You Deserve a “Brighter” Future

WOOOOOSH! The drone (无人机) flew over our heads. Students 【小题1】 with delight and dashed around the courtyard, all heads turned skyward. Misty mountains and the green forest surrounded us, with fields caved into the wilderness. I was in the Yunnan countryside with an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) to 【小题2】 free glasses to nearsighted children.

While the children seemed quite pleased to witness a drone lift off for the first time, the sad reality was that perhaps only half could see the drone at all.

Many layers of obstacles 【小题3】 this problem, the first being access. The eye doctors are concentrated in cities, but so many urban students need eye examinations.

In addition to access, information is another 【小题4】. If a rural student is nearsighted, there is almost no way for them to know unless their teacher notices and acts. Even if students discover they need glasses and can access an eye doctor, they face the financial challenge of paying for glasses. Many parents in rural areas, who have never worn glasses themselves, don’t understand the 【小题5】 and see no reason to spend the extra money. Some even fear that glasses will further harm their eyesight. How 【小题6】!

When you walk the streets of cities in China today, you will find that the 【小题7】 is even more alarming. Heavy homework loads, increasing screen time on smartphones, and less sunlight from outdoor activities all 【小题8】 to worsening nearsightedness among urban students. If this problem 【小题9】, the consequences will be more serious than you can imagine. This may lead to the county’s running out of personnel in certain fields or occupations which require good eyesight.

To give students a "brighter" future, the government has 【小题10】 a grand plan to control the country’s rising number of nearsighted children and teenagers. Before it takes effect ,why not put down your smartphone and get back to nature?