Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
Like many constructions, it started small; but now thousands of children with autism are making friends and learning social skills by playing a version of online building game Minecraft. Stuart Duncan, a web developer in Timmins, Canada, got the idea through a popular blog he ran about his own experiences with autism as well as bringing up a son with autism. Other parents with autistic children started telling him that their kids were enamoured with a game that let them explore a randomly generated wilderness. However, many of the children were being bullied by other players. So, in 2013, he set up a server to run a version of Minecraft exclusively for children with autism and their families. At first, he thought the invite-only server would attract 10 or 20 people. To his amazement, hundreds requested to join in the first few days. Now, almost three years later, the community boasts nearly 7000 members, along with a team of admins to help manage its many activities. “Parents see such a benefit for themselves and their children,” says Duncan. Everyday social situations can be challenging for autistic children, who may struggle to pick up on social cues or understand another person’s perspective. Minecraft strips away the pressures typical of the real world. There is no noisy or unfamiliar environment to distract you, no pressure to track the other person’s facial expressions or worry about eye contact. “With Minecraft, you can really just be yourself,” he says. To join Autcraft, you must fill out an application. Once approved, you are free to roam the landscape and build your own structures. You can also take part in group games or build things as a team. However, you have to stick to some rules. Harassing other players or destroying their property can get you banned. Joining a community like Autcraft could be a good first step to feeling less socially anxious and more engaged, says Elizabeth Laugeson, director of the PEERS Clinic at the University of California, Los Angeles. The server also caught the eye of Kate Ringland at the University of California, Irvine. She sees Autcraft as not just another online community, but as a tool that helps autistic children practise social skills. “There’s a lot of reflection going on,” she says. “Autcraft is supporting a lot of social behaviours.” (Adapted from https://www.newscientist.com/)
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