Big Business For Cyberteens

     Some young Americans love computers, but not for playing games. Trent, Danny and Charles run their own computer advice companies. 

     Their fascination for computers began at  an early age. Danny   Kalmick, from California, got his first computer at age five. When he was 11, he understood how it worked. Now Danny, 14, owns Kalmick & Co. , fixing computers and giving advice. So far, he has 50 clients.

     Trent Einsenberg, 16, from Minneapolis, realised he could make money from his computer knowledge when he easily found the solution to a problem described on the Internet. Compaq, a top computer manufacturer, saw his response and offered him a job.

     Trent had to refuse : he was only 14 ! But now, he has his own business, F1 computer. He starts his day at 5.30 a.m. in order to fit in both school and work, and clients sometimes call him at 1a.m. for help.

     Demand for computer consultants is growing. “We spend 30-40 hours a week on our business”, says Charles Ross, 18, who created Pixelstorm in Florida with  his brother and a friend . But what about school ? Charles says the business helps him be more organised and get top grades.

    How do these cyber teens see their futures ?  Charles wants to continue developing Pixelstorm, but for Trent, computers may just be a hobby : “I’m not in the computer business to make money,” he told Easy speakeasy. “I enjoy helping people, so may be I’ll be a doctor.  

                                                            Easy SPEAKEASY Nov 1997 anglais TERMINALE BEP

                                

1.  Fill in the table below according to the text above.

People	Age	Places

2. Answer the questions according to the text .

a. Do some young Americans love computers ?

b. What do Trent, Danny and Charles run ?

c. What age did  Danny get his first computer ?

d. Who offered Trent a job ?

e. Why did he have to refuse ?

f. Does he run his own business now ?

g. Is Charles a good student ? Quote from the text to justify your answer.

h. Will Trent become a doctor in the future ?

3. Find the meaning of each of the underlined words in the text above . Use the words in sentences of your own.

 4. Reorder the following sentences to make a short paragraph.

Use sequencers: First, then, next, , …..finally……

How to use  the phone.

a.       speak

b.      pick up the receiver

c.       when the conversation is over,

      d.   dial the phone number

      e.    hang up

      f.    or use auto- dial if it is stored.  

5. Fill in the blanks in the text below using the following words .

myself  - a - more - - have- until

     Last  week my father bought …….1….. portable  computer. He did not want me to use it because  he needed it for his work.  Moreover, I have my own computer at home. One day, as he was at work, I took his computer and started ..….2….. on the web.   I enjoyed …3…..surfing and I  forgot the time.  I didn’t notice that my father   was standing by my side …..4…… he  said, “Didn’t I tell you not to use my computer ?”   I stood up, frightened and said, “I’m sorry Dad,  but your computer is …5….. sophisticated than mine and  it helps me do a good job.” 

He smiled at me and replied, “Okay, Dwight. You don’t …6….. to  be frightened, I’ll allow you to use it, if you take care of it.” I was very happy.

6.  You admire what the ‘cyber teens’ are doing. Write a letter of congratulations to Charles for the good job he is doing and the top grades he gets.