قراءة البخت عبر الإنترنت

Welcome to BBC Xtra English.

Today Alice and Reda ask whether websites can predict the future.

Predicting the future - many people over the centuries have tried to do it, from astrologers to scientists. Now the internet is being used to tell our fortunes.

An 'online prediction tool' has been developed by the University of California.

They say in times of 'economic distress' people tend to look at very specific types of websites. These are sites that sell guns, religious sites, gambling sites, and sites about house prices.

So now the researchers in California are looking closely to see if more people are looking at these sites. If they are, that could mean the economy is getting worse.

We asked what websites people are looking at here in London, now there is an economic downturn.

One man said he was trying online gambling. One woman liked social networking sites which help her share her worries with other people. One woman goes to YouTube when she needs cheering up, to watch videos which make her laugh.

What websites do you visit when you need cheering up?
ما هى المواقع الإكترونية التى تزورونه للترفيه عنكم؟

أنقر هنا للاستماع للكلمات

predicting the future
التنبأ بالمستقبل

astrologers
المنجمون

tell our fortunes
يقراون طالعنا

'economic distress'
الأزمات الإقتصادية

specific
معينة

gambling
القمار

economic downturn
إنهيار إقتصادى

social networking
شبكات التواصل الإجتماعى

share her worries
تشرك الأخرين فى همومها

needs cheering up
تحتاج للترفيه

make her laugh
يضحكها

شروط وبنود الاستخدام