The lethal camouflage of spider-tailed horned viper Seven Worlds, One Planet｜Asia To the west of the Himalayas, in Iran, lie some of the hottest deserts on Earth. This is the Lut Desert. And here, temperatures can reach 70 degrees Celsius. The blisteringly hot rocks and baking sands of Iran's deserts may appear totally lifeless. But a few trees manage to grow in the shade of the canyon walls. And here at least, migrating birds passing through can stop for a little rest. A flycatcher. With luck, there might be a meal of some kind here. There are spiders in the crevices. Not much, but worth having. And there's something moving up there. The bird was mistaken. It was a viper with a lethal bite. This species has only recently been discovered - and so far, it has been found nowhere else but here. Its camouflage is so effective that it's almost impossible to see it on these rocks. And on its tail, movable scales have been modified to look like a spider's legs, and its tip like an abdomen. Migrating birds only appear in this barren desert during a few weeks of the year. This is the snake's only chance to eat for months. A shrike. It has flown here from Africa and hasn't fed for days. Better luck next time. 词汇表 spider-tailed horned viper [ˈspaɪdə(r) teɪld hɔːnd ˈvaɪpə(r)] 蛛尾拟角蝰（分布在伊朗西部，尾巴末端形似蜘蛛，用于诱捕鸟类等猎物） Himalayas [ˌhiməˈleiəz] 喜马拉雅山脉 Iran [ɪˈrɑːn] 伊朗（西亚国家） Lut Desert [luːt ˈdezət] 卢特荒漠（位于伊朗，是世界上最热的地方之一） blisteringly hot [ˈblɪstərɪŋli] 滚烫的，灼热的，酷热的 baking ['beɪkɪŋ] 炙热的，灼热的 lifeless ['laɪfləs] 无生命的，没有生命迹象的 canyon wall ['kænjən] 峡谷壁 migrating birds [ˈmaɪɡreɪtɪŋ] 迁徙的鸟，候鸟 flycatcher [ˈflaɪˌkætʃə(r)] 捕蝇鸟，鹟（善于捕食飞行中的昆虫) spider [ˈspaɪdə(r)] 蜘蛛 crevice ['krevɪs] （岩石上的）裂隙，裂隙 viper [ˈvaɪpə(r)] 蝰蛇（一种毒蛇） lethal bite [ˈliːθl][baɪt] 致命一咬，致命咬伤 camouflage [ˈkæməˌflɑːʒ] 伪装，掩饰；（动物的）保护色；迷彩服 tail [teɪl] 尾巴，尾部 movable [ˈmuːvəb(ə)l] 可移动的，活动的，不固定的 scale [skeɪl]（鱼、蛇等动物的）鳞，鳞片 modify [ˈmɒdɪfaɪ] 演化，改变，改造 abdomen ['æbdəmən] 腹部 barren [ˈbærən] 贫瘠的，荒芜的，不毛的 shrike [ʃraɪk] 伯劳鸟，屠夫鸟（性格凶猛，会将捕获的饵物穿挂在荆刺上） feed [fiːd] 进食，喂食 🌍 更多文本内容、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

UK issues new junk food ad ban to lower childhood obesity An advert will be banned from being put online or played on the television before 9pm if the food item it promotes falls into one of 13 categories, and if analysis of its nutrients, such as salt, fat and sugar, lead to it being classified as less healthy on a government scoring system. The focus on the product, which was set in legislation passed by the last government, means a fast-food chain, for example, would still be free to advertise without restrictions, as long as it didn't show any of its burgers, fries or other less healthy offerings. A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said the ban was clear – that unhealthy food products, which are excessively high in sugar, fat or salt were covered in the restrictions, but that it did not restrict brands from advertising, provided any products they feature met the conditions set. 词汇表 issue [ˈɪʃuː] 出台，发布，发行 junk food [dʒʌŋk] 垃圾食品，无营养食品 obesity [əʊˈbiːsəti] 肥胖，肥胖症 advert [ˈædvɜː(r)t] 广告 ban [bæn] 禁止；禁令 promote [prəˈməʊt] 宣传，推销（商品） fall into 属于（类别或范围） nutrient [ˈnjuːtriənt] 养分，营养物 be classified as [ˈklæsɪfaɪd] 被分类为，被列为 scoring system ['skɔ:riŋ] 评分系统 legislation [ˌledʒɪˈsleɪʃ(ə)n] 立法，法案，法规 fast-food chain 快餐连锁 offering [ˈɒf(ə)rɪŋ]（用于销售的）产品，出售物 spokesperson [ˈspəʊksˌpɜː(r)s(ə)n] 发言人，代言人 Department for Health and Social Care 卫生和社会保障部 excessively [ɪk'sesɪvlɪ] 过量的，过多的 provided [prəˈvaɪdɪd] 假如，只要 feature [ˈfiːtʃə(r)]（在某个内容中）出现，以…为主要组成 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Tidy space, tidy mind? Are you the kind of person who needs a pristine, orderly environment for you to feel relaxed? Or perhaps being surrounded by your clutter is not a big d. eal, it might even bring you comfort. 'Professional organisers', who help people declutter their space, have grown in popularity in recent years, particularly on the internet. But does shedding your possessions always make you happier? Or, does clutter matter? Living in a messy space can have various negative effects on our lives. For example, a study called 'No Place Like Home' by Repetti and Saxbe, found that mothers with messy homes had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and an increased depressed mood throughout the day. Messy homes can also make it harder to fall asleep, according to the 2021 study 'The association between sleep and late life hoarding', and no one wants that! So perhaps Marie Kondo, author of 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying', was on to something when she said, "tidying can transform your life". To achieve Kondo's style of minimalism, she recommends gathering all your things together, choosing which items 'spark joy' and then discarding the rest. Some may find it invigorating to begin again on a clean slate, while