1. Read the article and choose the best description.

(Đọc bài báo và chọn mô tả đúng.)

1. The text aims to persuade people to watch and read less news because it can have an impact on how you feel.

2. The text aims to inform people about the potential negative effects of watching and reading the news and what you can do about this.

3. The text aims to recommend the best way to read or watch the news so that you do not feel anxious or worried.

Is the news good for you?

Keeping up with what is happening in the world is generally seen as an essential part of being a well-informed and educated citizen. Watching, listening to or reading the news can satisfy our curiosity, make us think, help us make choices and even avoid danger. However, people are increasingly wondering if staying up to date with what is going on is good for us.

The frequency, speed and way we access news has completely changed over the past few decades. Whereas previously most newspapers were published daily and TV and radio news broadcasts were limited, now we are constantly bombarded with news from all sides; we have 24-hour news channels. Online newspapers are updated many times a day, with 'breaking news' posts that follow events in real time.

The content of news reports is almost always negative. Throughout history, our survival has depended on noticing threats and avoiding danger, so the human brain is hard-wired to seek out information that is frightening or alarming, a concept known as ' negativity bias*'. We pay more attention to negative things because that kept us alive in the past and this is reflected in the news we consume. In addition, because people now use smartphones to record events live, the news we see has become far more graphic and shocking.

Recent studies have shown that our news habits have disadvantages for our physical and emotional health. In one survey, over 50 percent of Americans reported that the news caused them stress and anxiety, often causing tiredness or poor sleep. Research by psychology expert Graham Davey has also proved that watching terrible or sad news on TV can worsen people's moods and make them worry more about their own lives. Clearly, being exposed to this ever-increasing bad news can make us feel less positive and affect our health.

While it is true that staying aware and informed is not a bad thing, we should not forget that we have a choice, not only about how much news we consume, but equally importantly about the kind of news we want to see.

2. Read the text and decide if the statements are true or false. Circle True or False.

(Đọc bài khóa và quyết định xem các phát biểu sau là đúng hay sai. Khoanh Đúng hoặc Sai.)

1. People start to question if staying up to date with current events is beneficial. (True / False)

2. The accessibility of news has remained unchanged over the past few decades. (True / False)

3. The human brain is naturally inclined to pay more attention to positive news rather than negative news. (True / False)

4. News reports today contain many visuals due to the use of smartphone. (True / False)

5. Recent studies have indicated that reading news can have negative effects cm both physical and emotional health. (True / False)

6. Individuals have the right to control over the amount and type of news they choose to access.

(True / False)