附教材内容：
Avatars
When you are online, you can be anyone or anything. You can create your own image and a new personality. These digital identities, known as avatars, are a key part of how people use the Internet to communicate and express themselves.
The first simple 2D avatars appeared in role-playing computer games in the 1980s. Yet, very few people knew that future avatars would have such a wide variety of forms and uses. By the late 1990s, they had been used in web chats like instant messenger.
When people started creating their own avatars, they discovered that they were going to have the power to create new identities that did not look or act like their real selves at all. They could dress their avatars in fancy clothes, or they could try being someone of the opposite sex, and call themselves “Anny” instead of “Anna”! When Internet users realized that their avatars would be seen by many people, not just your friends, they started having more than one avatar: a sensible one for work; a friendly, good-looking one for meeting people; and a silly one for having fun. Avatars let you express yourself and they give you lots of room for creativity.
Of course, the avatar you choose says a lot about your personality. If your blog avatar is a picture of a cute cat, your message is “I like relaxing and having fun”. Well-known cartoon characters or laughing monkeys say “I'm a really funny person”. Most people create avatars that have similar features to their personalities and that look more or less like them and act like them. However, nearly all avatars are tall, young and nice looking, so people obviously make their avatars look better than they do in real life. They also experiment with things like different hairstyles — which says a lot, perhaps, about what they want to look like.
Nowadays, avatars are everywhere. In most web chats, people choose an avatar from a selection of ready-made images, or create their own images. You can also use avatars that move around and talk when you type in your message. The avatars in online worlds can talk, walk and fly around, meet people, go shopping and attend classes.
The use of avatars has also caused a few concerns. Some users worry that they are spending so much time in virtual worlds that they are becoming afraid of meeting people in the real world. The use of several avatars can also be a risk, as people can use avatars to cheat others online. However, other users view avatars in a more positive light. They look forward to a time when their avatar will act like a real person and travel around bigger, more exciting virtual worlds.
Apps
I＝Interviewer L=Li Xing
I: Welcome to Teen Tech Talk. Nowadays, we use many software applications on our mobile devices. We call them apps for short. Today, my guest is Li Xing, an app developer from New-tech Company. Hi, Li Xing!
L: Hello! Thanks for having me.
I: So, in your opinion, why are apps so popular?
L: Well, apps are very useful. They help us find popular restaurants, call for taxis, find directions to different places, and so on.
I: Indeed. They make our life much easier, don't they? As many of our listeners are students, could you tell us something about educational apps?
L: Sure. Educational apps are becoming increasingly powerful. For example, some apps allow students to choose their online teachers and subjects according to their personal interests and needs. They also ensure that students can all enjoy the same learning materials, even when they're not sitting in the same classroom together!
I: Sounds fantastic! But developing an app must be difficult, right?
L: Well, yes. The most difficult thing is finding out what people need and solving real-world problems.
I: Solving real-world problems, that does sound challenging. What apps are you working on right now?
L: We're working on using the latest technologies in our apps, like VR, AR and MR.
I: How exciting! Let's continue this discussion after the break...
Conversation 1
（D=Dad C=Chen Yu)
D: Chen Yu, are you busy? Can you help me out with something?
C: Sure, Dad. What's up?
D: Remember that shopping app you told me about?
C: Yes. Do you need help downloading it?
D: No, I've downloaded it, but I can't figure out how to set up an account.
C: No worries. I can help you with that. First, press the “Sign Up” button.
D: OK ... “Sign Up”. So now I start putting in my information, right?
C: Yes, put in your name, gender, telephone number and email address.
D: OK ... done. Is it all set up, then?
C: Not quite. The last step is to press the “Finish” button. OK, you should now be ready to start shopping!
D: Great! Thanks ... Actually, just hold on a second. Now I don't understand what this means...
Conversation 2
（C=Chris B=Barbara Smith)
C: Hello. This is ABC Shopping Customer Service. My name is Chris. How may I help you?
B: Yes, hello. I placed an order using your app two weeks ago, but I still haven't received the goods. Can you do me a favour and find out what's going on?
C: Right. Let me check this for you. Could you give me your order number, please?
B: The order number is two-eight-four-seven-five.
C: So that's two-eight-four-seven-five, correct?
B: Yes, that's correct. Would you like me to confirm my account details?
C: No, that's not necessary, thank you. If you could just confirm your name, please?
B: Barbara Smith.
C: OK ... Well, according to my records, Ms Smith, your order was delivered last week. Have you not received the package?
B: No, I am afraid I haven't. Would you be able to check again?
C: Of course. Oh, that's strange! There must have been an error. I'm very sorry about this. Let me enquire about the order with the delivery man. Once I have spoken to him, would it be all right for me to call you back on this number?
B: Yes, that would be fine, thanks.
C: Can I assist you with anything else today?
B: No, that's all. Thank you.
The Internet Harms Friendships
While the Internet can bring people closer together, it can also harm friendships.
Firstly, talking online is no replacement for face-to-face contact — images really cannot replace a real-life smile or hug. According to a parenting expert, Denise Daniels, communicating through a screen makes it more difficult for children to concentrate or show kindness to others. As we know, important social skills are developed through direct contact with other people. It is these skills that enable us to develop lifelong friendships.
Secondly, the Internet can make people self-centered — not thinking of anyone or anything but themselves. For example, instead of having proper conversations with their friends, some people are only concerned with their online popularity — How many “likes” did I get? How many followers do I have? — though we know that the number of “likes” or followers cannot compare to having long-term and rewarding friendships. In addition, a lot of the content posted on social media is shallow or trivial. Posts about funny cat images do not necessarily help form meaningful relationships.
Thirdly, online relationships may not be what they appear to be. Friendships are built on the basis of trust, and with online communication you can never be 100 percent sure that the people you are chatting to is being honest about who they are. Because of this, going online can be particularly dangerous for people who are easily influenced or too trusting.
In my opinion, friends should focus more on face-to-face communication, and less on online communication. This is the best way to maintain healthy relationships.
The Internet Helps Friendships
The Internet can help develop friendships in many ways.
Firstly, the Internet makes communication much more convenient. You can stay in touch with friends no matter where you are or what you are doing. Using a smart phone, a tablet or a computer, you can be in contact at home and also when you are on the move.
Secondly, the Internet has also made communication more fun. Traditional ways of communicating, like letters and phone calls, can be limiting and take time. However, you can share photos, videos, news stories and websites with your friends online. You can give a brief response to a message with an emoji or a picture. There are so many online tools you can use to be creative!
Thirdly, online communication can actually bring people closer to each other. Nowadays, your friends are just a click away. Whenever someone needs help, friends from all over world can immediately provide useful suggestions or information. This makes friends feel loved and cared for. To me, this is a very thought-provoking argument, as it points out the benefits of online friendships. As Eileen Kennedy-Moore, an authority on the subject, points out, online friends “fill holes real-life friends can't”.
Finally, I believe Internet brings people closer together and makes communication with friends more convenient and interesting.