How much do you know about social media – are you really savvy about the world of social media or just on the edges?
Social media are computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition; however, there are some common features:
Social media are interactive Web 2.0 Internet-based applications.
User-generated content, such as text posts or comments, digital photos or videos, and data generated through all online interactions, is the lifeblood of social media.
Users create service-specific profiles for the website or app that are designed and maintained by the social media organization.
Social media facilitate the development of online social networks by connecting a user’s profile with those of other individuals or groups.
Users typically access social media services via web-based technologies on desktop, computers, and laptops, or download services that offer social media functionality to their mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers). When engaging with these services, users can create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities, and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals.
Social media changes the way individuals and large organizations communicate. These changes are the focus of the emerging fields of technoself studies. Social media differ from paper-based media (e.g., magazines and newspapers) or traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, interactivity, usability, immediacy, and permanence. Social media outlets operate in a dialogic transmission system (many sources to many receivers).
This is in contrast to traditional media which operates under a monologic transmission model (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers, or a radio station which broadcasts the same programs to an entire city. Some of the most popular social media websites are Baidu Tieba, Facebook (and its associated Facebook Messenger), Gab, Google+, Myspace, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter, Viber, VK, WeChat, Weibo, WhatsApp, Wikia, Snapchat, . These social media websites have more than 100,000,000 registered users.
In America, a survey reported that 84 percent of adolescents in have a Facebook account. Over 60% of 13 to 17-year-olds have at least one profile on social media, with many spending more than two hours a day on social networking sites.
According to Nielsen, Internet users continue to spend more time on social media sites than on any other type of site. At the same time, the total time spent on social media sites in the U.S. across PCs as well as on mobile devices increased by 99 percent to 121 billion minutes in July 2012 compared to 66 billion minutes in July 2011.
For content contributors, the benefits of participating in social media have gone beyond simply social sharing to building a reputation and bringing in career opportunities and monetary income.
Observers have noted a range of positive and negative impacts of social media use. Social media can help to improve individuals’ sense of connectedness with real or online communities, and social media can be an effective communication (or marketing) tool for corporations, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, including advocacy groups and political parties and governments. At the same time, concerns have been raised about possible links between heavy social media use and depression, and even the issues of cyberbullying, online harassment and “trolling”. Currently, about half of young adults have been cyberbullied and of those, 20 percent said that they have been cyberbullied regularly.
Another survey was carried out among 7th grade students in America, which is known as the Precaution Process Adoption Model. According to this study, 69 percent of 7th grade students claim to have experienced cyberbullying and they also said that it is worse than face to face bullying.
However both the bully and the victim are negatively affected, the intensity, duration, and frequency are the three aspects that increase the negative effects on both of them.
15 key business words to improve score in an English language exam
15 key business words to improve score in an English language exam – Do you need to take the TOEIC®, BULATS® or TOEFL® exam ?
Much of the vocabulary in these tests comes up time and time again, so it’s a good tactic to focus on these words before moving on to others. Test your knowledge of 15 key words to get a head start.
What is the TOEIC® test ? These tests are specifically created to assess the ability to use English in real-life work situations. In addition, the test design ensures that scores can be accurately compared between candidates around the globe.The TOEIC Listening and Reading test is a paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice assessment. There are two timed sections of 100 questions each. Test takers listen and read in English and give their responses to the questions. The test focuses on everyday life and work activity.
What is the BULATS® test? This test is an online tool that assesses English language skills for business, industry and commerce. It is designed to help candidates develop workplace vocabulary which will help them become confident in communicating in international business environments.The test is administered through our network of authorised BULATS agents around the world.
What is the TOEFL® exam ? The TOEFL iBT test measures ability to use and understand English at university level. And it evaluates reading, listening, speaking and writing skills to perform academic tasks.The TOEFL iBT® test, delivered via the internet, is an important step to studying in an English-speaking country.
15 words all business students should know to pass exams
Exams, exams, exams !
Sometimes the questions in business language exams can be tricky, but you
can get an advantage by learning these 15 key words which are frequently
used.
FIND THE SENTENCE WHICH BEST CORRESPONDS TO THE PICTURE.
And of course, by learning ALL the words in capital letters you will be able
to expand your word bank by even more than 15 key words.
Which beer suits your personality ?Beer is one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drinks in the world, and the third most popular drink after water and tea.
Indeed in the middle ages beer was considered safer and a healthier option than water.
Beer has been brewed for centuries by monks and religious orders, especially in countries such as Belgium, which boasts a huge variety of beers for all tastes.
The Trappist monasteries that now brew beer in Belgium were occupied in the late 18th century primarily by monks fleeing the French Revolution.
However, the first Trappist brewery in Belgium(Westmalle) did not start operation until 10 December 1836, almost fifty years after the Revolution.
Nowadays beer can be drunk from bottles, cans or on draught in pubs and cafés, but how do you like to drink it ?
Where do you like to enjoy your beer?
Do you drink during sporting events or when you eat ?
Do you prefer beer with character or just a light refreshment to quench your thirst?
Do you like non-alcoholic beer?
Which beer would suit your taste buds and your personality ? English? American? German? Belgium? Indian? Irish? French?
Try this quiz which will guide you towards a good beer for you, and of course you can learn great new vocabulary along the way.
Before you start you may need to be familiar with some vocabulary to help you answer the quiz:
To brew : the process of making beer.
A brewery: the place where beer is produced.
Some of the ingredients used in beer making;
Hops Malt barley Brewers yeast Water
Which beer suits your personality ?
Beer is drunk all over the world on many different occasions, so which
one(s) would be the best one(s) for you ?
Hashtags have become an important, and at times influential, way to spread a message quickly to many people accross the globe. They are an integral part of a Twitter feed or instagram story but they can also sum up and share how we feel about a situation or galvanize millions of people to come together in a political action.
Try this short quiz to see if you can remember some of the main events of 2017 through their hashtags.
