Luke, 21:When Facebook started getting popular my freshman year, I didnt get an account because I didnt want to get obsessed like I had been with MySpace. In sixth grade, I would waste an entire day on MySpace, spending an hour deciding which song to make my profile song and constantly checking to see if I was still on my friends top 8s. I never felt like I was missing anything big not being on Facebook, just small things, like when everyone would be laughing at photos they saw online or some kind of funny status.

Then one day in April we were supposed to wear pink to back teachers who might get laid off. I was one of the few people not wearing pink, and when I said I didnt have a Facebook and that was why I didnt know, everyone looked at me like I was some weirdo stuck in the past. So I got a Facebook page.That summer, I started going on Facebook every day. I would post a status of song lyrics that I liked or something witty, then happily respond to any comments I got. I would browse through other peoples photos, watch videos and read statuses. When I saw photos of people hanging out, I felt like I was there. But sometimes Id wonder why I wasnt invited. One Saturday afternoon, it seemed like everyone had a great time at a get-together the night before. There were pictures of them at a restaurant, the park and more. Other people seemed to be having a lot more fun than I was. I thought why am I not more social? I also had fewer Facebook friends than other people. I had around 150 friends, while most people had more than 300. It made me feel unpopular. But I couldnt stop going on, even though it made me feel bad, because it was addictive.

When the school year started, I checked my Facebook constantly after I got home. Id do my homework for 30 minutes and then go on Facebook for an hour, wondering if there was anything new to look at. I was going to bed around 2 every night. My grades went from As to Bs, and I even had a C in math and a D in Japanese. My parents freaked out. They asked me if I needed a tutor. I said no, because I felt guilty that they would be spending money on something that was my fault. They asked me if I was all right. I said yes, even though I was starting to feel creepy. Why did I care so much about what people I didnt even know that well were doing?

Then near the end of October a girl wrote a story in our school newspaper about how maybe some people who were obsessed with Facebook had low self-esteem. That sounded like me. I hadnt thought I was obsessed with Facebook because I had low self-esteem. I thought it was the opposite: because I was vain. I thought that the more people commented and liked my statuses or photos, the more they liked me. The article helped me see that I would rather think about other peoples lives than my own, and it was sad, like even I didnt think of myself as worth paying attention to. I felt bad because I was comparing my life to others online lives, but what I didnt realize was that people want others to think theyre living exciting lives. No one is going to post pictures of being bored. It was dangerous to judge myself against such an unrealistic standard. Im different online too. On Facebook I always seem like Im in a good mood. I dont want people to think that Im a whiny person. Its easier to project a personality that I want people to think I have. I could be wittier in my comments than I was in person because I could think before I typed them. I think people shouldnt take the image people project on Facebook too literally. Its not realistic. I dont think people should get rid of their Facebook pages. Its impractical because a lot of people use it for school and everyones on it. To keep from going on so much, I use a site blocker, an application that blocks any websites you choose. I found one called StayFocusd that allowed me to set a limit of two minutes a day on Facebook. When I try to stay on longer than two minutes, the page disappears, a white screen takes its place and it says: Shouldnt you be working? Those four words always seem to come when Im about to be sucked in again.

Now that Im on Facebook less, I have time to do things that are more important. I hang out in the living room with my family instead of being cooped up in my room, and I go out with my friends instead of making lame excuses so I can log onto Facebook. Ive stopped using Facebook to measure my popularity. Its just a fun distraction. Sometimes I still feel insecure, but its less because of Facebook and more of a teen thing. I still have the two-minute limit on Facebook, although I turn it off sometimes on the weekends. I know its for the best, because I want to live my life, not relive someone elses.http://www.layouth.com/addicted-to-facebook/ (abridged)

I GO THROUGH PARAGRAPHS #1 AND 2. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ACCORDINGLY TO THE INFORMATION CONVEYED THERE. USE YOUR OWN WORDS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

1. Why did it take Luke so long to have a Facebook account?

2. What made him change his mind about having a Facebook account?

3. Luke experienced contradictory feelings about Facebook. Explain them.

4. When did he start feeling left out by his friends?

5. What impact did Facebook on his academic achievements?

II - GO THROUGH PARAGRAPH #3. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION CONVEYED BY THEM, ARE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS TRUE, FALSE OR NOT MENTIONED. QUOTE TO JUSTIFY THE TRUE AND FALSE ONES.

1. Luke read an article about the consequences of Facebook addiction.

2. A research shows that people who have more than 300 Facebook friends have a high self-esteem.

3. StayFocusd is a software which enables internet users to block certain websites.

III GO THROUGH PARAGRAPHS #1 AND 2. FIND SYNONYMS FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS/EXPRESSIONS.

IV - GO THROUGH PARAGRAPHS #3 AND 4. FIND THE OPPOSITE FOR THE FOLLOWING WORDS/EXPRESSIONS.

1. high

2. boring

3. safe

4. appears

V REPHRASE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BY USING THE EXACT WORDS/EXPRESSIONS IN BRACKETS. THE MEANING OF THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE MUST REMAIN THE SAME.

1. I would browse through other peoples photos, watch videos and read statuses. (USED TO)

2. I had fewer Facebook friends than other people. (MORE)

3. They asked me if I needed a tutor. (WHETHER) 4. A girl wrote an article about Facebook addiction. (WAS)

5. I was obsessed with Facebook because I had a low self-esteem. (DUE)

VI THE TEXT YOU HAVE JUST READ DEALS WITH SOME POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FACEBOOK ADDICTION. WHAT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF INTERNET ADDICTIONS IN GENERAL? WRITE AN ESSAY ABOUT THIS THEME.

1. whole

3. as if

2. support

4. amusing

6. reacted angrily

5. outgoing