VOA常速英语2020--美国隔离下的社交危机

Psychiatrists¹ say the covid pandemic and the focus on social distancing has made us all a bit more lonely and a bit more awkward² around other people. I would like to emphasize³ the consequences of isolation⁴ and loneliness the most, because it is no doubt an extremely important factor that affects both physical and mental health. People who spend a long time in isolation, like prisons or hospitals or Antarctica if you will, definitely⁵ lose certain social skills. And the longer they stay, the more they lose. Marchian Prohasko spent almost two months in Antarctica. He went there in early 2019 to write a book about the experience of being at a polar station. Later during quarantine, Marchionne often drew parallels⁶ with his time at the South Pole. When you are staying at home, sometimes you don't even want to see anyone, but you can always do so. But when circumstances force you to stay at home, you suddenly feel a certain constraint⁷. You can't go anywhere although you would like to.

精神病医生表示，新冠肺炎疫情和着重推行的社会距离使我们变得更加孤独，与他人相处时也变得更加尴尬。我最想强调的是隔离和孤独所引发的后果，因为这无疑是影响身心健康的一个极其重要的因素。对于那些长期处于隔离状态的人，比如呆在监狱、医院或者南极洲（如果你愿意的话），他们肯定会丧失某些社交技能。他们隔绝得越久，损失就越大。马尔基安·普罗哈斯科在南极洲呆了将近两个月。他在2019年初到那里创作一本有关极地站经历的书。后来在隔离期间，马尔基奥尼经常将隔离生活与自己待在南极的时光相提并论。当你呆在家里的时候，有时你甚至不想见到任何人，但你总是有能力实现的。但当客观环境迫使你待在家中的时候，你会突然感到约束。你不能去任何地方，尽管你想去。

In Antarctica, it's the same. After returning from the expedition, it took some time for Marchionne to adapt to normal life. When I returned, on the one hand, I wanted to lie low for a few weeks, not to communicate with anyone, maybe only with the loved ones. What can I say? How can I explain it all? On the other hand, many of the things that are common here seemed pointless for a while. I went outside, people were going somewhere, what were they doing? Experts say there is little doubt people will lose certain social skills during the pandemic. Just as muscles atrophy⁸ without exercise, communication skills suffer from isolation. That's why it's important to take care of your mental health. Communication, human socialization, is no less important than work, exercise, diet, sleep, etc. This is an extremely important element. If people think that during quarantine, half an hour should be spent on exercising, people should also think about the importance of social communication. And experts add, even the smallest things can help. If our listeners wanted to improve their mental health today, I would advise them to call and meet with a good old friend with whom they have not talked for a long time, and just talk with him or her for a while. Sooner or later the pandemic will come to an end and the hope is that the world can get rid of the distance, and just get back to being social. For Hostapiarisch in Washington Anna Rice VOA news.

在南极洲也是一样的。从探险队回来后，马尔基奥尼花了一段时间才能适应正常生活。当我回来的时候，一方面，我想躲藏几周，不想和任何人交流，也许只想和我爱的人沟通。我能说些什么？我该如何解释这一切呢？另一方面，在一段时间内，正常生活中的很多常见的事情都让我觉得漫无目的。我出门了的时候会想，人们都去了什么地方，他们都在做些什么？专家表示，毫无疑问，人们在新冠疫情期间会丧失某些社交技能。就像肌肉不运动就会萎缩一样，人们会因隔离而丧失沟通技巧。这就是要注意心理健康的原因。交流和人类的社会化的重要性丝毫不亚于工作、锻炼、饮食和睡眠等等。这是极其重要的因素。如果人们认为在隔离期间应该花半小时时间锻炼身体，那也应该考虑到社交的重要性。专家补充说，即使是最微不足道的事也能起到帮助作用。如果我们的听众今天想改善他们的心理健康，我建议他们去和一个很久没有聊过天的老朋友打电话或见面，只需要和他（她）聊一会儿。这场疫情迟早会结束，我们希望全世界的人都能够摆脱距离感，回归社会。美国之音记者安妮·赖斯，华盛顿报道。

1 psychiatrists   

n.精神病专家，精神病医生( psychiatrist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They are psychiatrists in good standing. 他们是合格的精神病医生。 来自辞典例句
• Some psychiatrists have patients who grow almost alarmed at how congenial they suddenly feel. 有些精神分析学家发现，他们的某些病人在突然感到惬意的时候几乎会兴奋起来。 来自名作英译部分

2 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

3 emphasize   

vt.加强…的语气，强调，着重

参考例句：

• I must emphasize the fact that she is only a little girl. 我必须强调这样一个事实，这就是她只不过是个小女孩。
• I must emphasize the fact that they are only children. 我必须强调这一事实,即他们只不过是孩子。

4 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 parallels   

n.导轨；类似（点）( parallel的名词复数 )；平行线[面]；比较；极相似的人[事物]v.与…平行( parallel的第三人称单数 )；与…媲美；（为找出相似处）将…作比拟

参考例句：

• The street parallels the railway. 这条街与铁路平行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These parallels cannot be merely coincidental. 这些相似之处不可能只是巧合。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

8 atrophy   

n./v.萎缩，虚脱，衰退

参考例句：

• Patients exercised their atrophied limbs in the swimming pool.病人们在泳池里锻炼萎缩的四肢。
• Many hoped he would renew the country's atrophied political system.很多人都期望他能使该国萎靡的政治体系振作起来。