College students at Media City’s University Technical College recently participated in a project that involved giving up their smartphones and using basic Nokia handsets instead. The project, organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize, aimed to examine young people’s dependence on smartphones. During the detox, the students were only allowed to communicate through calls and text messages.

The students’ experiences without smartphones varied. Some found it challenging to adjust to the limited functionality of the basic Nokia handsets, while others appreciated the break from constant notifications and distractions. Many students reported feeling more present and focused without their smartphones, and some even discovered new hobbies and interests during the detox period.

The project highlighted the impact of smartphones on young people’s lives, including their social interactions, mental health, and productivity. It also sparked discussions about the importance of finding a healthy balance between technology use and real-life experiences. The students realized that they could still stay connected and engaged with the world without relying heavily on smartphones.

Overall, the project provided valuable insights into the effects of smartphone usage on college students. It encouraged them to reflect on their habits and consider the role of technology in their lives. While smartphones offer numerous benefits, the project reminded the students of the importance of disconnecting from time to time and being fully present in the moment.

Original news source: College students on life without a smartphone (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In this activity, students will work in pairs or small groups. They will read the article and then summarize the main points in a news article format. They should focus on the key details and important information. After they have completed their summaries, they can share them with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will come up with a list of questions related to the article. These questions should prompt discussion and allow students to share their opinions. Once the questions are prepared, each group will take turns asking their questions to the rest of the class. The class can then discuss their answers and share their thoughts.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Give each student a blank piece of paper and a pen or pencil. In this activity, students will take turns describing a scene or image from the article, while the rest of the class tries to sketch it based on the description. After each description, the students can compare their sketches and discuss how accurate they were.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns selecting a vocabulary word from the article. One student from the team will then have to draw a picture that represents the word, while their teammates try to guess what it is. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In this activity, students will work in pairs or small groups. They will discuss and make predictions about the future of smartphones and technology based on the information in the article. They can consider how smartphones might continue to impact young people’s lives, as well as any potential changes or developments in technology. After they have made their predictions, they can share them with the class and discuss their reasoning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the purpose of the project involving college students giving up their smartphones?
2. How did the students’ experiences without smartphones differ from each other?
3. How did many students feel without their smartphones?
4. What aspects of young people’s lives did the project highlight the impact of smartphones on?
5. What did the project spark discussions about?
6. What did the students realize during the project?
7. What insights did the project provide into the effects of smartphone usage on college students?
8. What did the project remind the students of?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

(1)______ students at Media City’s University Technical College recently (2)______ in a project that involved giving up their smartphones and using basic Nokia (3)______ instead. The project, organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC (4)______, aimed to examine young people’s dependence on smartphones. During the detox, the students were only allowed to communicate through calls and text messages.

The students’ experiences without (5)______ varied. Some found it (6)______ to adjust to the limited functionality of the basic (7)______ handsets, while (8)______ appreciated the break from constant notifications and distractions. Many students reported feeling more present and focused without their smartphones, and some even discovered new hobbies and interests during the detox period.

The project highlighted the impact of smartphones on young people’s (9)______, including their social interactions, mental (10)______, and productivity. It also sparked discussions about the importance of finding a healthy (11)______ between technology use and real-life experiences. The students realized that they could still stay connected and (12)______ with the world without relying heavily on (13)______s.

