BBC 6 Minute English | IS A GAME JUST A GAME? | English CC | Daily Liste...

source: Daily Listening    2016年9月24日
0:07 Did you have a good weekend?
0:08 Yeah, it was OK thanks although, you know, I'm a bit tired now.
0:12 Why's that?
0:13 It's a bit embarrassing but I stayed up all night playing a computer game.
0:19 All night?!
0:20 You must be addicted.
0:21 Addicted, by the way, means unable to stop doing something.
0:25 Well, maybe today's programme might have some advice for me.
0:29 That's right.
0:30 Today we're discussing whether computer games are bad for our health - and in particular
0:33 - bad for children.
0:34 OK, Rob, why don't you wake me up a little bit by asking me today's quiz question?
0:40 OK - here goes.
0:42 In America, what percentage of people who play computer games are female?
0:46 Is it... a) 28%
0:49 b) 38% or c) 48%
0:52 Well, I do know a few female gamers so how about b) 38%.
0:58 OK, right.
0:59 Go for the middle option?
1:02 We'll find out if that's the right answer later on.
1:04 OK, so what kind of computer games do you like to play, Finn?
1:07 Well, I quite like those role-playing games.
1:11 You know, the fantasy role-playing games.
1:13 OK, well, role playing is where you create your own characters and stories in a fantasy
1:16 - or imaginary - world.
1:18 But, to be honest, those kind of games aren't really up my alley - which means they're not
1:22 really suited to my tastes or abilities.
1:25 Any other kind of games you like, Finn?
1:26 Yeah, I also quite like shoot-'em-up games.
1:31 These are games where you have to do a lot of shooting and there's a lot of violence.
1:35 It's funny because you don't strike me as a violent person, Finn.
1:38 I'm not, at all.
1:39 I wouldn't hurt a fly, Rob!
1:41 But maybe shooting people on a computer screen seems a bit more harmless.
1:45 OK.
1:46 And not to hurt a fly means to be gentle and unwilling to make people unhappy.
1:51 And harmless means unlikely to hurt or upset anyone.
1:54 Well, let's hear Internet safety advisor Alan MacKenzie discussing how adult computer games
2:00 can have a negative effect on children.
2:02 Many people understandably will just think that a game is just a game and not realising
2:09 the explicit content that's in there - and as you suggest, the violence and sexualisation
2:13 of women in particular, which is wholly inappropriate for anybody, never mind children.
2:18 Well, you know, if you want my opinion, Rob, a game is just a game.
2:22 It's generally a harmless form of entertainment.
2:26 What do you think?
2:27 I'm torn, actually - meaning I'm unable to decide.
2:31 Most people, like you Finn, probably aren't affected by what you see in computer games.
2:36 But we can't ignore the small percentage of people who are affected.
2:40 Well, that's true really, isn't it, Rob?
2:43 And whilst playing computer games all night doesn't make me violent, it certainly makes
2:48 me very tired!
2:49 I can see that.
2:51 But also Finn - when do you and your wife actually talk to each other - when you're
2:54 in your own computer fantasy world for hours on end?
2:57 Yeah, it's not great, is it?
3:00 And for hours on end means a long time, by the way!
3:04 So, I don't know.
3:06 Maybe if she played as well, then we could have some virtual conversations...
3:10 Well, that sounds ridiculous!
3:12 But let's move on.
3:13 Alan talks about explicit content in games.
3:16 What does that mean?
3:17 That means showing things in an open and direct way.
3:21 So some adult games contain open violence and sexualisation.
3:26 And shall we explain what sexualisation means?
3:29 Yes.
3:30 It means making someone or something sexual - and in this case, women.
3:35 This might be through the shape of a woman's body, or the clothes she wears, or the way
3:39 she behaves in these games.
3:42 Alan says this type of explicit content - violent or sexual - is inappropriate for computer
3:47 games.
3:48 And inappropriate means not the right thing for a particular situation.
3:52 And he is worried about children accessing this type of content.
3:57 Let's hear more from him.
3:58 What advice does he give?
4:00 So it's a matter of educating the parents and the wider community in these issues, and
4:06 making them aware of the type of content that's in there, and why it's inappropriate, and
4:10 the effects that it may be having on their children and their behaviour.
4:13 Alan thinks it's the responsibility of parents and the wider community - now that means other
4:19 groups of people, such as friends, relatives and teachers for example - to check on what
4:25 children are viewing and playing.
4:28 But this will only work if they understand which types of content are OK and which aren't.
4:33 That's right.
4:34 So the adults need educating too.
4:36 They need to be shown.
4:37 Yes, that's right.
4:38 So I'll be checking on your behaviour from now on, Finn!
4:42 OK, That's probably a good idea.
4:44 So, let's hear the answer to today's quiz question next.
4:47 Yes and I asked you, in America, what percentage of people who play computer games are female?
4:54 Is it... a) 28% b) 38% or c) 48%?
4:58 And I went for the middle option, as usual, and I said b) 38%.
5:05 And you are wrong, this time Finn!
5:07 The answer is actually c) 48%.
5:09 Are you surprised by that?
5:12 Yes and no.
5:13 I think a lot more people are playing games in general, so lots of them must be women.
5:17 Absolutely.
5:18 Why not?
5:19 OK, shall we now listen to the words we learned today?
5:22 Good idea.
5:23 We heard: addicted
5:26 fantasy up your alley
5:30 shoot 'em up not to hurt a fly
5:36 harmless for hours on end
5:41 explicit content sexualisation
5:46 inappropriate wider community