The smartphone problem
VOCABULARY
1. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of words given.
ADDICT OBSESS
a) Some people claim that jogging can a) Food has become an
..........
be highly addictive. obsession for many people.
........
b) He admitted he was addicted
........ to b) She had an obsessive
........ interest
cigarettes. in him and his life.
c) There is a growing problem of an c) I believe that she was
addiction
........ to drugs in our cities. obsessed
........ with her work.
HARM BORE
a) Looking at a computer monitor for a a) They started quarrelling out of
long time can be harmful
........ to the ........
sheer boredom.
eyes. b) I can’t continue listening to this
b) We need to use natural resources ........ speech.
boring
without harming
........ the environment. c) I’m really bored........ with his
c) Anyone who has ever met him will endless complaining.
........
tell you he is completely harmless.
2. Discuss the questions.
• What are you addicted to? Have you tried to quit it?
• What are kids and teens obsessed with nowadays?
• What are modern addictions?
• To what extent do you think you are addicted to your smartphone?
VIDEO
3. Watch a video [[Link] and answer the questions.
a) In what occasions do people use their cell phones? Before and after sleep; during
church service; in the middle of an intimate moment with a partner
b) What consequences does the use of smartphones have? It creates a dysfunctional
relationship; not paying attention = communication breakdown; disrupted sleep; people feel
agitated and moody, cell phones keep people awake
c) What does the digital detox involve? One hour with the entire family of turning of the cell
phones – to five hours on the weekend
d) What are the benefits of the digital detox? You sleep better, you’re less stressed, enjoy a
day, the nature, the surroundings and people
e) Could you do such a detox?
f) Should we be concerned about the issue?
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The smartphone problem
4. Look at the activities below and tell how often you do them using
your phone.
multiple times a day multiple times a week at least weekly
o making calls
o texting
o sending and reading emails
o searching for information
o taking pictures
o checking the weather
o researching products and services
o searching for a store
o sharing and posting photos
o using maps
o using social media sites
See the extra task on the next page.
GRAMMAR
5. There are a few expressions in English to talk about preferences. See the
example sentences and complete the grammar structure forms below.
➢ I prefer to do some sport rather than watch TV all day long.
➢ We prefer chatting with people online to calling them.
➢ She would rather call somebody than text.
➢ They prefer coffee to tea.
➢ I would prefer to finish work at 3 p.m. on Fridays.
• would rather + do + than + do
• would prefer + to do
• prefer + noun + to + noun
• prefer + doing sth + to + doing sth
• prefer + to do sth + rather than + do sth
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The smartphone problem
6. Work in pairs and discuss what you would choose in the situations
below and give reasons. Use the expressions from exercise 5 (would
rather/would prefer/prefer).
➢ meet online vs meet in real life
➢ call vs text
➢ smartphone vs laptop
➢ lose a wallet vs lose a phone
➢ shop online on your mobile vs on a computer
➢ stop watching TV vs stop watching YouTube
➢ iPhone vs Android phone
➢ give up the phone vs lose some friends
EXTRA TASK:
After ex. 4, give your students this graph so that they can compare their answers
with research results from Canada (2013).
Source: [Link]
columbians-are-addicted/
Created by [Link]
Smartphones are good for us
Reading and Vocabulary
1. Read the text below.
How smartphones make our lives better (by Sarah Jacobsson Purewal)
We do a lot of stupid things with our smartphones, like taking millions of selfies. And we often
forget that these palm-sized devices pack more computing power than a NASA spaceship
(let alone PCs of years past).
But while I like to joke about how smartphones are making us stupider…they're actually not.
Smartphones improve our lives in ways we never even think about, and I'm not just talking
about sending us a Google Calendar alert so we don't forget our anniversary. Here are some
ways smartphones are changing the world for the better:
They keep you safe, even if you're alone
Walking home, alone, at night, through a bad part of town is not nearly as dangerous as it
was 10 years ago, thanks to the tracking device you always carry with you. For extra
protection, personal safety apps like bSafe have additional features, such as a "Follow Me"
live GPS trace so your friends can make sure you get home safely, and an automatic alarm
that triggers if you fail to check in at a specified time.
They're changing our brains
Researchers have found that smartphones are such game-changers that they're actually
changing the way our brains work. Constant access to databases and search engines have
changed the way our memory works. Instead of remembering information, we now remember
how to find that information. If you don't think this is a good thing, think of it this way: Instead
of clogging up your brain with useless facts, you're now clogging it with information on how to
get useless facts, so you actually know more (it's just filed differently).
They help people cope with illnesses and disabilities
Being sick is no fun, but being sick in the smartphone age is considerably more fun (relatively
speaking). There are apps for everything: Managing illnesses, addressing learning
disabilities, teaching sign language, even finding accessible restaurants, hotels, and
attractions in your city. And for people who can't use their hands, there's a hands-free
Android phone called the Sesame Enable, so anyone can stay connected to the world
around them.
They bring information to the developing world
Smartphones and tablets as textbook replacements might sound luxurious, but this strategy
actually saves schools money. The reason? For the cost of a few static textbooks, students
can get an entire internet's worth of dynamic information in a mobile device. So it's no
wonder that schools in developing continents like Africa are opting for this high-tech
alternative to traditional media.
They save time
According to a study by Harris Interactive, the convenience of smartphone apps saves
people an average of 22 days per year. That's right; checking your email, scheduling
appointments, grocery shopping, texting your buddies, and checking the weather all in one
place means you have almost an extra month's worth of free time compared to your 1990's
self. Note that "saving time" doesn't necessarily mean "being more productive," however,
since you probably just use those extra 22 days to play Clash of Clans.
Adapted from: [Link]
Created by [Link]
Smartphones are good for us
Reading and Vocabulary
2. What do the highlighted words in the text mean? Choose the best answer.
a) In paragraph 2, the word ‘tracking’ is closest in meaning to:
1. following.
1) following 2. helping.
2) helping [Link]. 3) training
b) In paragraph 2, the word ‘triggers’ is closest in meaning to:
1)1. makes
makes noise
noise. 2. rings
2) rings 3. starts to work 3) starts to work
c) In paragraph 3, the word ‘game-changers’ is closest in meaning to:
1. smth
1) troublesome.
sth troublesome 2. smth
2) revolutionary.
sth revolutionary3. smth damaging
3) sth damaging
d) In paragraph 3, the phrase ‘clogging up’ is closest in meaning to:
1)1. hurting
hurting. 2. blocking.2) blocking
3. slowing down 3) slowing down
e) In paragraph 5, the word ‘entire’ is closest in meaning to:
1)1. whole
whole. 2. part. 2) 3. full
part 3) full
f) In paragraph 5, the phrase ‘opting for’ is closest in meaning to:
1)1. making a choice
choice. 2) looking
2. looking for. for 3. producing 3) producing
g) In paragraph 6, the word ‘convenience’ is closest in meaning to:
1. idea.
1) idea 2. usefullness. 2) usefulness
3. development 3) development
h) In paragraph 6, the word ‘buddies’ is closest in meaning to:
1. family.
1) family 2. girlfriends. 2)[Link]
friends 3) friends
3. Discuss:
• What is the most important smartphone functionality to you?
• Think of 3 other ways smartphones make our lives easier.
• Finish the sentence: If we didn’t have smartphones, …………………………
• What is something that smartphones don’t have now that you would like to see
in the future?
• Are smartphones good or bad for us? Consider all the benefits and drawbacks.
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