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This boot camp in China

is not for teens who
are addicted to drink
or drugs. It’s for
Internet addicts –
teenagers who spend
up to 17 hours a day
on the Internet.
But I couldn’t control my addiction. Daxing Centre in Beijing, to help
Before you read
I became a real loner*.” Wang spent them. But is Internet addiction really
• Are you addicted to anything? hours online, not stopping to eat or a serious problem? “Yes,” says
• How long do you spend on the sleep. He lost weight and became Dr Tao Ran, the Centre manager.
Internet every week?
ill and pale. “Some addicts stop going to school,
some steal and sell their families’

“A
few weeks after I started
surfi ng the net, I failed
my school tests,” says
Wang Yiming, age 16. “My father was
very angry. My friends told me I was
spending too long on the net.
FbWo
Wang is not the only teenage Internet
addict. There are more than 2.6
million Chinese teens addicted to the
Internet. So the Chinese Government
is opening boot camps, like the
things to pay for their games.”
=Wc[el[h5
Teenagers are sent to Daxing for two
weeks of military-style camp. They
are woken at 6.15am for their first
fi tness routine. They have to march
up and down outside like soldiers.
As well as exercising, they have
medical and psychological
treatments*. Screen time is forbidden!
They also play real games instead
of computer games like Counter-
strike , where they ‘fi ght’ each other
with toy guns, and instead of
Pro-Evolution Soccer they go outside
and play football.
Does it work? Dr Tao says he
cures* 70% of teenagers.

Ouch! One teen addict at the Daxing

Centre is given mild* electric shocks.

4 APRIL 2008
 Page 17
CD 2
Track 6
Second
conditional SPECIAL REPORT
Are YOU addicted to
the Internet?
Answer these questions to find out:

1 It’s the weekend and you want to

chat to your friends.
What do you do?
A MFacebook
G o online and speak to them on
or My Space.
B M Call them on your mobile.
C MW alk to a friend’s house and
meet there.

2 Do you ever argue with your family

about your Internet use?
A MNo, I’m not bothered about it.
B M Quite a lot – we all want to use it.
C M All the time! I’m often banned
from using it!
Students get ready for their morning exercise 3 When you come home from school,
what’s the first thing you do?
TEEN INTERNET USE: THE FACTS A MGo online and check for messages.
• American teenagers spend on B M Listen to music.
average 16.7 hours a week on
the Internet
C M Go out on your bike.
• of teens use the Internet
93% 4 What’s your best Saturday night?
regularly
• Treatment programmes for
A M
C inema and pizza with your friends.

Internet addicts have also opened B MGaming at home.

in South Korea and the USA
5 Do you ever say “I’m doing
my homework,” when you’re
really online?
A MYes – the web is more interesting
than home work!
B M No. Homework first, then I go online.

Note your answers, then check the

Students play real versions of computer games analysis on page 15 ³

Internet Vocabulary 1 to be online = NNNNNNNNNNN

Do you know your Internet English?
2 to surf the net = NNNNNNNNNNN
Find these 5 words in the article.
What do they mean? 3 Facebook = NNNNNNNNNNN
ANSWERS ON PAGE 15 ³
4 gaming = NNNNNNNNNNN
5 the net = NNNNNNNNNNN
1WORDWISE L boot camp (noun) – a pla c e for young p eople with a tough re gime, first starte d by the U.S. Army L loner (noun) – a

p erson who prefers to sp end their time alone L treatment (noun) – ways of making p eople b etter L to cure (verb) – to make someone b etter
L mild (adjective) – not very strong

APRIL 2008 5