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Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Time for a “Digital Diet”
1 Young people today rely heavily on digital technology. Text
messaging and email allow people to effortlessly stay connected to
others. Television and computer screens provide people with
constant entertainment. Everywhere you look people are distracted
by screens. Technology can be useful, but it is easy for someone to
become too dependent on it. In fact, research has shown that the
way young people interact with each other and with the world is
rapidly changing due to digital overload. Staying connected has
become so important that many young people find it stressful to be
away from their phones. As a result, people have developed bad
habits. They spend less time outside, get less sleep, and develop a
shorter attention span. However, it is possible to achieve a more
balanced relationship with technology. People should consider going
on a “digital diet.”
2 When people think of a diet, they usually think about it in relation to
food. There are some healthy eating habits you can develop, and
there are bad eating habits. A digital diet helps promote developing
healthy habits with technology. Developing healthy habits with
digital devices looks different for everyone. But overall the main goal
is to limit the amount of time we spend using digital devices.
3 “The primary use of technology by young people is for
entertainment,” states media expert Michael Levine. On average,
young people spend over seven hours in front of a screen every day.
As a result, children and teenagers today spend as little as four
minutes outside per day. Limiting the amount of time young people
spend on their screens is one way to establish a healthy digital
habit. By taking a break from digital devices, young people have
more time to go outside. Collin O’Mara is the head of the
National Wildlife Federation. She believes that outdoor free time
provides a wide variety of benefits. Some of these benefits include
better school performance, more creativity, and higher levels of
fitness. Rather than spending several hours in front of a screen,
people can gain the benefits from spending time outside instead.
4 Another boundary that people can set is avoiding using digital
devices before going to sleep. Doctors suggest establishing a
specific time of night when all devices must be turned off. Stopping
the use of digital devices two hours before bedtime will likely lead to
better sleep. Staring at a cell phone, computer, or television screen