Write Introduction paragraph about video gaming This opinion article by Cheney Wu was submitted to Newsela in response to an article titled
"Student Opinion: Video games are rotting kids' brains" by Margaret Buckler that was published
August 16, 2018.
Playing Video Games Can Be A Good Thing
Although your article, "Student Opinion: Video games are rotting kids' brains," talks about how
video games harm our minds, it doesn't all make sense.
Too much video gaming is not a good thing. It leaves you with no time for your schoolwork. But
what is wrong with 30 minutes to one hour of playing?
In your article, I believe you are trying to say we should play less than three hours each week.
By Cheney Wu, student contributor, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.20.19
Word Count 806
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This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela. com.

Playing a shooter game or other games can improve your thinking capacity. Gamers tend to be
stronger at focusing on 3-D objects than non-gamers. Gaming can also lead to an improvement in
math and other subjects.
Video games also improve our eyesight. For example, in shooter games, you focus on a bad guy
and shoot them. This improves your reflexes and is an exercise for your eyes. Eyesight declines
when we reach a certain age, but video games may improve it.
"Fortnite" And Other Games Are Popular In Schools
Because video games are very social, we make a huge amount of friends on them. If you are the
only one who does not play video games in your school, then you don't know what's happening.
People are talking about all sorts of things related to games and how they do something. But you
just feel left out because you don't know what's happening.
I hear the word "Fortnite" at least 200 times a day. To prove my point, my friends are the only
ones who don't want to talk about it. Four people, that's it, out of nearly 200 of them. Although
"Fortnite" is becoming less popular, it's still very annoying if you can't interact with your older
friends because you don't know what they are talking about. Video games allow you to understand
a shared interest that many people at your school probably have.
Video Games Can Improve Your Focus, Attention

Video gaming may help to improve our decision-
making. Playing video games needs your brain, and

you need to cooperate with your hand and head to
work together. You need to think in your head, then
apply what you're thinking to your games. Over time,
your hand and head could automatically cooperate
together, without even thinking about what you
should do. It helps you to make decisions quickly, whether those decisions are right or wrong.
You said in your article that education is more important than gaming, but video games actually
improve your focus and attention. You can focus more when a person is talking and people get
your attention faster. This is because video games have fast motion in them. It trains your mind to
think on your feet and focus so that mistake won't happen again. It helps you stay focused in other
areas of your life, such as when a teacher is talking.
They Can Get Your Heart Rate Up, Too
The American Academy of Pediatrics did an experiment on people who play active games, like on
Nintendo Wii, and people who walk on treadmills. The study found out that active gamers have
the same heart rate, reaction, behavior with the people walking on the treadmill each day at the
speed of 3.5 miles per hour, a fairly rigorous walking pace. This shows that active video games can
not only be not bad for you, but actually good for your health.
Playing video games helps you learn from your mistakes more efficiently. When you're at your
computer or console playing video games, you often make mistakes. That mistake then stays in
your head, and you work hard not to make it again. You can then apply those skills to real life,

allowing yourself to learn from your mistakes in the real world quickly and not be too let down by
them.
The Bottom Line
Lastly, playing video games helps some people manage stress. When you are stressed, play some
video games, settle in and carry on. Video games can soothe your brain and help you calm down.
Video games have upsides, and not just one, but many. Parents should take their time and study
the evidence. Instead, they often just say, "too many video games, young man."
It is important to look not just at the downsides, but the many upsides of playing video games.
Cheney Wu is 11 years old and lives in Vancouver, Canada. He enjoys swimming and playing
with friends. He likes reading and writing his own stories and comics. He codes and plays video
games.