The 4 greatest threats to the survival of humanity TED-Ed • July 2022 So far, our species has survived 2,000 centuries, each with some extinction risk from natural causes— asteroid impacts, supervolcanoes, and the like. Assessing existential risk is an inherently uncertain business because usually when we try to figure out how likely something is, we check how often it's happened before. But the complete destruction of humanity has never happened before. While there's no perfect method to determine our risk from natural threats, experts estimate it's about 1 in 10,000 per century. Nuclear weapons were our first addition to that baseline. While there are many risks associated with nuclear weapons, the existential risk comes from the possibility of a global nuclear war that leads to a nuclear winter, where soot from burning cities blocks out the sun for years, causing the crops that humanity depends on to fail. We haven't had a nuclear war yet, but our track record is too short to tell if they're inherently unlikely or we've simply been lucky. We also can't say for sure whether a global nuclear war would cause a nuclear winter so severe it would pose an existential threat to humanity. The next major addition to our existential risk was climate change. Like nuclear war, climate change could result in a lot of terrible scenarios that we should be working hard to avoid, but that would stop short of causing extinction or unrecoverable collapse. We expect a few degrees Celsius of warming, but can't yet completely rule out 6 or even 10 degrees, which would cause a calamity of possibly unprecedented proportions. Even in this worst-case scenario, it's not clear whether warming would pose a direct existential risk, but the disruption it would cause would likely make us more vulnerable to other existential risks. The greatest risks may come from technologies that are still emerging. Take engineered pandemics. The biggest catastrophes in human history have been from pandemics. And biotechnology is enabling us to modify and create germs that could be much more deadly than naturally occurring ones. Such germs could cause pandemics through biowarfare and research accidents. Decreased costs of genome sequencing and modification, along with increased availability of potentially dangerous information like the published genomes of deadly viruses, also increase the number of people and groups who could potentially create such pathogens. Another concern is unaligned AI. Most AI researchers think this will be the century where we develop artificial intelligence that surpasses human abilities across the board. If we cede this advantage, we place our future in the hands of the systems we create. Even if created solely with humanity's best interests in mind, superintelligent AI could pose an existential risk if it isn't perfectly aligned with human values— a task scientists are finding extremely difficult. Based on what we know at this point, some experts estimate the anthropogenic existential risk is more than 100 times higher than the background rate of natural risk. But these odds depend heavily on human choices. Whether humanity fulfils its potential— or not— is in our hands. 词汇表 extinction risk [ɪkˈstɪŋkʃn] 灭绝风险 asteroid impact [ˈæstərɔɪd ˈɪmpækt] 小行星撞击 supervolcano [ˌsuːpə(r)vɒlˈkeɪnəʊ] 超级火山（爆发） existential risk [ˌeɡzɪˈstenʃ(ə)l] 生存风险 inherently [ɪnˈhɪərəntli] 本质上，内在地 nuclear weapon [ˈnjuːkliə(r) ˈwepən] 核武器 baseline [ˈbeɪslaɪn] 基准，基线 nuclear war [ˈnjuːkliə(r)] 核战争 nuclear winter 核冬季（科学家假设的在巨大核爆炸后一段寒冷黑暗、生物灭绝的时期） soot [sʊt] 煤烟，烟灰 track record [ˈtræk] 过去的记录；业绩记录 pose a threat [pəʊz] 构成威胁 scenario [sɪˈnɑːriəʊ] 设想，可能的局面，情景 stop short of 差一点，未到达，并未 unrecoverable collapse [ˌʌnrɪˈkʌvərəbl kəˈlæps] 无法恢复的崩溃 rule out 排除…的可能性，不考虑 calamity [kəˈlæməti] 灾难，灾祸 unprecedented proportion [ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd prəˈpɔː(r)ʃn] 前所未有的程度 engineered pandemic [ˌendʒɪˈnɪəd pænˈdemɪk] 人造流行病，人工合成的流行病 catastrophe [kəˈtæstrəfi] 大灾难，灾祸 biotechnology [ˌbaɪəʊtekˈnɒlədʒi] 生物技术 modify [ˈmɒdɪfaɪ] 修改，更改，改进 germ [dʒɜː(r)m] 微生物，病菌，细菌 biowarfare [ˌbaɪəʊˈwɔː(r)feə(r)] 生物战，生化战 genome sequencing and modification [ˈdʒiːnəʊm ˈsiːkwənsɪŋ ˌmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] 基因组测序和修改 availability [əˌveɪləˈbɪləti] 可获得性，可利用性，可用性 pathogen [ˈpæθədʒən] 病原体，致病菌 unaligned [ˌʌnəˈlaɪnd] 不受规范的；未对齐的；不结盟的 cede [siːd] 让给，放弃；割让 solely [ˈsəʊlli] 仅仅，唯独，只 superintelligent AI [ˌsuːpərɪnˈtelɪdʒənt] 超级智能的人工智能 be aligned with [əˈlaɪnd] 与…保持一致，与…相符合 anthropogenic [ˌænθrəpə'dʒnɪk] 人为的，人类活动引起的 background rate 本底率，背景率（是指在没有特定影响因素自然发生的比率） odd [ɒd] 几率，可能性 fulfil its potential [pə'tenʃ(ə)l] 发挥其潜能 in one's hands 在某人的掌控中，由某人负责 🎬翻译、视频和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1" 可加入【打卡交流群】

