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VOA慢速英语2021--为什么COVID-19阴谋论如此普遍

时间:2021-04-20 01:10:17

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Why COVID-19 Conspiracies1 Are So Common

As COVID-19 continues, psychologists and misinformation experts are studying why the pandemic has led to so many conspiracy2 theories.

Such theories have persuaded some people to avoid facial coverings, social distancing and vaccines3.

Opposition5 to vaccines by some Americans is not new. Daniel Roberts, a 29-year-old Tennessee man, says he had not received a vaccination6 since he was six years old. His parents taught him that vaccines were dangerous. And when the coronavirus arrived, they called it a hoax7. The vaccine4, they said, was the real threat.

So when Roberts got his COVID-19 shot at a Walmart store last month, it felt like a break from his past.

"Five hundred thousand people have died in this country. That's not a hoax," Roberts told The Associated Press. He was speaking about the conspiracy theories believed by his family and friends. "I don't know why I didn't believe all of it myself," he said. "I guess I chose to believe the facts."

Experts are seeing links between beliefs in COVID-19 falsehoods and dependence8 on social media as a main source of news and information.

And they are finding that COVID-19 conspiracy theories provide people with a false sense of empowerment. By offering hidden explanations, they give the believer a feeling of control in a situation that seems frightening.

"We need to learn from what has happened, to make sure we can prevent it from happening the next time," said Richard Carmona. He was U.S. Surgeon General during former President George W. Bush's administration. "Masks become a symbol of your political party. People are saying vaccines are useless," he said.

About one in every four Americans said they believe the pandemic was "definitely" or "probably" created on purpose. That information comes from a Pew Research Center questionnaire from June. Other conspiracy theories center on economic restrictions9 and vaccine safety. More and more, these untrue claims are causing real-world problems.

In January, anti-vaccine activists10 forced a vaccine center in Los Angeles to close for a day. In Europe, people burned nearly 80 cell towers because of claims that 5G wireless11 signals were causing the infection. In other places, medical workers were attacked and a pharmacist destroyed vaccine doses. In addition, hundreds of people died after taking chemicals they believed to be cures.

The most popular conspiracy theories often help people explain complex events, when the truth may be too troubling to accept. That information comes from Helen Lee Bouygues, founder12 and president of the Reboot Foundation in Paris. The foundation researches and pushes for critical thinking in the internet age.

Such theories often appear after important or frightening times in history: the moon landing, the September 11 attacks, or the assassination13 of President John F. Kennedy.

"People need big explanations for big problems, for big world events," said John Cook. He is a cognitive14 scientist and conspiracy theory expert at Monash University in Australia. Simpler explanations "are just psychologically unsatisfying" to conspiracists, he said.

This drive is so strong, Cook said, that people often believe theories that go against each other. Roberts, for example, said his parents at first thought COVID-19 was caused by cell towers. Then, they decided15 the virus was a hoax. The only explanations they did not accept were those coming from medical experts.

Trust in American establishments has been further harmed by false statements from leaders like President Donald Trump16. He repeatedly said that the virus was not dangerous. And he suggested bleach17, a chemical cleanser, as a treatment. In addition, the former president spoke18 publicly against his administration's own health experts.

An examination of data by Cornell University researchers found that Trump was one of the greatest drivers of false coronavirus claims. Studies also show that conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories or share COVID-19 misinformation.

Carmona said he recently spoke to a group of executives about the coronavirus. One executive suggested the Chinese government and Democrats19 in America created the pandemic to hurt Trump's reelection chances.

A shared distrust in American establishments has helped to unite several groups that agree on COVID-19 conspiracy theories. They include far-right groups, anti-vaccine activists and supporters of the conspiracy group QAnon.

Researchers are thinking about what does and does not work when talking to friends or family who support untrue claims. And they are finding possible solutions to the bigger problem of online misinformation. These include stronger efforts by social media companies and possibly new government rules.

