UNIT 8:

Reading One: ADDICTED TO YOUR SMARTPHONES?

Vocabulary:

1. B
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. B
6. B
7. B
8. A
9. A
10. C
11. B
12. A

Preview:

1. The people are using their smartphones ignorantly, and ridiculously merging their personality
with it so if they lose the phone they are totally lost weak people.

2. When people are addicted to something, they search for ways to justify their habit. With
cellphones, two critical cultured ideals have helped them do so. First, multitasking has long been
considered a skill and integral to success. They feel like they can and should do everything at
once. Second, society tells us that being constantly connected is not only possible, but necessary
and beneficial.

3. For sure there are many negative consequences of owning a smartphone one of which people
have become heavily dependent on these devices that made them very far from their parents and
siblings that affects their social lives. Moreover even communication has become predominantly
through social media it is uncommon to see people physically present together instead of
communicating face to face resorting to social media to share conversations with friends and
their people even if they are living in the same house.

Main Ideas:

1. My ideas helped me to understand the article that talks about smartphones addiction by
understanding this type of addiction and knowing the negative effects of owning a
smartphone.
2. Part I: Many signs such as the frequent check on your smart phone in offices, public spaces,
and texting while driving in spite of the risk demonstrate compulsive use.

Part II: Research results concerning whether it’s addiction or not are still foggy. Some believe
the potential is high even if we don’t see “actual smartphone addiction” now. Others clearly see
signs of addictions.

Part III: Smartphones pose a higher threat than any other devices since they are small-portable.
This renders them a source of distractions that reduce attention, concentration, reflection and
contemplation.

Part IV: The writer suggests some tips or steps to control phone usage and illustrates how “The
Boston Group” reacted to “PTO”. The result was more work efficiency, better work-life balance.

Details:

1. C
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. A
10. B

Make Inferences:

1. The author wants to say that matters are in your own hand. Usage can be healthy or
unhealthy depending on how you use it.
The quote supports the author’s opinion since it defines “unhealthy behavior” as
equivalent to “disrupting work family life”.
2. The author wants to say that people’s “checking habits” are signs of a dysfunction
regardless of the smartphone which is only a tool.
The quote stresses the point that phones encourage people to develop there “checking
habits; in other words they are the “hook”.
3. The author believes that smartphones –more than any other gadgets-have a negative
effect on our mental functioning.
The quote emphasizes the writer’s opinion and names the negative effects particularly.
 4. The author believes that certain steps can be taken to manage phone usage and can result
in effective consequences.
The above quote illustrates how (PTO) experiment succeeded in boosting efficiency and
balance to the extent that it is being implemented in different places.

Express Opinions:

1. As a university student, I have to survive the Internet many times in the day. So that the
example of browsing and checking can be describing me. But I’m not an addicted
because nowadays we are living in a society filled with technology and spreading and
communicated via smartphones. So it become a very necessary part of our days to check
and review.

2. I believe that pinpointing the source of the problem is very effective. Therefore, asking
myself about the reason why I use the phone so frequently can be helpful. Also being
strong and resisting temptation as well as exercising self-discipline make me in control of
matters which I absolutely enjoy since it shuns mechanical or robotic behaviors. As for
me, I have tried to keep my phone away during sleeping hours. I keep it outside my
bedroom.

Reading Two: UNPLUGING WIRED KIDS: A VACATION FROM TECHNOLOGY AND

SOCIAL MEDIA

Read:

1. 1.Ensure, literally, relent

2. Literally: with exact equivalence, with the meaning of each individual’s word given
exactly.
Relent: to become less severe, harsh, or strict usually from reasons of humanity.
Ensures: to make sure, certain, or safe.
Twitching: to move jerkily
Influx: the inward flow of a large amount of something.
2. She’d never thought he meant she’d literally help revive the planet.
Because my father is very angry, he won’t relent on my harsh punishment.
She froze then looked around to ensure no one was there to overhear them.

Comprehension:

1. He was still fixed on missing his electronics and suffered from withdrawal.
 2. It was a vacation from technology and electronics.
3. Suggesting doing different activities-outdoor activities.
4. The family’s ability to slowdown, break free from devices and appreciate other aspects of
life.

Reading Skill:

1. “We” refers to author’s family

“I” refers to the author
“He” refers to author’s son

2. 1. “It” refers to the fact that they were going electronic-free for a week.

2. “It” refers to time slowing down.

3. “It” refers to the effect of being away from depending on electronics.

CONNECT THE READINGS

STEP 1: Organize

Solutions Solutions

1. Wean yourself away 1. Slowly diminish use

Problem 1 Problem 2
2. PTO 2. Self-discipline
Continuous Anxiety if
checking lost or
unavailable

Problem 3 Problem 4
Solutions Constant Use at Solutions
1. Turn off alerts availability inappropriate
Step 2: Synthesize
2. Make specific times times 1. No texting and driving
smart-phone free
3. Avoid using web 2. Make commitment not to
browsers use phone in certain situations
browsers

2. PTO
STEP 2: Synthesize

Try (PTO) and see if it helps maintain balance.

He has to quit his addiction step by step and slowly diminish use of the phone in order to feel
self-discipline.

I suggest to him to depend on turning off the alerts and make specific times smartphone-free and
avoid using web browsers.