Stretching: the overlooked fitness essential Physical fitness is all about cardio exercises and weightlifting… right? If you've ever finished a run and then jumped straight into the rest of your day without stretching, only to wake up the next day feeling stiff and with aching muscles, then listen up. Flexibility plays a big role in our lives – even bending down to pick something up off the floor requires flexibility – but it's often ignored and neglected. So, why and how should we stretch? When athletes stretch, it's not just for show, they do it to prevent injury. A review of research called 'Effects of Stretching on Injury Risk Reduction and Balance' highlighted that stretching not only reduces injury risk by improving the flexibility of the muscles, it also improves balance, which reduces the risk of falls and those associated injuries. Stretching can also help maintain good posture by keeping our muscles long and loose, which is especially important if you spend hours hunched over a desk. In the modern world, many of us spend a large proportion of our days sitting, which can lead to chronic pain, particularly in the neck and shoulders. Stretching can alleviate this tension and boost blood circulation. What's the best way to reap these benefits? While stretching advice varies, the ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal provides guidelines which include stretching the major muscle groups such as the hamstrings and quadriceps at least two or three times per week. A 2017 review of research, published in the Sports Med journal, suggests that dynamic stretches, where you stretch in slow, repeated movements, have greater benefits in a pre-exercise warm-up than static stretches, where you hold a pose. Stretching is better after a quick warm-up because the muscle is more pliable, reducing the risk of muscle strains. Stretching isn't just for athletes and fitness lovers. "Stretching is also an accessible way to unwind and destress during or after a busy day," says Jessica Matthews, professor of kinesiology and author of 'Stretching to Stay Young'. So why not finish the day relaxing in a child's pose, a spinal twist or a happy baby? 词汇表 physical fitness [ˈfɪzɪkl ˈfɪtnəs] 身体素质，身体健康，体能 cardio exercise [ˈkɑːdiəʊ] 有氧运动 weightlifting [ˈweɪtlɪftɪŋ] 举重 stretching [ˈstretʃɪŋ] 拉伸，伸展运动 stiff [stɪf] 僵硬的，不灵活的 aching muscle [ˈeɪkɪŋ] 酸痛的肌肉 flexibility [ˌfleksəˈbɪləti] 柔韧性，灵活性 bend down [ˈbend] 弯腰，俯身 associated [əˈsəʊsieɪtɪd] 相关的，有联系的 posture [ˈpɒstʃə(r)] 姿势，体态 hunch over [ˈhʌntʃ] 弓着背，弯腰驼背 chronic pain [ˈkrɒnɪk] 慢性疼痛 alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] 减轻，缓解 tension [ˈtenʃn] 紧张，紧绷感 blood circulation [ˌsɜːkjəˈleɪʃn] 血液循环 reap the benefits [ˈriːp] 收获益处，获得好处 ACSM 美国运动医学学会（American College of Sports Medicine） hamstring [ˈhæmstrɪŋ] 腿筋（大腿后侧的肌肉群） quadricep [ˈkwɒdrɪsep] 股四头肌（大腿前侧的肌肉群） dynamic stretch [ˈdaɪnəmɪk] 动态拉伸（即缓慢、重复地进行拉伸动作） pre-exercise warm-up 运动前热身 static stretch [ˈstætɪk] 静态拉伸（即保持一个姿势） pliable [ˈplaɪəbl] 柔韧的，柔韧的，易弯曲的 muscle strain [streɪn] 肌肉拉伤 accessible [əkˈsesəbl] 容易获得的，可行的，容易做到的 unwind [ˌʌnˈwaɪnd] 放松，松弛；解开，松开 destress [ˌdiːˈstres] 缓解压力，消除紧张 kinesiology [kɪˌniːsiˈɒlədʒi] 人体运动学 child's pose 儿童式（瑜伽姿势） spinal twist ['spaɪn(ə)l] 扭脊式（瑜伽姿势） happy baby 快乐婴儿式（瑜伽姿势） 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Asteroid contains building blocks of life, say scientists In labs around the world, scientists have been studying tiny black specks of dust from asteroid Bennu. They were collected by a NASA spacecraft which travelled to the space rock and unfurled a robotic arm to grab a sample to bring back to Earth. The detailed analysis has found the asteroid contains thousands of organic compounds, including amino acids, which are the molecules that make up proteins, and nucleobases – the fundamental components of DNA. This doesn't mean Bennu ever had life on it, but the theory is that asteroids like it crashed into the Earth early in our history, delivering these vital ingredients that enabled life to start here. Scientists think if asteroids were bringing water and organic molecules to Earth, the same was happening on other planets too. This raises the question of whether Earth is unique, or if life started elsewhere in our solar system but we just haven't found it yet. 词汇表 building block [blɒk] 基石，组成部分，构成要素 specks of dust [speks][dʌst] 尘埃颗粒，灰尘微粒 asteroid [ˈæstərɔɪd] 小行星 Bennu [ˈbenjuː] 贝努（小行星名称） NASA spacecraft [ˈnæsə][ˈspeɪskrɑːft] 美国国家航空航天局的宇宙飞船（NASA全称为National Aeronautics and Space Administration） unfurl [ʌnˈfɜːl] 展开，打开（帆、旗帜等） robotic arm [rəʊˈbɒtɪk] 机械臂 sample [ˈsɑːmpl] 样品，样本 organic compound [ɔːˈɡænɪk][ˈkɒmpaʊnd] 有机化合物 amino acid [əˈmiːnəʊ][ ˈæsɪd] 氨基酸 molecule [ˈmɒlɪˌkjuːl] 分子 protein [ˈprəʊtiːn] 蛋白质 nucleobase [ˈnjuːkliəbeɪs] 核碱基 fundamental component [ˌfʌndəˈment(ə)l][kəmˈpəʊnənt] 基本的组成部分，基本构件 ingredient [ɪnˈɡriːdiənt] （构成某物的）要素，成分；原料 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Freelance: Working for yourself Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Georgina. --And I'm Rob. Rob, what's the best job you've ever had? Err, well, this one, of course! It's very creative, with lots of variety. --OK, any other reasons? --Well, yes, it's a permanent job - a staff job - with regular income and a pension. Yes, these things can be important, but have you ever been freelance - by that I mean, working for yourself and selling your skills and services to different businesses? --Well, I worked as a paperboy once, delivering newspapers. But not really, it's a risky way to earn an income. It can be, Rob. But many people choose to or have to work as a freelancer to survive. And that's what we're talking about in this programme. But let's start with a question for you, Rob. --OK. This