The Technology Trap: A Teenager's Journey

Pre-Reading Questions:
1. How much time do you spend using technology each day?
2. What types of technology do you use the most (games, social media, internet, movies)?
3. Do you think spending too much time on technology can affect your health? Why or why
not?

Story:
Once upon a time, there was a teenager named Alex. Like many teenagers, Alex loved spending
time on his phone, playing video games, scrolling through social media, and watching movies. He
could easily lose track of time, often spending hours each day on his devices. One evening, Alex’s
mom noticed that he had been glued to his phone for hours and said, “Alex, you’ve been on that
screen for too long today. Don’t you think you need a break?”
Alex looked up from his phone and shrugged. “It’s just a few games and social media posts. I’m
fine.” But his mom didn’t seem convinced. “I know you enjoy those things, but using technology
all the time can affect your health in ways you might not even realize.” Curious, Alex decided to
learn more about the effects of technology use. He sat down with his mom, and together they
started to read about the side effects of too much screen time. Alex was surprised to discover how
technology could impact his body, mind, and relationships.

The Physical Effects:

Alex had never thought about the physical problems caused by long hours in front of a screen.
He’d often felt sore after gaming for hours or scrolling through social media on his phone, but he
had brushed it off as normal. His mom showed him an article that explained how poor posture
from sitting for long periods could lead to back and neck pain. Alex read that eye strain and
headaches were also common issues for people who stared at screens too long. “I guess that
explains the headaches I’ve been getting,” he thought to himself.

The Sleep Problem:

Next, Alex learned about the connection between technology and sleep. His mom told him, “The
blue light from your phone or computer tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, which
makes it harder to fall asleep at night.” Alex remembered the nights he stayed up late watching
videos on YouTube. It was always so hard to fall asleep afterward. The article confirmed it—
spending too much time on screens before bed could seriously mess with your sleep cycle. Alex
thought about the 7 hours he spent on screens each day and wondered how much better he might
sleep if he reduced his screen time.

Mental Health and Social Media:

The next part of the article was about how social media affects mental health. Alex felt a bit
uncomfortable as he read. He had often compared himself to the pictures he saw on Instagram,
where everyone seemed to have perfect lives. Sometimes, after scrolling through social media,
he’d feel a little sad or like he wasn’t good enough. The article explained that this was normal—
many teenagers felt the same way. “Spending too much time on social media can hurt your self-
esteem and lead to feelings of loneliness or anxiety,” the article said. Alex had never realized how
much social media could affect how he felt about himself.
Technology and Relationships:

Alex’s mom then talked about how technology could affect relationships. She said, “Sometimes,
when you’re on your phone or playing games, you miss out on spending time with friends and
family. It can make you feel disconnected from the people around you.” Alex remembered how
often he would stay in his room playing games instead of hanging out with his family or going out
with friends. He realized that his technology use was taking away time that he could spend building
stronger relationships with the people he cared about.

Lack of Focus:
Finally, Alex read about how technology could reduce focus. He often had trouble concentrating
when it was time to do homework because his phone would constantly ping with notifications. The
article explained that when your phone interrupts you, even just for a few seconds, it makes it
harder to remember what you were doing or learning. “I always lose track of time and forget where
I left off on my homework,” Alex thought, shaking his head. He realized that his poor focus was
linked to the time he spent on his phone.

The Turning Point:

After reading the article, Alex started to see things differently. He decided to take action. He would
reduce his time on screens, especially before bed. He’d make a conscious effort to spend more
time with his family and friends, and he’d focus better on his homework. His mom smiled and
said, “It’s all about finding the right balance. Technology is fun, but everything in moderation is
key to staying healthy and happy.”
Alex now understood the importance of managing his screen time. It wasn’t about giving up
technology, but about using it wisely. He started taking breaks, spending time outdoors, and having
real conversations with his friends and family.

While-Reading Questions:
1. What are some physical health problems Alex learned could be caused by too much screen
time?
2. How can using technology late at night affect your sleep, according to the story?
3. What effect does spending too much time on social media have on Alex’s mental health?
4. How did Alex’s use of technology affect his relationships with his family and friends?
5. How does using technology reduce your ability to focus, according to the story?
Post-Reading Questions:
1. What is one way Alex decided to reduce the negative side effects of using technology?
2. Do you think technology has more positive or negative effects? Why?
3. How do you balance your time between technology and other activities? Do you think it’s
easy or hard?

