Technology+Reading+Comprehension+Exercise

  ** Instruction: **  Below is a reading passage about Facebook depression.Read the passage carefully then click the links below to do the exercises 

  Facebook Depression: Are Your Kids at Risk?  Written by Lisa Collier Coll  Retrieved from []

Social media networking is a great way to connect with friends. The conversation never stops; just check the popular sites every day—Facebook, Twitter, and others—and your kids are always invited to the party. These tips can help protect against Facebook depression and other online risks:  **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Balance media use with offline interactions. **The number one cause of Facebook depression, says Dr.Wood, is lack of healthy socializing in the real world. Since kids learn from their parents, let them see you taking the initiative to get together with friends in person, and encourage your children to invite their friends over instead of solely communicating through texts, Facebook updates, and cell phone calls. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Give your family well-rounded social experiences **//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">. //It may take planning and work to organize family outings, but both kids and adults will be physically and emotionally healthier for it. Go to museums, take hikes, visit relatives and eat family meals together—while taking a break from technology use. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Keep computers in a public part of your home, such as the family room. **That helps you keep an eye on how much time your kids are spending online. The AAP reports that 22 percent of teens log on to their favorite social media site more than ten times a day and more than 50 percent do so at least twice a day. Many kids spend up to seven hours a day online, researchers report, upping risk for both depression and childhood obesity. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Monitor media use. **Establish a policy that you and your child “friend” each other on each social media site your kids use. This will help provide checks and balances, by making you part of your child’s online social circle. Also consider using monitoring systems to track your kids’ email, chat, IM and image content. Log off computers at night and confiscate kids’ cell phones at bedtime, to avoid sleep deprivation from late night texting and emails. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Help your child realize that what’s projected online may not be real **//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">. // On social media, people can be anything they like—sexier, smarter, more popular, even better looking than in real life. People can brag, exaggerate and even lie about their hot dates, party invitations, and how much fun they’re having. That’s the problem with not connecting face-to-face: you can’t tell reality from fantasy, another good reason to guide family members toward focusing on real-life experiences and relationships. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Watch out for red flags. **Warning signs that your child is spending too much time online include skipping activities, meals and homework in favor of social media usage, weight loss or gain, and a drop in grades. These may signal social media or Internet addiction, says the AAP. Talk to your child daily about social media use to keep yourself in the loop. And if he or she develops symptoms of depression, such as crying, low energy, trouble concentrating, frequent headaches or stomachaches, irritability, or chronic sadness lasting for two or more weeks, consult a doctor. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: auto;">Contributor : Shabnam Tarangan