Video games give 9-yr-old boy confidence to drive car alone to see grandma
TOKYO - A nine-year-old Japanese boy drove a car alone for three kilometres (two miles) to see his grandmother, saying he was confident at the wheel after playing video games, police said Friday.
"I learned from playing video games at arcades and watching my father drive," the boy said, as quoted by a police spokesman in central Japan.
He took his family's car from his house in the city of Ogaki earlier this week, and headed for his grandmother's home, 15 kilometres (nine miles) away.
As the boy was driving, police received a call from a passer-by who said he had seen an vehicle that appeared to have no driver moving down the street.
Police found the car in the parking lot of a convenience store, where the boy was asking a store clerk for directions.
The car was nicely backed into the parking space, according to the police spokesman.
"I am sorry, I just wanted to go to my grandmother's house," the boy was quoted as saying when a police officer found him.
The boy was able to take the car as it had been parked outside of his house with the key left in the ignition.
The boy's parents did not notice his absence as the incident took place early on Monday, a public holiday.
"The boy is interested in driving because of video games. He drove the car out of his adventurous mind," the spokesman said, adding the police told his parents to keep a closer eye on him.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/classified-odd/11/08/08/video-games-give-9-yr-old-boy-confidence-drive-car-alone-see-grandma
VOCABULARY
arcade - an establishment, public area, etc., containing games of a mechanical and electronic type, as pinball and video games, that can be played by a customer for a fee
ignition - a switch that activates this system
adventurous - full of risk; requiring courage; hazardous
GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. How did you react when you read this news?
2. What can you say about the boy's behavior?What do you think could have happened to him had he not seen by the police?
3. Nowadays, children try to emulate scenes they see on tv/movies and the situations they encounter when they play video/online games. Does this imply that more kids these days lack parental guidance? Why do you say so?4. What do you think are the positive and negative effects of video games on children? Cite some examples.
4. Are you emotionally involved or affected when you play video or computer games? Explain.
5. Have you ever heard of educational video games? If so, name those you are familiar with.
6. Do you think you have a sense of adventure? What's the most adventurous thing you've done as a kid?
7. Have you ever done something outrageous or wild because you were influenced by someone or something? Share your experience.