How Social Media Shapes Our Opinions

Review – Social Media and Staying Connected

When you want to continue communicating with someone, you try to ______ in touch.

A conversation with someone using video online is a ______ ______.

A conversation with several people in messages is called a ______ ______.

When you send a short text to someone online, you send a ______.

When people share news about their lives online, they post ______.

GRAMMAR FOCUS: because / so / therefore

We use because, so, and therefore to explain reasons and results.

Because explains the reason.

So explains the result.

Therefore is a more formal way to show a result.

Examples:

People share opinions online because they want others to agree.

Many people saw the post, so the discussion became popular.

The topic was very interesting. Therefore, many people commented.

Practice:

1. I read different opinions online ______ I want to understand the topic better.

2. The topic was controversial. ______, many people discussed it.

3.  Many people shared the post, ______ it became very popular.

FIXED PHRASES

Make up your mind (It’s important to make up your mind after hearing different opinions.)

Use: to decide what you believe or think

SK: rozhodnúť sa

See someone’s point of view (I understand his opinion because I can see his point of view.)

Use: when you understand another person’s opinion

SK: pochopiť pohľad niekoho

Be influenced by something (Many people are influenced by what they see online.)

Use: when something affects your opinion

SK: byť ovplyvnený niečím

SOCIAL MEDIA VOCABULARY

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS (WITH EXAMPLE ANSWERS)

1. Do you think social media influences people’s opinions?

Yes, I think people often change their views after seeing many posts online.

2. Do you read opinions on social media?

Yes, sometimes I read comments and posts from different people.

3. Do you follow pages that discuss news or ideas?

Yes, I follow a few pages that share articles and opinions.

4. Do you think people trust social media too much?

Sometimes, because information spreads very quickly.

5. Have you ever changed your opinion after reading something online?

Yes, sometimes new information helps me see a different perspective.

6. Do you enjoy reading discussions about important topics?

Sometimes, especially when people share interesting ideas.

7. Do you prefer reading opinions or sharing your own?

I usually prefer reading what others think.

8. Do you think social media shows many different perspectives?

Yes, you can often see many opinions about the same topic.

9. Is it important to think critically about what we read online?

Yes, because not everything online is accurate.

10. What is one rule you follow when reading opinions online?

I try to read different perspectives before deciding what I think.

CONVERSATION QUESTIONS (FOR COPYING)

1. Do you think social media influences people’s opinions?

2. Do you read opinions on social media?

3. Do you follow pages that discuss news or ideas?

4. Do you think people trust social media too much?

5. Have you ever changed your opinion after reading something online?

6. Do you enjoy reading discussions about important topics?

7. Do you prefer reading opinions or sharing your own?

8. Do you think social media shows many different perspectives?

9. Is it important to think critically about what we read online?

10. What is one rule you follow when reading opinions online?