Overall, the project provided (14)______ insights into the effects of smartphone usage on college (15)______. It encouraged them to reflect on their habits and consider the role of technology in their lives. While smartphones offer numerous benefits, the project (16)______ the students of the importance of disconnecting from time to time and being fully present in the moment.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. How would you feel if you had to give up your smartphone for a week?
2. Do you think smartphones have a positive or negative impact on young people’s lives? Why or why not?
3. What is a healthy balance between technology use and real-life experiences?
4. How do you think your social interactions would change if you didn’t have a smartphone?
5. Do you think you would be more or less productive without a smartphone? Why?
6. What hobbies or interests do you think you would discover if you didn’t have a smartphone?
7. How do you think your mental health would be affected if you didn’t have a smartphone?
8. Do you think it’s important for young people to disconnect from technology from time to time? Why or why not?
9. How do you think your daily routine would change if you didn’t have a smartphone?
10. Do you think you would feel more or less connected to the world without a smartphone? Why?
11. How do you think your communication with friends and family would be different without a smartphone?
12. What are some benefits of using a basic Nokia handset instead of a smartphone?
13. How do you think your ability to focus and be present in the moment would change without a smartphone?
14. Do you think you would miss anything important if you didn’t have a smartphone? Why or why not?
15. How do you think your overall happiness would be affected if you didn’t have a smartphone?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. detox
2. functionality
3. notifications
4. distractions
5. present
6. productivity
7. highlighted
8. interactions
9. balance
10. insights
11. habits
12. engaged
13. relying
14. benefits
15. disconnecting

Meanings:
(A) Depending on or needing someone or something for support
(B) Deep understanding or perception of a situation or subject
(C) Things that prevent someone from giving full attention to something else
(D) Advantages or positive outcomes
(E) The way in which two or more people or things communicate or work together
(F) The act of separating or withdrawing from something
(G) A period of time during which someone abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances
(H) The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry
(I) Regular practices or routines
(J) The range of operations that can be performed by a device or system
(K) Fully focused on or involved in the current moment
(L) A state of equilibrium or equal distribution
(M) Brought attention to or emphasized
(N) Alerts or messages that inform the user of new information or updates
(O) Actively participating or being involved in something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What was the purpose of the project at Media City’s University Technical College?
(a) To promote the use of basic Nokia handsets
(b) To encourage students to use smartphones more often
(c) To investigate the impact of social media on college students
(d) To examine young people’s dependence on smartphones

2. How did some students feel about using basic Nokia handsets instead of smartphones?
(a) They were relieved to have a break from notifications
(b) They were disappointed with the limited functionality
(c) They missed their smartphones and felt disconnected
(d) They found it challenging to adjust

3. What did many students report feeling during the detox period?
(a) More dependent on their smartphones
(b) More overwhelmed by distractions
(c) More present and focused
(d) More isolated from their social circles

4. What did the project highlight about the impact of smartphones on young people’s lives?
(a) Their social interactions, mental health, and productivity
(b) Their physical health and fitness levels
(c) Their academic performance and grades
(d) Their ability to multitask and manage time effectively

5. What did the project spark discussions about?
(a) The benefits of using smartphones for educational purposes
(b) The importance of finding a healthy balance between technology use and real-life experiences
(c) The negative effects of smartphones on young people’s lives
(d) The need for stricter regulations on smartphone usage

6. What did the students realize during the project?
(a) They needed smartphones to have a social life
(b) They were more productive and efficient with their smartphones
(c) They could stay connected and engaged without relying heavily on smartphones
(d) They were addicted to their smartphones and needed them at all times

7. What did the project provide valuable insights into?
(a) The effects of smartphone usage on college students
(b) The benefits of using basic Nokia handsets
(c) The future of technology in education
(d) The importance of constant connectivity

8. What did the project remind the students of?
(a) The need to upgrade to more advanced smartphones
(b) The importance of disconnecting from time to time and being fully present in the moment
(c) The benefits of constant notifications and distractions
(d) The necessity of relying heavily on smartphones for communication

