My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 : -@ kids FTF. ILNY; its gr8. Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad. The middle school teacher in England who received this as homework couldn't either. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or mobile phones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great. Schoolteachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted . Everyone should just relax, say linguists . They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says, "Kids who are now doing text messaging and e-mail will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents." Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted", and that they simply change to meet the new needs. However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia Mcvey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future." Perhaps we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Texting is just for fun." QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Which person received a sentence as homework?
2. A sentence was received by which person as homework?
3. 
Q2:
1. In which country did the middle school teacher teach?
2. The middle school teacher taught in which country?
3. 
Q3:
1. Did the middle school teacher understand the sentence?
2. Was the sentence understood by the middle school teacher?
3. 
Q4:
1. What is the name of the texting language?
2. What name was given to the texting language?
3. 
Q5:
1. Does Netspeak seem like a foreign language to newcomers?
2. Do newcomers view Netspeak as a foreign language?
3. 
Q6:
1. Which groups of people believe Netspeak to be harmful to the English language?
2. Netspeak is harmful to the English language, according to which groups of people?
3. 
Q7:
1. What fears do Schoolteachers and parents have regarding Netspeak's influence on the English language?
2. What do Schoolteachers and parents fear will happen to the English language because of Netspeak?
3. 
Q8:
1. Have kids started to use diaries again?
2. Have kids picked up the almost lost art of diary writing?
3. 
Q9:
1. Would Erin write here homework using Netspeak?
2. Would Netspeak be used by Erin in order to do her homework?
3. 
Q10:
1. What is Erin's age?
2. Erin is how old?
3. 
