When Gayle Macdonald reached the summit (顶峰) in Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountain range earlier this year, she didn’t just stop and take in the moment. Instead, she did what a great many people would do—she looked for the best spot to take a selfie (自拍) for her social media accounts. Gayle even admitted that she moved dangerously close to the edge while doing so. It was after that moment that she decided to quit social media.
“I was like ‘this has got to stop,’ ” recalls Gayle. “Taking a photo used to be the first thing I thought about when I got out of the car. Thinking all the time about creating content and worrying about what to say, were taking up too much head space and getting me down.”
Social media can be addictive for many reasons, the main one being that it is a form of escapism, especially for the younger generation. It’s simply a way of connecting without connection, and it’s a 24/7 comfort blanket of company for many. For many of us, most of our time is spent on social media. One global study found that the average person spends 2 hours and 29 minutes per day on such apps and websites. While some people might think that this is a bad habit that they should cut down on, for others it’s an actual addiction that they need help to overcome.
Hilda Burke, a psychotherapist (心理治疗师), says there’s now more widespread awareness about how much time people are spending on social media. “This is now easily to figure up, as most phones show you the breakdown of how you’re spending your time online,” she says. “Seeing how it all adds up can serve as a powerful wake-up call.” She advises that people quitting social media should let all their friends know, so they don’t continue to try to contact you via the sites.
Burke welcomes the fact that more people are quitting social media. It’s likely that we’re eventually starting to realize the damage it can cause to our relationships, mental health and our experience of real-world moments.
【小题1】How does the author introduce the topic of the text?| A．By providing research results. | B．By describing a process. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By giving an example. |
| A．Energy-consuming. | B．Fashionable. | C．Inspiring. | D．Eye-catching. |
| A．In paragraph 2. | B．In paragraph 3. | C．In paragraph 4. | D．In paragraph 5. |
| A．Teenagers Are Addicted To Social Media |
| B．People Quit Using Social Media To Post Selfies |
| C．There Is Really More To Life Than Posting Selfies |
| D．Social Media Affects Physical And Mental Health |
