Can social media be a force for good? For rugby prop and Red Roses star Sarah Bern, time online helped her to build confidence and learn self-acceptance.
‘TikTok videos helped me love my body’
Strong and able: "My body is built for this," Bern says on social media. "For my teammates, for power, for speed, for strength, for rugby, for purpose, for beauty." Comprehension quiz
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The word “physique” in this context means:
A: The diet and exercise routine of a person
B: The skills a person has in a particular sport
C: The physical appearance or build of a person
D: The mental attitude of a person
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In the sentence, “the majority of the videos [studied] perpetuated negative messages”, what is the closest meaning of “perpetuated”?
A: Contradicted
B: Investigated
C: Caused to continue
D: Created for the first time
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Which statement best summarises the contrast the article makes between Sarah Bern’s experience and the general impact of social media?
A: While many young people find social media damages their self-confidence, Sarah found it helped her become more self-accepting.
B: Sarah found social media harmful, which is the opposite of what most teenagers experience.
C: Sarah used social media to promote healthy eating, while most influencers promote excessive dieting.
D: Sarah was inspired by an American influencer, whereas most British teenagers are not.
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According to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation, what percentage of teenagers claimed that images on social media caused them to worry about their body?
A: One third
B: 60%
C: 40%
D: 8.5 million
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The article suggests that Sarah Bern now has a positive message for young people. Find and write down the short phrase (10-20 words) that she says she would share with her teenage self.
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In your own words, summarise the two opposing viewpoints in the article about the impact of social media on body image.
Answers
Tap to reveal
1. C 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. "To love my younger body, it’s powerful, strong and fast, and it’s achieved things nobody else has achieved.” 6. One viewpoint is that social media can be a positive tool. Athletes like Sarah Bern and Ilona Maher use it to promote different body types, increase fan engagement, and share inspiring messages, which can help people become more confident and less anxious. The opposing viewpoint is that social media can be very damaging, as many fitness influencers promote unrealistic and unhealthy body types, which can lead to negative body image issues, shame, and anxiety among young people.
Glossary
BBC - The British Broadcasting Corporation is the UK's national broadcaster.
Scrum - A formation for starting play in rugby, in which players pack closely together with their heads down.
Tight-head prop - One of the most-valued players in a rugby team. One of three players who form the front row of the scrum.
perpetuated - made to continue
Sexualisation - The act of viewing something in sexual terms, rather than for its other qualities.