Environmental impact

Children raised in households with a high socioeconomic status tend to have greater access to opportunities,

while those from households with lower socioeconomic status may have less access to such things as health care, quality nutrition, and education.

Such factors can have a major impact on child psychology.

socioeconomic (adj) 社会经济的
have access to… 得到。。。
have an impact on… 对。。。有影响

Limit Use of Plastics

Each year, tens of thousands of marine animals are entangled and killed by plastic.

Currently, around 275 million tons of plastic is generated annually. Of this, 4.8 to 12.7 million tons of plastic make it into our oceans and contribute to habitat destruction.

With a little thought and a bit of effort, you can limit the plastic in your life. Carry a reusable water bottle, store food in non-disposable containers, bring your own cloth bag when shopping, buy sustainable products, and recycle whenever possible.

marine (adj) 海的
entangle (v) 缠住
contribute to 是。。。原因之一
habitat destruction 栖息地破坏
reusable (adj) 可重复使用的
non-disposable (adj) 非一次性的
sustainable (adj) 可持续的、不破坏环境的

Animals are important to us

Animals can be of great importance in the human life.

First of all, animals provide humans with food for example cows and chicken.

Secondly, they can be used for protection for example dogs and also to aid the handicapped. Animals like horses and donkeys are used as a means of transportation and for recreation activities like racing.

Lastly, animals can be used as companions to humans. They are known as pets and most people value them so much that they even end up giving them a respectful burial in a pet cemetery after they die.

handicapped (adj) （身体或智力）残疾的
recreation (n) 娱乐、消遣 （主动）
companion (n) 同伴、伴侣

One solution
Slowing down means making the time to enjoy your life, instead of always rushing around working like a lunatic.

It means taking pleasure in whatever you’re doing at any time, focusing on only the moment.

Giving your undivided attention to whoever you are with and whatever you are doing. It means that you are disconnecting for a while.

rush around 四下忙活
lunatic (n) 疯子
take pleasure in … 以。。。为乐
undivided (adj) 专注的
disconnect (v) 脱离

Work for relationships

There is a consequence of our hectic working schedule.

We are so engrossed in satisfying our job requirements we end up spending way less time with our family than we should.

This can be seen by the ever-increasing divorce rates, and the poor relationships many parents now have with their children.

hectic (adj) 紧张忙碌的
engrossed (adj) 全神贯注的
ever-increasing (adj) 不断增长的

One disadvantage concerning the environment
英语地道学，地道学英语
Tourism can often cause environmental damage with risks like pollution and forest fires.

Even if tourists behave responsibly, the sheer number of them can cause damage. Ancient buildings, monuments, and temples often struggle to cope with the vast amounts of tourist traffic and they suffer wear and tear or damage.

Reefs and other natural tourist attractions can suffer permanent damage.

sheer (adj) 纯粹的，完全的
monument (n) 历史遗迹
wear and tear (n) （正常的）磨损，损耗
reef (n) 礁
permanent (adj) 永久的

Good things about tourism

Tourism brings in money. This is probably the main advantage of tourism and the reason why it has been promoted so much, especially in developing countries.

The income generated can make up a significant proportion of both private, local, and national incomes.

It also provides jobs. Hotels, bars, transport, activities, shops, and restaurants all need staffing. Tourism can provide much-needed employment for people.

bring in 赚（钱）
make up 占了
staffing （n）人员配备

What are some of the laws?

Laws about food safety. At the state and local level, health departments have guidelines that restaurants follow for how to store and prepare food in a healthy manner, so that diners won’t get sick.

Speed limits and traffic laws exist so that we drive in a safe manner.

Licensing for doctors and nurses ensures proper training of the people who look after us, and who often have our lives in their hands.

Some laws guarantee our basic freedoms like freedom of speech, religion, and the press.

Laws also protect us from discrimination because of our race, gender, age, or because of a disability.

guideline (n) 指导方针
in a … manner 以。。。的方式
licensing (n) 发许可
ensure (v) 确保
in one’s hands 受某人控制
discrimination (n) 歧视

Why are laws important?

Laws are important for protecting the health, safety and well-being of the public.

They are enacted to punish behavior that threatens others in society, and they give victims some degree of protection.

The legal system strives to create a society that is just, equal and fair. It imposes moral and ethical standards that people must abide by.

enact (v) 制定成法律
strive (v) 努力
impose (v) 强制实行
ethical (adj) 道德的（社会行为准则）/ moral (adj) 道德的（个人认知）
abide (v) 遵守

There’s no shame in not knowing
No one has it all figured out. Nobody has all the answers. There’s no shame in saying “I don’t know.”

Pretending to be perfect doesn’t make you perfect. It just makes you neurotic to keep up the pretense of manufactured perfection.

We have this idea that there is some kind of stigma or shame in admitting our limitations or uncertainty, but we can’t possibly know everything.

We all make mistakes and mess up occasionally. We learn as we go, that’s life. Besides—nobody likes a know-it-all. A little vulnerability makes you human and oh so much more relatable.

neurotic (adj) 神经过敏的
manufactured (adj) 捏造的
stigma (n) 耻辱
vulnerability (n) 脆弱
relatable (adj) 可产生共鸣的