Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
the ARTICLE (for teachers)
Social Hermits
Do social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter make people more social? Or do these
sites make people become loners? Of course, social networking sites let people stay in
contact, which is especially helpful in the busy world of today.
Social networking offers positives. For example, the various sites and apps help people
keep in contact with "proximity friends." These are people who are or were physically close
but not personally close, such as former classmates and colleagues, parents of the children
your kids play with in the neighborhood, and friends of friends. We might send these
people holiday or birthday cards, or call with congratulations of a wedding or a newborn.
However, face-to-face contact is quite rare. There is the feeling of contact, but it may be
superficial and achieved through emails and instant messages. The contact might not be
deep and rich, even if many people know more small details about one another.
People "talk" with one another more frequently, but they meet in person less frequently. So
let's return to the original question: Are people becoming social hermits?
Teacher's Notes:
* Underlined words in red typeface are the recommended vocabulary for this lesson.
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
WARM-UPS
Select one or all of the following warm-up activities.
1: Define: What does "hermit" mean? Can you use it in a sentence? Can you give
examples?
2: Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner words and ideas for "social networking" for two
minutes. Next, talk about the words and ideas for five minutes.
3: Title: Today's article is: "Social Hermits." What will you read about?
4: Do you agree or disagree? Why?
a.
My schedule is busier than ever these days.
b.
I couldn't live without email.
c.
I couldn't live without social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Friendships are less important these days.
Friendships are not very deep these days.
d.
e.
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
VOCABULARY
Select one of the following vocabulary acquisition activities.
1: Vocabulary match: Individually or in pairs/groups, match the words in column A (from
the article) with the best choice in column B.
a. loner
b. offer
u. give
c. proximity
d. colleague
w. coworker
e. rare
f. superficial
y.
v.
shallow
x. uncommon
hermit
z. closeness
2: Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
superficial
offers
loners
colleagues
proximity
rare
a. Do these social networking sites make people become (
)?
b. Social networking (
) positives.
c. The sites and apps help people keep in contact with "(
d. These are people who are former classmates and (
e. However, face-to-face contact is quite (
f.
It may be (
) friends."
).
).
) and achieved through emails and instant messages.
3: Define: Look in your dictionary for each word. Write the definition, correctly pronounce
the word, and give an example sentence to the class.
a. loner:
b. offer:
c. proximity:
d. colleague:
e. rare:
f.
superficial:
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
WORD RECOGNITION
These activities are optional. They reinforce vocabulary and increase reading speed.
1: Word Search: Find only the target words (in bold). Time yourself, and see how long it
takes to find all the words.
superficial
colleagues
offers
proximity
Q
Z
O
Z
M
L
I
C
U
S
S
U
T
B
Q
D
L
A
B
O
J
S
G
E
V
U
P
T
P
M
S
J
V
N
X
M
W
U
K
V
P
I
R
U
C
W
U
E
Y
P
G
G
O
P
V
E
Y
P
O
F
E
R
P
B
I
E
Y
F
R
Y
R
A
L
J
O
S
Y
R
E
A
V
T
F
G
T
F
Q
B
Y
G
loners
rare
P
B
T
L
R
U
I
R
G
P
I
I
W
X
J
M
Y
L
M
Q
F
M
E
P
E
C
X
Q
Z
B
Q
O
G
V
I
R
I
S
F
H
I
L
L
C
K
C
B
N
Z
I
X
X
C
R
A
A
P
T
Y
V
S
R
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F
F
O
O
A
A
A
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Y
W
N
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D
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V
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P
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P
K
P
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X
K
D
F
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J
B
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W
Z
M
A
M
X
N
A
G
L
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C
O
L
L
E
A
G
U
E
S
2: Target Word Pool: Find only the target words (in bold) with their exact match. Time
yourself, and see how long it takes to find all the words.
superficial
colleagues
offers
proximity
loners
rare
prolific
rarely
superficialness
collegiate
superficial
longing
proxy
rare
college
offering
proximities
offers
rear
offered
super
proximity
loners
rarity
loner
colleges
fiscal
colleagues
offends
alone
colleague
proximal
superficially
lonely
arreras
offer
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
pre- or post-COMPREHENSION
Select one or more activity to direct students before the article is read, or to check
understanding after the article is read.
1: Brainstorm Questions: Brainstorm questions that you would like to ask about today's
topic. Answer a partner the questions. He shouldn't look at the article when he answers.
2: True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) if the sentence is
true or false. If false, correct the sentence.
a. People have become busier these days, so face-to-face contact is difficult.
T/F
b. "Proximity friends" are people to whom you're close physically and personally.
c. It's common to send congratulations to proximity friends.
T/F
d. The information people know more about one another is deep and rich.
e. People talk with one another online and face to face because of Facebook.
T/F
T/F
T/F
3: Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.
a. What two questions does the article initially ask?
b. According to the article, who are "proximity friends?"
c. How do we keep in contact with proximity friends?
d. Because of networking sites, why is it easier to know about people?
e. Why are there quotation marks around "talk" in the last paragraph?
