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Is the Age of Reading Ending?
阅读时代正在远去？
Watch on YouTube 📺
Is the Age of Reading Ending?
阅读时代正在远去？
最近的一项调查显示，去年美国成年人中，读书的人数甚至不足一半。随着社交媒体的普及，人们的注意力变得越来越短，书中的句子也比以前简单得多。事实上，去年参与博彩的人数甚至超过了读书的人数，阅读率大幅下降。受此影响，即便是一些名校的学生，现在也很难总结长篇文章或理解复杂信息。
A massive national survey recently revealed a shocking change in American life.
最近的一项大规模全国调查揭示了美国人生活中的惊人变化。massive national survey 大规模全国调查 / recently revealed 最近揭示 / shocking change 惊人变化 / American life 美国人的生活
Fewer than half of all adults in the United States reported reading a book in 2022.
2022 年，表示读过书的美国成年人不足一半。Fewer than half 不足一半 / all adults 所有成年人 / reported reading 称读过书
This drop is part of a trend where reading for fun fell to 16 percent last year.
随着去年阅读率降至 16%，这种下降趋势仍在持续。This drop 这种下降 / part of a trend 趋势的一部分 / reading for fun 为了乐趣而阅读 / fell to 16 percent 降至 16%
In fact, 57 percent of Americans placed a bet last year, more than read a book.
事实上，去年美国人参与博彩的比例为 57%，甚至超过了读书的人数。In fact 事实上 / placed a bet 参与博彩 / more than read 超过了阅读
It is not just that people read less, but that they are reading simpler things.
问题不仅在于阅读量减少，还在于人们只读更简单的内容。read less 读得更少 / simpler things 更简单的内容
Sentences in best-selling books are now one-third shorter than a century ago.
畅销书的句子长度也比 100 年前缩短了三分之一。best-selling books 畅销书 / one-third shorter 缩短了三分之一 / a century ago 一个世纪前
Experts say this happens because we spend all our time on social media posts.
专家认为，这是因为人们把时间都花在了社交媒体帖子。Experts say 专家认为 / spend all our time 花掉所有时间 / social media posts 社交媒体帖子
Maryanne Wolf, a scientist at UCLA, warns that
加州大学洛杉矶分校 (UCLA) 的科学家玛丽安·沃尔夫警告道：scientist at UCLA 加州大学洛杉矶分校的科学家 / warns that 警告说
this shift is hurting our ability to think about complex information.
这种转变正在损害我们思考复杂信息的能力。this shift 这种转变 / hurting our ability 损害我们的能力 / complex information 复杂信息
Now, 30 percent of adults struggle to summarize the meaning of a multi-page text.
如今，30% 的成年人甚至难以总结几页文字的大意。struggle to summarize 难以总结 / meaning 意义 / multi-page text 多页的文章
Even at elite schools like Harvard, some students now see reading as a burden.
即使是哈佛等名牌大学的学生，现在也将阅读视为一种负担。elite schools 名牌学校 / see reading as 将阅读视为... / burden 负担
The outlook for the next generation is even worse, as children read less every year.
随着儿童阅读量逐年下降，下一代的前景更加暗淡。outlook 前景 / next generation 下一代 / even worse 更加糟糕
Since 1984, the number of 13-year-olds who never read for fun has tripled to 29 percent.
自 1984 年以来，从不为了乐趣阅读的 13 岁青少年比例增加了两倍，达到 29%。Since 1984 自 1984 年以来 / never read for fun 从不为了乐趣阅读 / tripled to 29 percent 增加至三倍达到 29%
Deep reading skills are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
深度阅读的能力正在迅速成为过去。Deep reading skills 深度阅读能力 / becoming a thing of the past 成为过去式
Quiz 🧠
Q1. Spending lots of time on social media usually makes people read fewer books.
查看答案
✅ True
经常使用社交媒体会让人习惯阅读简短的内容，从而减少阅读长篇书籍的时间。
Social media offers quick posts, which leaves less time and patience for reading long books.
Q2. What does 'burden' mean in 'reading feels like a burden'?
查看答案
✅ hard task
'Burden'是指让人在心理或身体上感到沉重的负担，或是难以应付的艰难任务。
A burden is something difficult or unpleasant that feels like heavy work.
