Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a policymaker
    • ex. Policymakers are considering new rules to protect the environment.
  2. sue
    • ex. The customers sued the company for selling products that were harmful to their health.
  3. a crisis
    • ex. The city experienced a crisis when a powerful storm hit.
  4. deliberately
    • ex. Mark deliberately chose a red shirt because it's his favorite color.
  5. outweigh
    • ex. The benefits of the new medicine outweigh any risks.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Nearly 75% of U.S. teens say they feel happy or peaceful when they don’t have their phones with them. This is according to a survey done by the Pew Research Center. Pew also found that even with the positive benefits of not using phones, most teens have not limited how much time they spend on it.

This survey comes as policymakers and other groups express concern about teens’ relationship with their phones and social media. The survey also showed that 4 in 10 teens say that they sometimes argue with their parents about how much time they spend on their phones. Last fall, many states sued Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis. According to them, Meta deliberately designs features that attract young people to use its platforms for many hours.

Policymakers, experts, and parents worry about this issue. But despite the concerns, most teens say the advantages of having a smartphone outweigh its disadvantages. More than half of them say smartphones make it a lot easier to pursue their hobbies and be creative. And 45% say it even helps them do well in school.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Limiting Phone Use

  • How much time do you usually use your phone in a day (ex. one to two hours a day, no limit)? Discuss.
  • Teens know about the positive effects of not using a phone, yet most teens do not limit how much time they spend on it. Why do you think this is so? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you have a teen son or daughter. Would you limit his/her phone use? Why or why not? Discuss.

Effects of Smartphone

  • About 75% of American teens feel happy or peaceful without their phones. Why do you think they feel this way? Discuss.
  • Most teens say the advantages of having a smartphone outweigh its disadvantages. Do you agree with this? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think the use of smartphones and social media is also an issue in your country? Why do you say so? Discuss.