【答案解析】[听力原文] 14-23
Too Much Web Surfing Could Be Bad for Your Health
ccording to studies by University of Florida, too much web surfing could be bad for your health and your job prospects.
"Problematic Internet uses are older than what you might expect. Both male and female, they spend about 28 hours a week in pleasure, recreational or personal computer use, and they report problematic use for about three years," said Dr. Nathan Shapira, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Florida.
A 1999 Harris survey showed that almost two-thirds of all adult Americans used a computer at work or at home an average of 15 hours a week. Those who used the Internet spent, on average, six hours a week on the Web.
The heaviest Internet usage came among people between the ages of 30 and 39, who spent an average of 21 hours a week on computers, including nine hours on the Net.
But what's the difference between a web surfer who surfs the web usefully and one that does not? What's the difference between somebody who just surfs the web a lot and somebody who is addicted?
In a recent article in Current Psychiatry, there is the example of a 32-year-old man who played computer games in high school to the point that it affected his grades.
When he entered college at 28, he began spending hours at a time online, playing games and participating in chat forums. His time online averaged 35.9 hours a week. What's more he felt anxious before he logged on at the computer, and relief afterward. His college work suffered.
University of Florida researchers have proposed five questions to help doctors and mental health professionals assess their patients' level of personal, nonessential Internet use, based on the acronym MOUSE.
Are they spending more time online than they intended? Are they neglecting other responsibilities? Have they tried unsuccessfully to cut down? Is their Internet usage straining relationships with family and friends? Are they anxious when they're not online?
In addition, feelings such as boredom, self-consciousness, loneliness, social anxiety, shyness and low self-esteem are also strong signs of computer addition.