Technology in Daily Life
FoundationDevices help us learn and connect, but use them with time limits, good posture and good manners to stay healthy.
- Tablets, phones and computers help us learn and connect.
- Keep daily screen time to about an hour; rest every half hour.
- Sit upright and keep the screen away from the eyes.
文體小知識：說明文把知識講得清清楚楚。這一篇教你正確、有禮貌地使用電子產品，保護眼睛和身體。
§Text Passage
1Tablets, phones, computers and televisions are electronic products we see every day. They have screens and electronic parts and work with electricity; they are tools designed and made by scientists and engineers. Watching educational videos, listening to stories and drawing on them makes learning fun; video calls let us see and hear far-away family members — communication is so easy.
2However, we must use electronic products the right way. First, control the time: keep daily screen time within about an hour, and rest every thirty minutes by looking at distant trees and the sky to relax the eyes. Agree on the time with your family before you start, and stop by yourself when the time is up.
3Second, keep a good posture: sit on a chair with a backrest, back straight and feet flat; keep the screen a proper distance from the eyes, and never lie on the desk or in bed to watch the screen. Looking down at a screen for a long time makes the eyes tired and dry, aches the neck and shoulders, and may harm eyesight.
4Using screens before bedtime keeps the brain awake and makes sleep poor; sitting still with less exercise weakens the body too. Some children get hooked on games, skip homework, fall behind in school, and argue with family more. So we must use electronic products with self-control — only then are they our good helpers.
5Using electronic products also needs good manners: put down the tablet and phone at meals and eat and chat with the family; in the library, the cinema and on buses, turn the volume down or use earphones so you do not disturb others. When everyone uses devices politely, they bring convenience and joy to life.
1Summary 重點摘要
Devices help us learn and connect, but use them with time limits, good posture and good manners to stay healthy.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Products that work with electricity, such as tablets and phones.
A handheld device with a touchscreen.
The surface that shows pictures and words.
The time spent using screens each day; keep it limited.
The way we hold our body; sit upright when using devices.
The ability of the eyes to see; too much screen time can harm it.
To stop and relax so the body recovers.
Polite ways of behaving, such as keeping the volume low in public.
An agreement everyone makes and follows, such as screen rules.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Electronic products around usLook around — our life is full of electronic products: tablets, phones, computers, televisions and smart watches. They have screens and electronic parts and work when powered. They are tools designed and made by scientists and engineers to help people work, learn and communicate. Think: which electronic products did you use today, and what did you do with them? Electronic products are very useful, but only correct use makes them our good helpers.
- Step 2: For learning and communicationThe greatest use of electronic products is helping us learn and communicate. On a tablet we watch educational videos about animals and planets; on a computer we draw, listen to stories and do English exercises, so learning becomes fun. Video calls let us see and hear relatives far away; in an emergency, a phone reaches an adult quickly. Remember, though, that devices are tools: use them with an adult's permission, choose suitable content, and use them for learning and keeping in touch — not for endless play.
- Step 3: Limit the timeThe first rule of correct use is controlling time. Children should not use screens for too long — about an hour a day is enough; every thirty minutes, stop and rest a while, looking at distant trees and the sky to relax the eyes. Before watching TV or playing on a tablet, agree on the time with your family, and stop by yourself when time is up to build self-discipline. With time under control, devices help learning; without control, they harm health and homework.
- Step 4: Keep a good posturePosture matters when using electronic products. Sit on a chair with a backrest, back straight and both feet flat on the floor; keep the screen a proper distance from the eyes; never lie on the desk or in bed to watch the screen, and do not watch for long in a shaking bus. Eyes too close to the screen become dry and tired; a neck bent forward for long aches. Remember: sit upright in good light with the screen a little below eye level — only then does the body stay healthy.
- Step 5: The effects of using screens too longLooking at screens for too long affects the body in many ways: the eyes become tired and dry and eyesight may worsen, needing glasses; the neck and shoulders ache from bending down; using screens before bed keeps the brain awake, so sleep is poor; sitting still with little exercise weakens the body. Some children get hooked on games, skip homework, fall behind, and even quarrel with family more. Knowing these effects helps us see why limiting screen time matters so much.
- Step 6: Good manners with devicesUsing electronic products needs manners too. Put down the tablet and phone at meals; eat and chat with the family. When someone talks to you, do not keep your eyes on the screen — that is impolite. In the library, the cinema and on public transport, turn the volume down or use earphones, speak softly on calls, and do not disturb others; keep the sound low when watching videos and playing games too. When everyone follows these manners, devices bring convenience and joy instead of trouble.
5Worked example Example
Example: At dinner, Ming watches videos on his tablet and ignores Mum and Dad. What is wrong, and how can the family improve?
- Mealtimes are for family talk; using a tablet while eating distracts him, can make him choke, and upsets the family.
- Staring at a screen for a long time tires the eyes and harms appetite and digestion.
- The right way: put the tablet aside at meals, eat attentively, and share school stories with Mum and Dad.
- The family can set screen rules: no devices at meals, at most one hour a day, and none in the hour before bed.
- Answer: Ming was wrong to use his tablet at dinner — it is impolite and unhealthy. He should put devices away at meals and talk with his family. The family can set screen rules: limited time each day, and no screens at meals or before bed.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How often should we rest when using screens?
Q2What happens to the eyes after long screen time?
Q3What should we do at mealtimes?
Q4How should we sit when using a tablet?
Q5What must we watch out for when using a phone in the library?
8Recap Recap
- Tablets, phones and computers help us learn and connect.
- Keep daily screen time to about an hour; rest every half hour.
- Sit upright and keep the screen away from the eyes.
- Long screen time tires the eyes, aches the neck and spoils sleep.
- Have manners at meals and in public — never disturb others.