VOA标准英语2011--Survey: Social Media Users are Happier,

Survey: Social Media Users are Happier, More Engaged

We call interactive¹ communications tools such as Twitter and Facebook social media. But lots of commentators² have asserted that using them heavily makes people less sociable³, if not downright anti-social.
They say such communication is largely self-centered, and that folks get wrapped up in texting or spilling their innermost secrets online, without ever relating to others' concerns.
But a new national survey of more than 2,200 American adults shows that those who use social-networking sites have what the study calls "higher measures of social well-being⁴." They are, it found, more trusting, have more close friends, get more support from those friends and are more politically engaged than other Americans.
And the survey, by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, told us something most of us already knew - that Facebook, in particular, has put users in touch with old high-school friends and revived other long-dormant relationships.
Much of the speculation⁵ about the impact of social-networking sites has centered on the possibility that they are hurting users' relationships and pushing them away from participating in the world, notes Keith Hampton.
The University of Pennsylvania communications professor was the lead author of the Pew Report. "We've found the exact opposite, that people who use sites like Facebook actually have more close relationships and are more likely to be involved in civic⁶ and political activities."
It can be noted⁷ that the 85-page report by Professor Hampton and his colleagues, which also found that the number of people using social-networking sites has doubled since 2008, ran considerably⁸ longer than 140 Tweet-able characters.

1 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

2 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 sociable   

adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的

参考例句：

• Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
• Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。

4 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

6 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。