is about job titles, back in the 19th Century, what kind of job was a drummer? Were they a) someone who played the drums, b) a traveling salesman, or c) a music publicist who drums up meaning encourages, support for a band? --Well, it's got to be someone who plays the drums - that's my kind of job. --OK, Rob, we'll find out if that's right at the end of the programme. But let's talk more about work now. Long gone are the days of a job for life, where you spend your adult life working your way up the career ladder at the same company. Yes, that's right. We work in many different ways now because the needs of businesses change frequently and it needs to be agile - changing the size and type of workforce in order to meet demand. So, people need to adapt and some choose to work for themselves, offering their skills to different businesses as and when they are needed. But it can also be a lifestyle choice, as we're about to find out. Yes, some people have chosen to become self-employed, working for themselves, but also, because of the recent coronavirus pandemic, some people have been forced into this situation. Let's hear from Carla Barker, who set up her own business after giving up her regular job. She told BBC Radio 4's programme You and Yours how she felt. You know, the idea of giving up a solid, permanent, full-time, paid, comfortable role is a bit petrifying. It is super-scary because you then have that fear of 'oh, my goodness, can we do this'? You also have things creeping in that say you know like self-sabotage, are you good enough to do this? Are people gonna want to take me on as a business? So, Carla decided to go it alone, an informal way of saying work for herself. She described giving up a full-time job as petrifying - so frightening you can't speak or move. She may have been exaggerating slightly but she also said it was 'super-scary'! I guess working for yourself must be scary as you're solely responsible for your own success. It's no surprise Carla had feelings of self-sabotage, having doubts and fears that stopped her achieving something. Luckily, she persisted and things went well. And many other people who have become self-employed or freelance have overcome the fear and discovered the benefits. Like Fiona Thomas, who's the author of a book called 'Ditch the 9 to 5 and be your Own Boss'. She also spoke to the BBC's You and Yours programme and explained why she gave up the 9 to 5 - the regular, full-time staff job, and how it helped her. A kind of combination of wanting some creative fulfillment from a job, compared to the job that I was in before, which was very much customer based and working face-to-face in hospitality. But I also wanted the flexibility to accommodate my mental health because I suffer from depression and anxiety and I found working in a rigid schedule and being in front of a lot of people all the time really exacerbated a lot of my symptoms. And I also wanted the financial freedom to be able to, over time, increase my income without just having to wait on being promoted or getting a pay rise in traditional employment. So, working for herself gave Fiona a good feeling that she achieved something she wanted to do - it gave her creative fulfillment. It also meant she could work more flexibly and that helped her with her mental health because she didn't have to follow a fixed rota of tasks. And it gave her financial freedom, meaning the money she earned was not controlled by someone else, and she didn't have to wait for someone else to give her a pay rise. Of course, that can be risky too. Let's get back to my quiz question now, Rob. Earlier I asked you if you knew what job a drummer used to do back in the 19th Century? --And obviously, a drummer plays the drums! --Well, you are sort of right but a drummer also used to be an informal way of describing a traveling salesperson, because their job was to drum up business for a company, meaning they tried to increase sales. --Ahh, very interesting, although I know which drummer I would rather be - a freelance drummer in a rock band! 📝词汇表，完整文本， 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Why Do We Work So Hard? We work as we do because – of course – we need to; because nothing is cheap, because the bills are incessant; because of all the good and wise and sensible reasons that we've been highly aware of since mid-adolescence at least. But that is too neat, and we know it deep down; we know that there is also – alongside this – something a bit more complicated that we use the idea of necessity to avoid. We work so hard because we are in terror of stillness. Because being scared of the world offers the most respectable distraction from a dread of our own minds. Because we have no idea how to let anyone know us outside of our achievements; because it seems inconceivable that we have any value beyond what we do. Because we were schooled early on in the art of being terrified – and we are still too young to question our elders. Because we use the noise from without to drown the murmurs from within. Because we can't read poetry; for we despise anything that doesn't have a charted purpose or goal, and that therefore threatens to collide us with the unexpected. Because we don't allow ourselves to be acquainted with the night. Because if we started with the questions, we have no idea where we might have to go – and what might need to be discarded. Because we are in flight from untenable sadness and regret. Because we haven't got too many (or even any) real friends. Because few people ever just held us quietly. Because we have no idea what to do with ourselves other than run. Because we find peace so much harder than war. And because the real work might lie elsewhere. 