Teen Teen Times The Media’s infuence on teens teens The media infuences teenagers both positively and negatively. negatively. We are a pop culture society. We watch celebrities, we talk about movies, and we love to eel connected. Thereore, Thereore, the entertainment industry and media exert a great infuence upon teens as they are gaining their sense o sel. The infuences can be both good and bad and this article will explore both. t seems that more oten than not, the media and entertainment industry infuence teens teens both both positi positivel vely y and negative negatively ly on a larger larger scale than is usuall usually y though thought. t. !et’s ace it, in most cases the media isn’t getting you out o doors. "ou are most likely to bunker down in ront o the T# or a avourite show or to play a video game. "ou’re "ou’re still inactive even while doing something positive like reading a newspaper or maga$ maga$ine ine.. With With these norms, you’re more likely to stay inside rather than get yoursel out there and being active during your teen years. Things you see on T# and in the media help align what you believe to be the norms. Whethe Whetherr you’r you’re e watchi watching ng violen violence, ce, lookin looking g at an extre extremel mely y skinny skinny model model in a maga$ine, maga$ine, or viewing viewing something something else entirely, entirely, the things things that you see are those you expect to be normal. While you might be able to use your %udgment, in some circumsta circumstances nces,, the media is establish establishing ing right rom rom wrong, wrong, and that can get you in&to' trouble as a teen( The positive e)ects o the media might not be touched upon oten, but they do exist. Teens can learn rom media and entertainment, develop new skills and stay out o trouble as well. t can be argued that as you are glued to your T# or video game &two o the most criticised mediums', you’re not doing yoursel any avors as a teen. Well, you’re better o) there than on the streets getting involved in crime, so it’s not all that bad. *ust remember to do everything everything in moderation( www.newtimes.co.rw+ &slightly www.newtimes.co.rw+ &slightly adapted' B. 1.
Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Justify
(30 marks)
your answers by quoting from the text. a. b. c. d. e.
2.
o matter how powerul the media is, it doesn’t really infuence teens. Teens Teens don’t really eel like like leaving the house when they can can play a video game instead or watch T#. you don’t use your %udgment while reading and watching the media, you may be in danger. t is possible or teens to become knowledgeable about all sorts o things by reading newspapers or watching -lms. ome adults agree that it’s better or teens to stay at home than to be outdoors with gangs or risky company. e!read the text and match the clauses in the columns below so as to form a com"lete sentence#
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The impact o the media and entertainment industry on teenagers 0. 1or many teenagers, playing computer games 2. Teens ac3uire va values
a. present in T# shows and maga$ine articles. b. striking a balance between being a media
consumer and doing other things, preerably outdoors. c. to refect about what they’ve seen and read rather than accept the inormation in the
(20 marks)
and notions 4. 5 course it is possible or teens 6. t’s all about
media passively. d. should never be disregarded. e. is preerable to doing outdoor activities.
a. b. c. d.
7nswer these 3uestions. 8ow do the media infuence teenagers9 8ow much do the media infuence you9 :xplain. ;eer one o the negative aspects o media
4.
What do the words in bolt reer to9
3.
We
these
They
those
$t
that
%. %om"lete the ga"s with a word in the box below.
they
(26 marks)
What’s body image9 >ody image is how /.?????????????? picture themselves and how they think other people picture them. t is basically how you 0.????????????? about your body, and it includes your perception, 2.???????????????, emotions, and physical sensations. Mass media has been able to 4.??????????????? popular culture and oten infuence public 6.?????????????? 8owever, when abused, the power o the media can harm the general population. tereotypes ormed by the @.?????????????? that include thin, tanned women, and wealthy, muscular A.??????????????? have led to a decline in selBesteem. The ma%ority o media today oten C.?????????????? the perect body to the public, hoping that consumers will strive to achieve D.??????????? using a certain product or idea. Eeople should make up their /F. ???????????? that they will not be negatively //.????????????? by the media. n doing this, the public can /0.?????????????? the media or what it truly is, a means o conveying /2.????????????? or providing entertainment. present men
normation opinion shape eel media -tness view infuenced minds people imagination