4: Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence.
a. Do social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter make...
b. For example, the various sites and apps help people...
c. The contact might not be deep and rich, even if...
d. So let's return to the original question...
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
post-COMPREHENSION
Select one or more activity to discuss the contents of the article.
1: Vocabulary: Circle any other unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use
your dictionaries to understand these words. Write an example sentence for each one.
2: Class Questions: Read through the article once more, and write down any questions
that you would like to talk about in pairs/groups or as a class. Answer the questions.
3: Summarize: Work with a partner to summarize the article in your own words.
4: Discuss: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your
answers and ask more questions with your partner.
a. Did you like this article? Why/not?
b. Have you (or do you) use social networking sites? If yes, talk about the pluses.
c. Have you (or do you) use social networking sites? If yes, talk about the minuses.
d. Are people better or worse communicators because of social network sites?
e. What is a social hermit? What images or ideas does this phrase raise?
f.
How might social networking sites be used for business or education?
5: Discuss: How can social networking sites be beneficial to society? Talk with a partner
and brainstorm five possible reasons. Share your ideas with another pair of students.
Reason #1:
Reason #2:
Reason #3:
Reason #4:
Reason #5:
6: Google Search: Type "social networking" into Google news and read additional articles
on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (the article)
Social Hermits
Do social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter make people more social? Or do these
sites make people become loners? Of course, social networking sites let people stay in
contact, which is especially helpful in the busy world of today.
Social networking offers positives. For example, the various sites and apps help people
keep in contact with "proximity friends." These are people who are or were physically close
but not personally close, such as former classmates and colleagues, parents of the children
your kids play with in the neighborhood, and friends of friends. We might send these
people holiday or birthday cards, or call with congratulations of a wedding or a newborn.
However, face-to-face contact is quite rare. There is the feeling of contact, but it may be
superficial and achieved through emails and instant messages. The contact might not be
deep and rich, even if many people know more small details about one another.
People "talk" with one another more frequently, but they meet in person less frequently. So
let's return to the original question: Are people becoming social hermits?
Notes:
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (fill in the blank)
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
colleagues
superficial
proximity
rare
offers
frequently
loners
especially
details
congratulations
Social Hermits
Do social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter make people more social? Or do
these sites make people become (a. _______________)? Of course, social networking
sites let people stay in contact, which is (b. _______________) helpful in the busy world
of today.
Social networking (c. _______________) positives. For example, the various sites and
apps help people keep in contact with "(d. _______________) friends." These are
people who are or were physically close but not personally close, such as former
classmates and (e. _______________), parents of the children your kids play with in the
neighborhood, and friends of friends. We might send these people holiday or birthday
cards, or call with (f. _______________) of a wedding or a newborn.
However, face-to-face contact is quite (g. _______________). There is the feeling of
contact, but it may be (h. _______________) and achieved through emails and instant
messages. The contact might not be deep and rich, even if many people know more
small (i. _______________) about one another.
People "talk" with one another more (j. _______________), but they meet in person
less frequently. So let's return to the original question: Are people becoming social
hermits?
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
STUDENT HANDOUT (extended listening)
Listen and fill in the missing sentences. Compare your answers with a partner, and
then listen once more.
Social Hermits
Do social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter make people more social? Or do these
sites make people become loners? Of course, a) _________________________________
_____________________, which is especially helpful in the busy world of today.
Social networking offers positives. For example, the various sites and apps help people
keep in contact with "proximity friends." b) _______________________________________
________________, such as former classmates and colleagues, parents of the children
your kids play with in the neighborhood, and friends of friends. We might send these
people holiday or birthday cards, or call with congratulations of a wedding or a newborn.
However, face-to-face contact is quite rare. There is the feeling of contact,
c) _______________________________________________________. The contact might
not be deep and rich, even if many people know more small details about one another.
People "talk" with one another more frequently, but they meet in person less frequently. So
let's return to the original question: Are people becoming social hermits?
Sentence #1:
Sentence #2:
Sentence #3:
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Social Hermits
Lower-Intermediate
ANSWERS
Vocabulary
1: Vocabulary Match:
2: Fill in the Blanks:
a. y
a. loners
b. u
b. offers
c.
c.
z
proximity
d. w
d. colleagues
e. x
e. rare
f.
f.
v
superficial
pre- or post-Comprehension
1. True or False:
2. Fragments:
a.
T
a.
people more social?
b.
F
b.
keep in contact with "proximity friends."
c.
T
c.
many people know more small details about one another.
d.
F
d.
Are people becoming social hermits?
e.
F
Student Handout
1: Fill in the Blanks:
a. loners
f.
b. especially
g. rare
c.
h. superficial
offers
congratulations
d. proximity
i.
details
e. colleagues
j.
frequently
2: Extended Listening:
a. social networking sites let people stay in contact
b. These are people who are or were physically close but not personally close
c.
but it may be superficial and achieved through emails and instant messages
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