Experts also say teaching critical thinking skills and how to decide what news is factual is needed as the internet grows as a news source.

In recent years, an idea called inoculation20 theory has become popular. Inoculation is another term for vaccination. The theory involves using online games or tutorials to train people to think more critically about information. One example is from Cambridge University researchers. They created the online game Go Viral!, which teaches players by having them create their own misleading materials.

Studies show the games increase resistance to online misinformation. But like many vaccines, the effects are temporary. This leads researchers to wonder how to make them more permanent.

Someday, such games might be placed as advertisements before online videos. Or prizes may be given as a way to grow interest in protecting the public against misinformation.

Words in This Story

conspiracy theory – n. a theory that explains an event or situation as the result of a secret plan by usually powerful people or groups

hoax – n. an act that is meant to trick or deceive people

mask – n. a covering used to protect your face or cover your mouth

symbol – n. an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality

definitely – adv. without a doubt

cell tower – n. a base station where electronic communications equipment and cellular21 antennae22 are placed

cognitive – adj. relating to or involving conscious mental activities

data – n. facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze23, or plan something

tutorial – n. a book, computer program or something else that teaches someone how to do something by explaining each stage of a process


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 conspiracies bb10ad9d56708cad7a00bd97a80be7d9     
n.阴谋,密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He was still alive and hatching his conspiracies. 他还活着,策划着阴谋诡计。 来自辞典例句
  • It appeared that they had engaged in fresh conspiracies from the very moment of their release. 看上去他们刚给释放,立刻开始新一轮的阴谋活动。 来自英汉文学
2 conspiracy NpczE     
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋
参考例句:
  • The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
  • He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。
3 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。
4 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。
5 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对,敌对
参考例句:
  • The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
  • The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
6 vaccination bKGzM     
n.接种疫苗,种痘
参考例句:
  • Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
  • Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。
7 hoax pcAxs     
v.欺骗,哄骗,愚弄;n.愚弄人,恶作剧
参考例句:
  • They were the victims of a cruel hoax.他们是一个残忍恶作剧的受害者。
  • They hoax him out of his money.他们骗去他的钱。
8 dependence 3wsx9     
n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属
参考例句:
  • Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
  • He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。
9 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
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
10 activists 90fd83cc3f53a40df93866d9c91bcca4     
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
  • Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 wireless Rfwww     
adj.无线的;n.无线电
参考例句:
  • There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
  • Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。
12 Founder wigxF     
n.创始者,缔造者
参考例句:
  • He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
  • According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说,罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。
13 assassination BObyy     
n.暗杀;暗杀事件
参考例句:
  • The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
  • Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年,林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。
14 cognitive Uqwz0     
adj.认知的,认识的,有感知的
参考例句:
  • As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大,他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
  • The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。
15 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
16 trump LU1zK     
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭
参考例句:
  • He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
  • The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手,作为他的王牌。
17 bleach Rtpz6     
vt.使漂白;vi.变白;n.漂白剂
参考例句:
  • These products don't bleach the hair.这些产品不会使头发变白。
  • Did you bleach this tablecloth?你把这块桌布漂白了吗?
18 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
19 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
n.民主主义者,民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
  • The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 inoculation vxvyj     
n.接芽;预防接种
参考例句:
  • Travellers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 提醒旅游者接种预防黄热病的疫苗是明智的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Travelers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 旅客们被提醒,注射黄热病预防针是明智的。 来自辞典例句
21 cellular aU1yo     
adj.移动的;细胞的,由细胞组成的
参考例句:
  • She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
  • Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。
22 antennae lMdyk     
n.天线;触角
参考例句:
  • Sometimes a creature uses a pair of antennae to swim.有时某些动物使用其一对触须来游泳。
  • Cuba's government said that Cubans found watching American television on clandestine antennae would face three years in jail.古巴政府说那些用秘密天线收看美国电视的古巴人将面临三年监禁。
23 analyze RwUzm     
vt.分析,解析 (=analyse)
参考例句:
  • We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
  • The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

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