Is education making you blind? 學習真的會傷害視力嗎？

一項發佈在《英國醫學期刊》上的新研究結果稱，發現“有力證據”表明人們花在學業上的時間越長，視力就越差，從而更有可能需要佩戴眼睛。

文字稿

It took a clever feat of genetics to figure out this relationship. The researchers studied what happened to people who had mutations in their DNA that were either linked to short-sightedness or to spending a long time in education.

通過遺傳學一系列巧妙的計算，人們找出瞭這種關系。研究人員分析瞭基因突變人群的基因變化與近視或花在學業上時間的關系。

By following 68,000 people in these groups they were able to show that time in the classroom was causing damage to our eyes. Everyone will be affected differently, but on average the difference between finishing university and dropping out at 16 is big enough to require glasses when driving.

研究人員通過跟蹤這些群體中的6萬8千人證實，在教室裡學習對我們的眼睛造成瞭傷害。每個人都會受到不同的影響，但平均而言，完成大學學業的人和16歲輟學的人之間的差距大到前者開車時需佩戴眼鏡。

The study in the British Medical Journal is not a call to quit school. The researchers say getting children outside in bright light for classes and break time may be the best way of protecting their vision.

這項發表在《英國醫學期刊》上的研究結果不是要呼籲大傢退學。研究人員表示讓兒童在明亮的戶外活動、上課和休息可能是保護他們視力最好的方法。

1. 詞匯表

feat 瞭不起的技藝，業績
figure out 計算出
mutations（基因的）變異，突變
short-sightedness 近視
damage 損害，傷害
dropping out 退學，輟學
quit 放棄，停止
vision 視力

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。

1. What did the research find happened to our eyesight when we spent longer time in the classroom?

2. True or false? If you go to university you have to wear driving glasses.

3. Is the study recommending you finish school at the age of 16?

4. What can help children protect their eyesight?

3. 答案

1. What did the research find happened to our eyesight when we spent longer time in the classroom?
If found our eyesight got worse the longer we spent in the classroom

2. True or false? If you go to university you have to wear driving glasses.
False. It’s not compulsory to wear driving glasses but the research did find on average the difference between finishing university and leaving education at 16 is big enough to require glasses when driving.

3. Is the study recommending you finish school at the age of 16?
No. It is just highlighting the difference in our eyesight between leaving education at 16 and staying on to go to university.

4. What can help children protect their eyesight?
The researchers say getting children outside in bright light for classes and break time may be the best way of protecting their vision.