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Living in the online world 線上生活
Tuesday, Apr 04, 2006,Page 14
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Contestants participate in a video game tournament in New York.
競賽者參加紐約的電玩大賽。 (照片：美聯社)
PHOTO: AP
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Twelve friends set a date to meet for a bit of fun. Everybody made it, but there were no handshakes or hugs because they were not in the same place. These friends were less interested in face-to-face contact than in competing against each other through the computer.
The growing popularity of online computer games has changed the way people spend time together. It's now possible to have good friends that you've never met in person.
Unlike traditional computer games, online ones involve more than just computers and software. A big part of their appeal is playing against the real people who control the characters they play with in the online world. "The real thrill of an online game is that you are undertaking something with other people instead of working through a computer game alone," explains one player, who calls himself Galhara.
However, even if you are friends with someone online, that doesn't mean you will be friends in real life too. "At some point or another we had a ... get-together, with players really meeting each other -- it was a truly odd experience," remembers online gamer Tanja Hohmann. Galhara also prefers the anonymity of online friendships. "Because you're not seeing who's on the other side of the connection, you're not influenced by prejudices."
However, some people cross the line and spend all their time in the online world, which can have bad results. "When people spend more and more time in the (online) world, then in some cases there is a danger that they (forget) how to engage in real contact," says Juergen Fritz, a professor researching these issues at the Technical College of Cologne. (DPA)
十二位好友敲定日期，要一起找樂子。每個人都到了，但卻沒有握手或擁抱，因為他們不在同一個地點。這幾個朋友對於面對面接觸不感興趣，反而比較喜歡透過電腦來比賽。
線上遊戲日益風行，已經改變了人們相處的模式。現在，與從未謀面的人結為好友並非不可能的事。
不像傳統的電玩，線上遊戲不只牽涉到電腦與軟體而已。線上遊戲有一大部分的魅力在於，在線上的虛擬世界，你可以與控制角色的真人較勁。自稱為蓋哈啦的玩家解釋：「線上遊戲真正刺激的是，你可以與別人一起體驗，而不是獨自一人打電玩。」
不過，就算你與某人是線上戰友，不代表你們在現實生活中就會成為朋友。線上玩家譚雅．荷曼回憶說：「某方面來說，我們??真的遇到並肩作戰的玩家，這真的是奇特的經驗。」蓋哈啦也偏愛線上交友的匿名方式。「由於你見不到另一頭是誰在線上，你就不會受偏見影響。」
不過，也有人玩過了火，終日沉溺在線上世界，導致不良結果。研究這些議題的科隆科技學院教授榮根．佛瑞茲說：「當人們花愈來愈多時間上網，有時會有（忘記）如何與人接觸的危險。」
（德通社／翻譯：賴美君）
| Today's words 今日單字 |
1. make it v. phr.
做得到 (zuo4 de5 dao4)；來得及 (lai2 de5 ji2)
例： I won't be able to make it to your house until 9am.
（我早上九點才能到你家。 ）
2. in person adv. phr.
親自 (qin1 zi4)
例：Taroko Gorge looks beautiful in photographs, but it is even more impressive to see in person.
（太魯閣峽谷的照片很美，但親眼所見更覺得美不勝收。）
3. get-together n.
聚會 (ju4 hui4)
例：I invited my friends to my house for a get-together on Friday.
（我邀請朋友週五來家裡聚聚。）
4. anonymity n.
匿名 (ni4 ming2)
例：Being famous might be great at first, but you will probably end up missing the anonymity you had before.
（成名一開始或許很棒，但你最後可能會懷念以前的默默無名。） |
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Reading Comprehension
閱讀測驗 |
1. Because of the growing popularity of online games ...
a. people don't know how to make friends anymore.
b. the way some people spend time together has changed.
c. people never meet face-to-face.
2. What is the big appeal of online computer games?
a. They are cheaper than traditional video games.
b. You play against the computer.
c. You play with other people.
3. People who are friends online ...
a. never know what the other person looks like.
b. always use fake names.
c. might not like each other in real life.
4. What is the danger of living in the online world?
a. You might be influenced by prejudices.
b. You might forget how to interact in the real world.
c. You won't be able to make any friends. |
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