Unit3

1. Unit3

2. Cultural information Audiovisual supplement Watch the video and answer the following questions. Pre-reading Activities - Audiovisual supplement 1 1. According to Mark, why did people come to the Facemash in a stampede? It wasn’t because they saw pictures of hot girls, but because they saw pictures of girls they knew. 2. According to Eduardo, what was so great about the idea? For one thing, there was nothing to hack. People would provide their own pictures, their own information, and people had the ability to invite, or not invite, their friends to join. In addition, in a world where social structure was everything, that was the thing.

3. Cultural information Audiovisual supplement From You’ve Got Mail Pre-reading Activities - Audiovisual supplement 2

4. Cultural information Audiovisual supplement Mark: Eduardo: Mark: Eduardo: Mark: People came to the Facemash in a stampede, right? Yeah. But it wasn’t because they saw pictures of hot girls. You can go anywhere on the Internet and see pictures of hot girls. Yeah. That’s because they saw pictures of girls they knew. People want to go on the Internet and check out their friends, so why not build a website that offers that? Friends, pictures, profiles, whatever you can visit, browse around. Maybe it’s someone you just met at a party. But I’m not talking about a dating site. I’m talking Video Script1

5. Video Script1 Eduardo: Mark: Eduardo: Eduardo: Mark: Mark: about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online. I can’t feel my legs. I know. I’m totally psyched about this, too. But, Wardo? Yeah? (recalling): “It would be exclusive.” You would have to know the people on the site to get past your own page, like getting punched. Now, that’s good. Wardo, it’s like a final club, except we’re the president.

6. Video Script1 (recalling): I told him I thought it sounded great. It was a great idea. There was nothing to hack. People were gonna provide their own pictures, their own information. And people had the ability to invite, or not invite, their friends to join. See, in a world where social structure was everything, that was the thing. Eduardo:

7. Cultural information Audiovisual supplement Pros and Cons of the Internet Cultural information1 The Internet is a wonderful source from which we can retrieve valuable information. Moreover, it facilitates our communication with people far away from us at a cost substantially less than that of traditional means of communication. Also, it can be an important building block to children’s learning because a vast amount of information is only clicks away. There is evidence suggesting that computer use is linked to slightly better academic performance.

8. Cultural information Audiovisual supplement However, there is sufficient evidence indicating that the Internet can exert a harmful influence on people. For example, its addictive power has increased children and Cultural information2 youngsters’ time spent in front of the computer screens at the expense of other healthier physical activities, thus increasing their chance of getting overweight and short-sighted. In addition, children have limited ability of telling right from wrong and therefore are subject to the potential contaminating influence of the harmful materials on the Internet.

9. Structural analysis Rhetorical features Global Reading - Main idea 1 If the Internet allows for the free exchange of ideas, it helps to unify us. Then how does it alienate us while uniting us? How does it fragment society while globalizing ideas? This is the issue that the author tackles in the text. This piece of argumentative writing falls into three parts. Part I (Paragraphs 1 — 2): The writer presents his thesis in the opening part: the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.

10. Structural analysis Rhetorical features Part II (Paragraphs 3 — 6): The author supports his point with evidence and reasons in the body of argumentation. Global Reading - Main idea 1 Part III (Paragraph 7): The writer reiterates his main idea in the conclusion of the text.

11. Structural analysis Rhetorical features The thesis statement of the text is in the second paragraph: “... the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.” Global Reading - Main idea 1 The concluding statement appears at the beginning of the last paragraph: “All this being said, I believe that the key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives.”

12. Structural analysis Rhetorical features The seeming self-contradiction that the Internet can lead to globalization on the one hand and cause the alienation of the users from the people around them on the other is reinforced by the use of pairs of antonyms. Structural analysis 1 Some examples: globalization/alienation; real / not real; reality / virtual existence; outside playing with his friends / play his games against his friends in the cyberspace Practice: Please find more examples of antonyms in the text.

