【英语趣味课堂】寻找平衡-Finding the Balance

Katia: I'm doubting, I'm doubting if the whole Facebook and Twitter, if that's actually good. It seems like generations now are spending so much time in computers and virtually but not really doing outside activities so I wonder if there should be a change and perhaps not allow it so easily or be or have more restrictions¹ on it.

Alex: That would have to be something with children, right? Like if children or younger generations are spending more time on Facebook or on social media online than spending time with their real friends outside playing or doing stuff in the park or going to special classes or something. I don't know. I don't have brothers or children or anyone that I could talk about but I don't know. What do you think?

 

Katia: I would be worried if I had children and they were into all these social media things that it's hard to keep up even for me and even for us. I feel that, you know, some people that we don't know might be spying on us; we're just open.

 

Alex: Yeah, that's another case. That's another thing like it's very easy for somebody to find out about you and what you do or who your friends are. That specifically, that's a difficult topic in a country like Mexico or some Latin American places where it could be that, criminality is higher and you know you don't want to disclose² information to other people, even non specifically a country but in a place.

 

Katia: That is true. I would really, I don't know, it seems like my doubts are increasing about social media and what it's actually doing to us and what it will do to our generations so I really wonder how much or how should we handle it? I really don't know. Also phone texting, it's been used so much that we don't talk on the phone any more or we don't even talk person to person. We just text message.

 

Alex: That's right, that's right. I've noticed that especially in younger generations. They are so into texting. They text so fast. I cannot do that. Like to me it's way easier just to grab³ the phone and call someone, get the thing done, that's it. But texting takes so long but there are so many people into it especially younger kids.

 

Katia: Yeah, so I wonder what it actually does to our communication skills. I am sure they have to change.

 

Alex: Well it evolves differently.

 

Katia: Yeah.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

doubting

 

I'm doubting if the whole Facebook and Twitter thing is actually good.

 

If you don't believe that something is the way that people say it is, you are 'doubting' what they say. Notice the following:

 

I doubt that a lot of these products actually work like they say they do.

I think he is doubting my story a little.

keep up

 

 

...into all these social media things that it's hard to keep up even for me.

 

In this case, 'keep up' refers to maintaining something and keeping it up to date. Notice the following:

 

It's expensive to keep up with all the fashion trends.

It can be really difficult to keep up with emails if you don't have internet at your house.

spying

 

 

I feel that some people that we don't know might be spying on us.

 

If you 'spy' on someone, it means that you watch that person without them knowing that you are watching. Notice the following:

 

The bird didn't even notice that the cat was spying on him.

How do you know all of that about me? Have you been spying?

disclose

 

 

You don't want to disclose information to other people.

 

If you give someone information, you are 'disclosing⁴' it. Notice the following:

 

He disclosed⁵ a few things to you that I didn't want him to tell.

It isn't necessary for you to disclose that information to us.

evolves

 

Well, it evolves differently.

 

When something 'evolves,' it changes over time. Notice the following:

 

A story evolves a little every time that someone tells it.

The goals of this company have really evolved since it was founded 20 years ago.

 

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 disclose   

vt.揭露，泄露，透露

参考例句：

• Science can disclose the mysteries of nature.科学能解开自然界的奥秘。
• Neither side would disclose details of the transaction.双方均不肯披露交易细节。

3 grab   

vt./n.攫取，抓取；vi.攫取，抓住(at)

参考例句：

• It is rude to grab a seat.抢占座位是不礼貌的。
• The thief made a grab at my bag but I pushed him away.贼想抢我的手提包，但被我推开了。

4 disclosing   

说出( disclose的现在分词 )； 揭露； 使显露； 使暴露

参考例句：

• He opened the box, disclosing the contents (to the audience). 他打开盒子，露出里面的东西（给观众看）。
• He solicited opinions about a variety of people without disclosing his intentions toward them. 他还征询我对许多人士的意见，但是没有表示他对他们有何打算。

5 disclosed   

说出( disclose的过去式和过去分词 )； 揭露； 使显露； 使暴露

参考例句：

• She disclosed that she had been married for a month. 她透露自己已经结婚一个月了。
• He disclosed his views about this thing. 他表明了对这事的看法。