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.

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?