There are over 6,000 different computer and online games in
the world now. A segment of them are considered to be both educational and
harmlessly entertaining. One such game teaches geography, and another trains
pilots. Others train the player in the logical thinking and problem solving.
Some games may also help young people to become more computer literate, which is
more important in this technology-driven era. But the dark side
of the computer games has become more and more obvious. "A segment of games
features anti-social themes of violence, sex and crude language," says David
Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and Family. "Unfortunately,
it’s a segment that seems particularly popular with kids aged eight to
fifteen." One study showed that almost 80 percent of the
computer and online games young people preferred contained violence. The
investigators said "These are not just games anymore. These are learning
machines. We’re teaching kids in the most incredible manner what it’s like to
pull the trigger. What they are not learning are the real-life
consequences." They also said "The new and more sophisticated
games are even worse, because they have better graphics and allow the player to
participate in even more realistic violent acts." In the game Carmageddon, for
example, the player will have driven over and killed up to 33,000 people by the
time all levels are completed. A description of the outcome of the game says:
"Your victims not only squish under your tires and splatter blood on the
windshield, they also get on their knee and beg for mercy, or commit suicide. If
you like, you can also dismember them." Is all this
simulated violence harmful Approximately 3,000 different studies have been
conducted on this subject. Many have suggested that there is a connection
between violence in games and increased aggressiveness in the players.
Some specialists downplay the influence of the games, saying that other
factors must be taken into consideration, such as the possibility that kids who
already have violent tendencies are choosing such games. But could it be that
violent games still play a contributing role It seems unrealistic to insist
that people are not influenced by what they see. If that were true, why would
the commercial world spend billions of dollars annually for television
advertising Which of the following computer games is NOT mentioned as educational
and harmlessly entertaining
A. Those that help people learn more about computers.
B. Those that teach the features of the earth.
C. Those that provide special training for writers online.
D. Those that provide special training for pilots.