OK, I admit it: emoticons are popular. Some people even think they are fun. Many seem unable to get through an e-mail or Instant Message chat sentence without using one. Some feel that they add feeling and character to otherwise cold digital communications.

Some people, such as a Hollywood scriptwriter John Blumenthal, however, _ the use of emoticons as "infantile just like the people who use them". He believes that words themselves should be enough. "If you're funny, happy or sad, that should be apparent from the comment that goes before the emoticons," he argues.

In the eyes of Blumenthal, the use of emoticons is a gender issue. "Men don't use emoticons very much. Maybe not at all," he said, "Teenage girls and women seem to use them a lot. Maybe there's an emoticon gene."

It's an interesting opinion, but it is not shared by all.

In an interview with The New York Times, Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, said that emoticons are popular because our brains are programmed "to seek out representations of humanity". He believes that they are popular not because they are shortcuts for the lazy, but because they bring in something beyond language. They satisfy our needs to be with and communicate with people.

All of these arguments may be somehow right. Each one of us will choose to communicate in our own way. I tried to use one once and felt like I was stealing into a primary school class that I had no place being in. I'd rather let my words do the talking.

Friends, however, send me messages and e-mails full of emoticons. I have no problem with this. I don't regard any of my friends as lazy or immature. It's just a question of individuality.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. emoticons
2. No
3. to add feeling and character to otherwise cold digital communications.
4. a Hollywood scriptwriter
5. infantile
6. that words themselves should be enough
7. Teenage girls and women
8. no
9. professor of psychology
10. University of California,
11. because our brains are programmed "to seek out representations of humanity"
12. No
13. because they bring in something beyond language.
14. They satisfy our needs to be with and communicate with people.
15. In an interview with The New York Times
16. individuality.
17. No
18. No
19. to be with and communicate with people.
20. Yes

Numbered questions:
1. What are popular?
2. Do people think they are boring?
3. Why do people use them?
4. Who is John Blumenthal?
5. What does he think about using them?
6. What does he think?
7. Who does he say uses them?
8. Does everyone think the same as he does?
9. Who is Dacher Keltner?
10. Where?
11. Why do they think it is common to use them?
12. Does he think it's because we are lazy?
13. Then why?
14. What else does he say?
15. When did he say this?
16. What does he say it's a question of?
17. Do enemies use these?
18. Do men use them according to Blumenthal?
19. What need do the satisfy?
20. Are both arguments right?