词汇表 bill [bɪl] 账单 incessant [ɪnˈsesnt] 连续不断的，没完没了的 sensible [ˈsensəbl] 明智的，理智的，合理的 mid-adolescence [ˌædəˈlesns] 青春期中期 deep down 在心底，实际上 be in terror of [ˈterə(r) ] 害怕，恐惧 stillness [ˈstɪlnəs] 静止，寂静 be scared of [skeəd] 害怕，恐惧 respectable [rɪˈspektəbl] 体面的，得体的，值得尊敬的 distraction [dɪˈstrækʃn] 分心的事物；注意力分散 dread [dred] 恐惧，畏惧 inconceivable [ˌɪnkənˈsiːvəbl] 难以想象的，不可思议的 school [skuːl] 培养，教育 terrified [ˈterɪfaɪd] 恐惧的，很害怕的 murmur [ˈmɜː(r)mə(r)] 低语， 杂音 despise [dɪˈspaɪz] 鄙视，看不起 charted [ˈtʃɑː(r)tɪd] 既定的，明确的，规划好的 threaten to [ˈθretn] 可能会，威胁着要 collide [kəˈlaɪd] 碰撞，冲突，抵触 be acquainted with [əˈkweɪntɪd] 熟悉，了解，与…相识 discard [dɪˈskɑː(r)d] 丢弃，摒弃 be in flight from [flaɪt] 逃避，逃离 untenable [ʌnˈtenəbl] 难以忍受的，难维持的；站不住脚的 🏫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】

The Extraordinary Power of Kindness You might think about kindness as being this quite soft, fluffy, wishy-washy thing, but actually, it's really fundamental to how we connect with each other. I think being kind is part of the purpose of being alive. Back in 2011, I was sitting in a café, just enjoying a breakfast, when I looked up at a screen and there was a double-decker bus on fire in London. It was terrifying. It looked like civil war. And there was a very negative response to the riots that really upset me as well. I'd felt increasingly despairing about what felt like the enormity of the problems of the world. I didn't know what I could do. (A few days later, Bernadette gave a stranger in a post office 50p for a stamp.) And he was overwhelmed with gratitude, it was disproportionate to my tiny amount of time and money. But I thought, I did kind of put a smile on his face, that sort of did make a difference. So as I was going home, I concocted this foolhardy notion that I was going to try and do an act of kindness every single day for a stranger for a year. It was completely life-transforming. It's one of the big paradoxes of kindness – that an act of kindness that is intended to benefit others actually had some positive consequences for yourself. There are patterns of activation in the brain which correspond to a boost to wellbeing. The reward pathways in the brain are activated when people are performing kind acts. Those relationships that are required for working cooperatively are founded upon basic social connections. So it's pretty fundamental to how human beings interact with each other. I was like high every day, right? Mostly it was kind of a warm glow round your heart and also your tummy. It just felt really good. So if kindness is so beneficial, and it's in our nature, why don't we live in a kinder world? Human beings have a predisposition to exhibit kindness to other people. But they also have the possibility of demonstrating quite significant unkindness to other people. The environment makes a huge difference. All of those stories about kindness being weak, we have to challenge those now. When you think of a really successful person, do you think of someone who's kind? Or do you think of someone who's out there in the limelight, really dominant figure, a celebrity, who's very wealthy? What can we do to turn the narrative of success around? So we say that actually being successful does involve positive relationships with other people. So how could we build kinder world? This can't simply be a matter of instructing people in a given setting to be kind. Hey, you. You need to be kind. We need to change our environment so that it feels normative to be kind. I would really like to see businesses, schools, hospitals all public services, have a kindness manifesto, so that they all ask themselves, "Is this kind?" So that it becomes an ordinary part of our conversation at every level in every organisation, everywhere. The biggest lesson for me was to embrace the fact that every single day, I can do something. That thing might be just saying 'good morning' to someone. That thing might be just smiling. That's how we change the world. The small stuff may actually be the big stuff. All those small things that you figure, "Well, they're not important, just people being nice to each other." Maybe that's the most important thing for creating an environment which actually enables people to feel good and to be able to work together and to be able to take on some really big challenges. 