Reading Comprehension (40 points)

Read the following passage carefully, then complete the tasks:

It isn’t hard to explain why parents, teachers, and older people in general get so concerned about the negative effects of young people’s use of communication technology. They may be motivated by a wish to protect their children from harm or to control them, but throughout history, older generations have always tried to put limits on the behavior of the young.

The only difference now is that the Internet is such a powerful force, and older people generally don’t really understand this new world of social media and instant communication, so they’re unable to control it. The situation is changing so fast that the gap in their knowledge is widening all the time.

In a similar way, governments—even in democratic countries—like to put limits on people’s behavior. After all, it’s a large part of what governments do. They may have more technological knowledge than the average parent, but the spread of social media sites and communication apps like Twitter and WhatsApp is making it harder and harder for them to control what their citizens are saying and doing.

Clearly, this isn’t always a positive trend, but what we can say for sure is that new information and communication technologies are a force for social change and economic development—especially in poorer countries without a reliable traditional phone network. The World Bank has calculated that in countries like this, a 10% increase in high-speed Internet connections leads to a 1.3% increase in economic growth. It is, they say, “the single most powerful way to extend economic opportunities and services to millions of people, especially in remote areas.”

A recent headline on the BBC website asked: “Could Ramallah become an Arab world technology hub?” The article went on to show how young Palestinians are starting small technology companies that could help the Palestinian economy break free from the restrictions placed on it by the Israeli occupation. As one interviewee explains: “This is what is good about technology: it breaks the borders. A person with a laptop can work in the worst situations; he can work from his home and interact with the global community, without a passport and despite the occupation. It is limitless.”