PART VI WRITING
Read carefully the following excerpt and then write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 WORDS, in which you should:
1), summarize the main message of the excerpt, and then
2) comment on Brewer's view that parents should join in with their kids rather than limit their media consumption.
You can support yourself with information from the excerpt.
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. 材料：
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), the ink 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 Intuited 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 is spending with screens,” says Brewer. “Instead, parents should be doing what they can to ensure that what they are watching, playing and reading is high- quality, age -appropriate and safe -and joining in wherever possible.” 范文1：
By providing concrete facts and concrete statistics, the article mainly discusses the issue of media consumption in the children's everyday life. The author holds the opinion that the nature of the screen time is one of the major factors. As is illustrated in the remark of Mr. Jocelyn Brewer in the essay, the time that a child spends on his electronic devices is not detrimental to his normal life. In accordance with the children's behavior and character, parents can join with their children, rather than imposing a limit on their screen time. Personally, I strongly agree with Mr. Brewer’s view, as can be seen in the following paragraphs. (108)
There’s no denying the fact that many young people spend a large amount of spare time on the smart phones and Ipads. In view of their healthy living habit and academic performance, it is advisable that the parents restrict their children’s access to these high-tech devices. This statement does have an element of truth at the first glimpse. But it must be pointed out that it is not a viable option nowadays. For one thing, in the contemporary society, modern telecommunication devices are not only important, but also indispensable in the daily life of many young people. So it is realistic to absolutely forbid them from using them. For another thing, by influencing their children’s behavioral and thinking pattern, the parents can teach their sons and daughters to keep self-control and self-discipline. As a result of the parents’ active participation, it is possible that the children form a good living habit, and then
improve their overall qualities. When this situation continues, the children will benefit tremendously from the media consumption, rather than reducing their on-line time.(176)
In a world well connected with Internet and cell phones, it is recommended that the parents teach their children how to overcome network addiction, instead of strictly prohibiting them from using these devices. This conclusion is somewhat traditional, but it is at least rational and realistic. (46) 范文2：
Both the Length and Nature of Screen Time Should Be Taken Seriously Experts have been sounding the alarm in recent years over digital device addiction and its impact on children's development and learning, which convinces parents of the need to limit screen time for their children. However, the psychologist Jocelyn Brewer and Dr Andrew Pryzbylski tend to believe that the nature of screen time matters more than its length. Personally, I insist that while focusing on the nature of screen time, it is also crucial to properly control children's screen time. (78)
There is no denying that if parents join in kids to effectively make use of screen time, it will be beneficial to children's growth and the enhancement of parent-child relationship. Therefore, for those parents and caregivers who view video games and television as a handy “babysitter”, it's time to attach more importance to the nature of screen time. Meanwhile, considering that most children lack self-control, it is also necessary for parents to limit their screen time. For one thing, screen time is a sedentary activity, meaning you are physically inactive while sitting in front of the screen. Being addicted to staring at the screen will certainly do harm to your health. For another, spending too much time online not only leads to loss of interest in other activities, but also interferes with the development of skills such as social interaction, conflict resolution, non-verbal and verbal communication.(146)
Therefore, it is important for parents to keep their children in a balance between online and offline worlds, and both the length and nature of screen time should be taken into account. (31)
2019年TEM-4写作真题及范文
