On average, Americans spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer or other electronic devices and less than 30 minutes a day outdoors. That is a claim made by David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. In his 2017 TED Talk , Strayer explained that all this time spent with technology is making our brains tired.
Using an electronic device to answer emails, listen to the news and look at Facebook puts a lot of pressure on the front of the brain,which, Strayer explains, is important for critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.
So, it is important to give the brain a rest. And being in nature , Strayer claims , helps get a tired brain away from too much technology. More than 15,000 campers from around the world attended an international camping festival in September. That is when friends and family take time off and escape to nature for several days. They take walks, climb, explore , swim, sleep, eat and play. Camping may be just what a tired brain needs.
Take Carl for example.He lives in West Virginia and enjoys camping . He says that staying outdoors makes him feel at ease. It also prepares him for the work he must do. Kate Somers is another example who also lives in West Virginia. She says she enjoys camping with her husband and two children . She calls it a “regenerative” experience.
At the University of Utah , David Strayer has studied both short-term and long-term exposure to nature. He found that spending short amounts of time in nature without technology does calm the brain and helps it to remember better. However ,he found , it is the long-term contact with nature that does the most good. He and his research team found that spending three days in nature without any technology is enough time for the brain to fully relax and reset itself.
【小题1】What is David Strayer’s opinion ?| A．Electronic equipment should be quitted |
| B．Americans dislike outdoor activities |
| C．New technologies are a double-edged sword |
| D．Electronic equipment brings great convenience |
| A．To try another lifestyle | B．To make better decisions. |
| C．To refresh our brain | D．To play with our family and friends |
| A．tiring | B．memorable |
| C．remarkable | D．reborn |
| A．Electronic Equipment Harms the Brain |
| B．Being in Nature Is Good for the Brain |
| C．Tips on Using New Technologies |
| D．Good Rest Develops Good Memory |
