N A M E : _____________________ DATE: ____________________

BLENDED LEARNING LESSON

Five Reasons Why

the Internet is Bad!
TOPICS: Computers and the Internet

Almost everyone agrees that the internet is a good thing. We use the
internet in many ways. We can go online1 and play games, make new
friends, and learn new things. More than 4 billion2 people in the world use
the internet. However, not everything about the internet is good. Here are
five bad things about the internet. First, many people use the internet too
much. In the United States, for example, it is common3 for people to use the
internet 24 hours each week, or about 3.4 hours each day. In Europe, many
people say that the internet is more important than watching TV, having a
car, or even getting washed. Some people may not even have the time to
use their brains to think for themselves. Second, some people use the
internet, at work, for personal reasons. Their boss may fire4 them for this.
Third, when people use the internet so much, they may not be healthy
because they don’t get much exercise. Fourth, many people have “friends”
on Facebook, but these may not be real friends. Real friends are usually
people you can see face to face5. Two or three real friends are better than
two or three hundred Facebook “friends” that you almost never see. Finally,
some people are criminals6. They are bad people and they use the internet
to try to take control of your computer and steal your money. They may also
tell you lies to try to scam7 you. Sure, the internet is a great tool, and it’s
something that we can’t live without. However, it’s very important to know
the bad things about it, not just the good things. Stay safe, and stay happy,
while you stay connected8.
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N A M E : ________________________________ DATE: ____________________

BLENDED LEARNING LESSON

Five Reasons Why the Internet is Bad!
Spelling Practice

• Read the sentences on the right and complete the crossword. Look at the article
again to help you.
1 2 3

A G R E E ACROSS
4
1. I ____ with people who think the
internet is good.
5

5. Most people go ____ every day to

check their email.

6. How many hours do you use the

6
internet ____ week?

7 8. Your ____ needs time to think.

9. Exercise can make you ____.

8

11. Criminals like to ____ money.

13. How much ____ are you online every

day?
9

14. I like to talk to people ____.

15. More than 4 billion ____ in the world

10
use the internet.

11
DOWN
12
2. Not everything about the internet is
____.
13

3. Is the internet more important than

____ TV?

4. People use the ____ in many different

ways.

14 7. It’s good to have real ____.

10. How many ____ friends do you have?

12. I like to move my body. I like to ____.

14. Is your boss angry? Does he want to

____ you?
15

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N A M E : ________________________________ DATE: ____________________

BLENDED LEARNING LESSON

Five Reasons Why the Internet is Bad!
Vocabulary Preview

• Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1. go online A. a plan for making money by telling lies

2. billion B. (1) have good relationships with people, (2) stay online

3. common C. usual; many people have it or do it

4. fire D. to make someone leave a company or job
5. face to face E. to use the internet
6. criminal F. a large number (1,000,000,000)

7. scam G. for example, a person who steals things

8. stay connected H. two people together looking at each other

• Use the above words to complete the sentences. Change the forms of verbs
and nouns when necessary.

1. More than eight _________________ people live on Earth.

2. I _________________ and use Facebook every day.
3. The police are looking for that man. He is a _________________.
4. I don’t like to talk on the phone. I like to talk with people _________________.
5. I don’t trust this email. I think it’s a _________________.
6. Thomas couldn’t finish his homework. His computer couldn’t _________________
7. Don’t be late for work or your boss might _________________ you.
8. It is _________________ nowadays for people to have a cell phone.

• Choose any two of the above words and write your own sentences.

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

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N A M E : ________________________________ DATE: ____________________

BLENDED LEARNING LESSON

Five Reasons Why the Internet is Bad!
How Much Do You Understand?

• Complete the statements.

1. Most people agree that A. several hours every day.

2. Many people go online B. enough when you go online.
3. Some people like to use C. to steal money and scam people.
4. You may not exercise D. may not be real friends.
5. The friends you have online E. the internet is a good thing.
6. Some criminals go online F. the internet at work.

Discuss

• Discuss the following questions with your classmates.

1. How many hours do you go online each day? Is it too much or not enough?
2. Which do you like more: watching TV or going online? Why?
3. Can you think of three more bad things about the internet?

Write

• The article says you can play games, make new friends and learn things on the
internet. Write four more good things about the internet.

1. _____________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________

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