写作题

Read carefully the following report, and then write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 words, in which you should:
(1) summarize the main message of the report, and then
(2) comment on the two points made by Stephen Corry, Survival‘s Director.
You can support yourself with information from the report.
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your response on ANSWER SHEET THREE.

How much screen time is too much for kids?

Parents have been advised to limit media consumption of their children, but research suggests it‘s the nature of it that matters.

For many parents in the digital age, battles with their kids over screen time and devices have become a depressing part of family life. Many parents will now be relieved to hear that recent research suggests that it‘s not so much the length, but the nature of the screen time that matters.

Jocelyn Brewer, a psychologist who specializes in the concept of“digital nutrition”, likens media diets to what‘s on our plates: rather than counting calories (or screen time), think about what you‘re eating.

“It‘s not just about whether you consume any potential digital junk foods, but also your relationship to technology and the role it plays in your family life,” says Brewer.

For young children, the most important thing is whether parents and kids are playing, watching or browsing together.

A study of 20,000 parents published late last year by the Oxford Internet Institute and Cardiff University determined that there was no correlation between limiting device use and children‘s well-being. The study‘s lead author Dr Andrew Pryzbylski said: “Our findings suggest the broader family context, how parents set rules about digital screen time, and if they‘re actively engaged in exploring the digital world together, are more important than the raw screen time.”

“The consensus is that screen time, in and of itself, is not harmful—and reasonable restrictions vary greatly, depending on a child‘s behavior and personality. There is little point in worrying about how many minutes a day your kids are spending with screens,” says Brewer. “Instead, parents should be doing what they can to ensure that what they‘re watching, playing and reading is high-quality, age-appropriate and safe—and joining in wherever possible.”

【正确答案】

Both the Length and the Nature of Screen Time Matter

In recent years experts have been raising discussions about the use of digital device and its impact on children, the result of which urges that parents should limit their children‘s screen time. However, an opinion held by the psychologist Jocelyn Brewer and Dr Andrew Pryzbylski tells people to believe what matters more is the nature of screen time rather than the length. Personally speaking, I insist that both the length and the nature of screen time matter.

Firstly, it is necessary that the screen time should be strictly restricted since being exposed to the screen for a long time will do harm to the children both physically and mentally. On the one hand, spending too much time staying in front of the screen is bad for eyes and it may result in some illnesses such as obesity. On the one hand, staring at the screen is a one-way activity in which input considerably outreaches output. That is to say, it is sort of something that deprives the rights of active thinking. Secondly, it is urgent that the nature of screen time deserve special attention. Therefore, parents are recommended to join their children instead of leaving them alone whenever possible. For one thing, being together will ensure that what their children are watching is healthy and proper. For another, through interaction, parents will know their children better, which helps to eliminate the generation gap, contributes to the harmony of the family and guarantees the sound growth of their beloved ones.

To sum up, not only the length of screen time is of importance, but also the nature of it matters. Parents ought to responsibly supervise their children and seize the chance of taking part in children‘s growth.

【答案解析】

第一段首先总结选段中心理学家的观点, 即人们不该专注孩子们使用电子产品时间的长短, 而应关注在这些时间里, 孩子所做的事情的本质, 然后表明自己的观点态度。 第二段详细阐述自己的观点。 首先说明限制时间的好处, 然后提出应该更关注本质的理由。 最后一段总结全文并重申自己的观点。