词汇表 fluffy [ˈflʌfi] 空洞的，不切实际的；松软的，毛茸茸的 wishy-washy [ˈwɪʃi wɒʃi] 优柔寡断的，软弱无力的，空洞无内容的 fundamental [ˌfʌndəˈmentl] 必要的，重要的，基本的，根本的 café [ˈkæfeɪ] 咖啡馆，小餐馆 double-decker bus [ˌdʌbl ˈdekə(r)] 双层巴士 civil war [ˌsɪvl ˈwɔː(r)] 内战 riot [ˈraɪət] 暴乱，骚乱，暴动 despairing [dɪˈspeərɪŋ] 感到绝望的，失去希望的 enormity [ɪˈnɔː(r)məti] 巨大，严重性，深远影响 post office 邮局 stamp [stæmp] 邮票，图章，印记 be overwhelmed with gratitude [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈwelm(d)] [ˈɡrætɪtjuːd] 感激不已，不胜感激 disproportionate [ˌdɪsprəˈpɔː(r)ʃənət] 不成比例的，不相称的 concoct [kənˈkɒkt] 萌生，编造，策划；调制 foolhardy [ˈfuːlˌhɑː(r)di] 鲁莽的，蛮干的，大胆的 notion [ˈnəʊʃ(ə)n] 想法，观念，概念 life-transforming [trænsˌfɔː(r)mɪŋ] 改变生活的，对生活产生重大影响的 paradox [ˈpærədɒks] 悖论，矛盾的人或事 be intended to [ɪnˈtendɪd] 旨在，目的是，为了 activation [ˌæktɪˈveɪʃ(ə)n] 激活；活化 reward pathway [rɪˈwɔː(r)d ˈpɑː(r)θweɪ] 奖励通路，奖赏回路 perform kind acts 行善，实施善举，做好事 warm glow [ɡləʊ] 温暖的感觉，温情效应（指做某个善举时令人愉悦的内在幸福感） tummy [ˈtʌmi] 胃，肚子，腹部 predisposition [ˌpriːdɪspəˈzɪʃ(ə)n] 倾向，癖性；（易患某种病的）体质 in the limelight [ˈlaɪmlaɪt] 引人注目，备受瞩目，处于显要地位 dominant figure [ˈdɒmɪnənt ˈfɪɡə(r)] 主导人物，领军人物 turn the narrative around [ˈnærətɪv] 扭转观念 normative [ˈnɔː(r)mətɪv] 规范的，标准的，常态的 manifesto [ˌmænɪˈfestəʊ] 宣言，声明 💡 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】

Sarada lizard's fight for love Seven Worlds, One Planet｜Asia Conditions are almost as harsh on the dry plains of northern India. A male Sarada lizard does his best to get himself noticed. It's breeding time. The wide-open spaces are a good place to be seen. He's only seven centimetres tall, but a rock will help to make him conspicuous. And he's already been noticed by one female. It's time for him to show off. The more healthy and virile he is, the brighter his colours are. And females like bright, flashy colours. But he, it seems, is not as conspicuous as he might be. In the neighbouring territory, there's another male who's found an even bigger rock. So the newcomer is not making quite such a good impression. The one on the big rock is attracting all the females. The newcomer will need a higher platform if he's to be seen by a female - and he'd better do something about it. He only lives for a year. This is his one chance. He will have to fight if necessary. His rival isn't backing down. Sarada males can fight to the death. The newcomer has won. Now, he can claim the high platform and the best territory. And the females will choose him for a partner as long as he can fight off the other claimants. 词汇表 harsh [hɑː(r)ʃ] 严酷的，恶劣的 plain [pleɪn] 平原，草原 Sarada lizard [səˈrɑːdə ˈlɪzəd] 华丽扇喉蜥（学名Sarada superba，主要分布于印度北部的干旱地区，繁殖季时，雄性会通过展示艳丽的喉扇、两腿奔跑、占据高地等行为吸引雌性） breeding time [ˈbriːdɪŋ] 繁殖季 wide-open space 开阔的地带 conspicuous [kənˈspɪkjuəs] 显眼的，引人注目的 show off 展示，使突出；炫耀，卖弄 virile [ˈvɪraɪl] 有男子气概的，强壮的 flashy [ˈflæʃi] 艳丽的，耀眼的，显眼的 neighbouring territory [ˈneɪbərɪŋ ˈterətri] 相邻的领地 newcomer [ˈnjuːkʌmə(r)] 新来者，新手 rival [ˈraɪvl] 对手，竞争者 back down 退缩，放弃，让步 fight to the death 决一死战，斗争到底 claim [kleɪm] 占据，夺得 fight off 击退，抵抗 claimant [ˈkleɪmənt] 竞争者，争夺者 🌍 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】

The world's first digital country Tuvalu, the fourth smallest nation in the world, announced its intention to become the world's first digital country back in 2022. But why, and how? Facing the devastating effects of rising sea levels caused by climate change, the nation, made up of three reef islands and six atolls, is rapidly becoming uninhabitable. Tuvalu sits between Hawaii and Australia and is grappling with increasingly dire conditions. In 2022, at high tide, nearly 40% of the capital became submerged, according to the news agency Reuters. A recent assessment by scientists at NASA indicated that "much of the land plus critical infrastructure will sit below the level of the current high tide by 2050". And projections suggest the entire country could be underwater by the year 2100. Global warming has already displaced many of Tuvalu's 11,000 inhabitants, while coral bleaching and coastal erosion continue to degrade the surrounding environment. This is why the government plans to back up the country and rebuild a virtual online replica. The announcement was first made at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27 by Tuvalu's Minister of Justice, Simon Kofe. He said, "As our land slips below the ocean, we have no choice but to become the world's first digital nation. Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people". The country has since been preserving Tuvalu's cultural and historical identity by recording historical documents, maps, family photograph albums, traditional songs, and other cultural practices, all of which will be accessible online. In early 2024, Place, a global non-profit organisation, began mapping the physical features of Funafuti, Tuvalu's capital, using drones and 360-degree cameras. Though moving a country online has legal challenges – international law requires a country to have territory and population, both of which are uncertain in Tuvalu's future. At the same time, critics argue the plan is just for publicity, highlighting the need to reduce emissions. Whatever happens, a digital twin of the country will help preserve its culture and heritage for generations to come. 