One evening, Zhang Luyang was working on her math homework. The 12-year-old girl from Sichuan Province opened Tik Tok, known as Douyin, to watch some short videos. She just wanted to take a short break, but half an hour later, she was still watching short videos.
Zhang Luyang is one of many teenagers who enjoy watching short videos on apps like Douyin. The videos usually last from 15 seconds to 5 minutes. According to a survey by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, 20 percent of the teenagers watch short videos during their free time. About 10 percent check short video apps several times a day.
Sun Zhenyao, a 14-year-old boy from Anhui, says he likes short videos because they are interesting. It’s the perfect thing to do when I want to kill time”, he said. However, the more time he spends on the short videos, the worse his eyes are.
Zhang Luyang says she can learn a lot by watching short videos. She follows a Chinese vlogger living in the US on Douyin. The vlogger enjoys doing funny things, like selling pancakes on the street, inviting foreigners to watch The Wandering Earth. “His videos teach me about cultural differences.”
These days many apps like Douyin offer a “teenager mode (模式)”. In this mode, teenagers are allowed to play for no more than 40 minutes each time and if they want to play more or watch the videos between 10 p. m. and 6 a. m., they should ask their parents for password (密码).
【小题1】What percent of the teenagers watch short videos when they are free? (不超过5个词)【小题2】Can Zhang Luyang learn a lot by watching short videos? (不超过3个词)
【小题3】Why do the apps like Douyin offer a “teenager mode”? (不超过15个词)
