Reading Comprehension III

READING COMPREHENSION III


THE ARTICLE
Children are using and owning consumer electronics from a younger age than ever before, according to US market researcher NPD. Its research shows the average age at which children begin using computers, games and other electronic gadgets has declined from 8.1 years in 2005 to 6.7 years in 2007. The NPD report, “Kids and Consumer Electronics Trends III”, says the youngest consumers are also getting choosy about what they buy. More and more young children now own a DVD player, portable video game, digital camera or cell phone. NPD’s Anita Frazier said: “Kids are drawn to the latest and greatest digital devices just as their parents are.” She added: “They appear to have no fear of technology and adopt it easily and without fanfare, making these devices a part of their everyday lives.”
The study is based on data collected via an online survey to a sample of American adults aged 25 and older who had children aged between four and fourteen. The survey also found that kids use electronic devices an average of three days per week. Surprisingly, many of the families surveyed were not regular consumer electronics buyers. Almost 25 percent of parents surveyed said they had made no electronics purchases during the previous 12 months. Father of two Robert Garside, 38, said he was amazed at what his children want to buy. He admits to often having to ask his nine-year-old how to operate his Sony PlayStation. “Children nowadays are so tech savvy that soon Sony will bring out a PlayStation for babies,” he said. His son Robert Junior said all the gadgets around him really were child’s play.

1. TRUE / FALSE:
More and more kids are designing and selling computer software.

The average age at which kids start using gadgets has fallen.

Young consumers really don’t care what kind of gadgets they buy.

Young children seem frightened of electronic devices.

The data were collected from many simple American adults.

A quarter of parents surveyed don’t buy gadgets regularly.

A father had to teach his son how to use Sony’s PlayStation.

Sony will soon bring out a version of its PlayStation for newborns.