Q3. Why are sentences in modern best-selling books becoming shorter?
查看答案
✅ To make reading easier
简短的句子结构不复杂，能让读者更轻松、快速地阅读理解。
Shorter sentences help readers understand the story quickly without struggling over complex text.
Dialogue 🎧
Michael: Charlotte, I saw this news today and it's actually really dark.
Michael: 迈克尔，我今天看到一个新闻，内容真的很让人震惊。
Charlotte: Is it about the fact that nobody reads books anymore?
Charlotte: 你是说人们不再读书的那件事吗？
Michael: Yeah. Fewer than half of US adults read a book in 2022.
Michael: 对。2022 年读过哪怕一本书的美国成年人竟然还不到一半。
Charlotte: It's true. Only 16 percent of people now read for pleasure.
Charlotte: 没错。听说现在只有 16% 的人会为了乐趣而读书。
Michael: That's wild. I feel like I'm always on my phone, though.
Michael: 真不可思议。虽然说实话，我也整天抱着手机不放。
Charlotte: Exactly. We spend our time on social media posts instead of books.
Charlotte: 是啊。大家都把时间花在刷社交媒体帖子上了，哪还有时间看书。
Michael: I guess scrolling counts as reading in a way?
Michael: 滑屏看动态不也算某种意义上的阅读吗？
Charlotte: Not really. A UCLA scientist says we are losing "deep reading" skills.
Charlotte: 那可不一定。UCLA 的一位科学家警告说，我们正在失去‘深度阅读’的能力。
Michael: Deep reading? Is that different from what we do every day?
Michael: 深度阅读？跟我们每天做的这些差别很大吗？
Charlotte: Yes. Now, 30 percent of adults struggle to summarize a long text.
Charlotte: 是的。据说现在有 30% 的成年人甚至很难总结长文章的内容。
Michael: Ouch. That sounds like me on a Monday morning.
Michael: 哎呀，扎心了。这听起来简直就是周一早上的我。
Charlotte: It's bad for kids too. Non-readers among 13-year-olds have tripled lately.
Charlotte: 孩子们的情况也不容乐观。从不看书的 13 岁青少年人数最近增加了两倍。
Michael: Tripled? That is a massive jump for one generation.
Michael: 三倍？仅仅一代人的时间，增幅竟然这么大。
Charlotte: It is 29 percent now. Even Harvard students see reading as a burden.
Charlotte: 现在的比例已经到了 29%。甚至连哈佛的学生都觉得读书是一种负担。
Michael: Harvard? Those students are supposed to be the best.
Michael: 哈佛？那里可是尖子生云集的地方啊。
Charlotte: One even used ChatGPT to "translate" a novel into easier language.
Charlotte: 有个学生甚至用 ChatGPT 把小说‘翻译’成更简单的白话来读。
Michael: No way. Are the books just too hard now?
Michael: 太夸张了吧。难道是现在的书写得太难了？
Charlotte: Maybe. Best-selling sentences are now one-third shorter than a century ago.
Charlotte: 也许吧。畅销书的句子长度确实比 100 年前缩短了三分之一。
Michael: So even the best authors are making things simpler for us?
Michael: 所以连名作家都在配合我们的水平，把文字写得更直白了吗？
Charlotte: Basically. Last year, 57 percent of Americans placed a bet, outnumbering readers.
Charlotte: 基本上是这样。去年有 57% 的美国人参与博彩，这个人数比看书的人还多。
Michael: We would rather gamble than read? That feels incredibly grim.
Michael: 博彩竟然比读书更普遍？这现实真让人沮丧。
Charlotte: Maryanne Wolf calls us "postliterate." It's like the Library of Alexandria again.
Charlotte: 玛丽安·沃尔夫称这个时代为‘后识字时代’。就像当年的亚历山大图书馆一样。
Michael: Didn't that library burn down in a huge disaster?
Michael: 那座图书馆不是因为大火被烧毁了吗？
Charlotte: No. It died from negligence because people simply stopped caring.
Charlotte: 不是的。是因为人们完全失去了兴趣，放任不管，它才逐渐消失的。