others, particularly extreme hoarders, can find the process anxiety-inducing, because of an attachment to their belongings. Then there are those who simply enjoy collecting. Vintage style expert Kate Beavis has a home filled with handbags, toys, phones and cookware from the 1960s. Others may call this clutter, but she argues that minimalist homes are "boring and bland". Some items may not have a practical use, but instead hold sentimental value, and spark joy in a nostalgic way. And things that "evoke happy memories are valuable, especially to people with memory problems," says Chris Stiff, senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University. Maybe a giant mess isn't all bad. And as Albert Einstein once said, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?" 词汇表 pristine [ˈprɪstiːn] 整洁的，崭新的 orderly [ˈɔː(r)də(r)li] 井然有序的，整齐的 clutter [ˈklʌtə(r)] 杂乱的东西；杂乱 professional organiser [ˈɔːɡənaɪzər] 专业整理师 declutter [di:'klʌtə(r)] 清理，整理 shed [ʃed] 丢弃，去除，摆脱 possession [pə'zeʃ(ə)n] 个人物品，所有物 messy ['mesi] 杂乱的，不整洁的 stress hormone cortisol [ˈhɔː(r)məʊn]['kɔːtɪsɒl] 应激激素皮质醇 depressed mood [dɪ'prest]情绪低落 hoarding [ˈhɔː(r)dɪŋ] 囤积，贮藏 tidy ['taɪdi] 整理，使整洁；整齐的，整洁的 on to something 有道理，发现某事的真相 minimalism [ˈmɪnɪm(ə)lˌɪz(ə)m] 极简主义 spark joy [spɑː(r)k] 带来快乐，激发愉悦感 discard [dɪsˈkɑː(r)d] 丢弃，抛弃 invigorating [ɪnˈvɪɡəˌreɪtɪŋ] 令人充满活力的，精神充沛的 clean slate [sleɪt] 改头换面，崭新的开始 hoarder [hɔ:də] 囤积者，喜欢囤积东西的人 anxiety-inducing [in'dju:siŋ] 引发焦虑的 attachment [ə'tætʃmənt] 依恋，感情依赖 belongings [bɪˈlɒŋɪŋz] 所有物，物品 vintage style ['vɪntɪdʒ] 复古风格 cookware [ˈkʊkˌweə(r)] 烹饪用具，厨具 bland [blænd] 平淡的，乏味的 sentimental value [ˌsentɪˈment(ə)l] 情感价值 nostalgic [nɒˈstældʒɪk] 怀旧的，令人怀念的 evoke [ɪˈvəʊk] 引起，唤起（感情、记忆等） a giant mess ['dʒaɪənt] 一片杂乱，一团糟 cluttered [ˈklʌtəd] 凌乱的，杂乱的，混乱的 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Rage bait: How online anger makes money Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English, I'm Phil. --And I'm Beth. If you use the internet, and nearly everyone does, you've probably read headlines like this: You won't believe what plastic surgery this celebrity has had done! Known as clickbait, headlines like these are used to grab your attention and make you read more. But now, a new trend called rage bait is spreading across social media. Rage bait is online content designed to make you angry or outraged. In this programme, we'll explore the trend of rage-baiting, and, as usual, we'll learn some useful new vocabulary, all of which you can find on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. Great, but first it's time for my question, Beth, which is about the two terms we've been using: 'clickbait' and 'rage bait'. Both contain the word, 'bait', but what is its actual meaning? Is bait: a) a strong feeling of anger? b) food put on a hook to catch fish or animals? c) a piece of computer software? --I am fairly confident that it is b) – food put on a hook. --OK. Well, we'll find out the correct answer later in the programme. Here's how rage bait works: a creator posts a provocative piece of content online, a message maybe, or a video. People see it, feel outraged, and comment angrily. Others see it, like it and share it around. Either way, the content creates interest, increases internet traffic and makes money for the creator. Here's marketing strategist, Andrea Jones, explaining more to Megan Lawton, presenter of BBC World Service programme, Business Daily: The more content they create, the more engagement they get, the more that they get paid. And so they will do anything. Some creators will do anything to get more views because the more views they get, the more that they get paid, even if, even if, those views are negative or inciting rage and anger in people. Andrea, how is rage bait different to clickbait or other online tactics? As a marketer, I'm always, you know, coaching my clients and talking to them about using hooks in their marketing, right? And I think the difference between a hook and rage bait or even its long-lost cousin, clickbait content… When we think about a hook, to me a hook accurately reflects what's in that piece of content and it comes from a place of trust, whereas rage-baiting content is designed to be manipulative. Andrea says the more reaction a post gets, the more money the creator makes, even if the reactions are hateful. She uses the structure, the more one thing happens, the more something else happens, to show that as one thing happens repeatedly, so another thing increases as a result. For example, the more you practise English, the more you'll improve. It doesn't matter that the content is designed to incite outrage – to encourage unpleasant or violent reactions. That's why Andrea thinks rage bait is worse than clickbait. While clickbait is more truthful about its content, rage bait is manipulative, meaning it tries to influence something to its own