WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on your children. Do you agree or disagree?

每天使用计算机对孩子的负面影响大于正面影响。你同意还是不同意？

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words. 

Sample Essay

I tend to agree that young children can be negatively affected by too much time spent on the computer every day. This is partly because sitting in front of a screen for too long can be damaging to both the eyes and the physical posture of a young child, regardless of what they are using the computer for.

However, the main concern is about the type of computer activities that attract children. These are often electronic games that tend to be very intense and rather violent. The player is usually the‘hero’ of the game and too much exposure can encourage children to be self-centered and insensitive to others.

Even when children use a computer for other purposes, such as getting information or emailing friends, it is no substitute for human interaction. Spending time with other children and sharing nonvirtual experiences is an important part of a child's development that cannot be provided by a computer.

In spite of this, the obvious benefits of computer skills for young children cannot be denied. Their adult world will be changing constantly in terms of technology and the Internet is the key to all the knowledge and information available in the world today. Therefore it is important that children learn at an early age to use the equipment enthusiastically and with confidence as they will need these skills throughout their studies and working lives.

I think the main point is to make sure that young children do not overuse computers. Parents must ensure that their children learn to enjoy other kinds of activity and not simply sit at home, learning to live in a virtual world. 

我倾向于同意，每天花太多时间在计算机上会对年幼的孩子造成负面影响。这部分是因为坐在屏幕前面太长时间会损害幼儿的眼睛和身体姿势，无论他们使用计算机做什么。

但是，主要关注的是吸引儿童的计算机活动的类型。这些通常是电子游戏，往往非常激烈甚至相当暴力。玩家通常是游戏的“英雄”，过多的接触会鼓励孩子以自我为中心并且对他人不敏感。

即使儿童将计算机用于其他目的（例如获取信息或向朋友发送电子邮件），也不能替代人类的互动。与其他孩子共度时光和分享非虚拟经验是儿童成长过程中的重要部分，而这是计算机无法提供的。

尽管如此，不能否认计算机技术为幼儿带来的明显好处。他们的成年世界将在技术方面不断变化，互联网是当今世界上所有可用知识和信息的关键。因此，重要的是，孩子们从小就学会热情地，充满信心地使用设备，因为他们将在整个学习和工作生活中需要这些技能。

我认为主要是要确保年幼的孩子不要滥用计算机。父母必须确保自己的孩子学会享受其他类型的活动，而不仅仅是坐在家里学习在虚拟世界中生活。