Can Video Games be Good for You?
Do
you play video games? Why?
How
do you think video games help you?
Dangerous and violent?
Many say that video games are violent. That
they make a world of violent images and aggressive feelings. Popular games like
Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto have been demonized in the media. They have been blamed for everything from bad
grades at school to provoking violence.
But there has been no proven connection between games and violence.
But there is more and more evidence that
playing video games could be good for us. They can be good for children to those
older than 60. Some of the benefits are shown in different parts of the brain.
German neuroscientists asked 23 people to
play Super Mario 64 for at least 30 minutes a day for two months. MRI scans
showed some players experienced growth in some areas of their brains.
As well as skills in these areas of brain
growth, playing video games can bring other benefits. These benefits can be
thinking in 3D and even improving our eyesight.
Some studies have shown that shooter games
improve a player's ability to think about objects in different ways. This
explains why medical people who played video games were instinctively better at keyhole surgery. Now a Dutch surgeon has
developed a game designed to train doctors in this special technique.
Another unexpected bonus of gaming is improved eyesight. This is the ability to see subtle changes in the brightness of an
image. It also found that looking hard at a screen to aim at the enemy
exercised our eyes. This is a skill we lose as we get older.
Most video gamers play with friends.
Playing video games can have a positive
effect on your social life too.
There are approximately 1.2 billion people
playing video games worldwide. The
social scene has mushroomed. Games
like Halo and World of Warcraft are often played in groups. Players wear
head-sets for communication and teamwork across the internet. When your group works
together to win the game then you have a feeling of group success. This is said
to help improve self-esteem. To be
part of a team and make new friends is said to help with depression.
So gaming can have very good benefits.
Try
to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest
meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and
have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the
reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending
on how they are used.
The
answers are below the table.
aggressive
|
A
|
1
|
To make someone/something look evil or
bad, to create a bad image about something/someone
|
demonized
|
B
|
2
|
An action that comes with no thought or
action but from within us as if naturally or automatically
|
provoking
|
C
|
3
|
An extra added benefit
|
instinctively
|
D
|
4
|
Not obvious
|
bonus
|
E
|
5
|
Fighting, wanting to start fights
|
subtle
|
F
|
6
|
To increase suddenly and a lot
|
mushroomed
|
G
|
7
|
How good or bad we feel about ourselves
|
self-esteem
|
H
|
8
|
To encourage to do something, to make
some action that will cause another to do something
|
A=5, B=1, C=8, D=2, E=3, F=4,
G=6, H=7
Some
example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they
are used in the reading to help you understand better.
1.
Rhinos in Africa are the most aggressive animals.
2.
Park Gun Hye was the president
of South Korea. She has been demonized
by the media for her actions.
3.
He provoked his girlfriend’s anger by coming home late.
4.
Cats will instinctively steal food from the garbage.
5.
A bonus of working here is that you get four weeks paid vacation.
6.
That is a subtle color, but it makes you look younger.
7.
The number of people applying
for this course has mushroomed since
they learned there are so many jobs in this area.
8.
Teenager girls can have low self-esteem, so we need to teach them
to love themselves and be confident.
Some
questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your
answer.
1.
Do you think some computer
games can make us aggressive? Or
maybe they take away our aggression because we can lose it on the game?
2.
Why have computer games been so
demonized? What was said in the
media?
3.
What activities do you do to provoke your mind?
4.
What does it mean to be instinctively better at something? Can
you give an example of instinctive
actions?
5.
Can you think of any bonuses to you for playing games like
computer games?
6.
What subtle changes have you seen in your life, or another person’s life
over the years?
7.
What computer games have mushroomed in your country? Why?
8.
How does doing things in teams
help your self-esteem?