Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- hiatus / haɪˈeɪ təs / (n) – a pause from a continuous action or activity
Example:The singer plans to go on hiatus to recover from his illness.
- immerse / ɪˈmɜrs / (v) – to be totally involved in something
Example:She immersed herself in the community and learned about the people’s lifestyle.
- nothing but / ˈnʌθ ɪŋ bət / (idiom) – only
Example:He is asking for nothing but understanding from us during this difficult time.
- every once in a while / ˈɛv ri wʌns ɪn ə waɪl / (idiom) – sometimes or occasionally
Example:You should take a break from work every once in a while.
- fixation / fɪkˈseɪ ʃən / (n) – the act or state of having very strong interest in someone or something
Example:Teenagers with social media fixation often develop mental health problems.
Article
Read the text below.
British pop singer Jessie J announced that she is taking a social media hiatus and motivated her fans to do the same.
The 31-year-old singer is once again taking a break from social media, particularly Instagram, after her time-off earlier this year. In an Instagram post, she told her followers that she is going to temporarily put her phone away. Instead, she will immerse herself in “real life,” which the singer claims Instagram is not. She further justified her time-off, saying that scrolling through her social media feed can sometimes be nothing but complete nonsense.
To assure fans, Jessie J clarified that she is in good mental health condition and will be back soon. She even teased about her upcoming album.
The singer concluded her post by encouraging her followers to also take some time away from social media every once in a while.
Her post received encouraging messages and more than 100,000 likes. Some fans commented that they will support the singer regardless of whether she remains active on social media or not. Likewise, other fans were delighted to hear about the singer’s social media break and expressed excitement over her upcoming album.
Taking a break from social media is becoming a trend among celebrities. According to them, some of the reasons why they take social media breaks are to focus more on upcoming projects, avoid negative comments and criticisms, and address mental health problems caused by social media fixation.
These stars usually return to social media after they resolve their mental health issues or when they promote new projects.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
• Do you think it is possible for celebrities and famous people to completely take a break from or quit social media? Explain.
• Do you agree that taking a break from social media can be beneficial? Why or why not?
Discussion B
• Do you think people are spending too much time on social media? Why or why not?
• In your opinion, why do some people think that social media is not “real life”? Discuss.