advantage. So, it's not hard to see why many people think rage bait is toxic. So, if you're wondering why people react in the first place, listen as Dr William Brady explains the psychology behind rage bait to BBC World Service's, Business Daily: If you are an influencer and you want to figure out, 'Well, how do I get more eyeballs on my content?' Well, you need to exploit those biases we have in our psychology because that's the content we'll pay more attention to. In turn that's the content that algorithms will amplify, which ultimately means more advertising revenue. Influencers want more eyeballs on their content – more people to view their website or social media posts – and use human psychology to do it. Psychologically speaking, we all have biases – feelings – which are often unconscious, either for or against a certain idea or group of people. Biases are emotional, and since listening to our emotions has been vital to the evolution of the human species, creators know that provoking our emotions will grab our attention. So, what can be done to combat rage bait? Well, we could all take a moment to think before reacting. And remember that by sharing something outrageous you might be making things worse, while also making the creator richer. OK, Phil, let's reveal the answer to your question. You asked me what 'bait' is. --I did. And the correct answer is b) food put on a hook to catch a fish or an animal, and isn't that what you said, Beth? --It is, yes. --Right again! 📝 完整文本，词汇表，翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Do we have a right not to be lonely? | BBC Ideas Long distance sailors, who brave months alone at sea, tend to report that their greatest challenge is the soul-destroying loneliness. We're prone to feeling lonely when we're socially isolated, but we can also feel lonely when we're not isolated, when we're in relationships with people who care about us. So, what is that "terrible loneliness," as philosopher Bertrand Russell puts it, where "one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold, unfathomable, lifeless abyss." Loneliness is the unwelcome feeling that we lack companions, that we have fewer or poorer relationships than we want. Feeling lonely is like feeling pain, thirst and fear. It triggers our "fight or flight" response. In small doses, loneliness can help us. It can prod us to reach out to other people, but when loneliness becomes chronic and acute, it's corrosive. Some of us turn to drugs to deal with loneliness. Some of us join abusive relationships or gangs. It's correlated with health risks such as depression, reduced immunity, and even suicidal behaviour. Studies indicate that young people feel lonely as often as older people do. Even young children can feel deep loneliness. If loneliness is a serious social problem, what do we do about it? Can we have a right not to be lonely? We cannot have a right against feeling lonely, but we could have rights against some of the underlying conditions that tend to cause loneliness. Such as a right not to be persistently socially isolated, including a right not to be left to fend for ourselves when we need help to stay social, like the physically impaired person who needs some help to get out of the house. Although this isn't currently an explicit right in international agreements, arguably it should be, because human rights are about the brute moral minimum that we owe each other as human beings. In addition to talking about rights, we can work individually to alleviate our own and each other's loneliness. There is value in small social connections, like the visit to the doctor, the ride on the bus, and the trip to the grocery shop. We can make it a habit, as writer George Monbiot suggests, to start conversations with people we don't know. These micro-moments of connection aren't just nice, according to social psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, they change us for the better, emotionally and physically. It's like getting exercise. And it goes both ways, our heart's capacity for love obeys the biological law: Use it or lose it. As children's singer Charlotte Diamond puts it: Give four hugs a day - that's the minimum, not the maximum. 