Are Online FriendsReal Friends? Modern computer technology has made a new kind of humanrelationship possiblE.online friendship. ______(46)Are online friendships as

beneficial asface-to-face friendships?What are the acfvantages nd disadvantages of havingvirtual friends?Can people form strong bonds online?Today these questions arehe

subject of livelydebate. Some people believe that the Internet is the best way to make newfriends.It's convenient,it's fast, nd it allows to make contact with differentkinds of

people from all overthe world.When you use social etworking websites and chat rooms,you can easilyfind people with interests and hobbies similar to yours. nformation

updates and photosadd to the experience.Making friends on the Internet is especially good for hypeople who feel uncomfortable in social situations.It's often easier to share

thoughts andfeelings nline.______(47)They can make people feel less lonely and help themsolve problems. Although the Internet can encourage friendship,it has a major

disadvantage.______(48)Onlineriends only tell you what they want you to know.They sometimes exaggerate theirgood qualities and hide he less positive ones,so you can't

be sure of what theyreally like.That is why you should not give ersonal information to anyoneonline unless you're totally sure of who that person is. Can online friendships

be as meaningful asface-to-face ones?There are different points of view. esearchers at the University of Southern California surveyed 2,000households in the United

States.The re- ultsshowed that more than 40 percent of participants feel"as strongly abouttheir online buddies"as they o about their"offline"friends.______(49)In

contrast,there aremany people who believe that it's ot possible to have deep relationships withonline friends.A young Indian software engineer,Lalitha

Lakshmipathy,says,"It'sgood to feel connected with many people,but all my e一buddies are not necessarily my closefriends."______(50)They'say that it's hard to develop

feelings of trustand connection when you don't share experiences in person. Peonle continue toexpress different opinions about online friendship.However,most of them

Tou1d agree thatvirtual friendships must not replace face-to-face friendships.As one life coachsays,"A social networking site should only be the‘add on’in anyrelationship."______(46)

A.Online friends,orvirtual friends,are people who have become acquainted with each other throughthe Internet.

B.Inaddition,virtual friends can offer emotional support.

C.Many people wouldagree.

D.Researchers alsofound that it's not unusual for online friends to become face-to-face friends.

E.Online friends maybe of help in many ways.