High Note Unit 8 Reading Test

Read the text. Choose the correct answer to questions 1-5

Is modern technology bad for our health?

If you look around you, you’ll see how important technology is in all areas of our lives. But is it bad for our health? I am certain about my opinion on this subject.

Firstly, we talk to each other less than we used to. We prefer to communicate via social media or text messages rather than face to face. This means that our friendships have changed. It’s more important to get ‘likes’ on social media than to have real friends. In fact, nowadays, some people prefer to stay at home by themselves instead of going out. They shut themselves away from the world. This can’t be good for their health.

Also, we don’t sleep as much as we used to. The bright light from screens makes it harder for us to get to sleep. A professor at the University of California explained that 50 years ago the average adult got eight and a half hours sleep, but now we get less than seven hours a night. In addition, looking at screens all day is very bad for our eyes. Scientists at The Vision Council say that many people have sore eyes after using screens for more than two hours.

Finally, technology has made everything too easy for us. We can click on one device and get entertainment, we can tap on another device to order food and we can use our voices to turn the lights on and off or turn the heating up. We never have to get up from the sofa! This means that we are more likely to sit around all day and become unfit or overweight.

In conclusion, some people say that technology has made our lives better, but I disagree. I just hope that we learn to make some changes before it’s too late…

Posted by: Charlotte_Eco

Today’s discussion question is this: is modern technology bad for our health? The answer seems obvious to me.

First of all, we are living longer lives than we used to. In the UK, men live for an average of 79.1 years and women for an average of 82.8 years. This is longer than people have ever lived before and this is because of developments in technology in medicine. For example, machines, such as MRI machines help us to find health problems much earlier than we used to.

What’s more, technology isn’t just helping us to live longer lives, it’s also helping us to lead healthier lives. There are a lot of fitness apps that you can download onto your phone. Other forms of technology tell us how many steps we take each day or how fast our hearts are beating.

In addition, technology helps us to connect with people all over the world. In the past, some people found it hard to find friends in their local area and felt lonely. Now everyone can find someone to connect with, even if they’re on the other side of the world.

Finally, virtual reality can have a positive effect for some people. For example, virtual museum tours can improve the quality of lives of elderly or disabled people who aren’t able to make the journeys to the real museums.

To sum up, some people say that technology is dangerous, but I don’t agree. In fact, I believe the opposite!

Posted by: TechnoKat