Betty, a 15 year old Form 4 student was eager to make friends abroad. She had watched films describing France, and was fascinated by the culture and scenery. She had good results at school and had been very disciplined in the use of the Internet, clocking around 1.5 hours at most per day. She was studying French in school, and was eager to practice it. She deliberately sought out chat rooms about France and net pals who described themselves as French. On ICQ, she met Pierre, who described himself as M/22, a French university student studying fine art. They chatted about art and culture. Betty told her parents that she was using the Internet as a form of relaxation and was learning about foreign culture.
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1. Do you think Pierre is likely to be as he describes himself? How can Betty tell if he is telling the truth?
2. If Betty wants to maintain the friendship, how much time should she spend chatting with Pierre?
3. Do you think using the Internet or a chat room is an efficient or effective way to learn the culture or language of another country?
4. Do you think it is an efficient way to relax?
5. Would you develop this kind of friendship?
6. Would you consider it an ideal kind of friendship?