A. Before you read the text, answer the following question in no more than 40 words.

Has the WWW influenced the way you study? Why?

The Effects of Internet Media on Today's College Students

The college experience for basically every student in the U.S. has drastically changed over just the
last 20 years, particularly because of the mass utilization of innovative technologies, which has
continued to grow rapidly in and beyond our country’s universities. There are multiple technologies
that people use in their daily lives that affect them. However, the one that prominently and powerfully
affects college students today is the Internet, also known as the World Wide Web. Through this
medium, we can clearly see that mass media has changed the way college students approach their
academic, social and personal goals. This effect of the mass media on students can lead to both
positive and negative results as far as these goals are concerned.

Before the creation of the Internet, experiences in college were definitely a far cry from the way we
approach learning and social groups in universities today. There were no emails, no digital copies,
and no online social networking. There were no search engines, so everything had to be researched
manually in books and articles. In some ways, this system may have been simpler, but in many other
ways the Internet has brought about a positive change. Academic projects and assignments can now
be saved online as well as on paper. Communication is much easier and faster than before, and
projects can be turned in anytime from anywhere on the planet thanks to the Internet.

The question many people ask today is, “How essential is the Internet to daily life, particularly in a
college setting? Would life be as worthwhile without the Internet?” One-third of college students
quickly answer that “Yes, without the Internet, life would not be worth living.” They consider the
Internet to be as essential to their daily lives as food, water, shelter, and even air are. There are even
more astonishing statistics in relation to college students and the effects that the Internet and other
media have on them. “Students Love Technology”, writes Anson Alexander, in his article regarding
Reliance on Technology among college students. “Three out of four students say they wouldn’t be
able to study without it as effectively.” This goes to show how much society as a whole has changed
due to the innovative technological services and products that have been embraced by the very young
to become very prominent and influential mediums in their lives.

So, with such colossal developments over such a short period of time, we can’t help but think – Who
knows what the future holds in terms of technology for upcoming generations in the near future?

Editable and photocopiable © Texto | Link up to you! 11 1

B.
1. Decide whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the false(20
ones.
marks)
a. The computer is the most powerful technological tool affecting each and every college student.
b. The mass media has brought advantages and disadvantages to students nowadays.
c. Before the rise of the Internet, it wasn’t possible to do any research on the college campus.
d. For most students the Internet is dispensable if they can use other resources such as resource
books in the library.

2. Explain the meaning of the expressions in italics, in your own words: (24 marks)
a. …the way college students approach their academic, social and personal goals.(lines (8-9)
b. …were definitely a far cry from the way we approach learning and social groups in universities
today. (lines 11-13)
c. …projects can be turned in anytime from anywhere on the planet thanks to the Internet (lines
19-20)

(20 marks)
3. Do you agree that life would be worthless without the Internet? Give at least three
concrete reasons to support your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________

(16 marks)
C. Complete the gaps with a word in the boxes related to the topic: Technology.
Cell-phone texting has 1._________ the preferred channel of basic communication between teens
and their 2.___________ and cell calling is a close second. Some 75% of 12 to 17-year-olds now own
3.___________ phones, up from 45% in 2004. Those phones have become indispensable
4._____________in teen communication patterns. Fully 72% of all teens – or 88% of teen cell phone
users – are text5._____________. That is a sharp rise from the 51% of teens who were texters in 6.
_____________ . More than half of teens (54%) are daily texters. Among all teens, the 7._________
of use of texting has now overtaken the use of every other common form of 8.______________ with
their friends.

cell become interaction messages

2 Editable and photocopiable © Texto | Link up to you! 11

frequency friends2006gadjets

D.
1. Complete the gaps with an appropriate preposition. (16 marks)

a. The Internet contributes _______ more detailed and thorough research.

b. Unfortunately many students still depend ______ their parents and cannot afford
technological gadgets.
c. Youshouldrefrain __________ eatingsomuchsugaryfood.
d. We spent the whole afternoon waiting _____________ Lisa, but she didn’t show up.

2. Link the pairs of sentences by using an appropriate subordinating conjunction.

(44 marks)
a. She loves Music. She wants to follow a musical career in future.(concession)
b. Mrs Wilson entered the room. Then they were terrified. (time)
c. I must go to the supermarket. There’s no milk for the boys. (cause)
d. Please work hard. You should then achieve your goals. (purpose)

(40 marks)
E. Choose one of the topics and write a composition of about 120-140 words.

1. How essential is technology – mobiles, iPads, videogames– to daily life, particularly in a

secondary school environment?
OR

2. Imagine life thirty years ago. Write a diary entry of a school girl/boy living without the gadgets you
consider essential nowadays.

(Total:

Good
200 luck!
marks)

Editable and photocopiable © Texto | Link up to you! 11 3

Version A

A. Personal answer.

B.

1.

a. False - The computer is a powerful technological tool that affects almost every student.

b. True

c. False - Before the rise of the internet, you had to do research manually by consulting
books and articles.

d. False - Most students do research by consulting search engines.

2.

a. the way college students face their academic, social and personal goals

b. were very different from the way we approach learning and social groups in universities
today

c. projects can be handed in anytime from anywhere on the planet thanks to the Internet

3. Personal answer

C.

1. become

2. friends

3. cell

4. gadgets

5. messages

6. 2006

7. frequency

8. interaction
4 Editable and photocopiable © Texto | Link up to you! 11
D.

1.

a. to

b. on

c. from

d. for

2.

a. She loves music so much that she wants to follow a musical career in the future.

b. When Mrs Wilson entered the room, they were terrified.

c. fI must go to the supermarket as there’s no milk for the boys.

d. Please work hard in order to achieve your goals.

E. Personal answer

Editable and photocopiable © Texto | Link up to you! 11 5