VOA常速英语2019--美国学生因压力过大酗酒身亡

Mary Ciammetti lost her college-age son 20-year-old Christian¹ Ciammetti from alcohol poisoning in 2015. My son died in the hospital when we found out that he had been binge drinking and he died from alcohol poisoning, from the effects of alcohol poisoning. I was home from work and then I was literally² grieving and laying on a couch and I couldn’t do anything. Each year in the U.S. more than 1,800 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related injuries including motor vehicle crashes, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports. Despite the potential risks taking the edge off stress is why some students say they drink. Definitely for students at least nowadays a lot of it is stress, students like to work hard, play hard mentality³. And they after a long week of classes and overachieving, they want to head to the bar, head to the club, head to their friends house and drink. But experts disagree that drinking relieves stress. So there is a misperception a lot of students will say that they drink to relieve stress. But in fact the studies and literature show that when students are drinking it actually increases stress in their lives.

2015年，玛丽·恰梅蒂失去了20岁的大学儿子克里斯蒂安·恰梅蒂（因酒精中毒）。我的儿子死在了医院，我们发现他酗酒，死于酒精中毒。我下班回家，躺在沙发上悲痛欲绝，什么也做不了。美国全国毒品使用和健康调查报告显示，美国每年有1800多名18岁至24岁的大学生死于酒精相关的伤害，包括车祸。尽管有潜在的风险，但一些学生说他们喝酒是为了减轻压力。肯定对学生来说，至少现在很多都是压力，学生喜欢努力学习、努力玩耍的心态。他们上了一周的课，成绩优异，他们想去酒吧，去俱乐部，去朋友家喝酒。但是专家们不同意喝酒可以缓解压力。所以有一种误解，很多学生会说他们喝酒是为了缓解压力。但事实上，研究和文献表明，当学生喝酒时，实际上会增加他们生活中的压力。

Mitchell urges for stricter alcohol policies at colleges. We encourage colleges to adopt policies that reduce the access to alcohol that send the message to students that alcohol and excessive alcohol use are not a normal part of your college experience. Ciammetti who now runs a non-profit to educate young people about the harms of binge drinking admits that as a parent she should have been more vigilant⁴ of her son’s activities. What I do believe is that as a parent now when if anybody asks me I say go into their rooms, go into their college dorms and go see what is there. Now looking back I would do anything I could to get Christian back. And it’s too late. But not too late for other parents to prevent the same thing that happened to Christian from happening to their child.

米切尔敦促大学实行更严格的酒精政策。我们鼓励大学采取措施减少学生接触酒精的机会，向学生传达这样一个信息：酒精和过度饮酒并不是大学生活中正常的一部分。Ciammetti现在经营着一家非盈利组织，旨在教育年轻人酗酒的危害。她承认，作为父母，她应该对儿子的行为更加警惕。我相认为作为一个家长，如果有人问我，我会说，去他们的房间，去他们的大学宿舍，看看那里有什么。现在回想起来，如果能让克里斯蒂安回来我愿做任何事。太晚了。但对于其他父母来说，要阻止发生在克里斯蒂安身上的事情不要再发生在他们的孩子身上，还为时不晚。

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

4 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。