词汇表 sailor [ˈseɪlə(r)] 水手，海员，乘船者 brave 勇敢面对，冒（风险） soul-destroying [ˈsəʊl dɪˌstrɔɪɪŋ] 毁灭灵魂的，枯燥乏味的，消磨精神的 be prone to [prəʊn] 倾向于，易于 socially isolated [ˈaɪsəˌleɪtɪd] 与社会隔绝的，社会孤立的 shivering consciousness ['ʃivəriŋ][ˈkɒnʃəsnəs] 颤抖的意识（恐惧、寒冷或紧张等情况下） rim [rɪm] （圆形物的）外缘，边缘 unfathomable [ʌn'fæðəməb(ə)l] 难以理解的，深不可测的 lifeless ['laɪfləs] 毫无生气的，死气沉沉的 abyss [ə'bɪs] 深渊，无底洞；困境 unwelcome [ʌn'welkəm] 讨厌的，令人不适的，不受欢迎的 companion [kəm'pænjən] 同伴，伴侣 "fight or flight" response 战斗或逃跑反应（指在应对压力时，交感神经系统引发的一系列生理变化” in small doses [ˈdəʊsɪz] 适度情况下，小剂量地，少量地 prod [prɒd] 激励，促使，敦促 chronic [ˈkrɒnɪk] 长期的，慢性的 acute [əˈkjuːt] 严重的，剧烈的 corrosive [kəˈrəʊsɪv] 腐蚀性的，有害的 abusive relationship [əˈbjuːsɪv] 虐待性关系（指亲密关系中身体、情感或心理上的虐待或控制） gang [ɡæŋ] 帮派，黑帮，团伙 be correlated with [ˈkɒrəˌleɪtɪd] 与……相关 reduced immunity [ri'dju:st][ɪˈmjuːnəti] 免疫力下降 suicidal behaviour [ˌsuːɪˈsaɪd(ə)l] 自杀行为 underlying [ˌʌndə(r)ˈlaɪɪŋ] 根本的，潜在的，隐含的 persistently [pəˈsɪstəntlɪ] 持续地；坚持地，固执地 fend for oneself [fend] 照顾自己，自谋生路 physically impaired ['fɪzɪkli][ɪmˈpeə(r)d] 身体残疾的 explicit [ɪk'splɪsɪt] 明确的，清楚的 international agreement 国际协议 arguably [ˈɑː(r)ɡjuəbli] 可以说，按理 brute [bruːt] 最基本的，纯粹的；原始的，野蛮的 moral minimum [ˈmɒrəl]['mɪnɪməm] 最低道德标准，道德底线 alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] 减轻，缓解，缓和 grocery shop [ˈɡrəʊsəri] 杂货店 micro-moment [maɪkrəʊ]（极短但颇具重要性的）微瞬间 social psychologist [saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst] 社会心理学家 capacity [kə'pæsəti] 能力，容量，容纳力 biological law [ˌbaɪəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l] 生物学定律 use it or lose it 用进废退 maximum ['mæksɪməm] 最大限度，最大量，上限 💡 翻译、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Golden Snub-nosed Monkey: Huddling for Warmth Seven Worlds, One Planet｜Asia Asia's mountains stretch all the way from Afghanistan, across northern India, to here in central China. These are the mountains of Shennongjia, among China's highest. The forests here were, until comparatively recently, the least known in the world. Few outsiders had any idea of what animals might be living in them. There were stories of humanlike monsters - Yetis, Abominable Snowmen - who left strange footprints in the snow, but little else. And indeed, there are monkeys living in these snowy forests - and they're very strange. Meet the blue-faced, golden-coated snub-nosed snow monkey. They are among the heftiest of monkeys. Big animals keep warm more easily than small ones, and they survive in colder conditions than any other monkey on Earth. They all have snub noses. Perhaps prominent ones would only too easily get frostbitten. The whole group huddles together at the slightest opportunity to keep warm. And who wouldn't? Even adults, if they get separated from the group, can freeze to death. Now, in the depths of winter, food is desperately hard to find. The head of the family leads them to the edge of their territory in search of something to eat. The only food here is wretchedly unnourishing - bark, moss and lichen. There's hardly enough to sustain one monkey, let alone a family. But they share it peaceably. Survival depends on the group keeping together. In these mountains, any food is precious. A rival group. They, too, are searching for food. The two males go head-to-head. And now the females join the fray. Outnumbered, the intruders retreat. Their leader is the last to go. The fight was over the smallest of meals, but it was ferocious nonetheless, and the family is now scattered. But they must stay together. The youngest are already badly chilled. She can see her father, but has she the strength to reach him? Back to safety and warmth. The huddle is the only source of warmth in these bleak, frozen forests. 词汇表 golden snub-nosed monkey [ˌsnʌb ˈnəʊzd] 川金丝猴，蓝面猴，仰鼻猴(blue-faced / golden-coated / snub-nosed monkey) stretch [stretʃ] 绵延，伸展，延伸 Afghanistan [æf'ɡænɪstæn] 阿富汗 Shennongjia 神农架（湖北省自然保护林区） comparatively [kəmˈpærətɪvli] 相对地，比较而言 outsider [aʊtˈsaɪdə(r)] 外来者，局外人 humanlike [ˈhjuːmənlaɪk] 类人的，似人类的 Yetis / Abominable Snowman ['jeti][əˈbɒmɪnəb(ə)l][ˈsnəʊmæn] 雪人（据传生活在喜马拉雅山区，形如人类） footprint ['fʊtprɪnt] 足迹，脚印 hefty ['hefti] 庞大的，重的 prominent [ˈprɒmɪnənt] 突出的，显著的 frostbite [ˈfrɒs(t)ˌbaɪt] 冻伤，遭受霜冻 huddle together ['hʌd(ə)l]（因恐惧，寒冷等）挤在一起，缩成一团 freeze to death 冻死 territory [ˈterət(ə)ri] 领土，领地，地盘 wretchedly [ˈretʃɪdlɪ] 极其地，可怜地，差劲地 unnourishing [ˌʌnˈnʌrɪʃɪŋ] 无营养的 bark [bɑː(r)k] 树皮；狗叫 moss [mɒs] 苔藓，地衣 lichen [ˈlɪtʃ(ə)n] 地衣，苔藓 sustain [sə'steɪn] 支持，支撑，维持 let alone 更不用说 rival ['raɪv(ə)l] 对手，敌手，竞争者 go head-to-head 正面交锋，直接对抗 fray [freɪ] 吵闹，争吵，争斗 outnumber [ˌaʊtˈnʌmbə(r)] 比…多，数目超过 intruder [ɪnˈtruːdə(r)] 闯入者，入侵者 retreat [rɪˈtriːt] 撤退，退却，后退 ferocious [fəˈrəʊʃəs] 凶猛的，强烈的，激烈的 nonetheless [ˌnʌnðəˈles] 尽管如此，仍然，可是 scattered [ˈskætə(r)d] 分散的，离散的 chilled [tʃɪld] 已冷的，冷硬了的，冷冻的 bleak [bliːk] 荒凉的；阴冷的，寒冷的 🌍 更多文本内容、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Understanding extreme sports enthusiasts There are two types of people: those who would jump from a plane, hungry to feel the rush of adrenaline in those moments before the parachute opens up, and those who would rather not tempt fate, and instead find pleasure in remaining safely on firm ground, perhaps enjoying a nice view. An extreme sport is one where a small mistake could result in a serious injury, even death. What is it that separates extreme sports enthusiasts from others who prefer to avoid such activities? "There has to be something wrong with them." That's an assumption that many people, including researchers, have historically held. Why else would a person participate in sports such as base jumping and free solo climbing, which are characterised by such high risk? But Eric Brymer, behavioural scientist who studies the psychology of adventure, has met many extreme athletes in his career and challenges the view that they are all reckless thrill-seekers. "Most people were very careful and took years to develop their skills," he said. Many don't even consider their sports risky because they spend so much time minimising risk. In fact, a desire to manage risks was a trait identified in extreme athletes in a 2024 study called 'What factors explain extreme sport participation?'