Reading:
- Read the article. Mark the sentences T (True) or F (False).
The end of the phone call?
Is the phone call becoming a thing of the past? New research suggests we are now more likely to text or email friends or family than dial their number. The amount of time we spend talking on our cell phones has gone down by 5% and by twice that for landline calls, whereas the number of text messages we send has doubled in the last few years.
The reasons for this may, in part, be because so many more people have smartphones, which means we can communicate using social networking, instant messaging, and email instead. In fact, we prefer to use our phones to play games, watch movies, and look up information rather than make a phone call and speak to someone!
Whatever the reason, there is no question that we have changed the ways we use the telephone. These days we often feel we shouldn’t call someone without making an arrangement to call first. Many people are frustrated if they are disturbed by an unexpected phone call. We want to be able to choose when we reply and we don’t want to have to chat when we are busy with something else. Written communication allows us to respond quickly and economically. It also means we can think about what we want to say before we get in touch. Phones can also be noisy in open offices, and many people won’t call back if you leave a message on their voicemail. They will email instead.
On the other hand, some psychologists say text and email are less rich and “colder” because you lose the tone and expression of conversation. Others would disagree and say you don’t have to hear someone’s voice to have an interesting and intimate conversation. It isn’t surprising that research has found that for the over-65s, calling friends and family on a landline is still the most popular way of getting in touch. Many of us hearing the phone ring know it is probably our mother! You probably won’t be amazed either to learn that the great majority (83%) of adults of all ages said they still prefer to communicate face to face.
6.1. We are sending twice as many texts.
