depending upon how a "real place" is defined it might very well be. But when we use the Internet, we are forced to ask questions about how we perceive the world around us. Some would argue that the virtual existences created by some users who debate, shop, travel online are in fact not real. The key to realizing the potential of the Internet is by achieving a balance in our lives. This would allow us to maximize its potential without loosing our ability to interact with the outside world. However like most things that is easier said than done. It seems to me that we are a society that values immediate satisfaction above all else. None of us are at all certain where the "information superhighway" will lead us. Some believe it will lead to paradise, while others feel it's the road to hell. II. After you have finished all the passages, discuss the following topics with your partner or group members. 1. Do you like the internet? Why? 2. What do you usually do when you are surfing on the net? 3. Do you realize that there are various kinds of dangerous situations on the net? Could you name some? 4. How do you prevent yourself from harm? Do you let your children surf on the internet? III. Many countries have folk tales or very old legends in which some form of magic plays an important part. Can you think of any from your own country? Here are some stories without ending. You can ask some students to make the whole stories up. Story A: Once there was a man. He found that a tree began to grow at the top of his head. He asked his wife to cut the tree off, but she was afraid that the man would die if she did this. The man insisted that he had done nothing wrong, so he went to see a witch to get the answer. (To be continued.)
Story B: Once there was a boy.For some season he could not experience the feeling of fear.When the others felt frightened,he went on doing his own business.He was not afraid of ghosts,not to mention the dead people.One day,he decided to go around the world and find the feeling of fear. (To be continued.) Story C: Once there was a girl.She had one problem:she could read the others'mind through eye contact. This worried her because she could see the others'secrets.And of course this worried the others, too.A boy fell in love with this beautiful girl and decided to help her.(To be continued.) IV.Situations: a.There are two people standing at a bus stop.One is a woman and one is a man. Why does the woman feel uncomfortable?In small groups,discuss possible reasons. Question:What do you think happens next?State your reason. The woman walks quickly away to another bus stop. The woman says:"Terrible bus service,isn't it!" ■The woman says:“Why are you staring at me?" The man says:"Terrible bus service,isn't it?" ■Others.. Now work in a group of four.One student takes the part of the man and another plays the woman. They stand at the bus stop and they cannot talk.The other two students stand close behind and speak the thoughts of the man and the woman. b.You are walking along a dark city street at night.You are alone.You suddenly hear footsteps behind you and a voice calls out:"Got a light?" Question:*What would you do? *How would you feel? What would you say? And what would you do when the situation continues: Stage 1:The man has not gone away.He is unshaven but he is quite well dressed. Stage 2:The man still has not gone away,and he is now starting to get impatient. Stage 3:No matter what you do or say,the man will not go away.He is getting angry. 3).General Discussion: *Has anything like this ever happened to anyone in the class,or anyone you know? *Have you ever been frightened when you were out at night? *Have you ever been attacked? *Has someone you know been attacked?
Story B: Once there was a boy. For some season he could not experience the feeling of fear. When the others felt frightened, he went on doing his own business. He was not afraid of ghosts, not to mention the dead people. One day, he decided to go around the world and find the feeling of fear. (To be continued.) Story C: Once there was a girl. She had one problem: she could read the others’ mind through eye contact. This worried her because she could see the others’ secrets. And of course this worried the others, too. A boy fell in love with this beautiful girl and decided to help her. (To be continued.) IV. Situations: a. There are two people standing at a bus stop. One is a woman and one is a man. Why does the woman feel uncomfortable? In small groups, discuss possible reasons. Question: What do you think happens next? State your reason. ◼ The woman walks quickly away to another bus stop. ◼ The woman says: “Terrible bus service, isn’t it!” ◼ The woman says: “Why are you staring at me?” ◼ The man says: “Terrible bus service, isn’t it?” ◼ Others: … Now work in a group of four. One student takes the part of the man and another plays the woman. They stand at the bus stop and they cannot talk. The other two students stand close behind and speak the thoughts of the man and the woman. b. You are walking along a dark city street at night. You are alone. You suddenly hear footsteps behind you and a voice calls out: “Got a light?” Question: *What would you do? *How would you feel? *What would you say? And what would you do when the situation continues: Stage 1: The man has not gone away. He is unshaven but he is quite well dressed. Stage 2: The man still has not gone away, and he is now starting to get impatient. Stage 3: No matter what you do or say, the man will not go away. He is getting angry. 3). General Discussion: *Has anything like this ever happened to anyone in the class, or anyone you know? *Have you ever been frightened when you were out at night? *Have you ever been attacked? *Has someone you know been attacked?