To keep away the phone when you are driving and try to make commitment not to use phone in
certain situations.

Vocabulary

Review

1. Trigger
2. Diminish
3. Wean – away from
4. Relent
5. Urge
6. Devices
7. Anxiety
8. Dependency
9. Twitching
10. Dysfunction
11. Temptation
12. Conscious
13. Literally
14. Compulsive
15. Influx

Expand

1. Urge
2. Look
3. Addiction
4. Trigger
 5. Turning me out
6. Repeatedly
7. Blinded to
8. Commitment
9. Steals
10. Contemplation
11. Can’t stand
12. Shun

Create

1. I constantly feel a compulsion to check my smartphone and what triggers this urge is the
influx of received chat messages and emails.
2. I become conscious of my smartphone addiction and decided to make a commitment to
diminish my daily use and gradually wean myself away from it.
3. It’s not a true addiction because the dependence on smart-phone usage in not a
dysfunction but rather a temptation that might lead to withdrawal from the real world to
virtual world.
4. At first I felt anxiety because I was so dependent on my smartphone and diminishing its
usage was hard, but later when I contemplate the benefits I gained I feel the urge to
ensure that I carry on with my Predictable Time Off.
5. At first I thought it was easy to go electronic free for a week but the temptation to use the
device kept repeatedly pushing me towards it. My hands twitched and I felt I couldn’t
stand it any longer thus finally I relented.

Grammar

1.1. Get back, turn off, and give up

2. Get: bring, get back: return

3. Turn: change direction or course etc… turn off: switch off

4. Give: offer course, Give up: let go

2.1. Ignore

2. Persuade

3. Examine

4. become popular
 5. Conduct

6. Postpone

7. Discard

8. Like

9. Return

10. Invent

11. Meet

12. Cancel

13. Become / stop

14. Extinguish

15. Start

16. Appear

3.1. Think back on

2. Turn into

3. Take to

4. Come up with

5. Get with

6. Getting back

7. Turn on

8. Turning in

9. Throwing

10. Talk

11. Wean / away from

12. Turned out

Final Writing Task:

1. The positive effects: Allows people to stay connected anywhere and anytime, Business
opportunities are not missed.

The negative effects: You are always potentially working and can never rest, Continuous
stream of messages and alerts, feel stressed, diminished ability to concentrate and think
deeply, dependency that causes compulsive checking behavior, anxiety if phone is lost or
unavailable, you are not aware of what is happening around you and inability to enjoy
nature and surroundings which can cause rude behavior, using a smartphone at
inappropriate times and in inappropriate places can cause problems with spouses, co-
workers, teachers, etc…

Both negative and positive: Ability to stay up to date on news.

I agreed with my partner on these negative, positive and both…effects of smartphones

that are very dangerous and hazardous nowadays.

Write: A Cause Effect Essay

1. Effect 1: keep their smartphone near them.
Effect 2: Steal our attention.
Effect 3: Diminishing the ability to concentrate.
4. I. The Boston Group participated in an experiment run by Leslie Perlow, PhD.
A. Increased collaboration
1. Increase efficiency
2. Took predictable time off
3. Better work-life balance
II. Writer’s plan to manage own smartphone use by using multiple strategies.
A. Stopped using phone for texting and e-mailing while driving.
B. Stopped using phone for web browsing.
C. Stopped using phone for social media.
D. Slowly diminished time between checking.
1. Overall effects
a. More aware of surroundings.
b. More relaxed.
c. More focused use of smartphone.
Signal Words:

1. so/as/therefore/consequently/because
2. 2.E
C
(Since) It’s easy to stay in contact with people even when they are not at home since
many people have smartphones.
(Therefore) Many people have smartphones; therefore it’s easy to stay in contact.
3. E
C
(Consequently) Smartphones create an environment of constant interruptions and
distractions; consequently, people cannot concentrate …
(Due to the fact that) People cannot concentrate or think deeply due to the fact that smart
phones.
4. C
E
(As a result) There are applications 40,000 medical apps available today for smartphones
and tablets; as a result, it is like …
(Thus) There are app. 40,000 medical app. Available… tablets; thus , it is like having a
health expert at your fingertips.
5. C
E
(Because) Homeowners can save money and help to cut down on the use of fossil fuels
because smartphone app. Can….
(So) Smartphone app can remotely turn off…, so homeowners can save money and help
to cut.
6. E
C
(For this reason) Many people use tablets and e-readers for most of their reading; for this
reason , the number of …
(Because of the fact that) The number of hardcover and paperback books being sold has
declined because of the fact that many people…
Alternative Writing Topic 2:

Computer technologies are by far the greatest and most sophisticated inventions of the human
mind in the 20th century. However, they are the most threatening for they present a menace to
various aspects of human life. Computer technologies could be a real heaven and haven. They
enable individuals and companies to accomplish tasks with facility and speed. They also boost
the economy of a country if used effectively and help cut unnecessary expenses. Plus, they are
desirable on the social level since they facilitate communication and help save lives in cases of
emergencies. Data stored in computers could be an easy target to hackers. Blackmail, espionage
and all sorts of cyber-crime are a real threat to human life. In addition, these technologies have
the potential of being highly addictive, as they take their toll on adults, teens and children.
Moreover, they disrupt communication especially face to face communication and render people
void of feelings.