IN THIS UNIT YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO

• match features of the passage
• identify the writer's views
• write first conditional sentences.

01. How much do you know about the internet?

1. Name two search engines.

2. Name two news websites.

3. Name two social media sites.

4. Name a website that has factual information on many topics.

02. What do you use the internet for?

SKIM READING

03. Skim read the passage in ONE MINUTE.

What is the purpose of the passage?

BECOME RICH AND FAMOUS THROUGH THE INTERNET

In the past, to become famous you needed a talent: singing, playing an instrument, dancing or writing books. Nowadays, it is much easier to become famous. This is because of the internet. All you need is a camera or webcam, computer, internet connection and a bit of creativity.
First of all, you need to decide what you are going to write or speak about: hair and makeup, comedy, sport, news and current affairs, raising money for a charity or something specialist like keeping tropical fish. Then choose a site to post on. Some sites are international and some may be particular to one country, such as Weibo in China. YouTube is a good site to choose if you make your own videos. It is easy to upload your short films, and many people use it.
If you want to become famous on YouTube, you should make lots of videos and release one every day. YouTubers who become popular are often those who present tips, advice, 'how to' guides and opinions on entertainment or stories in the news. If you allow advertisements in your videos, you will make money when people view the adverts. Facebook is a good platform for those who want to make money, but not for those who want to be famous. To earn money through Facebook, you need a very original and/or funny page, with interesting photos which can get you a few hundred thousand 'likes'. If you achieve fame on Facebook, it probably won't last.
Twitter is a social media site where people can communicate through short messages. It works well for those who want to be well-known but are not so interested in making money. If you want to become known on Twitter, you will need to post lots of entertaining content. Instagram is a site where people mainly put up photos and videos. It is a site which can make you ,well-known, particularly if you want to become a famous photographer.