Exercises
1. Fill in the blanks:
Complete the sentences using the correct word from the list below:
(technology, sleep, self-esteem, relationships, focus, addiction)
 1. Spending too much time on screens can affect your ________, making it harder to
concentrate on important tasks.
2. If you don’t get enough ________, you can feel tired and have trouble staying awake during
the day.
3. Using ________ late at night can make it difficult to fall asleep.
4. Some people develop an ________ to social media, which can negatively affect their daily
lives.
5. Poor posture from using technology can harm your ________ and cause back or neck pain.
6. Spending too much time online can hurt your ________ with friends and family.
2. True or False:
Read the statements below and decide if they are True or False:
1. Spending 7 hours a day on screens is normal for most teenagers. (True / False)
2. Social media has no effect on a teenager's mental health. (True / False)
3. Using technology before bed can help you sleep better. (True / False)
4. Technology addiction can lead to anxiety and stress. (True / False)
5. Physical health problems caused by too much screen time can include eye strain and
headaches. (True / False)
3. Yes or No Questions:
Answer the following questions with Yes or No:
1. Does blue light from screens affect your sleep? (Yes / No)
2. Can too much screen time hurt your posture? (Yes / No)
3. Do you think technology has only positive effects? (Yes / No)
4. Does spending too much time on social media affect your self-esteem? (Yes / No)
5. Is it important to balance technology use with other activities like sports or spending time
with family? (Yes / No)
4. Puzzle Questions (Crossword or Word Search):
a) Crossword:
Clues for the crossword puzzle based on the story
1. Across
o A condition caused by looking at screens too long (8 letters)
o The feeling of comparing yourself to others online (8 letters)
2. Down
o The effect of blue light on your brain (8 letters)
o A place where many teenagers spend time online (6 letters)
b) Word Search:
Find these words hidden in the puzzle:
 Posture Here’s the word search grid:
 Social media M P O S T U R E E
O U A D B R Q A A
 Concentration
T F O C U S T N S
 Mental health I L M E N T A L G
 Blue light P N M D A H O E P
 Relationships A E L S U I H N S
 Addiction N I D C I S F E I
S O C I A L I L O
 Focus
Exercise for Key Words
Instructions: Below are sentences with missing words. Fill in the blanks with the correct key word
from the list below. Each word can be used only once.
Key Words:
(technology, video games, social media, mental health, addiction, focus, posture,
relationships, sleep, blue light)

1. ________ has many benefits, but when used excessively, it can affect our health.
2. Spending too much time on ________ can cause physical health issues, such as eye strain
and headaches.
3. If you use your phone late at night, the ________ from the screen may prevent you from
falling asleep.
4. Excessive use of ________ can affect your self-esteem and make you feel anxious or
depressed.
5. Too much ________ can lead to poor ________, causing back and neck pain.
6. When you feel disconnected from others because you spend too much time online, it can
hurt your ________.
7. If you don’t get enough ________, you may feel tired, have trouble concentrating, and
become irritable.
8. A person who cannot stop using ________ may develop an ________ that harms their daily
life.
9. Spending too much time on ________ can decrease your ________, making it hard to focus
on tasks like schoolwork.
Answer Key:

1. Technology
2. Video games
3. Blue light
4. Social media
5. Technology / Posture
6. Relationships
7. Sleep
8. Video games / Addiction
9. Social media / Focus

Answer Key for Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

1. focus
2. sleep
3. technology
4. addiction
5. posture
6. relationships

2. True or False:

1. True – Spending 7 hours a day on screens is normal for most teenagers.

2. False – Social media has an effect on a teenager's mental health.
3. False – Using technology before bed can make it harder to sleep.
4. True – Technology addiction can lead to anxiety and stress.
5. True – Physical health problems caused by too much screen time can include eye strain
and headaches.

3. Yes or No Questions:

1. Yes – Blue light from screens affects your sleep.

2. Yes – Too much screen time can hurt your posture.
3. No – Technology has both positive and negative effects.
4. Yes – Spending too much time on social media can affect your self-esteem.
5. Yes – It’s important to balance technology use with other activities like sports or spending
time with family.
4. Puzzle Questions:
a) Crossword:
Across:
3. GAMER'S THUMB
4. LONELINESS
Down:
1. SLEEPLESSNESS
2. FORUM

b) Word Search Answers:

Words to find:
 Posture
 Social media
 Concentration
 Mental health
 Blue light
 Relationships
 Addiction
 Focus