The wide use of Internet technology has made our lives easier but causes a big challenge to senior citizens, who are not always comfortable with smartphones and so many new apps.
Only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer. According to the figures of the National Bureau, the number of people aged 60 and above was 253.88 million in 2019, about 18.1% of China’s population. But only 23% of the senior citizens were able to use the Internet. That means more than three—fourths of the elderly can’t enjoy the digital benefits.
Many senior citizens who can’t use smartphones are facing difficulties during this pandemic (流行病). Even with a smartphone in hand and Internet available, many of them still feel helpless. They don’t know how to call a taxi through the apps. There have been reports of many shops refusing the elders because they don’t know how to pay using smartphones, instead of letting them pay with cash. What’s worse, as they don’t know how to get the Internet—based health code (健康码), they are refused to enter many public places. Showing personal health code is part of the epidemic prevention (防疫) and control measures.
New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives. But many senior citizens, especially those living in the countryside, are not able to use the Internet or smartphones, either because of financial (经济的) problems or because they cannot learn new things. The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more obvious. However, the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived (剥夺) of digital benefits. It is our responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap, and be patient with them when they face difficulties catching up.
【小题1】What do the figures show in Paragraph 2?| A．There are a small number of senior citizens in China. |
| B．Only 23% of the senior citizens can use the computer. |
| C．Three fourths of the elderly dislike to use smartphones. |
| D．Many elders fail to enjoy the convenience of the digital devices. |
| A．Cash is no longer accepted in most shops. |
| B．It’s a must for everyone to have a health code. |
| C．Most elders need help on how to use the apps. |
| D．Many shops now refuse to offer service to the elderly. |
| A．their living areas |
| B．their financial conditions |
| C．their relationship with children |
| D．their difficulty in learning new things |
| A．They should not use modern technology. |
| B．The young should help them patiently. |
| C．The young should ask them to pay with cash. |
| D．They should keep silent using digital products. |