词汇表 Tuvalu [tuːˈvɑːluː] 图瓦卢（西太平洋岛国） intention [ɪnˈtenʃ(ə)n] 意图，打算，计划 digital country ['dɪdʒɪt(ə)l] 数字化国家（本文指由于海平面上升威胁居住地，图瓦卢欲通过数字化手段来保存国家的文化、历史等） devastating [ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ] 毁灭性的，极具破坏力的 reef island [ˈriːf ˈaɪlənd] 礁岛 atoll [ˈætɒl] 环礁，环状珊瑚岛 uninhabitable [ˌʌnɪnˈhæbɪtəbl] 不适宜居住的，无法居住的 grapple with [ˈɡræpl] 努力应对，设法解决 dire [ˈdaɪə(r)] 严重的，危急的，极端的 high tide [taɪd] 高潮，满潮（潮水最高的时候） submerged [səbˈmɜːdʒd] 被水淹没的，水下的 assessment [əˈsesmənt] 评估，评定，评价 NASA [ˈnæsə] 美国国家航空航天局（全称 National Aeronautics and Space Administration） critical infrastructure [ˈkrɪtɪkl ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə(r)] 关键基础设施 sit below 位于……下方 projection [prəˈdʒekʃn] 预测，推断，设想 underwater [ˌʌndəˈwɔːtə(r)] 水下的，在水中的 displace [dɪsˈpleɪs] 使背井离乡，迫使离开家园 inhabitant [ɪnˈhæbɪtənt] 居民，居住者 coral bleaching [ˈkɒrəl ˈbliːtʃɪŋ] 珊瑚白化 coastal erosion [ˈkəʊstl ɪˈrəʊʒn] 海岸侵蚀 degrade [dɪˈɡreɪd] 使恶化，使退化，使降级 back up 备份，支持 virtual online replica [ˈvɜːtʃuəl][ˈreplɪkə] 虚拟在线副本 COP27 [kɒp] 联合国气候变化大会第27届会议（全称27th Conference of the Parties） Minister of Justice [ˈmɪnɪstə(r) ɒv ˈdʒʌstɪs] 司法部长 slip below [ˈslɪp bɪˈləʊ] 滑到…下面，沉入…下方 asset [ˈæset] 资产，财产，有价值的东西 historical identity [hɪˈstɒrɪkl aɪˈdentəti] 历史认同，历史身份 cultural practice 文化习俗 accessible [əkˈsesəbl] 可接近的，可进入的，可使用的 non-profit [ˌnɒn ˈprɒfɪt] 非营利的 map [ˈmæp] 绘制地图，测绘 Funafuti [ˌfuːnəˈfuːti] 富纳富提（图瓦卢首都） drone [drəʊn] 无人机，无人驾驶飞机 360-degree camera 360度摄像机，全景摄像头 territory [ˈterətri] 领土，领地，版图 publicity [pʌbˈlɪsəti] 公众关注，宣传，宣扬 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Edinburgh's tourist tax: a UK first Although they're common in Europe, this will be the first city-wide tourist tax in the UK. The Scottish Parliament passed legislation paving the way last year, and now Edinburgh councillors are set to introduce the charge. It will apply to anyone booking overnight accommodation including hotels, AirBnBs, hostels and campsites. The 5% charge will be capped at five consecutive nights. Edinburgh City Council believes that the levy could eventually raise up to £50 million a year with the funds reinvested in the city to support housing, infrastructure and cultural events. But a number of accommodation operators are sceptical about the scheme. Concerns have been raised about the time scale, and some self-catering operators have argued that this is an extra burden on top of a new licensing scheme that was introduced in 2023. But, despite these complaints, the direction of travel seems clear. A number of other Scottish councils are developing their own proposals for a similar visitor levy. 词汇表 city-wide [sɪtiˈwaɪd] 全市范围的，覆盖全市的 tourist tax [tæks] 旅游税（针对游客征收的税收，通常用于维护和改善旅游目的地的基础设施和服务） Scottish Parliament [ˈskɒtɪʃ][ˈpɑː(r)ləmənt] 苏格兰议会 legislation [ˌledʒɪˈsleɪʃ(ə)n] 立法，法规，法案 pave the way [peɪv] 为…铺平道路，为…打下基础 Edinburgh [ˈedɪnbərə] 爱丁堡（英国苏格兰首府） councillor [ˈkaʊnsələ(r)] 政务委员，议员 be set to 准备好，即将做 charge [tʃɑː(r)dʒ] 收费，费用 overnight accommodation [ˌəʊvəˈnaɪt][əˌkɒməˈdeɪʃ(ə)n] 过夜住宿 AirBnB [ˈeə(r) ˌbiː en ˈbiː] 爱彼迎（民宿短租平台） hostel [ˈhɒstl] 青年旅舍，旅社，招待所 campsite [ˈkæmpsaɪt] 露营地，度假营地 be capped at [kæpt] 上限为，限制在 consecutive [kənˈsekjətɪv] 连续的，连贯的 City Council [ˈkaʊns(ə)l] 市政务委员会，市议会 levy [ˈlevi] 征税，税款 fund [fʌnd] 资金，基金 reinvest [ˌriːɪnˈvest] 再投资，重新投资 operator [ˈɒpəreɪtə(r)] 经营者，运营商 sceptical [ˈskeptɪkl] 怀疑的，持怀疑态度的 scheme [skiːm] 计划，方案，体系 time scale [skeɪl] 时间规定，时间范围 self-catering [ˌself ˈkeɪtərɪŋ] （住宿）提供自炊设施的，自供伙食的 on top of 除……之外，额外 license ['laɪs(ə)ns] 许可证，执照，特许 complaint [kəmˈpleɪnt] 抱怨，投诉，不满 direction of travel 发展趋势，行进方向 proposal [prəˈpəʊzl] 提议，建议，提案 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Ne Zha 2 is sweeping global cinemas The Academy Awards may be later this week, but a film's success isn't just measured by its accolades. Box office numbers play a role too, of course. Chinese animation Ne Zha 2 has reached a major milestone, raking in almost $2 billion in just four weeks. It's now eclipsed Pixar's Inside Out 2 as the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Here's Ella Bicknall. Ne Zha 2, a film that has taken the world by storm. Its protagonist, a mischievous and powerful child spirit, reincarnated into a new body and forced to battle the burden of his past to protect the world from a growing evil force that threatens to destroy everything. Action meets fantasy and mythology with stunning special effects. Critics have called it a visual masterpiece. Those rave reviews on top of a prime Lunar New Year release date and a booming sense of Chinese nationalism. Audiences have been flocking to the theatres in droves. It's also been a hit in Japan, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, and it's now on show in 800 cinemas across North America. "The animation in it was amazing. The attention to detail was really nice. I really the characters in it. It had a nice mixture of seriousness and fun and a little bit of a comedy." "I really enjoyed the fight scenes as well. The animation was so fun. It was super pretty and beautiful. Aesthetically distinct from a lot of Western animation and I really liked that. I think that was a breath of fresh air." The film has grossed more than $1.9 billion, overtaking animated blockbusters such as The Lion King, Toy Story and Frozen. As well as booming box office figures, there are hopes Ne Zha 2 will cause a boom for Chinese tourism. (Viewer) "The fight, the picturesque area, seeing something I saw on film, and now I see the reality. " English teacher Alexandros Rolis has been following the footsteps of Ne Zha's legendary journey through East China's Yangxi province. "I found out in the movie that it was about a certain location here in China, so I figured I'd go with my son because he loved the movie. The fact that he's half Chinese and half Canadian and he's really excited about learning more about the Chinese culture, I'm happy for that and I'm all for it." China State Railway Group wants to capitalize on the increased interest. Xiao Qingchun is a train conductor in the region. "We're giving commentary at every train station, linking the movie's storyline with the local culture. That, and we recommend tourist routes and destinations in the Jiangxi province. The movie's popularity is a boost to both tourism and our local culture." Despite its recent release, Ne Zha 2 is now the eighth highest-grossing film of all time. It's expected to pass the two billion mark soon, further solidifying its place in cinematic history. 