Paragraph 1

When Sir Tim Berners-Lee created the earliest version of what we have come to know
as the internet in 1989, he could not have imagined the ways in which he would change
the world. From those early beginnings, we have reached a situation today where the
majority of the global population have access to the internet. What Berners-Lee
invented was solely a work tool so workers could communicate with each other online,
whereas we now use the internet for practically everything we need to do - it is at the
same time our best resource for studying and for procrastinating, for working and for
watching films. Similarly, the devices on which we use the internet have changed, with
many people in developing countries choosing to buy smartphones not to call people,
but to use the internet.
Paragraph 2
The internet has evolved in many ways, for good and bad, and the fact that it has
developed so quickly in so many different ways has left governments across the world
playing catch-up. With no legal frameworks in place for how to deal with the internet, it
has been almost impossible to police it effectively. The clearest example of this can be
found in the so-called ‘dark web’ - websites which need special software to be accessed
and which are deliberately hidden from regular search engines and so are extremely
difficult to regulate. Of course, a majority of websites on the dark web are used for
illegal activity such as hacking, black markets and drugs. This has turned the internet
into a kind of Wild West of the modern age - a place with no laws where anything goes,
dominated by trolls.
Paragraph 3
This has understandably led many parents to look to establish parental controls on the
internet so their children are protected from such websites. Obviously a key reason for
parental controls is to stop children seeing unsuitable content, but more and more
parents are controlling their kids’ internet use in other ways. For young people today
who have grown up with the internet, there is a very real concern that they will become
addicted to their screens. Whether it is social media, YouTube, or even playing online
games, children are naturally spending more time on the internet than ever before.
Therefore, parents are taking the decision to limit the time their children spend online.
In spite of that, it is now essential for everyone to be computer-literate, so children still
must spend some time online, but it is extremely difficult to find the right balance.
Paragraph 4
However, it is not only children whose behaviour is being affected by the internet.
Internet addiction has become a real problem for adults, too. For many people, their
phones are the last thing they look at at night and the first thing they look at in the
morning, which has been shown to negatively affect sleep patterns. It has also
influenced relationships, as people are often more concerned with cultivating an online
image of themselves rather than having a conversation with the person in front of them.
Social media also encourages stalking, making it much harder to move on from
relationships; and forces us to compare ourselves to those we see on our news feeds.
Given that people only post the best parts of their lives, people can be made to feel that
their life is much worse than their friends’.
Paragraph 5
But it is not just in our personal lives where the internet has changed our behaviour.
Offices could become a thing of the past as more and more people can work online at
home, leading to even less social interaction. Because many people are now only used
to communicating through a screen when they have time to compose their thoughts,
research has shown that the parts of our brains which control spontaneous conversation
are being affected - essentially we are much worse at talking to each other than in the
past. It is no surprise that the bosses of many big internet companies are rationing their
use of the internet, as they have seen the negative effects it can have. Humans have
always been social creatures, so is this just the next step in our evolution or should we
be more worried?

A What we don’t see

B The growing power of the internet
C A change in human nature
D The paradox of internet use
E "Social" media?
F A life without the internet

Complete the sentences with an exact number, word, phrase (maximum 3 words)
from the text. Write the exact number, word or phrase in the boxes below.

11. More than half of the people in the world have internet 
 .

12. The lack of 

 makes it more difficult to police the internet.

13. Many parents take measures to stop their children getting 

 to the internet.

14. Internet use around bedtime can 

 our sleep.

15. For many people, having the time to  when interacting online has hindered
their ability to speak face-to-face with others.

ACTIVIDAD 2

TEXT A

Text B
Life Tips Blog                                                                                         September 21

Every  single one of us has experienced some type of stress throughout our lives.
Sometimes stress can be a good way to motivate us, but other times it only brings
negative results. Whether we realise it or not, we can trace the source of our stress back
to its roots and, hopefully, learn how to get rid of at least a small amount of our stress.
Let's take a look at the top three causes of stress that we see in today’s society.
1.  Money. This first one should not come as a surprise. If you aren't earning enough
money to support yourself, this will stress you out. Nothing can be more stressful than
not being able to make ends meet.
This might not impact just you, but other people who you are responsible for.

2.  Work. Money and work are most definitely connected. If you aren't earning enough
money maybe it is connected to the fact that you don't have work or possibly that you
are currently working a low-paid job. No matter the situation, your work can stress you
out whether it be because of too much work or too little.
3.  Health. As you grow in age your bones start to ache and you have to visit the doctor
a few more times a year than before. This is a whole extra theme that has to be
considered and watched. If you have bad
health or are suffering from a disease, this will make a difference in other areas of your
life. It is easy to become stressed about maintaining your personal health in the best
possible way.
These are just three of the causes of stress people experience in their daily  lives. Watch
out for others that might be stressing you out.
TEXT C
Ana:
 I've found that one of the best ways to avoid stress altogether is to
keep yourself in healthy habits. By that I mean to say you need to be
eating right, sleeping enough and definitely exercising every other day
or so.?

John:@AnaJ
 Couldn't agree more with your recipe to a stress free life. I consider
being active and exercising to be vital in order to avoid excessive
stress in my life.

Nick:My
 number 1 remedy for avoiding stress is to have a good sense of humour.
Once you realise that you can't control everything around you and learn
to go with the flow, you'll find that the stress in your life
diminishes.

Sasha:I'm
 surprised I'm the first to mention this, but music! Don't you ever sit
back and listen to some of your favorite tunes to relieve some of that
stress? I sure do!
TEXT D

Stress – the First Step to Depression

 Stress may start out as something small, but scientists tell us that excessive stress can
be the cause of serious diseases if it is not taken care of. Although some people may not
know it, physical problems such as headaches, migraines, backache and more can be
signs of stress, and  can also lead to depression. In and of itself, depression can be
brought on by many different factors but can also be considered a type of chronic stress.
Research tells us that 1 out of every 5 adults in the UK suffers from depression brought
on by stress in their lives. It is important to look for a solution if the stress in your life
has put your health in jeopardy.

ACTIVIDAD 1

gives recommendations on how to live a healthier life?

tells us why people may be stressed?
informs us of the physical dangers of stress?
educates us on what stress can lead to?
tells us stress can be caused by many things?
Problems: The heart can suffer from stress which can potentially lead to a higher risk of
having a  or heart attack. and  go hand in hand when it
comes to causes of stress.
Depression and other serious diseases can also be referred to as  Solutions: It
is important to stay  in order to minimize the amount of stress in your life.
Additionally, music can be a good method to reduce stress.

Use the information you read in the four texts to write a proposal (200-230 words)
explaining how stress can affect our health and how we can prevent this. You should plan
your essay before you start writing.

Write an article (200-230 words) for a lifestyle magazine on how people can improve their
chances of achieving their ambitions. Think about what you are going to write and make
some notes to help you in this box.