. The authors also found that athletes enjoyed feeling at one with nature and being part of a community of like-minded people. Another theme was a drive to succeed. In this sense, extreme athletes might not differ much from traditional athletes – they are all united in wanting that sense of achievement. Lastly, while many extreme athletes are thrill-seekers, others use extreme sports for emotion regulation. For those who struggle to confront their emotions, extreme sports can provide an outlet. Alex Honnold is the first and currently only person to free solo climb El Capitan, a rock formation in Yosemite National Park, from base to summit. When asked why he free climbs, he said "I'm searching more for that feeling of having done something well and being deeply content – it's more than the quick hit of adrenaline. It's personal." You might not feel the need to free solo climb a massive rock face to feel fulfilled, but the feeling of achieving goals outside of our comfort zone is something many of us can relate to. 词汇表 rush of adrenaline [rʌʃ][əˈdrenəlɪn] 肾上腺素飙升 parachute [ˈpærəˌʃuːt] 降落伞 tempt fate [tempt] 冒不必要的危险，玩命 firm ground [fɜː(r)m] 坚实的地面 extreme sport 极限运动 enthusiast [ɪnˈθjuːziæst] 爱好者，热心者 assumption [ə'sʌmpʃ(ə)n] 假定，假设，臆断 base jumping [beɪs] 定点跳伞，低空跳伞 free solo climbing [ˈsəʊləʊ]['klaɪmɪŋ] 徒手攀登，无保护攀登 behavioural scientist [bɪ'heɪvjərəl] 行为科学家 challenge [ˈtʃælɪndʒ] 质疑，怀疑；挑战 reckless ['rekləs] 不计后果的，鲁莽的 thrill-seeker [ˈθrɪlˌsiːkər] 追求刺激的人，挑战极限的人 risky ['rɪski] 冒险的，危险的，有风险的 minimise ['mɪnɪmaɪz] 降低，使减少到最低限度，最小化 at one with nature 与自然融为一体 like-minded [ˌlaɪkˈmaɪndɪd] 志趣相投的，意见相同的，想法一致的 drive 欲望，驱动力 sense of achievement [əˈtʃiːvmənt] 成就感 emotion regulation [ˌreɡjʊˈleɪʃ(ə)n] 情绪调节 confront [kən'frʌnt] 面对，对抗，处理 outlet [ˈaʊtˌlet]（情绪的）发泄途径，出口 El Capitan [ɛl kæpɪˈtæn] 酋长岩 rock formation [fɔː(r)ˈmeɪʃ(ə)n] 岩层 Yosemite National Park [jəʊˌsemɪti] 优胜美地国家公园（位于加州中部） summit ['sʌmɪt] 山顶，顶峰 content ['kɒntent] 满足的，满意的 massive rock ['mæsɪv] 巨大的岩壁 comfort zone [zəʊn] 舒适区 relate to 领略，认同，发生共鸣 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Gender gap in ADHD diagnosis Research suggests ADHD is three to four times more likely to be detected in childhood in boys as they tend to exhibit more disruptive behaviours. The symptoms in girls tend to be more subtle: less hyperactive, more inattentive. The diagnoses gap between males and females appears to shrink in adulthood, but psychologists say the bias can remain. The ADHD Foundation says increased awareness is needed in health and educational settings about how the condition can present differently. A late diagnosis can negatively impact on relationships, careers, and mental health. In England, NICE guidance has been updated to make it easier for doctors to detect women and girls with ADHD. Work to improve neurodevelopmental services is underway in Scotland and Wales. But there are currently no dedicated services for adults with ADHD in Northern Ireland. 词汇表 ADHD 多动症，注意力缺乏多动障碍（attention deficit hyperactivity disorder） detect [dɪ'tekt] 发现，察觉，检测 exhibit [ɪɡ'zɪbɪt] 表现出，展出 disruptive [dɪs'rʌptɪv] 扰乱性的，破坏性的 subtle ['sʌt(ə)l] 微妙的，不明显的 hyperactive [ˌhaɪpərˈæktɪv] 过于亢奋的，过于活跃的 inattentive [ˌɪnəˈtentɪv] 注意力不集中的，漫不经心的 diagnoses gap [ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsiːz][ɡæp] 诊断差距 shrink [ʃrɪŋk] 减少，缩小 bias ['baɪəs] 偏见，成见 foundation [faʊn'deɪʃ(ə)n] 基金会；基础 NICE 国家卫生与保健优化研究所(The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) neurodevelopmental [ˌnəʊruːdɪˈveləpməntl] 神经发育的 underway [ˌʌndə(r)ˈweɪ] 起步的，进行中的 dedicated [ˈdedɪkeɪt] 专用的，专门的 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Musk's bid to buy OpenAI is rebuffed Jackie: It's the latest twist in a long-standing battle between Elon Musk, the world's richest man and confidant of Donald Trump, and the chief executive of OpenAI, Sam Altman. A consortium of investors led by Mr. Musk has offered nearly $100 billion to buy OpenAI, which developed the popular AI tool, ChatGPT. But that bid has been met with a no-thank-you. Instead, Mr. Altman offered to buy X for a tenth of the price. Janat Jalil heard more from our technology correspondent, Lily Jamali. Lily: The backstory here is that Elon Musk helped co-found OpenAI way back in 2015 and then left three years later. He says it was because OpenAI strayed from its mission to