📖 GFP English Reading Comprehension Test

Section 1 and Section 2 (Reference)

Section 1: The Development of Social Media

A. In 1997, a computer programmer named Andrew Weinreich launched SixDegrees.com in New York City. This platform allowed users to create profiles, list their friends, and browse through other people's friend lists. The site took its name from the 'six degrees of separation' theory, which suggests that everyone on the planet is connected to everyone else through a chain of six people or fewer. At its peak, SixDegrees.com had approximately 3.5 million registered users. Despite its innovative features, the platform struggled financially and was shut down in 2001. Weinreich later reflected that the site was "simply ahead of its time" because most people were not yet online and did not have extensive networks of friends on the internet.

B. The next major milestone came in 2003 when several influential social networking sites emerged. LinkedIn was launched in May 2003 by Reid Hoffman and his colleagues, targeting professionals who wanted to network for career opportunities. By the end of its first month, LinkedIn had approximately 4,500 members. In August of the same year, Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe created MySpace, which quickly became popular among teenagers and young adults who used it to share music, photos, and personal blogs. MySpace grew rapidly and by 2006 had overtaken Google as the most visited website in the United States. Another significant platform, Facebook, was created by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004, initially exclusively for Harvard University students before expanding to other universities and eventually to the general public in 2006.

C. The rise of social media was not without challenges. Early critics argued that these platforms were merely entertainment tools with no real practical value. Many parents and educators worried about privacy issues and the amount of time young people spent online. Some businesses were skeptical about social media's commercial potential and banned employees from accessing these sites during work hours. However, attitudes gradually changed as social media proved its worth. By 2008, businesses began recognizing social media as a powerful marketing tool. Companies created official pages to engage with customers, and advertising on social platforms became a multi-billion dollar industry. The 2008 U.S. presidential election marked a turning point when Barack Obama's campaign successfully used social media to mobilize young voters, raising over $500 million online.

D. The introduction of smartphones revolutionized social media usage. When Apple released the iPhone in 2007, followed by the Android operating system in 2008, people gained the ability to access social networks anywhere, anytime. This mobile revolution led to the creation of new platforms designed specifically for mobile users. Instagram, launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, focused on photo sharing and reached 1 million users within two months. Twitter, which had started in 2006, saw its user base explode as people could now tweet from their phones throughout the day. Snapchat, introduced in 2011, pioneered the concept of disappearing messages, appealing to users who wanted more privacy and spontaneity in their online communications.

E. The COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 dramatically changed how people used social media. With lockdowns forcing people to stay home and physical distancing measures preventing in-person gatherings, social media became a lifeline for maintaining relationships. Video calling platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams saw unprecedented growth, with Zoom's daily meeting participants jumping from 10 million in December 2019 to over 300 million by April 2020. TikTok, a short-form video platform launched internationally in 2018, became the world's most downloaded app in 2020 as people sought entertainment during isolation. Mental health professionals noted both positive and negative effects: while social media helped people stay connected, excessive use led to increased feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Current statistics show that over 4.9 billion people worldwide use social media as of 2023, and this number is projected to reach 5.85 billion by 2027.

Section 2: The Dark Side of Social Media

"Social media has fundamentally altered human communication and behavior," writes Dr. Sarah Thompson, a psychologist specializing in digital technology at Stanford University. She points to research showing that the average person now spends approximately 2 hours and 31 minutes on social media platforms each day, checking their accounts an average of 17 times daily.

While social media offers numerous benefits—staying connected with friends and family, accessing news and information, and building professional networks—researchers have identified several concerning trends. According to a comprehensive 2023 study by the Digital Wellness Institute, 68% of users reported feeling pressured to present a perfect image of their lives online. The study also found that 54% of respondents experienced "fear of missing out" (FOMO) when seeing others' posts about events or experiences. Additionally, 41% admitted to comparing their lives unfavorably to others based on what they saw on social media, leading to decreased self-esteem.

The mental health implications of social media use have become increasingly apparent. Dr. Michael Chen, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, conducted a longitudinal study tracking 500 adolescents over five years. His research revealed that teenagers who spent more than three hours daily on social media were twice as likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to those who used it for less than one hour. Dr. Chen attributes this to several factors: constant social comparison, cyberbullying, sleep disruption from late-night scrolling, and the addictive nature of platforms designed to maximize user engagement. He notes that social media companies employ teams of psychologists and engineers to make their apps as compelling as possible, using techniques like infinite scrolling and push notifications to keep users returning.

Another growing concern is the spread of misinformation on social media platforms. False information travels significantly faster than truth online. A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) analyzed 126,000 news stories shared on Twitter and found that false news reached 1,500 people six times faster than accurate news. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health misinformation spread rapidly across social platforms, leading to dangerous behaviors such as people consuming harmful substances they believed would cure or prevent the virus. Political misinformation has also influenced elections and social movements worldwide, raising questions about the role of social media companies in monitoring and controlling content.

The impact on productivity and attention spans cannot be ignored. Research from the University of California found that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully regain focus after being interrupted by a social media notification. A separate study by Microsoft discovered that the average human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds in 2023—one second less than a goldfish. Experts attribute this decline partly to the constant stream of information and stimulation provided by social media, which conditions users to expect instant gratification and struggle with sustained concentration.