Part 3
The Internet
1. Why do some people find the Internet addictive?
游戏使人上瘾，社交网络使人上瘾，刷剧使人上瘾。
Well, some people are really addicted to computer games. They just get a buzz out of it and they think the virtual world is much more thrilling than reality.
And social media is another reason why Internet users get an addiction. Information is updated constantly, and they just can’t help checking what’s new on their phone or computer. Sometimes they just refresh the page unconsciously, which is kind of like a habit. Besides, sometimes people like to binge-watch those TV shows that have gripping stories, they just can’t seem to stop.
buzz: 刺激愉快的感觉
refresh: 刷新
binge-watch: 刷剧
gripping: 引人入胜的
2. What would the world be like without the Internet?
从好处和坏处解释。
Wow! That would be hard to imagine, I mean, we already get used to the convenience the Internet has brought to our lives, without the Internet, we would be like … back to the Stone Age overnight, you know, we would have to shop in physical stores, and no more online payment. If we want to search for some information, we need to refer to those books in the library. And we could only get news from the newspaper or TV, which means we wouldn’t be able to get up-to-the-minute news updates.
However, living without the Internet is not the end of the world. We could do so many offline activities, which means we get to spend more time with our friends and family.
physical stores: 实体店
up-to-the-minute: 最新的
3. Do you think that the way people use the Internet may change in the future?
看《黑镜》，开脑洞。
Yeah, I’ve watched so many science fictions. I know they are fictional, but I’m sure someday in the foreseeable future, those awesome techniques will be applied to real life. For example, now we could only upload pictures, videos or other files onto the cloud, but in the future, we might be able to upload our memories and consciousness, and even after we are dead, we could still keep living on the cloud. I mean, physically, we might be dead, but mentally, we are still here. And you can reunite with your long-lost love or late family members on the cloud, which is just so cool.
late: 已故的
Social media websites
1. What are the ways that social media can be used for positive purposes?
新闻里总是有利用网络募捐，或者网友一起帮忙寻找失散的亲人之类的故事。
Well, I’ve seen so much positive energy on the social media, for example, charity work. Some people like to raise money for charity, to help people who are sick or suffering from natural disasters, or students who just can’t afford their tuition fees. And Internet users always help people to find their long-lost family members. It’s just so heart-warming to see all those stories with happy endings.
2. Why do some individuals post highly negative comments about other people on social media?
1. 匿名评论不用负责任 2. 心理不健康，自己生活不如意，见不得别人好
I guess the most important reason is that all those harsh comments are posted anonymously, so people who wrote them don’t have to take responsibility for their actions. And also, those Internet trolls must have some kind of mental disorder, I mean, they might be nobody or losers in real life, and they could only get attention from others in virtual world by ‘verbally’ attacking others who are way better than them.
troll: 喷子
3. Do you think that companies’ main form of advertising will be via social media in the future?
必须的啊!传播快还便宜。
Yeah, and I think it is happening now. News is spreading faster on social media, and everybody has made a habit of checking the social networking website constantly, so the companies’ products will be seen by more people this way. And we tend to think our friends’ recommendation is reliable, so when our friends post some new products or forward an advertisement and say, ‘The best blah, blah ever!’ We would be more likely to buy that product as well. So you see, those advertisements could reach their target customers more efficiently. And it saves companies tons of money ‘cause it’s a lot cheaper than putting advertisements on the traditional media.
作者简介：
朱博，新东方吉林学校雅思口语美女讲师，毕业于985院校大连理工大学，硕士保送一等奖学金。在校期间曾游学美国，任出版社英语出版中心校对四年，工作严谨，活泼开朗，让大家快乐的学习英语。
编辑推荐：
（编辑：jie）
