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\"Instant messaging is the new thing to do，\"says Elizabeth W. ， age 12.\"There's just something wonderful about being able to talk to a friend even though you can't see her face or hear her voice.\" For many kids，instant messaging，or IM，is the latest way to talk about school， friends， and every- thing else. Instant messaging lets computer users \"chat¹ from across the street--or across the country. Unlike the phone， IM allows users to \"talk\" to several friends at once， either in separate conversa- tions or together in a group chat. To start using IM， ask your parents to download instant messaging software and help you sign up.Then write a note， and one keyboard click zips² your message to your friend's computer. Your friend reads your note and responds right away.

Using instant messaging is pretty simple.So what's tricky³ about IM?Talking to a bunch⁴ of buddies⁵!It's like juggling five or more separate phone calls all at once. Yikes⁶!

You need to share your screen name with friends so that they know who you are when you're online， but problems can come up if your IM password doesn't stay private⁷. Once， Brianne S. 's brother logged on⁸ with her screen name and password. \"He talked to my friends like he was me and said bad stuff to them，\" Brianne， 14， of California， explains. \"Later on， when I was really online， my friends wouldn't talk to me because they thought I had been mean to them!\"

As Brianne's story shows，people aren't always who they seem to be online.If your friend sends a cruel note that doesn't sound at all like her， check things out before you assume the worst.And never respond to messages from people you don't know. Strangers can be just as dangerousonline as in real life.

AnotherIMtrouble spot pops up when messages get misinterpreted⁹. If you're talking face to face， the tone of your voice and your expressions give important hints about what you're trying to say. Online， those hints are gone! A comment like \"I'm never sitting at your lunch table again because you spilled¹⁰ your milk today\" could be read as teasing¹¹--or taken seriously.When you IM， make a joke clear by adding \"jk\" (just kidding) or \"oj\" (only joking) to your message. Or use a cute winking smiley face to let friends know you're fooling around¹².

注釋：

1．chat vi. 閑談，聊天

2．zipvt．有力而迅速地行動 （或移動）

3．trickyadj．難以捉摸的，微妙的

4．bunch n．[俚]群，伙

5．buddyn．[口]好朋友，伙伴

6．yikes int．[口]（表示驚訝）呀！

7．private adj．秘密的，保密的

8．log on [計]進入系統(tǒng)

9．misinterpret vt．錯誤地理解

10．spill vt．（不小心）使溢出，使?jié)姵?/p>

11．tease vt．戲弄，取笑

12．fool around [口]玩弄