Information Overload PDF

you t ype the \vords 'info rmat ion overload' into Google, you \V i ii ~
If i mmediately get an info rrnat io n overload - mo re than 7 mi llion 11t

in 0.05 seconds. Some of thi s info rmat io n is interesting - for example.
you lea rn tha t the phrase 'info rmation overload' was fi rst used in 1970.
actually before the int ernet \Vas invented. But much of the information
is not relevant or useful: obscu re companies and even more obscure
5lo_ggers.
Information overload is one or the biggest irritations in modern life.

There are ne\vS and sports \vebsites to \Vatch. emails that need to be
ans\vered. people who wan t to cha t to you on line. and back in t he real
world. friends. fam ily. and colleagues who also have things to tell you.
At work, in fo rmati on overload is also causing proble1ns. A recent IS:1.J r~e~
has sho,v n that ma ny compan y 1n anagers believe that it has 1n ade t heir
jo bs less satisfying, and has even affected t heir persona l relat io nships
outside \VOrk. Some of them also t hink that it is bad fo r their health.
Clearly there is a problem. It is not only the increase in t he quantity

of information. it is also the fact that it is everywhere. not just in the
home and in the workplace. Many people today do not go any\vhere
3 READING & SPEAKING \Vithout their sma rtphones. There is no escape from the internet.
a Loo k at the title of the article. 'vVhat do you

think it 1neans? R ead the f irst paragraph to
ch eck.
b Now read the \vl1ole article. Choose a, b, or c.

I M any of t he m anagers surveyed think t har
as a result o f i nforn1arion overload .
a t hey have t o ' vork harder
b they enjoy t heir jobs less
c they ar c i ll more ofren
2 Scientists think rhar in forn1atio n overload
n1akes people
a nio rc anx ious b ur n1ore produc tive
b n1ore pro ductive bur less cr eative Scientists have h ighl ighted three big worri es Firstly, informatio n
overload can make people feel anxious: there is too 1nuch to do and
c n1ore stressed and less c reative
not enough time to do it. People end up multitasl<:jn . \vhich can make
3 One olurio n ro info r n1at ion overload them even more stressed. Secondly, information overload can make
\Vould be for people to spend le t in1e people less creative. Research shows that people are more likely to
a searching for info rmat ion be creative if they are allo\ved to focus on one thing for some time.
b u i ng t he i nternct wi thout interruptions. Thi rdly, information overload ca n make people
less productive People who multitask take much lo nger and make
c talk ing on the phone
ma ny more mista kes t han people who do the same t asks o ne after
c R ead the article again and \.vork o ut the another.
111eaning o f t he higlilighred \Vords and phrases
\\/hat can be done about information overload? One solution is
r el ated to the internet and t echno logy. technologica l: there is no\~' a computer program or app you can install
called Freedom. which disconnects you from the \veb at preset times
d D o you u ffer f r o m info rn1 atio n overl oad
The second solution involves \Villpower 6.filt'cruill your mobile phone
in your O\Vn Ii fe? Talk t o you r pa r tncr abo ut
and the internet from time to time. The manager of an IT company puts
ho \v in for 111atio n overload af fect d i f fer ent 'thinking time· into his Schedule. \VhCn all his electrQ.llli: ae.v jces are
parts of your Ii f e. S\vitched o ff so that he isn't d isturbed. This might sound like common
sense. But no\vadays. alth ough \Ve have more information than ever
your work your st udies
before. \Ve do not ahvays have enough common sense.
your social lif e your family li fe
Adapted from a news website
5 LISTENING & SPEAKING
• • .. .
a Look at the book cover and the book rev it:\v
in forn1ation. vVhar do you rhink the book is about?
HO\V do you th ink the three teenagers fee l?
The wise and hilarious story of a family who

discovered that having fewer tools to communicate
with actually led them to communicate more.
hen Susan Maushart first an.n~ unced her intention
W to pul l the plug on her family s entire collect ion
of electronic gadgets for six months her three kids didn't
react at all. Says Maushart, 'Looking back, I can understand
wby. They didn't hear m e.'
• The tit le is a play on word s. Shakespeare's play Richard Ill opens

with the famous phrase 'Now is the winter of our discontent...'
b 5 19 >)) Listen to Part 1 of a radio brea kfast sho\v

\vhcre the guest arc discussi11g the book. Ans\ver
questions 1- 6.
1 \Vhy did Susan Maushart decide to do the experimcnr?
2 \Vas it just her chi ldren \vho vverc spending too n1uch
ti int: using technology?
3 Vv'ho are 'd igi tal in11nigrants' and 'digita l natives'?
4 \Vhat gadgets did Susan Maushart's fan1ily have to
s'vitch off? \\' here?
S \\!hat ,,·ere they allo,,·ed to use?
'
6 I lo\v did she get the children to agree to the
experin1ent?
c 5 20 ))) Listen ro P a rt
2 . In general, \vas tht:
experi 1nent positive or negative? Why?
d Listen again and complete the sentences in your 0\\'11 f D iscuss the questions \Vith a partner.
\VOrds.
1 Have you ever had to live without the internet for
1 At the beginn ing the children con1plainec.l that. ..
a few days or more, e.g. when you were on holiday
2 Later they sta rted to ... somewhere? Did you miss it a lot? Why (not)?
3 Her son started to ... 2 Do you think Susan Maushart's experiment was a
4 Their n1other found it difficult to ... good idea? Why (not)?
5 Another negative thing \\·as rhar. .. 3 If you had to do the experiment , what do you
6 "fhey no\v have ne'v house rules, for example ... think you would miss the most? Why?
e 5 21 l)) No\v listen to Part 3 . What does each guest
say he / she \VOu Id m iss most if they had to do the
ex peri menr?
p Useful language
The thing I'd miss most is ...
I can't live without it because...
1 Sally I need I use it (for)...
I'm addic ted to it...
I depend on it (fo r)...
2 Andrew
3 Jenny
6 WRITING
4 Nick > p.120 Writing A magazine article - advantages and
disadvantages. \.Vrite an article about the advantages
and disadvantages of smart phones.

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you t ype the \vords 'info rmat ion overload' into Google, you \V i ii ~

If i mmediately get an info rrnat io n overload - mo re than 7 mi llion 11t

Information overload is one or the biggest irritations in modern life.

Clearly there is a problem. It is not only the increase in t he quantity

a Loo k at the title of the article. 'vVhat do you

b Now read the \vl1ole article. Choose a, b, or c.

The wise and hilarious story of a family who

• The tit le is a play on word s. Shakespeare's play Richard Ill opens

b 5 19 >)) Listen to Part 1 of a radio brea kfast sho\v

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