Some employers believe in preventing web browsing during working hours. However,
a new study shows that web browsing can cause workers to be more
productive. The study, called "Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological
Engagement" by Don J.Q. Chen and Vivien K.G. Lim, involved assigning 96
undergraduate business students to three groups: a control group, a
"rest-break" group and a web-surfing group. All students were given a
task for 20 minutes. Then, for 10 minutes, the control group was given
another task, the "rest-break" group was allowed to do anything except
surf the web and the web-surfing group browsed the internet. After
this, the students were put to work again for 10 more minutes. The researchers found
that the web-surfers were far more productive than those from the other
groups. The authors concluded that web-browsing "serves an important
restorative function." |
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Words |
Pronunciation |
Explanation |
preventing |
pre-VEN-ing or pre-VEN-ting |
the T can be silent, pronounce NG |
web-browsing |
WE(B)-brow-zing |
say the B one time, stress "web," pronounce NG |
cyberloafing |
SI-ber-lō-fing |
"cyber" relates to the internet and "loafing" means to do nothing, be idle |
assigning |
u-SI-ning |
A is reduced, pronounce NG |
web-surfing |
WEB-sur-fing |
stress "web" and pronounce NG, note: "web-surfing" and "web-browsing" have the same meaning |
internet |
IN-er-net or IN-ter-net |
the T can be silent (this is very common) |
important |
im-POR-'nt or im-POR-tunt |
the T can be reduced--see T rules |
restorative |
res-TOR-u-div |
reduce second T; means helping to renew or make better |
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