People now have accessto more information than ever before thanks to the internet. While there are clearly benefits to it, there are also unintended__1__. One in particular is information overload, commonlyreferred to as “infobesity.” As the name suggests, it involves consumingan unhealthyamount of information.
access [ ˈæksɛs ] n. 接觸／使用／進入的門徑或權利 have access to... 可接觸到／利用⋯⋯ commonly [ ˈkɑmənlɪ ] adv. 通常，一般，普遍 consume [ kənˈsum ] vt. 攝取，吃，喝 unhealthy [ ʌnˈhɛlθɪ ] a. 有害健康的，不健康的
Infobesity comes in a number of different __2__ and affects people in a variety of ways. Business people, for example, may struggle to make decisions when faced with an __3__ amount of information. For younger people, infobesity is often linked to their use of social media. Young people may be bombardedwith __4__ from various social media apps. Furthermore, they may be compelledto constantly check their phone so as not to __5__ anything. Even online shoppers are affected. With so much information and so many choices available, even the simplest __6__ can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety.
Infobesity also has a devastatingeffect on our attention span. According to a study by Microsoft, the __7__ Canadian now spends less than 10 seconds digesting a piece of media before they move on to something new. This data raises concerns that our ability to pay attention to things will continue to __8__ as this information overload increases.
devastating [ ˈdɛvəˌstetɪŋ ] a. 破壞力極大的 span [ spæn ] n. （生命、注意力等的）持續時間；期間 digest [ daɪˈdʒɛst ] vt. 消化，理解
So, what can be done to counteractthe effects of this condition? While there is no easy answer, one obvious step is to limit our sources of information. Try to only __9__ things that really matter to you and on just one thing at a time. Taking a __10__ from your cellphone can also help reduce your stress. And who knows? Since technology got us into this mess in the first place, perhaps it will also present solutions in the future.