13. Detailed reading ALIENATION AND THE INTERNET Will Baker Detailed reading1 The Internet provides an amazing forum for the free exchange of ideas. Given the relatively few restrictions governing access and usage, it is the communications modal equivalent of international waters. It is my personal belief that the human potential can only be realized by the globalization of ideas. I developed this position years before the Internet came into widespread use. And I am excited at the potential for the Internet to dramatically alter our global society for the better. However I am also troubled by the possible unintended negative consequences. 1

14. Detailed reading There has been much talk about the “new information age.” But much less widely reported has been the notion that the Internet may be responsible for furthering the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users. At first this might sound like an apparent contradiction: how can something, that is on the one hand responsible for global unification by enabling the free exchange of ideas, alienate the participants? I had a recent discussion with a friend of mine who has what he described as a “problem” with the Internet. When I questioned further he said that he was “addicted,” 2 Detailed reading2 3

15. Detailed reading and has “forced” himself to go off-line. He said that he felt like an alcoholic, in that moderate use of the Internet was just not possible for him. I have not known this fellow to be given toexaggeration, therefore when he described his Internet binges, when he would spend over twenty-four hours on line non-stop, it gave me pause to think. He said, “the Internet isn’t real, but I was spending all my time on line, so I just had to stop.” He went on to say that all of the time that he spent on line might have skewed his sense of reality, and that it made him feel lonely and depressed. Detailed reading3

16. Detailed reading The fragmentation of society has been lamented for some time now. It seems to me that it probably began in earnest after World War II when a generation returned from doing great deeds overseas. They won the war, and by God they were going to win the peace. Automobile ownership became commonplace and suburbs were created. “Progress” was their mantra. So even prior to the Internet’s widespread popularity, folks were already becoming distanced from their extended families and neighbors. And when we fast-forward to today we see an almost cruel irony in that people can and often do develop on-line relationships with folks on the other side of the globe, without leaving their homes. 4 Detailed reading4

17. Detailed reading But at the expense of the time that would have otherwise been available for involvement in other activities which might foster a sense of community in their villages, towns and cities. Last weekend my wife and I invited our extended family to our home to celebrate our daughter’s birthday. During the celebration my young nephew spent the entire time on my computer playing a simulated war game. My brother-in-law and I were chatting nearby and it struck us that in generations past, his son, my nephew, would have been outside playing with his friends. But now the little fellow goes on line to play his games against his friends in cyberspace. Detailed reading5 5

18. Detailed reading Detailed reading6 It seems to me that the Internet is a powerful tool that presents an opportunity for the advancement of the acquisition and application of knowledge. However, based on my personal experience I can understand how, as they surf the web some folks might be confronted with cognitive overload. And I can also understand how one might have his or her sense of reality distorted in the process. Is the Internet a real place? Depending upon how a “real place” is defined it might very well be. At the very least, I believe that when we use the Internet, 6

19. Detailed reading Detailed reading7 we are forced to ask fundamental questions about how we perceive the world about us — perhaps another unintended consequence. Some would argue that the virtual existences created by some users who debate, shop, travel and have romance on line are in fact not real, while others would argue that, since in practical terms, folks are debating, shopping, traveling and having romance, the converse is true.

20. Detailed reading All of this being said, I believe that the key to realizing the potential of the Internet is in achieving balance in our lives. This would allow us to maximize its potential without losing our sense of place. However, like most things, that is easier said than done. It seems to me that we are a society that values immediate gratification above all else, and what better place to achieve it than in cyberspace, where the cyber-world is your cyber-oyster. The widespread use of the automobile forever changed our society and culture, and perhaps a similar sort of thing is occurring now. I am not at all 7 Detailed reading8

21. Detailed reading certain where the “information superhighway” will lead us: some say to Utopia, while others feel it’s the road to hell. But I do know that we all have the ability to maintain our sense of place in the world. Whether we choose to take advantage of this ability is another matter. Detailed reading9

22. Detailed reading Detailed reading1--Quesion 1 How does the author start his argument? The author starts his argument by presenting an apparent contradiction: on the one hand, the Internet facilitates global unification by enabling the free exchange of ideas; on the other, it alienates the participants.

