Read the passage and then complete the exercise that follows.

HOW TO GET ON THE INTERNET FROM HOME

Getting on to the Internet from home is easy. You need to have a computer, a modem and a phone line and some $$$.

Computer
Any computer that is less than 4 or 5 years old should be able to connect to the internet.

Modem
Some computers come with an internal modem. Others don't and you have to buy an external modem. An external modem is a good idea because it is easier to replace or upgrade. If you get a broadband connection, you can usually buy a modem from the company that provides your internet connection. Sometimes they have special deals where they offer free modems.

Internet Speed
You can get either a dial-up connection or a broadband connection. If you get dial-up, you need to dial a number to connect to the Internet. While you are on the Internet you won't be able to make or receive phone calls. The big advantage of dial-up is that it is very cheap. The disadvantage is that the connection speed is slower than broadband and pictures and pages may be slow to load.

Broadband is faster, but it is more expensive. There are many plans to choose from. The cheapest ones are the ones with lesser speeds and smaller downloads. The more expensive ones are very fast and they enable you to download lots of information.

If you just use email and read websites, you can get a basic plan. If you sometimes download songs and movies, you will want a medium level plan. If you play games over the Internet, you will want the faster more expensive plans.

You can also consider a cable high speed connection!

Phone
You need a phone line. Most of us already have that.

$$$
The other thing you need is money! You'll have to pay your ISP each month.

ISP
An ISP is an Internet Service Provider. They provide access to the Internet. Costs range from $7.00 per month through to $120.00 plus per month. It depends on the whether you get dial-up or Broadband and what speed you get. You should look for an ISP that has flexible plans so that you can change to a different plan as your needs change.

To find the best deal you should estimate your monthly usage. Consider how often you use it and what you use it for. Maybe you use it mainly for email and to read the news. Maybe you use it to download lots of movies or play games. It is a good idea to ask other people which ISP they use. If they are happy with the service they are getting, and if their use is similar to yours, there is a good chance you'll be happy too.

You should look for an ISP that has a good help desk. Some won't help you on the weekend or after 8pm in the evening. Some will help you 24 hours a day, but they have so many clients that you'll never get through to them. This is why it's a good idea to ask friends and people at work for recommendations.

If you get a broadband connection, your ISP is usually able to supply you with a modem.

Most ISPs will try to lock you into a 24 month contract. If this suits you, that's okay, but if you don't want to commit for that long, you can usually get a more casual plan. Discuss this with the ISP.

You're connected
Once you've got an ISP you need to put some information into your computer. Your ISP will tell you how. When you're set up, you just have to click the icon on your desktop and your computer will automatically connect to the Internet.

Read the sentences below and then choose the best phrase to complete each sentence.

1. If you have a four year old computer .
a. it will be very slow
b. it will probably be fine
c. you must be very rich
Answer b

2. Sometimes you can .
a. get a free modem
b. get a free computer
c. connect without a modem
Answer a

3. Dial up is .
a. cheaper than broadband
b. costs $35 per month
c. creates material for you to look at on the net.
Answer a

4. If you have a dial up connection you .
a. don't need a modem
b. need a medium plan
c. can't use your phone while you are connected.
Answer c

5. If you sometimes download songs, you need .
a. you can't get pictures on the Internet
b. dial up
c. a good computer
Answer c

6. ISP .
a. are very helpful
b. charge too much
c. connect you to the internet
Answer a

7. A good source of information about ISPs is .
a. the promotional material from the ISPs
b. the phone book
c. friends and colleagues
Answer c

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