Guide Questions for “US College Blocks Facebook and Twitter in Social Experiment” (Group 5):

1. Why does the writer ask the following questions: “Harrisburg in Pennsylvania? Can that be true? Can a town better known for its steel industry and agriculture than for internet censorship really have joined the list?”

For the writer, it seems unlikely that a small American town would censor the use of the internet. The other examples that the writer gives of places that block access to the internet are Burma, China and Iran. These countries are all in Asia, and are known to have conservative views. Burma, China, Iran, Harrisburg in Pennsylvania –it’s like a “encircle the one that does not belong” question in an exam.

2. What supporting information does the report provide? Does the report emphasize certain details while de-emphasizing others? Explain your answer.

The report focuses more on the positive reactions towards the censorship of the internet rather than the negative reactions. In the article, there are several direct quotes from students who found the blockage helpful and more beneficial; however, the article only mentioned how some students went to a nearby hotel to use the internet and how some computer geeks tried to reroute the internet access. The voice of those who opposed the blockage was not heard in the article. The writer also focused more on the negative effects of social networking versus the positive effects. The writer mentioned how social networking lessened the focus of students on their studies, but he failed to mention how social networking serves as a platform for discussing assignments and other school works.

3. Do you notice anything about the variety of English used?

The article was written in the middle level. In the beginning of the article, the writer asked questions as if he was addressing