develop AI for the benefit of humanity is the phrase that he and his lawyers use. His critics say he was just upset because he wanted control of the company, didn't get it. And that's why he left. And so Elon Musk and Sam Altman are now embroiled in a legal fight. Musk is trying to stop OpenAI from transitioning from a nonprofit the way it was founded to a for-profit corporation, which is the direction that Sam Altman wants to take the company. Jackie: And despite the huge amount of money he's offering, he's getting short shrift from Mr. Altman. Lily: That's right. Yes, they had a little bit of a spat on what was once Twitter and is now Elon Musk owned X. So Sam Altman pretty much immediately responded. And as you, as you said, you know, no, thank you. But he offered to buy Twitter for almost $10 billion, which is really throwing shade at Elon Musk, who bought the platform for quite a bit more than that for $44 billion. So I think that that's, you know, very, very much part of the course in their relationship. And Elon Musk responded to that tweet by calling Altman a swindler. So I don't think the temperature is going to be cooling off anytime soon. Jackie: Absolutely not, because you've got Donald Trump also announcing $500 billion of investment in AI tech. So there really is huge competition now to win this race for artificial intelligence dominance. Lily: That's right. And that was a really remarkable moment when you saw Sam Altman on stage or really at a press conference at the White House standing next to Donald Trump, the first week that Donald Trump took office. I mean, the reason that was so remarkable is because of Altman's relationship with Musk and the fact that Donald Trump invited Altman into the inner sanctum, really, despite what Musk had done to help get Trump elected. And so that project that you're referring to is a massive investment in the infrastructure that will help power OpenAI, build a bunch of data centers starting in Texas. The promise was 100,000 jobs. We'll see if anything near that actually materializes. But, you know, that's all going to be private money. There's no US Taxpayer money that is slated for that. But at least, you know, in Trump's view, he got to be a part of the reveal there and get a little bit of the PR halo, if you will. 词汇表 bid [bɪd] 出价，投标 rebuff [rɪ'bʌf] 断然拒绝，回绝 twist [twɪst] 转折，变化 long-standing 长期存在的，由来已久的 confidant [ˈkɒnfɪdænt] 密友，心腹，知己 chief executive [ɪɡˈzekjʊtɪv] 首席执行官，总裁 consortium [kənˈsɔː(r)tiəm] 联盟，财团，企业集团 co-found [ˌkəʊˈfaʊnd] 共同创立，联合创建 stray from its mission [streɪ] 偏离其使命 critic ['krɪtɪk] 反对者，批评者 be embroiled in [ɪm'brɔɪld] 卷入，陷入 nonprofit [nɒnˈprɒfɪt] 非营利组织；非营利的 for-profit 营利性的 short shrift [ʃrɪft] 不理会，忽视，怠慢 throw shade [ʃeɪd] 暗讽，含沙射影，公开蔑视或贬低 swindler ['swɪndlə(r)] 骗子，骗取钱财的人 cool off 冷却，平静下来 dominance [ˈdɒmɪnəns] 优势，主导地位，支配地位 take office 就职，上任 inner sanctum ['sæŋktəm] 核心圈（某个组织或团体中最有权力、最核心的成员群体） infrastructure [ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃə(r)] 基础设施 materialize [məˈtɪəriəlaɪz] 实现，成为现实 taxpayer [ˈtæksˌpeɪə(r)] 纳税人 slate [sleɪt] 安排，预定 PR 公关，公共关系 (public relations) halo [ˈheɪləʊ] 光环，荣光 🌟翻译，pdf及更多文本内容见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可加入【打卡交流群】

Overcoming Negative Thought Patterns to Find Joy Very occasionally, we get a glimpse of what it might be like to be truly happy. Maybe it's late at night on a summer's evening; perhaps we've just recovered from an illness; we might have been deeply affected by a book or a piece of music and have gone on a walk on our own through the city or the countryside. And suddenly, a hugely mysterious thought descends on us: what if we didn't always have to be as sad and as anxious as we usually are? What if we could more properly appreciate the beauty and the potential that lie all around us? What if we noticed the trees and the interesting faces of strangers? What if we allowed ourselves to connect more deeply with people around us? What if we let go of our normal reserve and suspicion and fear? What if we surrendered to loving and to being loved? We intimate a possibility of joy on a vastly different scale to that which we ordinarily countenance. The standard, somewhat exasperated arguments against any such moods go like this. We need to sober up. We're not shamans or visionaries; there are some fixed, grand and important reasons why life is fundamentally awful. We have to earn a living. Our partner is often scratchy. People are mean. There is the house to look after. But more existentially, this is a journey of suffering. We didn't get to where we are today by training our eyes on the upsides. It all sounds sensible enough and surely on certain days, there is a great deal of logic here too. But what if the 'reality' we speak of doesn't fixedly ask anything as grim of us as we suppose? What if there are no genuine necessities that preclude higher