X. Exercise 2: (1.0 point) Read the text and questions below. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D in the numbered space.
The latest addiction to trap thousands of people is the Internet, which has been blamed for broken relationships, job losses, financial ruin and even one suicide. Psychologists now recognize Internet Addiction Syndrome (IAS) as a new illness that could cause serious problems and ruin many lives, special help groups have been set up to offer suffers help and support. Psychologists have described many worrying examples, including one man who took his own life after borrowing more than 14.000 dollars to feed his addiction, and a teenager also had to receive psychiatric treatment for his 12-hour-a-day habit. “This illness is not a fake, and it must be taken seriously,) said an expert in behavioral addiction at Nottingham Trent University. “These are not bad people with serious personality defects; they are people who were fine before they found the Internet.”
IAS is similar to other problems like gambling, smoking and drinking: addicts have dreamed about the Internet; they need to use it first thing in the morning; they lied to their partners about how much time they spend online; they wish they could cut down, but are unable to do so. A recent study found that many users spend up to 40 hours a week on the Internet. Although they felt guilty, they became depressed if they were made to stop using it.
Almost anyone can be at risk. Some of the addicts are teenagers who are already hooked on computer games and who find it very difficult to resist the games on the Internet. Surprisingly, however, psychologists said that most victims are middle-aged housewives who have never used a computer before.
