The teenagers so addicted to cell phones, they're going to detox centers

 

Target Skills: Vocabulary, Listening, Reading, Comprehension, Conversation

 

Vocabulary

 

Addiction /əˈdikSH(ə)n/ /əˈdɪkʃ(ə)n/

The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.

Example: He committed the theft to finance his drug addiction

Example: An addiction to gambling

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Overdependence /ˌōvərdiˈpendəns/ /ˌoʊvərdɪˈpɛndəns

Dependence to an excessive degree.

Example: Overdependence on the tourism sector

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Consequence /ˈkänsikwəns/ /ˈkɑnsɪkwəns/

A result or effect of an action or condition.

Example: Many have been laid off from work as a consequence of the administration's policies

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Decline /dəˈklīn/ /dəˈklaɪn/

A gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, quality, or value.

Example:  a serious decline in bird numbers

Example: a civilization in decline

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Last resort

A final course of action, used only when all else has failed.

Example: asking them to leave the school should be a last resort’

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Let’s read the article together!

 

It was 4 a.m. when 16-year-old Yoo Chae-rin realized she had been on her phone for 13 hours. In less than three hours, she had to be up for school.

The South Korean high school student knew she had a problem, so she enrolled in a government-run camp for teenagers who can't put their phones down. South Korea has one of the highest ownership of smartphones in the world. More than 98% of South Korean teens used one in 2018, according to government figures -- and many are showing signs of addiction.

 

Last year, around 30% of South Korean children aged 10 to 19 were classed as "overdependent" on their phones, according to the Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology (MSIT). That means they experienced "serious consequences" due to their smartphone use, including a decline in self-control.

 

It's those children -- like Yoo -- who qualify for a place on government-run camps to treat internet addiction. The program started in 2007 and expanded in 2015 to include smartphones.

 

This year, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family held 16 camps across the country for about 400 middle and high school students. For some parents, it was a last resort.

However, Yoo is not sure how effective the detox was for her fellow campers. According to psychiatrist Dr. Lee Jae-won, the camp's long term benefits depend on how willing the teenagers are to change their habits. Those who still can't control their need to use smartphones after the camp may need to seek medical help, he said.

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