levels of happiness; what if it was principally our own distorted psychology that gets in the way of a richer life? Many of us did not grow up in an atmosphere where joy was rewarded or deemed possible for long. Our childish appetite for giggling soon died down. Our parents may have been extremely worried, or angry, or sad, and we quickly got the message that we needed to keep our heads down and prepare ourselves for long winters of emotional deprivation. We became good students of a downbeat mindset; we attached ourselves to a philosophy of sadness. We learnt to expect little. Not for us states of runaway ecstasy, nor possibilities of love, nor transports of delight at being on the planet. Without necessarily noticing what happened and why, we developed into people who remain loyal to what was implicitly demanded of them in their early years; we are still in a mentality we were quietly coached for and had no alternative to aged seven or fourteen. But what if there were, in our adulthood, at this stage in our lives, no ongoing reasons to keep holding onto sadness and worry with our customary energy? What if we could dare to become fundamentally different, more open to joy and able to bear hope? We might go into friendships expecting that they could become sources of satisfaction; we might pick partners who didn't reinforce our sense of isolation; we might set up our interactions with others so that they could succeed. We might – in time – take on board one of the most shocking of all thoughts: what if we are not here to suffer? What if we could relocate our misery to where it belongs, a past we weren't able to choose, and aimed for something different going forward? What if we allowed ourselves to become more regular visitors to those still very unknown and understandably terrifying uplands of joy? We won't change this around in a day – or in a little film. But we might derive benefit from every spur we can get. 词汇表 get a glimpse of [ɡlɪmps] 瞥见，一睹，窥见 descend on [dɪˈsend] 降临，突然来到 reserve [rɪˈzɜː(r)v] 拘谨，矜持，内向 suspicion [sə'spɪʃ(ə)n] 怀疑，猜疑 surrender to [səˈrendə(r)] 完全投入，毫无保留地体验 intimate ['ɪntɪmət] 暗示，透露 vastly different [ˈvɑːs(t)li] 截然不同的 countenance ['kaʊntənəns] 接受，认可，赞同 exasperated [ɪɡˈzɑːspəˌreɪtɪd] 极厌烦的，被激怒的，恼怒的 sober up [ˈsəʊbə(r)] 清醒过来，冷静下来 shaman [ˈʃɑːmən] 巫师，萨满 visionary [ˈvɪʒən(ə)ri] 先知；有远见的人，梦想家 grand [ɡrænd] 重大的，宏大的 scratchy ['skrætʃi] 易怒的，让人感到不舒心的 existentially [ˌeɡzɪˈstenʃəli] 存在地，存在主义地 upside [ˈʌpsaɪd] 优点，好处，积极的方面 sensible ['sensəb(ə)l] 明智的，理智的，合理的 fixedly [ˈfɪksɪdli] 固定不变地，专注地 grim [ɡrɪm] 严厉的，冷酷的，可怕的 preclude [prɪˈkluːd] 妨碍，阻碍 principally ['prɪnsəp(ə)li] 主要地，大部分 distorted [dɪˈstɔːtɪd] 扭曲的；受到曲解的 get in the way 阻碍，妨碍 deem [diːm] 相信，认为，当成， childish ['tʃaɪldɪʃ] 孩子的；孩子气的； appetite [ˈæpətaɪt] 孩子的，稚嫩的；孩子气的 giggle ['ɡɪɡl] 傻笑，咯咯地笑 die down 减弱，渐熄 keep one's heads down 收敛自己，低调行事 emotional deprivation [ˌdeprɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n] 情感剥夺，情感缺失 🏫翻译、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Marriages in China hit record low New figures on marriage rates in China make worrying reading for the Chinese Communist Party, which has long tried to reverse the country's declining and aging population. Marriages fell by a fifth last year, a new low. Divorces also saw a slight increase. To unpack this further, let's cross to our China media analyst, Kerry Allen. If there's one main cause in China for marriage rates being really, really quite small now - I mean, 6.1 million marriages were registered in 2024 - it's the one child policy, which was in place between the years 1979 and 2015. It meant that parents could only have one child and it means now that the younger demographic are much, much smaller than the older demographic. So there's simply fewer people who are young who are able to get married. But that's just one reason. There have been a number of other factors in recent years that have meant that marriage rates have dropped. The government's blamed the COVID 19 pandemic, saying that people have not been able to go out and meet potential partners. There are other reasons as well. China's younger, working much more overtime nowadays due to a shrinking population. So they're not having time to go out and meet people. There are also social concerns, concerns about domestic violence. For example, a lot of young people, young women, don't want to be trapped in an abusive relationship. And there are as a whole just changing social attitudes towards marriage. Some people want to pursue further education or climb the employment ladder and marriage is no longer a high priority. What's the government doing about it? Well, it's tried to offer lots of different incentives. So in little villages you can buy a house for much cheaper if you're married. Things like this are happening. And the government's really tried to make it clear that this is a big