23. Detailed reading What is the author’s purpose of citing the example of his friend in Paragraph 3? How is the example related to his argument? Detailed reading1--Quesion 2 With the example of his friend, the author intends to convince the reader of the negative consequence of the Internet. His friend was addicted to the Internet and stayed on line too long. The side effect of the Internet upon his friend, i.e. distorting his sense of reality and making him feel lonely and depressed, is evidence that the Internet contributes to the fragmentation of society by alienating its individual users.

24. Detailed reading Detailed reading1--Quesion 3 What is the “cruel irony” concerning the use of the Internet mentioned at the end of Paragraph 4? The “cruel irony” means that on the one hand the Internet provides users with a convenient means of communicating and making friends with people far apart, but on the other, it estranges them from people around them by curtailing their availability for face-to-face communication even with their families and close friends and for involvement in community activities.

25. Detailed reading Detailed reading1--Quesion 4 What is the main idea of Paragraph 6? In this paragraph, the author means to illustrate how the overuse of the Internet may distort the user’s sense of reality.

26. Detailed reading Detailed reading1--Quesion 5 Does the author believe it is within human capacity to reap the benefit of the Internet without being penalized? Yes. He thinks that people are able to maintain their sense of place while exploiting the resources of the Internet.

27. Detailed reading Detailed reading1– Activity 1 Group discussion Do you find the Internet useful in your life? What advantages does the Internet bring to you? Are there any disadvantages of the Internet? Share your opinions about the pros and cons of the Internet with your groupmates.

28. Detailed reading given: prep.when you consider sth. Detailed reading1– given e.g. Given his age (= considering how old he is), he’s remarkably active. Given her interest in children, teaching seems the right job for her. given that: conj. e.g. It was surprising the government was re-elected, given that they had raised taxes so much. a.fixed for a purpose and stated as such e.g. They were to meet at a given time and place.

29. Detailed reading equivalent: n. sth. equal in value, measure, force, effect or significance Detailed reading1– equivalent 1 Comparison: equivalent (of/to sth.) e.g. The dress cost the equivalent of a week’s salary. What is the equivalent of fifty pounds in US dollars? a.equal in value, amount, meaning, importance, etc. Comparison: equivalent (to sth.) e.g. Eight kilometers is roughly equivalent to five miles.

30. Detailed reading Rewrite the sentence using “equivalent”: Breathing such polluted air has the same effect as smoking ten cigarettes a day. Detailed reading1– equivalent 2 Answer: Breathing such polluted air is the equivalent of smoking ten cigarettes a day. Breathing such polluted air is equivalent to smoking ten cigarettes a day.

31. Detailed reading dramatically: ad. suddenly and noticeably Detailed reading1– dramatically e.g. Prices have fallen dramatically. Events could have developed in a dramatically different way. Derivation: dramatic a. e.g. a dramatic increase/fall/change/improvement dramatic results/developments/news

32. Detailed reading alter: v. become different; make sb./sth. different Detailed reading1– alter e.g. He had altered so much that I scarcely recognized him. Nothing can alter the fact that we are to blame. The landscape has been radically altered, severely damaging wildlife. Derivation: alteration: n. a change to sth. that makes it different e.g. They are making major/minor alterations to the house.

33. Detailed reading alternate: a. (of two things) happening or following one after the other regularly Detailed reading1– alternate e.g. She puts alternate layers of fruit and cream to make cake. v. (cause to) follow by turns e.g. We alternate periods of work and sleep.

34. Detailed reading alternative: n. a thing that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities Detailed reading1– alternative 1 e.g. You can be paid in cash weekly or by check monthly; those are the two alternatives. a. [only before noun] e.g. Have you got an alternative suggestion?

35. Detailed reading Blank filling: Detailed reading1– alternative 2 1. This shirt will have to be ; it is too large. 2. This shirt needs ; it is too large. 3. His moods between happiness and gloom. 4. This method doesn’t work. Do you have an solution? altered ________ alteration ___________ alternate __________ alternative ____________

36. Detailed reading further: v. help forward Detailed reading1– further e.g. Additional training is probably the best way to further your career these days. The interests of an organization will never be furthered through acts of terrorism.

