12月11日午间英语新闻：中国医院“家庭作业区引热议”

> As cars get smarter, why are people feeling more carsick?
为什么坐电动车更容易晕车？

Do you experience worse car sickness in electric cars than in petrol cars? You’re not alone – and when it comes to self-driving cars, it may be even worse.
你晕车吗？有没有觉得电车比油车更容易晕？你并不是一个人当涉及到自动驾驶汽车时，情况可能更糟。

Although scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes motion sickness, it has to do with passengers being deprived of the ability to predict future movements. When you read a magazine in a car, your eyes will signal to your brain that the car is stationary. However, your brain will recognize the vibrations and turns that the car makes. This can confuse the mind and make you start to feel sick.
虽然科学家们还不能确定我们为啥会晕车，但这与乘客无法预知车辆动向有关。如果边坐车边看杂志，眼睛会向大脑传递信号：车是静止的。但大脑能识别出汽车的晃动。这会使大脑感到混乱，所以人们会觉得晕车。

As for electric cars, one-pedal driving is often blamed for feelings of car sickness, according to the US Department of Energy. The one pedal does both the accelerating and braking – the driver steps on the pedal to increase speed and takes their foot off the pedal to slow down. If you stop accelerating, the one-pedal will automatically slow and stop the car. The deceleration induced by this system is thus more rapid than in petrol cars, which may lead to motion sickness.
至于电动汽车，据美国能源部称，人们常常把晕车的感觉归咎于单踏板驾驶。一个踏板既能加速又能刹车——司机踩上踏板加速，把脚从踏板上拿开减速。如果你停止加速，单脚踏板会自动减速并停车。因此，该系统的减速比传统汽油车更快，这可能会导致晕车。

Another technological advance that can also be related to car sickness is the larger and increasing number of screens inside vehicles. These screens overburden users with visual information, which discourages them from looking outside, according to the Conversation. Passengers thereby lose their ability to take in the “correct” visual signals, such as the moving surroundings, which can trigger sickness.
另一项可能与晕车有关的技术进步是车内屏幕越来越大，数量也越来越多。据The Conversation网站报道，这些屏幕给用户带来了过多的视觉信息负担，这让他们不愿向外看。乘客因此失去了接收“正确”视觉信号的能力，比如移动的环境，这可能会引发疾病。

Unfortunately, even when people adjust to the movements of electric cars and experience less car sickness, self-driving vehicles might be another challenge for them. According to a 2015 study, as much as 12 percent of the US population may feel carsick while riding in autonomous vehicles.
不幸的是，虽然有人适应了电车终于缓解了晕车现象，却又在自动驾驶车那里遇到了挑战。据2015年的一项研究显示，高达12%的美国人会在乘坐自动驾驶汽车时晕车。

To ensure the widespread usage of new types of vehicles, car producers are working to solve such problems with better technology. For example, Japanese company Honda is working on reducing the car’s “violent” acceleration by making changes to the engine, said Car Magazine.
为了确保新型汽车的广泛使用，汽车制造商正努力用更好的技术解决这些问题。据《汽车杂志》报道，日本本田公司正致力于通过改变发动机来减少汽车的“剧烈加速”，从而减少乘客晕车的情况。

重点词汇：
stationary
英/ˈsteɪʃənri/
美/ˈsteɪʃəneri/
adj.不动的，静止的；不变的，稳定的；（行星）经度无明显移动的；定居的
n.不动的人或物

accelerate
英/əkˈseləreɪt/
美/əkˈseləreɪt/
v.（使）加快，促进；（车辆或驾驶者）加速


> China’s hospitals pioneer ‘homework zones’ amid surge of respiratory illnesses 
中国医院“家庭作业区引热议”

China’s hospitals are pioneering a new approach to support the education of children hospitalized for extended periods during the ongoing surge of respiratory diseases.  They’ve established special ‘homework zones,’ equipped with educational resources, enabling young patients to continue their studies, even within the confines of the hospital.  This innovative initiative is sparking a nationwide debate, but it underscores a broader recognition of the need for holistic care in healthcare settings.
中国的医院正在开创一种新方法，以支持在呼吸道疾病持续激增期间长期住院的儿童的教育。他们建立了特殊的“家庭作业区”，配备了教育资源，使年轻的病人即使在医院的范围内也能继续学习。这一创新举措引发了全国性的讨论，但它强调了对医疗保健机构整体护理需求的更广泛认识。

Photos of young patients diligently completing their homework in these special zones have gone viral on social media, sparking a public dialogue about the intense academic pressure on children in China. While some argue that the focus should be on their physical recovery, proponents of these zones believe they cater to the academic needs of young patients and provide a sense of routine and normalcy, which can be beneficial during the recovery process.
小病人们在这些特殊区域勤奋完成作业的照片在社交媒体上疯传，引发了一场关于中国儿童巨大学业压力的公众对话。虽然有些人认为重点应该放在他们的身体恢复上，但这些区域的支持者认为，它们迎合了年轻患者的学业需求，并提供了一种常规和正常的感觉，这在恢复过程中是有益的。

The introduction of ‘homework zones’ in hospitals reflects an increasing recognition of the importance of holistic care, which goes beyond just treating physical ailments. By ensuring that patients’ educational and emotional needs are addressed, healthcare facilities in China are seeking to improve their overall quality of life during their hospital stay. Despite the ongoing debate, this unique approach underscores the need for healthcare settings to evolve and cater to the diverse needs of their patients.
在医院引入“家庭作业区”反映出人们越来越认识到整体护理的重要性，这不仅仅是治疗身体疾病。通过确保患者的教育和情感需求得到满足，中国的医疗机构正在寻求改善患者住院期间的整体生活质量。尽管争论仍在继续，但这种独特的方法强调了医疗保健环境的发展和满足患者不同需求的必要性。

重点词汇：
 respiratory
英/rəˈspɪrət(ə)ri/
美/ˈrespərətɔːri/
adj.<正式>呼吸的