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. During the project, the students were only allowed to communicate through calls and text messages.
2. College students at Media City’s University Technical College recently participated in a project that involved keeping their smartphones with them at all times.
3. The project was organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize.
4. The project highlighted the impact of smartphones on young people’s social interactions, mental health, and productivity.
5. Some students found it easy to adjust to the limited functionality of the basic Nokia handsets.
6. The project encouraged students to reflect on their habits and consider the role of technology in their lives.
7. Many students reported feeling distracted and unfocused with their smartphones.
8. The purpose of the project was to encourage young people’s dependence on smartphones.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What was the purpose of the project organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize?
2. How did the students feel about giving up their smartphones and using basic Nokia handsets instead?
3. What were some of the positive effects that the students experienced during the detox period?
4. What aspects of young people’s lives did the project highlight in relation to smartphone usage?
5. What lessons did the students learn from the project about technology use and being present in the moment?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The purpose of the project was to examine young people’s dependence on smartphones.
2. The students’ experiences without smartphones varied. Some found it challenging to adjust to the limited functionality of the basic Nokia handsets, while others appreciated the break from constant notifications and distractions.
3. Many students reported feeling more present and focused without their smartphones.
4. The project highlighted the impact of smartphones on young people’s social interactions, mental health, and productivity.
5. The project sparked discussions about the importance of finding a healthy balance between technology use and real-life experiences.
6. The students realized that they could still stay connected and engaged with the world without relying heavily on smartphones.
7. The project provided insights into the effects of smartphone usage on college students, including their dependence, the distractions caused by constant notifications, and the potential for discovering new hobbies and interests.
8. The project reminded the students of the importance of disconnecting from time to time and being fully present in the moment.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) College
(2) participated
(3) handsets
(4) Bitesize
(5) smartphones
(6) challenging
(7) Nokia
(8) others
(9) lives
(10) health
(11) balance
(12) engaged
(13) smartphone
(14) valuable
(15) students
(16) reminded
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. detox
Answer: (G) A period of time during which someone abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances

2. functionality
Answer: (J) The range of operations that can be performed by a device or system

3. notifications
Answer: (N) Alerts or messages that inform the user of new information or updates

4. distractions
Answer: (C) Things that prevent someone from giving full attention to something else

5. present
Answer: (K) Fully focused on or involved in the current moment

6. productivity
Answer: (H) The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry

7. highlighted
Answer: (M) Brought attention to or emphasized

8. interactions
Answer: (E) The way in which two or more people or things communicate or work together

9. balance
Answer: (L) A state of equilibrium or equal distribution

10. insights
Answer: (B) Deep understanding or perception of a situation or subject

11. habits
Answer: (I) Regular practices or routines

12. engaged
Answer: (O) Actively participating or being involved in something

13. relying
Answer: (A) Depending on or needing someone or something for support

14. benefits
Answer: (D) Advantages or positive outcomes

15. disconnecting
Answer: (F) The act of separating or withdrawing from something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What was the purpose of the project at Media City’s University Technical College?
Answer: (d) To examine young people’s dependence on smartphones

2. How did some students feel about using basic Nokia handsets instead of smartphones?
Answer: (d) They found it challenging to adjust

3. What did many students report feeling during the detox period?
Answer: (c) More present and focused

4. What did the project highlight about the impact of smartphones on young people’s lives?
Answer: (a) Their social interactions, mental health, and productivity

5. What did the project spark discussions about?
Answer: (b) The importance of finding a healthy balance between technology use and real-life experiences

6. What did the students realize during the project?
Answer: (c) They could stay connected and engaged without relying heavily on smartphones

7. What did the project provide valuable insights into?
Answer: (a) The effects of smartphone usage on college students

8. What did the project remind the students of?
Answer: (b) The importance of disconnecting from time to time and being fully present in the moment
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. During the project, the students were only allowed to communicate through calls and text messages. (Answer: True)
2. College students at Media City’s University Technical College recently participated in a project that involved keeping their smartphones with them at all times. (Answer: False)
3. The project was organized by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize. (Answer: True)
4. The project highlighted the impact of smartphones on young people’s social interactions, mental health, and productivity. (Answer: True)
5. Some students found it easy to adjust to the limited functionality of the basic Nokia handsets. (Answer: False)
6. The project encouraged students to reflect on their habits and consider the role of technology in their lives. (Answer: True)
7. Many students reported feeling distracted and unfocused with their smartphones. (Answer: False)
8. The purpose of the project was to encourage young people’s dependence on smartphones. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