37. Detailed reading fragment: v.break into parts or small pieces Detailed reading1– fragment 1 e.g. The satellite will fragment and burn up as it falls through the Earth’s atmosphere. The government is planning to fragment the industry before privatizing it. n.a small part of sth. that has broken off or comes from sth. larger e.g. Police found fragments of glass near the scene. I overheard a fragment of their conversation. Pronunciation: Note that when the same form is used as a noun, the stress shifts to the first syllable.

38. Detailed reading Derivations: Detailed reading1– fragment 2 fragmentation: n. e.g. the fragmentation of the country into small independent states fragmented: a. e.g. a fragmented society

39. Detailed reading alienate: v. cause sb. to feel very distant from or not welcome to sb. else Detailed reading1– alienate 1 e.g. She was alienated from her brother by her foolish behavior. All these changes to the newspaper have alienated its traditional readers.

40. Detailed reading Derivations: Detailed reading1– alienate 2 alien: a. & n. e.g. In a world that had suddenly become alien and dangerous, he was her only security. (a.) aliens from outer space (n.) alienation: n. e.g. The new policy resulted in the alienation of many voters. Many immigrants suffer from a sense of alienation.

41. Detailed reading addicted: a. being dependent on sth. and wanting to spend as much time doing it as possible Detailed reading1– addicted 1 Collocation: be addicted to sth. e.g. Some youngsters are hopelessly addicted to video games. She’s become addicted to love stories.

42. Detailed reading Derivations: Detailed reading1– addicted 2 addiction: n. e.g. He is now fighting his addiction to alcohol. addictive: a. e.g. Heroin is highly addictive.

43. Detailed reading alcoholic: n. sb. who cannot stop drinking large amounts of alcohol, even when this is making him or her ill Detailed reading1– alcoholic Word Formation: -aholic: suffix in nouns liking sth. very much and unable to stop doing or using it e.g. shopaholic; chocaholic; workaholic

44. Detailed reading in that: conj. (formal) for the reason that; because Detailed reading1– in that e.g. She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her. Men differ from brutes in that they can think and speak. The news was all the more reliable in that it was from an official source.

45. Detailed reading be given to: (formal) do sth. often or regularly Detailed reading1– be given to Collocation: be given to sth. / doing sth. e.g. He is given to heavy drinking. He is given to going for long walk on his own.

46. Detailed reading exaggeration: n. action of making a situation, quality, or feature appear greater, more obvious, or more important than it really is Detailed reading1– exaggeration e.g. He told his story simply and without exaggeration. Derivation: exaggerate: v. make sth. seem larger, better, worse or more important than it really is e.g. The hotel was really filthy and I’m not exaggerating. He tends to exaggerate the difficulties.

47. Detailed reading binge:n. an occasion when an activity is done in an extreme way, esp. eating, drinking or spending money Detailed reading1– binge e.g. go on a binge / an Internet binge / a chocolate binge One of the symptoms of this disease is binge eating.

48. Detailed reading skew:v. cause to be not straight or exact; twist Detailed reading1– skew e.g. The company’s results for this year are skewed because not all our customers have paid their bills. Today’s election will skew the results in favour of the northern end of the country.

49. Detailed reading lament: v. express sadness and regret about sth. Detailed reading1– lament e.g. He lamented the death of his friend. She lamented that she had never been to Paris. Derivation: lamentable: a. very disappointing e.g. She shows a lamentable lack of understanding.

50. Detailed reading ... it struck us that …: ... it occurred to us that … / ... we suddenly realized that … Detailed reading1– it struck us that e.g. How does the concert last night strike you? He struck me as an odd, old-fashioned professor of Chinese. Blank filling: It strikes me ___________ that nobody is really in favor of the proposal. 我突然意识到没人真正喜欢这个提议。