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VOA慢速英语--研究称美国人在这个节日里感觉不那么喜庆了

时间:2020-12-24 07:09:42

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Maureen Brennan will spend Christmas with her daughter at their home in Nashua, New Hampshire, after refusing invitations from relatives to celebrate with them.

Michael Smith will observe the holidays alone in Elko, Nevada, to avoid possible coronavirus infection before he can get vaccinated1.

Brennan and Smith do not feel very celebratory, or festive2, this holiday season. And, they are not alone in that outlook says a new study from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Researchers questioned 1,117 American adults across the country between December 3 and December 7. Just 22 percent said they feel very or extremely festive this year. That is down from 49 percent one year ago.

The 69-year-old Smith said he usually spends Christmas alone, but the pandemic has been especially difficult. He cannot go to local coffee shops and visit with friends and neighbors as he usually does. His usual January vacation on the Caribbean Sea was cancelled because of coronavirus.

So, Smith has been staying home mostly, fearing what could happen if he caught the virus. Five years ago, he spent a month in a hospital under treatment for the lung disease pneumonia3.

"I'm stressed that I can't just get in my car and go someplace," said Smith.

Karestan Koenen is a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

"Holidays are always a stressful time, but now people are feeling really, really worn down because this has been going on for so long," she said. She noted4 that some are also suffering severe financial difficulties because of the health crisis.

COVID-19 has killed more than 319,000 people in the U.S. The disease spread has pushed health care systems to the edge of collapse5, thrown millions of Americans out of work and, research shows, damaged mental health across the population.

About 40 percent of Americans are still intensely worried that they or a family member will be infected. About 75 percent say they are at least somewhat concerned about the possibility. The coronavirus vaccine6 progress has brought some hopefulness, but the study found that only half of Americans are ready to get vaccinated immediately. The other half said they were unsure about or uninterested in the treatment. The study was carried out before the first U.S. approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Adults under 30 are more likely than those older to say they feel very sad or lonely — and more feel these emotions this year than they did last year.

Koenen said this is a time when young adults normally would be starting their independent lives. But now, school completion ceremonies may have been canceled. Adult children may have to live with their families, and it could be difficult to find a job because of the slowed economy.

Koenen said it is especially hard for people who live alone.

Brennan, a retired7 health care worker, said she is lucky to have the company of her adult child. The 76-year-old had not worried much about the virus, she said, until the number of infections and deaths began climbing in recent weeks. She and her daughter have been careful. They wear masks and go to the same stores to decrease their risk of catching8 the virus.

Both Brennan, whose husband died five years ago, and Smith said they have found satisfaction in helping9 others, rather than mourn what they cannot do.

"It is important to take care of those who absolutely need it and those who need only on a temporary basis," said Brennan, who has donated to Nashua's food aid providers and children's home.

Smith said he helped several families, including a server at a coffee shop he likes. They were struggling because of lost wages during the crisis. In January, he will donate to the local food bank.

Still, just 37 percent of Americans say they feel especially generous, or giving, compared with 52 percent last year.

Thinking about thankfulness, or gratitude10, can help reduce fear and worry, as can helping others, Koenen said. "I think people feel better if they can do something," she said.

Brennan keeps up with what is happening in her community and stays in contact with friends although they cannot visit.

Smith is feeling more hopeful now that coronavirus vaccines11 have been approved.

"I look forward to (the time) when most of us will have had the vaccination," he said. "Then we should be coming back to life."

Words in This Story

stressed –adj. feeling worried or anxious

psychiatric –adj. related to medicine that deals with mental or emotional disorders12

epidemiology –n. the study of infectious diseases

mask –n. a covering for the face, especially on worn to prevent the spread of disease

absolutely –adv. completely, showing agreement


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1 vaccinated 8f16717462e6e6db3389d0f736409983     
[医]已接种的,种痘的,接种过疫菌的
参考例句:
  • I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
  • Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗?
2 festive mkBx5     
adj.欢宴的,节日的
参考例句:
  • It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节,每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
  • We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。
3 pneumonia s2HzQ     
n.肺炎
参考例句:
  • Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
  • Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。
4 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
5 collapse aWvyE     
vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷
参考例句:
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
6 vaccine Ki1wv     
n.牛痘苗,疫苗;adj.牛痘的,疫苗的
参考例句:
  • The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
  • She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。
7 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
8 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
9 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
10 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
11 vaccines c9bb57973a82c1e95c7cd0f4988a1ded     
疫苗,痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
  • The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。
12 disorders 6e49dcafe3638183c823d3aa5b12b010     
n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 );凌乱;骚乱;(身心、机能)失调
参考例句:
  • Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告,厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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