VOA慢速英语2015--回顾2015年健康的生活方式

AS IT IS 2015-12-29 A Look Back on Health, Lifestyle in 2015 回顾2015年健康的生活方式

Hello and welcome to the Health & Lifestyle year in review.

As 2015 comes to an end, we look at the stories that you, our audience, found interesting and useful.

In early 2015, we aired an original story on choosing to be a single mother.

This story features the author Kerry Reichs. Reichs was getting older and found herself without a partner. But she wanted kids. So, she went through the long and complicated¹ process of using a sperm² donor³.

In the article, Reichs describes her experience and the difficult choice to become a parent on her own.

The story caused some interesting debate in the Comments section. Some of our listeners said they thought she was very brave for having children on her own.

A listener named Kiki from Spain wrote: “It’s better than waiting for a wrong man.”

Some wrote that they thought it was not the best family structure for the child.

Regardless of the viewpoint⁴, the online discussions⁵ were thoughtful⁶ and polite.

Another story about parenting was also very popular with our readers.

How to raise a reader, another original story, suggests ways parents can raise their children to love reading. Experts say reading to a child – no matter how young or how old – is the best way to create a love of reading in that child.

Many of you shared your favorite books from childhood. You also shared stories of being read to or reading to others. The conversations in the Comments sections were heartfelt. And the advice was, hopefully, helpful.

One listener from Ontario, Canada, asked how to choose the right books for her child. We supplied many links and resources for her to check out.

And Maria Victoria from Bogota, Colombia writes, “Thank you so much. I am 55 years old and I trying to learn, read and someday speak English. When I have time I enjoy reading and practicing with VOA Learning⁷ English. You are so nice and kind. God bless you!”

Home continues to be the place where many of our listeners find common ground.

Keeping the home clean and organized is important not only to our listeners but to people all around the world. One of the most influential⁸ people in 2015 by Time magazine is a cleaning expert.

In the story “Could Organizing Your Home Change Your Life?” we share Marie Kondo’s advice.

Kondo got everyone talking about getting rid of anything in your life that does not “bring joy.” Her name became a movement and it even became a verb. Social media was alive with the question, “Do you Kondo?”

At the heart of being human is perhaps trying to make the happiest life possible. For those who may not feel secure⁹ or confident that is sometimes not easy.

That is again where our listeners from different backgrounds and different languages met.

Many listeners found Amy Cuddy’s research in the story, “Your Body Posture¹⁰ Can Change Your Brain” helpful and interesting.

Work-life balance

Managing work well is a topic that affects everyone all over the world. If you work, you can relate to working smartly.

After reading the article “Change in Work Schedule Could Cure 'Social Jet¹¹ Lag'” many of our listeners shared how they are affected¹² by their working schedules.

Be careful with technology

We live in a world filled with technology. Knowing how to use this technology safely is of interest to our readers.

Two stories we ran early in 2015 reminded listeners to watch their posture and the volume of the sound on their devices¹³.

"Too Much Gaming is a Pain in the Neck" explores the dangers of bad posture when using technology.

The story “One Billion Young People Risk Hearing Loss From Loud Music” got the attention of many of our listeners. Many were interested in learning how loud is too loud when listening with earphone or ear buds¹⁴.

Many of our listeners also enjoy our articles on fitness¹⁵.

But not all who read For a Longer Life, Go Running agreed with the article. But it did cause some interesting conversations in the Comments section.

Where are the World’s Happiest People? Many listeners wrote in about their views on happiness. It was great fun to see all the listeners talking to each other within the Comments section.

Bacon and bananas

From eating nuts to stay healthy to using sweet potatoes as medicine, food stories continue to be popular among our listeners.

Many of you wanted an answer to the question, should there be A Tax on Sugar?

The World Health Organization says people around the world are eating more sugar. As a result, it says, health problems related¹⁶ to weight gain and tooth damage are increasing.

Listeners shared their views on whether to tax the sweet stuff¹⁷ to keep people from eating too much of it.

Our listeners must like their bacon and hot dogs! Many of you enjoyed the story WHO: Bacon, Hot Dogs Can Cause Cancer.

And many of you wrote in about a favorite food – bananas! But not just bananas as a popular food. In the story Banana Protein May Be Virus Killer¹⁸ we explore research that shows bananas may have virus-killing properties.

Go bananas!

1 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

2 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

3 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

4 viewpoint   

n.观点，看法，见解

参考例句：

• He explained his viewpoint that taxes should be increased.他解释了他认为应该增加税收的观点。
• My viewpoint is in coincidence with you.我的观点与你的一致。

5 discussions   

n.讨论( discussion的名词复数 )；商讨；详述；论述

参考例句：

• Discussions are held on an informal basis within the department. 讨论限于在本部门内非正式地进行。
• Her specialist input to the discussions has been very useful. 她在这些讨论中提供的专家建议很有助益。

6 thoughtful   

adj.思考的，沉思的，体贴的，关心的

参考例句：

• She is thoughtful for her friends.她很体贴她的朋友们。
• This is a thoughtful essay.这是一篇具有思想性的随笔。

7 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

8 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

9 secure   

adj.无虑的，安心的，安全的；adj.牢靠的，稳妥的；vt.固定，获得，使...安全；vi.(海上工作人员)停止工；vi.(船)抛锚，停泊

参考例句：

• He found a secure foothold and pulled himself up.他找到了一个稳固的踏脚处并爬了上去。
• Extra men are needed to secure the camp against attack.需要增加兵力以保护军营免受攻击。

10 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

11 jet   

n.喷气发动机，喷气式飞机；v.喷出，喷射

参考例句：

• Put a match to the jet to light the gas.将火柴放在煤气喷嘴上点燃煤气。
• I don't see the jet of your plan.我不明白你的计划的要点。

12 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

13 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

14 buds   

芽( bud的名词复数 )； 苞； 半开的花； 未长大的叶

参考例句：

• the first buds appearing in spring 春天的初芽
• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring. 柳枝绽青报春来。

15 fitness   

n.适合，适当，健康，健身

参考例句：

• They're doing exercises to improve their fitness.他们为增强体质而做体操。
• No one questions her fitness for the job.没人怀疑她能胜任这项工作。

16 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

17 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

18 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。