Social Media

English as a Second Language (ESL)

The digital landscape has put increased pressure on teenagers today, and we feel it. There are so many social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, you name it. I made a conscious decision to avoid Snapchat and Instagram because of the social pressure I saw them putting on my 14-year-old little sister. If my mum turned off the WiFi at 11pm, my sister would beg me to turn my phone into a hotspot1. She always needed to load her Snapchat stories one more time, or to reply to a message that had come in two minutes ago because she didn’t want her friend to feel ignored. If I refused, saying she could respond in the morning, I’d get the “You’re ruining my social life” speech. Even as a teenager as well, I sometimes find this craze a little baffling.

A new study has found that teenagers who engage with social media during the night could be damaging their sleep and increasing their risk of anxiety and depression. Teenagers spoke about the pressure they felt to make themselves available 24/7 and the resulting anxiety if they did not respond immediately to texts or posts. Teens are so emotionally invested in social media that a fifth of secondary school pupils will wake up at night and log on just to make sure they don’t miss out. Perhaps the worst thing about this is that teenagers need more sleep than adults do, so night-time social media use could be detrimental to their health. A lack of sleep can make teenagers tired, irritable, and depressed.

During the summer holidays, I lost my phone. And for the week that I was phoneless, it felt like a disaster. I love my phone. It gives me quick access to information and allows me to be constantly looped in with my friends, to know exactly what is going on in their lives. So when I didn’t have my phone for a week, I felt a slight sense of FOMO, or if you’re not up to speed with the lingo, fear of missing out. By the end of the week, I’d got used to not having a phone and I’d quite enjoyed the break from social media. But there was still a lingering sense of sadness at the back of my mind that there would be conversations I had missed, messages that had been sent, funny videos shared and night-time chats that I would probably never get to see.

Modal Auxiliaries

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Fill in the blanks choosing the correct modal given within the brackets to suit the sentence.

1. They ……………………….. (can/might) be away for the weekend but I’m not sure.

2. You ……………………….. (may/might) leave now if you want to.

3. ……………………….. (Could/Might) you open the door a bit, please?

4. He ……………………….. (can/could) be a Bengali, judging by his accent.

5 ……………………….. (May/Can) you play the violin?

6. Listen, carefully, you (may not/might not) ……………………….. speak during this exam.

7. They ……………………….. (can’t/may not) still be out!

8. You ……………………….. (mustn’t/might not) smoke on the bus.

9. With luck, tomorrow ……………………….. (can/could) be a rainy day.

10. You (can/might) ……………………….. be right but I’m going back to check anyway.

11. I don’t know Hindi and so I ……………………….. (must/should) learn before I go to Delhi.

12. ……………………….. you stand upside down for a minute? No, I (can’t/could)

13. You ……………………….. leave small objects lying around. Children swallow it by mistake, (shouldn’t /may)

14. This is a public place. You ……………………….. (must/should) not smoke.

15. ……………………….. (May/Can) I ask a question?

16. He had been toiling for the past fifteen hours. He ……………………….. (must/should) be exhausted.

17. Drivers ……………………….. (must/should) stop the vehicle when they see the red signal.

18. According to the weather forecast, it ……………………….. (will/may) rain tomorrow.

19. Please try to reach the venue before me. I ……………………….. (will/may) be late.

20 ……………………….. (Could/Would) you mind lifting this box for me?

Story

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Once upon a time, Yuliia was at the airport, ready for her first flight.

She had her passport and boarding pass in hand and was excited about her adventure. As she was standing in line at security, she was thinking about her daily routine back home. She loved cooking, eating, and sleeping, but she was also enjoying reading and stretching to stay active.

After passing through security, Yuliia found her gate for departure. While she was waiting, she decided to order something from a nearby bakery.
The friendly waiter asked, "What can I get you?" Yuliia replied, "I can get a croissant and a coffee, please." The waiter smiled and said, "Anything else?" Yuliia shook her head and said, "Oh, no, thanks! That's it."
 

As Yuliia was enjoying her snack, she saw an announcement about a flight delay.

She thought, "Well, I have some extra time now." She decided to practice meditating to clear her mind.
She was also planning her upcoming trip, hoping to go hiking and explore new places.
 

Finally, it was time to board the flight. Yuliia settled into her seat, excited for the future adventures.

During the flight, she was stretching and reading a book she had with her.

As the plane arrived at her destination, she couldn't help but smile. She collected her luggage and headed to the baggage claim area.
 

After arriving, Yuliia decided to take a moment to make a wish. She was thinking about her goals and dreams and her wish to continue learning and practicing English.
She knew that just like taking care of a garden and collecting its fruits, her efforts in studying and practicing would give her  positive results.
 

As Yuliia went out of the terminal, she felt thankful for the journey and all the experiences she had collected on the way.

She knew that she could keep writing her adventures in her notebook and continue to grow, just like the stories she had gathered from this memorable trip.

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