Question

Read the passage.

Are Video Games Good for You?

1. The debate over video gaming has been raging since the 1970s. That’s when kids first flocked to arcades to play games like Pong and Space Invaders. Because gaming has been around for a few decades, scientists have had a chance to study its effects. Therefore, the amount of “screen time” children should have can be supported by scientific findings. So are video games good for you? Let’s check out the facts! 2. One of the main issues with gaming is that it is too sedentary. The hour's gamers spend sitting inside with their consoles can be directly tied to the ever-increasing problem of obesity. When people sit still instead of exercising, they are likely to pack on excess pounds. 3. Working the controller for hours at a time is a problem, too. The nerves and tendons in the hand can be damaged by repetitive motion. Also, many gamers slouch, slump, or stay in one position while they play. When posture is poor, people end up with back, neck, and shoulder pain. 4. However, not all gamers are sedentary. Some gaming equipment is designed so that people play by moving their bodies. Players act like they’re skating, bowling, or swinging golf clubs, for example. 5. Using hand controls has risks, but it also has benefits. Responding quickly to images onscreen is how you get a higher score, but that’s not all. Some gamers show improved hand-eye coordination. All that practice helps them develop nimble fingers and hands and quick reflexes—as musicians would need! 6. Does playing video games help or harm thinking? Those on the pro side applaud games for requiring logical thinking, problem-solving, and a good memory. To that list, they add quick decision making, imagination, and technological savvy. 7. One study completed by two London universities attempted to test for several of these brains claims all at once. The researchers focused on a set of skills they called mental “flexibility.” They found that regular gamers did improve in these skills. However, the difficulty of the game mattered. Players who repeatedly played a complex game scored well on specially designed tests. These gamers could switch more quickly between tasks than those who played a much simpler game. These players could also adapt more easily to change. Finally, they could think about several ideas at one time when trying to solve a problem. 8. Sound too good to be true? “It is!” shout those against gaming. They point to the risk of becoming addicted to video games. After all, the games are carefully designed to keep players coming back for more. And they point to the weird, obsessive behaviors of game addicts. 9. Those against video gaming also remind us that the games are very fast-moving. They claim that frequent players actually are trained to be bored by anything that requires a longer attention span to complete. And Social Skills . . . 10. Just as those against video games warn of addiction, they also suggest that children who play too much lose interest in other activities. Schoolwork can suffer. Players can miss out on friendship-making opportunities. Critics are saddened that children sit by themselves gaming rather than play with other kids creatively. 11. “Not so fast!” reply those who support gaming. They point out that many gamers play online with other players. Social opportunities abound in Internet competitions and game chat rooms. Teamwork and cooperation are required to compete in multiplayer games. 12. A 2008 Pew Research Institute study confirmed that a large percentage of gamers also play with other players in the same room. Their relationships extend outside of playing games together. And the same study showed that gamers tend to be more involved in politics and civic activities than non-gamers. 13. So, now you know some facts supporting both sides of the debate. They should help you decide how much gaming you want to do!

Use what you’ve read in the passage to answer this question.

In this article, you have read about the pros and cons of video gaming in three different areas—physical, mental, and social. Choose one of these areas and summarize the points made for and against gaming.

Answer 1

Answer:

yes.it is healthful also and harmful also