priority. It wants people to get married in order to have more children so that there is a much bigger, younger demographic. But it's just something that young people are just not that interested in. I mean, young women are concerned that they might be forced back into traditional roles. You see a lot of comments on social media that young women are saying that they're concerned they're being turned back into baby making machines. And young men as well. I mean, they think that weddings are expensive and there are these traditional expectations that you have to buy a house as a prerequisite for marriage if you're male. And youth unemployment's been, well, it's Saturday, around 20% for the last few years. So a lot of young men are quite poor and the idea that they need to save towards a marriage, it's very low on their priority list. If this trend line continues though, it's pointing at a very scary future. It is, yes. There are a lot of concerns. I mean, this is why the government has really tried to ramp up this marriage message in recent years, because the older demographic, there's nobody to look after them. So there's this concern that, you know, who's going to look after the population over the age of 60. And already now over 21% of China's population is over 60. And not only that, there's a shrinking labor market, because, yeah, you've got a situation where there are fewer young people to fill in behind the jobs left by the older demographics. So who's going to look after the older demographic and who's going to do the job? 词汇表 marriage rate 结婚率 Chinese Communist Party ['kɒmjʊnɪst] 中国共产党，中共 reverse [rɪˈvɜː(r)s] 扭转，推翻，彻底改变 declining / shrinking population [dɪ'klaɪnɪŋ][ʃrɪŋkɪŋ] 人口下降，人口减少 aging population ['eɪdʒɪŋ] 人口老龄化 unpack [ʌn'pæk] 分析，剖析，说明 cross to 连线到，切换到，转到（嘉宾或节目环节） analyst [ˈænəlɪst] 分析者，分析师 register [ˈredʒɪstə(r)] 登记，注册 one child policy 一胎政策，独生子女政策 demographic [ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk] 群体，人口，人口统计数据 COVID 19 pandemic [ˌkəʊvɪd][pæn'demɪk] 新冠疫情 work overtime [ˈəʊvə(r)ˌtaɪm] 加班 domestic violence [də'mestɪk] 家庭暴力 abusive relationship [əˈbjuːsɪv] 虐待性关系（指亲密关系中身体、情感或心理上的虐待或控制） pursue further education [pə(r)ˈsjuː] 继续深造 climb the employment ladder [ˈlædə(r)] 在职场上晋升 high priority [praɪˈɒrəti] 高优先级，优先考虑的事情 incentive [ɪn'sentɪv] 激励，刺激，鼓励（措施、手段） baby making machine 生育机器 prerequisite [priːˈrekwəzɪt] 前提，先决条件，必备条件 ramp up [ræmp] 加强，增加，提升 labor market 劳动力市场 fill in behind 填补空缺，接替工作 🌟翻译，pdf及更多文本内容见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可加入【打卡交流群】

The Strange Creatures below the Frozen Sea Seven Worlds, One Planet｜Antarctica This is by far the largest desert in the world. But the frozen surface of the sea hides a great secret. It may be hostile above the ice, but below it, conditions are so stable that life over millennia has had time to diversify. Creatures here grow to a great size. Predatory nemertean worms are three metres long. These dramas only become visible when speeded up. We're only just beginning to discover the details of the lives of such strange creatures. Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites. Each individual possesses both male and female reproductive organs. So, to mate, one nudibranch just needs to find another nudibranch. And any one will do. But nonetheless, this is a challenge when their tiny eyes can barely see. Some do get lucky. They're fertilising each other and both will produce young. When it's hard to find a partner, it pays not to have to worry about your gender. Sea anemones may look like plants, but, actually, are animals and feed by catching edible particles that drift within reach of their tentacles. But being rooted to the sea floor makes them vulnerable to predators. An ocean-going jellyfish, a metre or so across, searching for food. The jellyfish senses prey. But it's the sea anemones that have made the catch and they've grabbed a monster. A rare feast for these stationary predators. They devour their catch over the next four days. 词汇表 hostile [ˈhɒstaɪl] 艰苦的，恶劣的，不利的 millennia [mɪ'leniə] 一千年；千周年（millennium [mɪ'leniəm]的复数） predatory [ˈpredət(ə)ri] 捕食性的，食肉的 nemertean worm [ˈnɛmərˌtiːən] [wɜː(r)m] 线虫，线虫纲动物 nudibranch ['njuːdɪbræŋk] 海兔，海蛞蝓，裸鳃亚目动物 hermaphrodite [hɜː(r)ˈmæfrədaɪt] 雌雄同体的；雌雄同体 reproductive organ [ˌriːprəˈdʌktɪv][ˈɔː(r)ɡən] 生殖器官 mate [meɪt]（使）交配，成为配偶 fertilise [ˈfɜː(r)təlaɪz] 使受精，使受孕，使授粉；施肥于 sea anemone [əˈneməni] 海葵 edible particles [ˈedɪb(ə)l][ˈpɑː(r)tɪk(ə)lz] 可食用颗粒 tentacle [ˈtentək(ə)l]（海洋动物的）触手，触角 root [ˈruːt] 生根，扎根于，使固定 sea floor 海底，海床 be vulnerable to ['vʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l] 易受到…的攻击 predator [ˈpredətə(r)] 捕食者，捕食性动物 ocean-going 远洋航行的，远洋的 jellyfish [ˈdʒeliˌfɪʃ] 水母，海蜇 prey [preɪ] 猎物，被捕食的动物 feast [fiːst] 盛宴，宴会 stationary [ˈsteɪʃ(ə)n(ə)ri] 固定的，不动的，静止的 devour [dɪˈvaʊə(r)] 吞食，狼吞虎咽 catch 捕获物 🌍 更多文本内容、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】