Say no to bai lanbu不“摆烂”阳光灿烂

“摆烂”是时下最火的互联网热词之一。这一原本出自美国职业篮球联赛的词语，如今正出现在各种各样的场合。“摆烂”，是不可取的生活态度;我们应该积极进取，像阳光一样灿烂！

主题语境：社会 篇幅：341词 建议用时：6分钟

On China's Internet， some young people say their ambitions cannot be achieved and many of them have given up trying. Frustrated at the uncertainties and lack of economic opportunities， they are using a new buzzword—bai lan （let it rot in English）—to capture their attitudes towards life.

The phrase， bai lan， which has its origin in NBA games， means a voluntary retreat from pursuing certain goals because one team realises they are simply too difficult to achieve. In American basketball games， it often refers to a players' deliberate loss of a game in order to get a better draft pick.

On the Internet， the bai lan related topics have recently generated hundreds of millions of reads and discussions. Netizens also created different variations of the bai lan attitude.

This phrase with more previously tang ping （lie flat in English）， which means rejecting tiring competition for a low desire life—gains popularity as severe competition and high social expectations prompt many young people to give up hard work.

But bai lan has a more worrying layer in the way it is being used by young people： to actively embrace a worsening situation， rather than trying to turn it around.

State media have taken note of this trend. “Why do modern young people like to bai lan？” one recent article in official media outlet asked. In fact， this is as a result of negative automatic suggestion， repeatedly telling oneself “I cannot make it...” And this kind of mentality often leads people to adopt the bai lan attitude.

Professor Mary Gallagher， director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan， says， “Bai lan is not necessarily an attitude unique. It is a bit like the ‘slacker’ generation in America in the 1990s. And like tang ping， it is also a rejection of the ultra⁃competitiveness of today's society.”

In my opinion， I believe that bai lan is an unacceptable attitude to life. Whether it is spring or winter， we should be as bright as the sun！

Reading Cheak

1. Why does the author mention NBA games in paragraph 2？

A. To say the games are the most competitive.

B. To explain where the phrase bai lan comes from.

C. To prove its players suffer from the bai lan attitude.

D. To compare different bai lan attitudes at home and abroad.

2. Which of the following sayings is the closest in meaning to bai lan？

A. A dead mouse feels no cold.

B. He travels the fastest who travels alone.

C. God helps those who help themselves.

D. Behind the mountains， there are people to be found.

3. According to state media， what causes the bai lan attitude？

A. Negative situation.

B. Changing societies.

C. Bad self⁃suggestion.

D. Worsening environment.

Language][Study

Ⅰ. Difficult sentence in the text

But bai lan has a more worrying layer in the way it is being used by young people to actively embrace a worsening situation， rather than trying to turn it around. 但是在年轻人使用它的方式中，“摆烂”有一个更令人担忧的层面：那就是（他们往往）积极接受逐渐恶化的局面，而不是试图扭转这种局面。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，in the way为介宾短语作方式状语;it is being used是省略关系词的定语从句，way是先行词。注意，当way在定语从句中表示“以某种方式”时，其关系词可用in which、that或省略。

Ⅱ.  Text⁃centered chunks

give up 放弃……

lack of 匮乏;缺乏

refer to 查阅;提到;参考

draft pick 选秀;获选

take note of 注意到;将……铭记在心

as a result of 作为……的结果

make it 获得成功;渡过难关;（尤指在困难情况下）准时到达