The Pros and Cons of Using the Internet

 

1. Do you use the Internet? If not, would you like to? Which of these things do you (or would you like to) use the Internet for?

finding information playing games joining chat groups

on-line shopping sending e-mail joining newsgroups

 

1. Read the list of points about the Internet advantages and mark them A (advantage) or D (disadvantage). Then act out short dialogues in pairs, as in the example.

 

1. Web pages with photographs, music and video make downloading slow and boring.
2. The latest information is available to you at any time, quickly and easily.
3. On-line shopping can save you time and money.
4. With so much information, finding what you want can take hours.
5. You can share your hobbies and special interests with newsgroups and chat groups.
6. There is too much advertising instead of real information.
7. You can make new friends in chat groups.
8. Making ‘chat friends’ is not the same as actually meeting people.
9. You can send mail fast and cheaply.

 

1. One of the disadvantages of using the internet is that web pages with photographs, music and video make downloading slow and boring.
2. I agree, but on the other hand, the latest information is available to you at any time, quickly and easily.

 

1. Read the article and fill in the gaps with words and phrases from the list.

 

but, Finally, Firstly, For Example, However, in conclusion, Also, What is more, On the other hand

 

 

Text 2

The Pros and Cons of Using the Internet

Advertisements for the Internet promise you a world of information, entertainment, on-line shopping and e-mail services. _____________, the real world of the Internet may not be as perfect as the advertisements suggest.

 

Using the Internet offers many advantages. _____________, all of the latest information is available to you, in your home, at any hour of the day or night. It is much faster and easier to surf the net in search of information from all over the world than to travel to libraries in dozens of countries. _____________, on line shopping makes it possible to search through catalogues to find exactly what you want at the best price, saving both time and money. By joining a newsgroup or chat group, you can share your hobbies and special interests, and perhaps make friends all over the world. _____________, e-mail is popular because it is faster than sending a letter and cheaper than a telephone conversation.

 

_____________, the Internet has several disadvantages. _____________, with so much information available, finding what you want can take you hours. Multimedia web pages with photographs, music and video are attractive, but they make downloading slow and boring. _____________, there is too much advertising instead of real information. As for Internet friendships, sitting at home in front of a computer making “chat friends” is not the same as actually meeting people.

 

_____________, the Internet obviously has both good and bad points. Fortunately, the system is improving all the time, and any problems which still exist can be solved. Whether we like it or not, the Internet is here to stay, so we have to make the best possible use of it.

1. Read the article again and answer the questions.

1. Which paragraph is about the advantages of using the Internet?

2. Which paragraph is about the disadvantages of using the Internet?

3. In which paragraph does the writer sum up the pros and cons? How does this paragraph start?

4. Which paragraph introduces the topic?

5. Is the article for or against using the Internet?

 

1. Read the article again and make notes about the Pros and Cons of using the internet. Then use your notes to talk about the topic.

Enterprise-2 Workbook

Text 3

Online services

 

1. Discuss the following questions:

1. What online services are available in your country?

2. What kind of facilities do online services provide?

 

2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) in relation to the information in the text which follows. If you think a statement is false, change it to make it true.

1. Most people choose an online service because of the price or the number of available files.

2. Everybody has one service which he/she likes more than all the others.

3. You should judge each service according to whether it is better or worse overall than the service you are currently using.

4. Eventually, all services will be accessible from the service you are using.

5. McGraw-Hill is owned by BIX.

6. Tammy Ray and Jeanette Shearer think the BIX service is average.

7. French Minitel users have free access to an English-language version of CompuServe, although they cannot use the e-mail facility.

8. delphi's Hobby Shop now has two special-interest areas: one on classic vehicles, and one on new cars and technology.

I'm frequently asked which online service is “best”, but the answer is there is no best. Rating a particular service over another is entirely subjective. Price is important to some people, while the number of files available for download is important to others. Because of these and so many other different judgments, there can be no absolute. It all comes down to individual needs and preferences. Still, users tend to be fiercely loyal to their “home” on line service-which is usually the first online service they ever used. They tend to judge all other online services based on this first service ― often preventing themselves from seeing the advantages of a specific service. For my part, I like all the services I use and I'm on two dozen.

Each offers one or more products or features that either do not exist elsewhere or are superior to the same features on other services. And I've a really subjective reason for being on one service ― I use it to send monthly articles to magazines in Japan. So, the real answer to the question is simple: the best online service is the service that has what you want and is easy for you to use. The point? Keep an open mind when checking out an online service. Judge it based on what it offers and how it meets your needs ― not in comparison to what you're used to using. (It takes a couple of sessions to shake preconceived notions of what an online service “'should'” be.)

 

Eventually, we're all going to be interlinked, no matter which service we use, in what dialog's Richard Ream calls a “network of networks”. Until then, most of us have to go to more than one service to find everything we need.

And now, the news... What’s new on-line

BIX

TAB Book Clubs Online: You've probably seen magazine ads for The Computer Book Club and The Computer Professionals' Book Society. These are sponsored by TAB Books. This division of McGraw-Hill (BIX's parent company) is now online on BIX, taking orders and answering questions from members and prospective members. The club conference is moderated by Tammy Ray and Jeanette Shearer. You can check them out by typing JOIN TAB.BOOK.CLUBS.

