①Next time you're in a public place, take a look around you, and count how many people are using their mobile phones. I can tell you now that it is probably more than half, whether you're on public transport, in a café or simply walking down the street. With the development of technology, we can now do almost anything on the mobile phones. How does the use of mobile phones affect(影响) the young? Do they really need mobile phones or not? Some British parents, teachers and teenagers give their opinions on this subject.
②Parents want their kids to be safe. Are teenagers safer with a mobile phone or without? William, a parent of two kids, says, "The great thing about my kids having mobile phones is that I can keep in touch with them. The worst thing about teenagers having phones is that some young people use them to send impolite messages to each other." Some parents have rules about their children's mobile phone and internet usage. If they break the rules, their phones will be kept by their parents.
③In the UK, students can take their mobile phones to school, but they are not allowed to use them in class. Some teachers complain(抱怨) that students don't always follow the rules. They don't listen carefully in class because they are using their phones to surf the internet, chat with friends or so on. As for the students, most of them think phones are part of their lives. They can keep in touch with family and friends, and they can take photos, keep important information and surf the internet, which is very convenient(方便). Some consider phones as a kind of fashion (时尚) and they don't want others to see them as "out" or "different".
④It's true that mobile phones have become a symbol of the modern life. This form of technology makes teenagers' life much more convenient, but if teenagers depend too much on them, it can lead to serious problems. Increasingly scientists are saying that everyone needs a break from mobile phones — put them away and experience "the real life". In fact, it can be very easy—next time when you go out with friends, put all of your phones in the middle of the table. Whoever touches his phone first has to pay the bill!
⑤Indeed, the convenience brought by mobile phones is great, but don't let your phone become more important than the "real" people in your "real" life.
