However, there is a new generation growing up that finds it easier to manage their social lives on the net, using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces.
Welcome to the social networking website – a place where you can present yourself to the digital community and meet other like-minded people.
The most successful social networking website in the UK is MySpace.com. As of July 2006, MySpace is the world’s fourth most popular English-language website, attracting almost 3 million visitors per month. MySpace claims to have 95 million members with 500,000 new members joining the community each week.
So how has it become so successful? Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. Each new member can build their own page simply – uploading photos, videos and MP3 files. Then they describe themselves, listing their likes, dislikes, favourite bands, relationship status, etc. It’s an easy way to hook up with people who share your interests.
Briana Dougherty, a 25-year-old MySpace devotee, told us, “It’s a casual way to stay in contact without appearing weird.” It seems that many people do not feel comfortable giving out their phone number or personal e-mail address to new acquaintances but are perfectly happy to trade MySpace profiles.
While socialising is the key to MySpace’s success, love of music is at the heart of the community. Indeed, most aspiring musicians in the UK upload their songs to the site, and with good reason: unsigned artists, Arctic Monkeys and Lilly Allen created such a buzz on the site that they were offered recording contracts and scored number one hits.
Here at Learning English we feel that social network sites could be a great place to practise your English. Why not give it a try? You can tell us about your experience by filling in the new comments form at the top of the screen.
GLOSSARY 词汇表
the latest bands
最新乐队
social lives
社交生活
digital community
数码社区
uploading
上载
relationship status
个人情感关系状况
devotee
热爱者
new acquaintances
新相识
aspiring musicians
胸怀大志的音乐家
created such a buzz
引起轰动
number one hits
榜首的轰动单曲
socialising
社交
social networking website
社交交际网站
like-minded people
趣味相投的人
mp3 files
mp3 文件
hook up with
交流；沟通
weird
古怪的
to trade
交换
unsigned artists
没有签约的歌手
recording contracts
签约
comments form
反馈表