How to net information
Last week, we looked at how you might write advice. The example used was a column in a newspaper that responded to questions sent in by readers. But there are many different ways to offer advice by writing. One method is to ask general questions to which many people will want to know the answer. If you do not know what these might be, you could ask your friends or even your relatives. Examples of this sort of writing can be found in newspapers and magazines as well as books dedicated to providing advice about things people want to know. The advice might be general or very specific. Today we will look at specific advice about using the internet.
Online with the world
So you need some information from the internet and don't know where to look. What should you do?
Finding information on the World Wide Web using a browser such as Mozilla or Internet Explorer can be very easy. But there are difficulties.
For example, if you type the subject you need information about into a search engine, you might get thousands of possible sources. You need to be very accurate with your question and give the search engine as many details as possible to get what you want. Popular search engines include Google and Yahoo.
Do you get frustrated by not being able to access your computer at home? There are several possible solutions.
People sometimes forget that computers have more power than most people need. If you simply want to take a quick look at a webpage or contact your friends, the latest mobile phones can help. If you buy the right handset and sign up for an account that has wireless access to the internet, then this may be all that you need. Some Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) do the same job. If this is too expensive, remember that many coffee shops and libraries have computers connected to the internet that you can use free of charge or by paying a small fee.
You would like to buy something online but you are worried about security. Is it safe to do this?
Buying goods and services on the internet is very safe nowadays, but you do have to take precautions. Most reputable sites are secure so that your personal data cannot be used by somebody else. Before you type in your details or any account numbers, you need to make sure that you are using one of these sites. If you cannot be certain, then you should be careful and think about buying what you need in a more traditional way.
Glossary
accurate (adj) - correct or precise
popular (adj) - well-liked, fashionable
to contact (v) - to get in touch with
expensive (adj) - high-priced or costly
fee (n) - charge, payment
security (n) - safety
traditional (adj) - usual
Comprehension
1. Name two internet browsers mentioned in the text.
2. What is Google?
3. What does PDA stand for?
4. Which places (other than home) can you access the internet?
5. What is very safe nowadays?
Writing style
When you want to connect to the internet, you use a browser. A browser has lots of features. Read the sentences below and fill in the correct feature.
side, cursor, history, favourites, pull-down
6. I can store addresses of my favourite websites in my __________ folder.
7. If I forget which pages I have already visited, I can look in the _______ section.
8. To look at the recent pages I have typed into my browser, I use the __________ menu.
9. To move up and down a webpage, I need to use the ______ bar.
10. I use the _________ to move around the webpage.
Crossword
Most people still use a computer to browse the Web. Read the clues below and fill in the crossword.
monitor, mouse, memory, webcam, keyboard, speakers
1. It has buttons with numbers and letters.
2. The place where information is stored.
3. The screen that displays the images.
4. A device for moving the cursor.
5. Where the sound comes from.
6. A camera used to send pictures over the Net.
Answers: 1. Internet Explorer and Mozilla; 2. a popular search engine; 3. Personal Digital Assistant; 4. coffee shops and libraries;
5. buying goods and services on the internet;
6. favourites; 7. history; 8. pull-down; 9. side; 10. cursor
Crossword: 1. keyboard; 2. memory; 3. monitor; 4. mouse; 5. speakers; 6. webcam
