Cyber security

Uses of the Internet

The internet has become an essential part of our daily life, especially for young people. It is a vast source of information. Students can search for notes, watch educational videos, join online classes and prepare for exams at home. It also helps us to communicate quickly and cheaply through email, social media and video calls, so that we can stay in touch with friends and relatives living far away.

Besides study and communication, the internet offers many other benefits. We can shop, pay bills, book tickets and bank online without going out. It also provides entertainment such as music, films and games, and opens job opportunities through freelancing and online work. However, we must use it wisely. Spending too much time on social media or visiting harmful sites wastes time and can be dangerous. In my opinion, the internet is a boon if used carefully and for a good purpose.

A. Fill in the gaps

(i) Generally a safe is used for keeping valuable possessions.

(ii) Internet and modern life are intertwined with each other.

(iii) As far as online safety is concerned, children are considered to be one of the vulnerable groups.

(iv) Combination of letters, numbers and special characters make the password complicated and hard to guess.

(v) The text suggests that we should keep the password in a/an encrypted document on our computer.

B. Answers

(i) The purpose of using a lock is to make our home secure (and, likewise, to protect things such as a bike from being stolen).

(ii) The more accounts and devices we have online, the easier it becomes for criminals to access our personal information and take advantage of us.

(iii) Basic internet safety tips guide us to evaluate our online habits and make small changes so that our privacy and security on the internet are ensured.

(iv) We should use different IDs or password combinations for different accounts so that if one account is hacked, the others remain safe.

(v) The last paragraph is about creating, keeping and changing strong passwords safely, for example by combining letters, numbers and symbols, not sharing them and avoiding auto-login.

Use of Computers

Computers are electronic devices that have become very useful in modern days. They are used at home, in offices, businesses, hospitals, banks and schools. Computers make our work easy and fast. We can write documents, prepare reports and send emails with them. They can also store a large amount of data safely and let us find it quickly. In hospitals they help to keep patients' records and run machines, and in banks they manage accounts. Besides work, computers provide entertainment as we can watch films, listen to music and play games. Thus, computers are very useful for everyone in the present world.

Dialogue on the Misuse of Mobile Phones

Sita: Hello, Rita! You look tired today. What happened?

Rita: I stayed up late last night playing games on my mobile, Sita.

Sita: That is the problem. Many students misuse their phones. They waste hours on games and social media.

Rita: You are right. My marks have also fallen because I do not give enough time to my studies.

Sita: Some people even use phones while driving or share false news and private photos, which is dangerous.

Rita: I see. Then how can we use mobiles properly?

Sita: We should use them only for study, useful information and calling family, and set a time limit for entertainment.

Rita: Thank you for the advice. From today, I will switch off my phone after finishing my homework.

The Boy Addicted to Facebook

Ramesh was an intelligent boy who always stood first in his class. One day his friend helped him create a Facebook account. Soon he started chatting with his friends and uploading photos and videos. Gradually he became addicted to it and spent most of his time online. He neglected his studies and did not do his homework. As a result, he failed the exam. Ramesh felt very sad and realized his mistake. He decided to use social media only for a short time. He worked hard day and night and in the next exam he got better results. His parents and teachers were proud of him.

Moral: Too much of anything is bad.

A. True or False

a. False. He went in the car with his daughter, and he spoke to her when he returned. b. False. He was looking for a girl, the internet friend of his daughter. It was the girl's mother who was looking for a boy of thirteen. c. False. Dhruva was not there. He only heard the story from the narrator the next day. d. True. The mother had come with her daughter in a car before the narrator reached the place. e. True. Dhruva was the narrator's colleague and a friendly one, with whom he shared the story at lunch.

B. Answers

a. He saw a car with dark windows parked on the other side of the road.

b. They waited for about ten minutes.

c. According to Dhruva, the girl and her mother were in the other car.

d. The woman did not let her daughter get out because she saw only an old man with a big stomach and a bald head instead of the boy of thirteen she expected, and so she thought it was not safe.

e. The narrator was an old man with a big stomach and a bald head.