词汇表 sweep [swiːp] 席卷，横扫，迅速传播 Academy Award [əˌkædəmi əˈwɔːd] 奥斯卡金像奖（美国电影艺术科学院颁发的年度电影成就奖） accolade [ˈækəleɪd] 荣誉；赞扬 Box office 票房；售票处 animation [ˌænɪˈmeɪʃn] 动画，动画制作 milestone [ˈmaɪlstəʊn] 里程碑，重要事件 rake [reɪk] 狂揽，收获，大量赚取（钱） eclipse [ɪˈklɪps] 超越，光芒盖过，使黯然失色 Pixar [ˈpɪksɑː] 皮克斯（美国著名动画制作公司） highest-grossing [ˈɡrəʊsɪŋ] 票房最高的 animated film [ˈænɪmeɪtɪd] 动画电影 take…by storm 风靡，席卷，大获成功 protagonist [prəˈtæɡənɪst] 主角，主人公 mischievous [ˈmɪstʃɪvəs] 顽皮的，淘气的 spirit 神灵，灵魂 reincarnate [ˌriːɪnˈkɑːneɪt] 使转世，化身，重生 evil force [ˈiːvl] 邪恶力 fantasy [ˈfæntəsi] 奇幻，幻想 mythology [mɪˈθɒlədʒi] 神话，神话学 stunning special effect [ˈstʌnɪŋ ˈspeʃl ɪˈfekt] 令人惊叹的特效 rave review [reɪv rɪˈvjuː] 热烈好评，盛赞 on top of 除此之外，加之 prime [praɪm] 黄金的，最佳的 booming [ˈbuːmɪŋ] 高涨的，蓬勃发展的 nationalism [ˈnæʃnəlɪzəm] 民族主义，国家主义 flock to…in droves [flɒk][drəʊvz] 成群涌入，蜂拥而至 aesthetically [iːsˈθetɪkli] 美学上，审美地 a breath of fresh air 令人耳目一新的事物 gross [ɡrəʊs] 总收入，总共赚得 overtake [ˌəʊvəˈteɪk] 超越，超过 animated blockbuster [ˈænɪmeɪtɪd ˈblɒkbʌstə] 动画大片 boom [buːm] 繁荣，蓬勃发展 picturesque [ˌpɪktʃəˈresk] 风景如画的，优美的 legendary [ˈledʒəndri] 传奇的，著名的 be all for something [biː ɔːl fɔː ˈsʌmθɪŋ] 完全支持某事，全力赞成 China State Railway Group 中国国家铁路集团 capitalize [ˈkæpɪtəlaɪz] 利用，从……中获利 train conductor [kənˈdʌktə] 列车乘务员 commentary [ˈkɒməntri] 解说，评论 storyline [ˈstɔːrilaɪn] 故事情节 tourist route [ˈtʊərɪst ruːt] 旅游路线 solidify [səˈlɪdɪfaɪ] 巩固，使稳固 cinematic history [ˌsɪnəˈmætɪk] 电影史 Inside Out 2, The Lion King, Toy Story, Frozen《头脑特工队2》《狮子王》 《玩具总动员》 《冰雪奇缘》 🌟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】

How Repressed Emotions Make Us Sick The most curious and hazardous feature of the way we're built lies in the difficulty we have registering what we actually feel. Our vast and strange minds get filled with thoughts that go unsifted and with feelings we don't have the courage to look at. We remain unconscious – always – because we are resistant to ideas that threaten our sense of calm, our self-image and our gratifying illusions about who we are. We surely can't be angry because we're kind people who couldn't feel negatively about a beloved elderly relative. Or we can't be sad at not being invited to the party because we don't care about trivial, social matters. And it isn't possible that we are envious because we aren't people to covet others' advantages. There's a part of us that wants the truth, however bitter it might be; a minor part, but a notoriously insistent and ingenious part that won't leave us in peace until its case has been heard. It will, in order to stir us from our reverie, give us all manner of problems – breakdowns, illnesses, twitches, compulsions – in the hope of letting us know that there is something we would benefit from reckoning with. If our intellect won't look at our anger, the feeling may be sent to dwell in our lower back. If our anxiety isn't being dealt with psychologically, it may be relegated to our gut. Romantic frustration that is denied may – literally – begin to wreck our hearts. Our unfelt feelings end up as back pain, constipation, insomnia, migraines and arrhythmias. In order to spare our bodies some of their mute agonies, we should submit them to a curious sounding exercise. With our eyes closed, probably while we are lying in bed, we should pass over our different organs and zones and ask: If this could speak, what might it want to tell me? What might the heart ask for, the legs, the shoulders, the stomach? Our minds are probably better able to think of answers than we might presume. It could be surprisingly clear – once we ask the question – that our shoulders are desperate for the relationship to end; that our stomachs want us to take on less responsibility; that our hearts want a chance to say sorry; that our ribcage has had enough of pretending it is happy and that our lungs need an opportunity to scream. Many of our bodily ailments are ultimately mute forms of revenge for all the thoughts and feelings we have so carefully been refusing to entertain. We will feel so much better in our bodies once we have repatriated our concerns to our minds; once we have reversed the process of forgetting and dared to see and endure what we have been in flight from for too long. 