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 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 knees 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?
1.Which of the following computer games are NOT mentioned as educational and harmlessly entertaining?（ ）
2.According to the investigators,（ ）.
3.It can be inferred from the passage that （ ）.
4.The author uses “television advertising” as an example to show that （ ）.
