Bài đọc hiểu 11: Chinese Seniors and Science: A Generation Gap.

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Seniors in China are still highly likely to believe rumors and pseudoscience, according to reports. In recent years, China has seen more scientists and science communicators using digital platforms to combat pseudoscience, which is classified as rumors, statements, beliefs, ideas or practices that are stated as fact, but are often fabricated and scientifically untested. Despite that, many young Chinese have experienced difficulties when trying to pass on that message to older people.

For example, last year, Dingxiang Doctor, a digital platform that debunks medical rumors online, released 101 articles that disproved common, inaccurate claims. However, many netizens said that when they forwarded the articles to family chat groups, they were questioned, scolded and even removed from the group by older family members. An online survey last year by Tencent, one of China’s biggest online businesses, indicated that nearly 40 percent of middle-aged and senior people had experienced online fraud, mostly related to healthcare products.

Yun Wuxin, a food engineering expert who has popularized food science for more than 10 years, believes that, in general, members of the older generation lacked training in logical or critical thinking when they were young, so they have an exaggerated belief in personal experience, tradition or superstition. He said young people, especially today’s younger generation, have received better training and tend to hold skeptical or critical attitudes toward convention. He added that new media that popularize science in fresh, innovative ways － such as short videos, video blogs and animations – are very effective with young people. However, traditional methods, including television, community visits by scientists, neighborhood exhibitions and science columns in newspapers, are very important for middle-aged and elderly people who really need to understand science.

500 Bài Luyện Đọc Hiểu – Đọc Điền Tiếng Anh by Trang Anh

NEW VOCABULARY:

rumors (n): (những) tin đồn

pseudoscience (n): ngụy khoa học.

classified (v): được phân loại

statements (n): những khẳng định

fabricated (v): bị làm giả

untested (adj): chưa được kiểm chứng

debunks (v): bị vạch trần

disproved (v): bị bác bỏ

forwarded (v): chuyển tới, đưa cho

scolded (v): bị tra hỏi, mắng mỏ (hỏi cung)

fraud (n): bọn lừa đảo

exaggerated (adj): bị phóng đại

superstition (n): sự mê tín, tín ngưỡng

skeptical (adj): mang tính hoài nghi

convention (n): sự đồng ý, hiệp ước, thỏa hiệp.

QUESTIONS:

Question 1: Which best serves as the title for the passage?

A. Generation gap promotes belief in rumor.

B. Senility dulls alertness and causes distraction.

C. The youth abandons the elder in the tech era.

D. Scientific researches fail the old community.

Question 2: According to paragraph 1, what is the mentioned problem of China?

A. New technological devices are not designed for the elderly.

B. The younger generation spares no effort in modernizing the older.

C. The job of improving seniors’ scientific literacy is arduous.

D. The tech-savvy minority of the old generation is depleting.

Question 3: The word “they” in paragraph 2 refers to _______.

A. claims B. netizens C. articles D. rumors

Question 4: The word “fraud” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

A. cheat B. infidelity C. forgery D. swindle

Question 5: According to paragraph 3, what does the disparity between the younger and older generation’s attitude show?

A. It illustrates the demands for technological knowledge in modern age.

B. It reflects the educational difference between generations.

C. It depicts the future where the youth and the elderly clashes in belief.

D. It demonstrates the heavy gullibility of the older generations.