世卫组织支持在线视频游戏作为安全的社交方式

The World Health Organization is partnering with major video game makers² in support of online gaming as a way to keep people indoors to help fight the new coronavirus.

The partnership³ comes as online video game play has increased as governments across the world ordered citizens to stay home in an effort to stop the virus from spreading.

In mid-March, Italy's top telecommunications company announced internet traffic had increased more than 70 percent in the days since the government enforced quarantine rules, Bloomberg reported. Telecom Italia said a big reason for the rise was an increase in play for video games like Fortnite and Call of Duty.

In the United States, internet service provider Verizon reported a 75-percent jump in gaming activity on its networks during the second week in March, when stay-at-home directives began to take effect.

Eighteen video game industry leaders teamed up with the WHO to create a program called #PlayApartTogether.

The companies say they will share messages about the virus with gamers and urge them to follow the WHO's safety advice. The messages will include suggestions on things such as physical distancing and cleanliness. They will also advise on ways to behave around others to avoid spreading or catching⁴ the virus.

Many large U.S. gaming events and contests have been canceled because of the coronavirus spread. The companies promised to create "special events, exclusives, activities and rewards" for players online in the coming weeks.

One of the companies taking part is Activision Blizzard⁵, Inc. It is one of the world's largest video game developers. The company has produced many popular games including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo and Candy Crush.

The head of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, said in a statement that the coronavirus crisis has created a major need for people to find ways to stay safely connected to each other. "Games are the perfect platform because they connect people through the lens of joy, purpose and meaning," Kotick said.

Ray Chambers⁶ is the WHO's Ambassador for Global Strategy. In a tweet, he wrote that the video game industry's worldwide reach can get the message out. "More physical distancing + other measures will help to flatten⁷ the curve + save lives," Chambers wrote.

The WHO's cooperation with the gaming industry comes after the organization decided⁸ last year to officially declare "gaming disorder⁹" a behavioral addiction¹⁰ on its list of diseases.

The new partnership got some criticism online. One gamer wrote to Ray Chambers on Twitter: "Oh thats ironic¹¹. Last I remembered you guys classified us gamers as addicts¹², now you praise us because we already know social distancing?"

Paula Zirinsky, chief marketing¹³ officer for the intelligence-gathering company K2 Intelligence, also reacted on Twitter. "You can't have it both ways. Gaming can be addictive¹⁴. WHO said it themselves last year," she tweeted. "With kids returning to virtual classrooms, why encourage game play? The only winners in this are the gaming companies."

However, the WHO's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised the organization's cooperation with the industry as another useful tool in fighting the virus.

"Thank you @RaymondChambers for mobilizing the gaming industry to feature @WHO advice on #COVID19 to their users," he tweeted. "We all must #PlayApartTogether to beat the #coronavirus."

The maker¹ of the hugely popular mobile game Pokemon Go has also said it would make changes and create new events to support indoor activities between players around the world.

And, many of the world's top professional gamers came together to record a public service announcement to raise awareness¹⁵ among players on ways to prevent the spread of the virus.

Words in This Story

quarantine – n. to be kept separate from others to prevent the spread of disease of sicknes

exclusive – adj. not shared with everyone

platform– n. operating system

lens – n. a curved piece of glass used in cameras, glasses and scientific equipment for looking at things

curve – n. a line that bends around like part of a circle

addiction – n. the problem of not being able to stop doing or taking something because you are dependent on it

ironic – adj. saying something you do not mean, as a joke

virtual – adj. used, carried out or stored by means of a computer

encourage – v. urge something to do something

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

5 blizzard   

n.暴风雪

参考例句：

• The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
• You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。

6 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

7 flatten   

v.把．．．弄平，使倒伏；使(漆等)失去光泽

参考例句：

• We can flatten out a piece of metal by hammering it.我们可以用锤子把一块金属敲平。
• The wrinkled silk will flatten out if you iron it.发皱的丝绸可以用熨斗烫平。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

10 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

11 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

12 addicts   

有…瘾的人( addict的名词复数 )； 入迷的人

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• There is counseling to help Internet addicts?even online. 有咨询机构帮助网络沉迷者。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

13 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

14 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

15 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。