词汇表 repressed [rɪ'prest]（情感）被压抑的，被抑制的 hazardous [ˈhæzədəz] 危险的，冒险的 register [ˈredʒɪstə(r)] 意识到，注意到 unsifted [ʌn'sɪftɪd] 未经筛选的，未经仔细检查过的 unconscious [ʌnˈkɒnʃəs] 无意识的，未察觉的 gratifying illusion [ˈɡrætɪˌfaɪɪŋ][ɪˈluːʒ(ə)n] 美好的幻想，令人满足的假象 beloved [bɪ'lʌvɪd] 心爱的，深爱的 trivial ['trɪviəl] 不重要的，琐碎的，微不足道的 covet ['kʌvət] 垂涎，觊觎，贪图 minor [ˈmaɪnə(r)] 轻微的，小的，次要的 notoriously [nəʊ'tɔ:rɪəslɪ] 非常，极其；臭名昭著地 insistent [ɪn'sɪstənt] 执着的，坚决的，坚持的 ingenious [ɪnˈdʒiːniəs] 机智的，巧妙的，有心计的 stir [stɜː(r)] 唤醒，使觉醒，使摆脱 reverie ['revəri] 幻想，梦想，白日梦 breakdown [ˈbreɪkˌdaʊn] 精神崩溃，神经失常 twitch [twɪtʃ] 抽搐，痉挛 compulsion [kəm'pʌlʃ(ə)n] 强迫行为，强迫症 reckon with ['rekən] 认真对付，处理，解决 intellect [ˈɪntəlekt] 理智，智力，理解力 dwell [dwel] 居住，栖身，存在于 relegate [ˈreləɡeɪt] 转移，移交，降级 gut [ɡʌt] 肠道，内脏 wreck [rek] 破坏，毁掉，损害 constipation [ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n] 便秘 insomnia [ɪnˈsɒmniə] 失眠 migraine [ˈmiːɡreɪn] 偏头痛 arrhythmia [ə'rɪθmɪə] 心律不齐，心律失常 mute agony ['æɡəni] 无声的折磨 submit (to) [səb'mɪt] 使经受，使受到；顺从 presume [prɪˈzjuːm] 设想，假设，以为 ribcage ['rɪbkeɪdʒ] 胸廓，胸腔 bodily ailment [ˈbɒdɪli]['eɪlmənt] 身体疾病，身体不适 revenge [rɪ'vendʒ] 报复，报仇 entertain [ˌentə(r)ˈteɪn] 接受，抱有，怀着（想法、疑问等） repatriate [ˌriːˈpætrieɪt] 遣返，调回（本国） reverse [rɪˈvɜː(r)s] 扭转，彻底改变，推翻 in flight from 逃开，逃避 🏫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】

Five Simple Strategies to Sharpen Your Critical Thinking We're lucky to live in an age where the sum total of human knowledge is pretty much available at the click of a button. We've never had access to so much information. But not all of what's out there is quite what it seems. So here's a few strategies to navigate your way through and avoid falling out with people along the way. 1. Beware of Confirmation Bias We all enjoy that sweet dopamine hit of feeling like we're right. In repeated experiments, psychologists have shown we're much more likely to accept something as evidence if it confirms what we already think we know. And much more likely to discount information if it contradicts our views. It's what's known as "confirmation bias". It's one of the key "cognitive biases" that humans have, and it operates at an unconscious level – affecting our ability to process information. This is especially true for issues which are emotionally charged, or where our views are deeply held. But it can come into play at any time. So don't rush to decide, and be actively prepared to change your mind. 2. Embrace Nuance and Complexity So many of our discussions take place on social media platforms where algorithms reward our desire to see and hear our views confirmed. But in life, most situations are nuanced and complicated – acknowledging that can enrich the way that we view the world. For example, what colour is the sky? Well, the obvious answer is blue. But at sunrise or sunset, it can be red. On a cold misty morning, white or grey. At night, midnight blue or black. But imagine for a moment the blue of the sky on a sunny day. Is it really blue? The colour blue has a short wavelength, meaning it scatters more than other colours – making it more visible to the human eye. So the sky looks blue to us humans, even though there's a whole spectrum of colours out there. Even something that seems totally self-evident can be more nuanced than you think. 3. Practise Intellectual Humility One approach to, well, arguing, is to let go of the idea of being "right". Or at least seriously consider that you might actually be wrong. Putting yourself in the other person's shoes can lead to much more productive outcomes. Really try to understand where the other person is coming from. It's what's called "intellectual empathy". It can be challenging, but that's the point. This can only work when both parties are engaging in good faith. Arguing just to waste somebody's time, known online as "sea lioning", not only makes you that guy or girl people avoid at parties, but we are intellectually, socially and politically worse-off for it. 4. Check Your Sources It's more important than ever to know where your information is coming from. That sciency-looking graph about the dangers of feral Dalmatian puppies might look very convincing, until you dig a little deeper and find it was commissioned by fur-coat-coveting Disney villain, Cruella de Vil. Be on the lookout for ulterior motives and vested interests. Becoming literate in the basics of scientific methodology, the use of data and the way it's presented are all weapons in your arsenal when it comes to critical thinking. 5. Avoid Fallacies Whether engaging in online debates or arguing with Uncle Frank, it's very easy to lose our cool and resort to some less-than-sound tactics. One common tactic is what philosophers call, "The Straw Man" fallacy. Instead of engaging with the actual belief, you engage with a caricature. For example, if I said, "I prefer hamsters to gerbils," you might respond, "Oh, so you want to drown all gerbils?" A viewpoint that's much easier to take down. Another fallacy is the "ad hominem fallacy", where you discount an argument because of your opinion of the person making it. This can lead to ad hominem attacks, which is basically Latin for name-calling. In that situation, it's fair to say that everybody loses. Engaging in critical thinking isn't as fun as picking up a pitchfork, or feeling like you're fundamentally right. But in the long run, it leads to a more curious, educated and harmonious society, which ultimately is the biggest win of all. 💡 翻译、词汇表、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】