[Positive and Negative]: Video games

Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful educational tool. Others, however, believe that videos games are having an adverse effect on the people who play them. In your opinion, do the drawbacks of video games outweigh the benefits?

Benefits: stress relief / can learn English – games that require you to read a lot / simulation games such such as Gran Turismo – great platform for training racers without cost of running cars and risk of injuries. 

Drawbacks: violent – while many video games are rated for mature audiences there aren’t any ways of imposing restrictions on younger players -> youths are exposed to violence -> ultimately lead to shootings and crime. Academic performance can deteriorate because students can become addicted -> spends less time studying

In recent years, it has been possible to show that video games actually bring benefits to those who enjoy them. Nevertheless, many, myself included, would argue that these are ultimately surpassed by the harmful impacts this pastime may bring. 

On the one hand, video games can both be used for recreational and educational purposes. For one, it cannot be denied that games are fun, and as such they can provide children and adults alike with many hours of quality entertainment after a long and stressful day. Not limited to that, several games are being used as an educational and training platform. The cult classic racing title Gran Tourismo has been implemented with widespread success to provide professional race car drivers with a training ground where they could receive real racing experience thanks to its realistic physics without having the risk of injuries nor the prohibitive cost of running race cars. 

On the other hand, I would argue that these benefits are eclipsed by the drawbacks. Gaming, firstly, can expose the young generation to excessive violence. While many titles are rated for mature audiences, publishers have yet to find an effective way to restrict these games from younger players. Not censoring these violent acts can ultimately lead to a higher crime rate affecting our future generations. Secondly, spending too much time gaming can cause academic performance to deteriorate. Since video games can be highly addictive, many students would spend less time studying, which means their in-class performance would suffer. Finally, as most gamers sit relatively still while playing, this activity promotes a highly sedentary lifestyle, which can result in obesity and high blood pressure.

All in all, even though video games may have value in education and entertainment, I strongly believe that its dangers to individuals and society are more significant 

Pastime (n) /ˈpæs.taɪm/:

• Vietnamese definition: Hoạt động giải trí
• Example sentence: “Reading is a favorite pastime for many people.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Đọc sách là một hoạt động giải trí yêu thích của nhiều người.”

Recreational (adj) /ˌrekriˈeɪʃənl/:

• Vietnamese definition: Liên quan đến giải trí
• Example sentence: “Swimming is not only a sport but also a recreational activity.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Bơi lội không chỉ là một môn thể thao mà còn là một hoạt động giải trí.”

Cult classic (n) /kʌlt ˈklæsɪk/:

• Vietnamese definition: Phim, game hoặc sách kinh điển được yêu thích đặc biệt
• Example sentence: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show is considered a cult classic.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Bộ phim The Rocky Horror Picture Show được coi là một tác phẩm kinh điển được yêu thích đặc biệt.”

Implemented (adj) /ˈɪmplɪmɛntɪd/:

• Vietnamese definition: Đã triển khai, đã thực hiện
• Example sentence: “The new policy was implemented to improve efficiency.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Chính sách mới đã được triển khai để cải thiện hiệu suất.”

Prohibitive (adj) /prəˈhɪbɪtɪv/:

• Vietnamese definition: Gia tăng giá cả, làm cho không thể chi trả
• Example sentence: “The cost of the luxury car was prohibitive for most people.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Giá của chiếc xe sang là không thể chi trả đối với đa số người dùng.”

Censoring (n) /ˈsɛnsərɪŋ/:

• Vietnamese definition: Việc kiểm duyệt, kiểm soát thông tin
• Example sentence: “Censoring certain content may limit freedom of expression.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Việc kiểm soát nội dung cụ thể có thể hạn chế tự do ngôn luận.”

Deteriorate (v) /dɪˈtɪriəˌreɪt/:

• Vietnamese definition: Sự suy giảm, làm suy giảm
• Example sentence: “Neglecting maintenance can cause the condition of a building to deteriorate.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Bỏ quên bảo dưỡng có thể làm suy giảm tình trạng của một tòa nhà.”

Highly addictive (adj) /ˈhaɪli əˈdɪktɪv/:

• Vietnamese definition: Cực kỳ gây nghiện
• Example sentence: “Video games with rewarding features can be highly addictive.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Trò chơi video có những tính năng hấp dẫn có thể gây nghiện cực kỳ.”

Sedentary lifestyle (n) /ˈsɛdənˌtɛri ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl/:

• Vietnamese definition: Lối sống ít vận động
• Example sentence: “A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to various health issues.”
• Vietnamese translation: “Lối sống ít vận động có thể góp phần vào nhiều vấn đề về sức khỏe.”