Much has been said about how anti-social the Internet and mobile phones are. The truth is, however, according to new research, communication technology is bringing people closer together. A Pew Internet and American Life Project study found that family members are in regular contact today more than ever. This is due to e-mail, chat, cell phone, and SMS messaging.
It makes sense. Years ago, it took a long time to write a letter, find an envelope, and go to the post office to buy a stamp and post it. Today, we write emails while we wait for our change in the convenience store, and they are sent in an instant. Having free Internet telephone calls also helps us to stay in touch more often and for longer. Everyone is at it, from five-year-olds to tech-savvy grandparents
According to the Pew survey, technology has a very positive effect on communication within families. Researchers asked 2,252 adults whether new technologies had increased the quality of communication with their families. Fifty-three percent said it increased communication with family members they did not live with, and two percent said technology decreased this. Numbers were similar for those living with their families.
The project director Lee Rainey said: “There’s a new kind of connectedness being built inside families with these technologies.” Survey co-author Barry Wellman agreed: ” It used to be that husbands went off to work, wives went off to a different job or stayed home, and the kids went off to school, and not until 5.30, or 6 o’clock did they ever connect,” he said.
COMPREHENSION (7 points ).
(BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT.)
A/ ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. (2 pts )
1. Find a suitable title for the text
……………………………………………………..
2. Why are people getting closer to each other than before?
…………………………………………………………………………………
3. How many people were questioned during the survey?
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What change has technology brought to people?
……………………………………………………………………………………….
B/ ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY.
(2 points)
1. Communication technology is re-uniting people.
…………………………………………………………………..
2. More than half of the participants in the survey said that technology is negative.
………………………………………………………………….
3. In the past it took time to send letters.
………………………………………………………………….
4. Barry thinks that family members need a lot of time to get connected.
………………………………………………………………………
C/ COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. (1 point)
1. If you want to contact a person for a long time you need. ……………………………….
……………………………………………….
2. Two percent of the interviewees said that technology …………………………………..
…………………………………………….
D/ FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR PHRASES THAT MEAN
ALMOST THE SAME AS (1 point)
1. because of (paragraph 1): ……………….
2. Quickly (paragraph 2): …………………..
E/ WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO?
(1 point)
1. This (paragraph 3) ……………………
2. They (paragraph 4) ……………………
LANGUAGE (7 points )
A/ FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM
LIST. (1 point)
Involved – heterogeneous – precious – look after
1. Refugee children are deprived of affection. That is why we should ……………. them.
2. France has a …………………… society because many ethnic groups live there together.
B/ PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT
FORM. (1 point)
1. “ Don’t forget to (signature) ………………….. your application form before sending it”, my
teacher said.
2. This project concerns the (improve) ………………….. of life in rural areas.
C/ PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT
FORM. (1 point )
1. Experts predict that the world population (double) …………………. by the year 2060.
2. You ought to go ……………. to bed early if you (feel) tired.
D/ REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH
THE WORDS GIVEN (1 point).
1. Sociologists are conducting many research studies about immigrants in France
nowadays.
Many research studies…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. “I will apply for a scholarship at Oklahoma University, “Jawad told his classmates.
Jawad informed his classmates that ……………………………………………………..
E/ MATCH THE WORDS THAT GO TOGETHER TO MAKE
COLLOCATIONS (2 points)ُ
1. Social a. care
2. Non-governmental b. Justice
3 Voluntary c. organization
4. Health d. work
F/ MATCH THE SENTENCES WITH THE APPROPRIATE
FUNCTIONS (1 point).
1. Sorry to say it, but you have been throwing rubbish into my garden. a. apology
2. Will you fix my computer, please? It is broken down. b. request
c. Complaint
Writing (6 points)
The topic will be added later.
