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词数：312 words
难度：★★☆☆☆
小贴士：
温馨提示：请再次留意第三段的increased by，注意与increased to进行辨析，前者为增长了，后者为增长到。
——大橙子留
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上期划线句答案
Most (around 80 percent) of your income, views, personal development, satisfaction, and enjoyment probably come from just a small part (around 20 percent) of the items on your list.
你的大多数（大约80%）收入、浏览量、个人成长、满足感和乐趣，可能来源于清单上的一小部分（约20%）的任务。
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本期内容
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双语阅读
Para.1
Swiping your phone is a normal part of modern life, but if you spend several hours a day scrolling unconsciously on Facebook, IG, Douyin, Threads and other social groups, you may be falling into “brain rot” (brain rot). ) dilemma, this word was selected as the 2024 word of the year by the Oxford English Dictionary.
Para.2
The British Guardian reported that Oxford University, publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, opens the Internet to vote for the representative word of the year every year. This year, more than 37,000 people voted. “Brain rot” defeated demure, dynamic pricing, and allusion in one fell swoop. The other six candidate words are lore, romantasy and slop.
Para.3
The term “brain rot” reflects people’s concerns about over-consumption of low-quality digital content (especially social media). In the year from 2023 to 2024, the frequency of use of the term increased by 230%. It describes people’s dissatisfaction with the online world and is used to package anxiety about the Internet.
Para.4
The so-called “brain corrosion” is defined as a hypothetical deterioration of a person’s mental or IQ state, especially caused by watching too much trivial or unchallenging content. This term can be traced back to the American name before the advent of the Internet. Writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote the term in “Lakeside Notes” in 1854. Thoreau criticized society’s tendency to devalue complex ideas and considered it to be part of the overall decline of the human mind and intelligence. “While England is working on the problem of potato rot (late blight), shouldn’t it also be working on a wider cure?” And fatal brain corrosion?”
Para.5
Nowadays, the term “brain rot” has become popular among netizens of Generation Z and Alpha (born after 2010). It is a mainstream term used to describe shoddy and low-value content on social media. However, there is no scientific evidence that “brain rot” “Corrosion” is real.
本文节选自：paudal
发布时间：2024.12.2
作者：Alivia Hernandez
原文标题：Scratching mobile phones corrodes intelligence, “Brain Rot” was selected as Oxford Dictionary’s representative word in 2024
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写作句总结
原句：The so-called “brain corrosion” is defined as a hypothetical deterioration of a person’s mental or IQ state, especially caused by watching too much trivial or unchallenging content.
结构：X is defined as a hypothetical Y, especially caused by Z.
例句：Mastery of a skill is defined as a hypothetical state of proficiency, especially caused by diligent practice and dedication.
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阅读理解题
The author mentions Henry David Thoreau's use of the term "brain corrosion" in his 1854 writing, "Lakeside Notes," primarily to:
A. Highlight Thoreau’s concern about potato blight in England.
B. Suggest that the term "brain rot" is a recent phenomenon.
C. Illustrate a historical perspective on the decline of human intellect.
D. Criticize modern society’s obsession with complex ideas.
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全文概括
The Oxford English Dictionary selected "brain rot" as its 2024 word of the year, reflecting growing concern over excessive consumption of low-quality online content, particularly on social media. This term, experiencing a 230% usage increase, encapsulates anxieties about the internet's negative impact on mental acuity. While lacking scientific basis, "brain rot" resonates with Gen Z and Alpha users to describe superficial social media content. The concept's roots trace back to 19th-century writer Henry David Thoreau, who lamented society's devaluation of complex thought. The word's selection follows an online vote by over 37,000 people.
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打卡作业
翻译文章中的划线句，文末留言打卡，下期推送会在文章开头处公布参考翻译答案，大家一起来学习英语吧~
翻译 | 大橙子
校对 | 慢慢
词汇词组 | 胖葛柔儿
划线句讲解 | 流木
写作句总结 | 大橙子
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