 

CompuServe

Dell Computer Forum: Dell Computer Corporation has opened a product support area on CompuServe. The Dell area is part of the PC Vendor D Forum. Type GO DELL or GO PCVEND to take a look.

 

Minitel Link to CompuServe

CompuServe bolstered its position in Europe by making some of its services available via France's national Minitel system in July. French Minitel users have access to an extra-cost service that is essentially a 'limited edition', English-language version of CompuServe. Among the services available are software and database downloads. E-mail and message-base posting are not available to Minitel

 

DELPHI

Hobby Group Expands: delphi's Hobby Shop special-interest group continues to expand its areas of interest. The most recent additions to. the database and group topics are Antique Auto, which focuses on classic vehicles, and Autotech, where you can learn about new cars and technology. Type Go GROUP.

 

3. Fill in the gaps in this summary of the first part of the text. Each clue is an anagram. The first and last letters are correct.

 

In my opinion, there is no single 'best' online service. The choice depends on your ¹_______ (prltacuair) needs and preferences. Most users have their own ²_______ (ftrvaioue), but this can prevent them from seeing the ³_______ (agtvndaaes) of other services. Each one offers something which is either ⁴_______ (uqinue) to that service, or which is ⁵_______ (bteetr) than the same features on other services. So, when considering an online service, decide whether its features ⁶_______ (cosrernopd) to what you need. Until all services are ⁷_______ (iilktneernd), most of us will need to ⁸_______ (cunoitne) using more than one.

Text 4

Interactivity

Do the exercises on this page to help you understand and enjoy the story “INTERACTIVITY”

 

1. Before you read the story, answer these questions.

 

1) Do you think technology has made communicating with other people easier or more difficult?

2) Do you have an answerphone?

3) Do you use e-mail? If you do, do you have email friends that you’ve never met?

 

1. It’s midnight on Monday 12^th December. Read the first message on Alan Marshall’s answerphone. Then answer the questions.

 

1) What time did Alan’s mother phone?

2) What did Alan miss?

3) How many of these has he missed?

4) Do you think that his mother finds it easy to leave messages on answerphones?

 

1. Read the second message. Then answer the questions.

 

1) What time did Stefi Rosen phone?

2) Is this a meeting with friends or a business meeting?

3) Which country do you think Mr. Yamada is from?

4) Who do you think Mr. Prince is?

 

1. Read the third message. Then answer the questions.

 

1) What time did Karen Miller phone?

2) Where is she from?

3) Why is she calling Allan?

4) What kind of meeting does she suggest?

5) What do you think Alan Marshall does for a living?

 

1. Now read the whole story. Think about these questions while you read.

 

1) Who is Daisy?

2) Why was Pete’s weekend so bad?

3) Who is Elizabeth?

4) Do you think the writer of the article in The Sunday News liked Alan’s game?

5) Where did Daisy find the article she sent Alan?

6) What are the positive things about the game that this article talks about?

7) What are the negative things the article talks about?

8) Which country has banned the game?

9) What did the technician say is wrong with Pete’s old computer?

10) What did Alan’s mother phone about on Tuesday?

11) Who is Terry Watts and why did he phone Alan?

12) By the end of Tuesday 13^th December, five people were angry with Alan. Who were they? Why were they angry?

13) Why do you think he tried to kill everyone in Finland?

14) What happened to Alan in the end?

At midnight on Monday 12^th December, there were six messages on Alan Marshall’s answerphone.

Monday 9: 21

Alan? Alan, if you’re at home, please answer the phone. Are you really not there? Well, I’d just like to say that I’m very angry with you – and your father is too. You know how much he loves our monthly family lunches. This is the fifth one you’ve missed. I hope you’ve got a really good reason this time. Oh, umm, this is your mother speaking.

 

Monday 10: 02

Mr. Marshall, this is Stefi Rosen, Mr. Prince’s assistant. I’m calling to confirm tomorrow’s lunch with Mr. Yamada of Rising Sun Computer Games. Mr. Prince wants you to know that meeting is very important. Please to bring the interactivity designs with you. He says that Mr. Yamada is ready to pay for the world rights on your new game! The restaurant is The Four Stars in Gower Street and I’ve booked a table for quarter past one. Be there on time – please!

Monday 11: 23

My name is Karen Miller. I’m a producer at interactive Computer Games, Australia. I saw your game “kill the Enemy! ” at the International Computer Games Fair. I think your work is great and I’d like to discuss buying the rights for my part of the world. Someone at the fair said that you are working on a new game which is more interactive. How interactive can you get? Perhaps we can interact over lunch? I’m in London until Wednesday. My mobile number is 027747 61308000.

 

Monday 12: 31

Hello, Alan. It’s Daisy. Did you have a good weekend? How’s the new game going? I MISS YOU. Bye.

 

Monday 16: 14

It’s Pete. I’m going crazy. My computer crashed two days ago. My mobile has stopped working. Again. What does a guy do without his computer or a telephone at the weekend? I’m calling from a public phone. I’m going home now – I’m meting a technician. How’s the new game going? Did you see the Sunday News article on violent computer games? ‘Kill the Enemy! ’ was at the top of the list. You’re famous! You know what they say – there’s no such thing as bad publicity!

 

Monday 22: 16

Alan, it’s Daisy again. I just wanted to say “Hi! ”. Bye.

 

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