“Lifeisspeedingup.Everyoneisgettingunwell.”

Thismaysoundlikesomethingsomeonewouldsaytoday.Butinfact,anunknowncitizenwholivedinRomeinAD52wroteit.

Wealllovenewinventions.Theyareexciting,amazingandcanevenchangeourlives.

Buthaveallthesedevelopmentsreallyimprovedthequalityofourlives?

Picturethis:You’rerushingtofinishyourhomeworkonthecomputer.Yourmobilephonerings,aQQmessagefromyourfriendappearsonthescreen,thenoisefromthetelevisionisgettinglouderandlouder.Suddenlythecomputergoesblankandyouloseallyourwork.Nowyouhavetostayupallnighttogetitdone.Howcalmandhappydoyoufeel?

Inventionshavespeededupourlivessomuchthattheyoftenleaveusfeelingstressedandtired.Whydoyouthinkpeoplewholivefarawayfromnoisycities,whohavenottelephones,nocars,notevenanyelectricityoftenseemtobehappier?Perhapsbecausetheyleadsimplerlives.

OnefamilyintheUKwent“backintime”toseewhatlifewaslikewithoutalltheinventionswehavetoday.Thegrandparents,withtheirdaughter,andgrandsonsBenjamin,10,andTomas,7,spentnineweeksina1940shouse.Theyhadnowashingmachine,microwave,computerormobilephones.

Thegrandmother,Lyn,said,“Itwashardphysically,butnotmentally.”Shebelievedlifewaslessmaterialistic.“Themorethingsyouhave,themoredifficultlifebecomes,”Shesaid.Theboyssaidtheyfoughtlesstofightover,suchastheircomputer.Benjaminalsonoticedthathisgrandmotherhadchangedfrombeinga“trendy（时髦的）,beer-drinkinggranny,toonewhocookedthings.”

Herearesomesimplewaystobeatthestressoftencausedbyourinventions!

Don’tbeavailableallthetime,turnoffyourmobilephoneatcertaintimesoftheday.Don’tcheckyoure-maileveryday.

Don’treplytosomebodyassoonastheyleaveatextmessagejustbecauseyoucan.Itmaybefunatfirst,butitsoongetsannoying.

小题1:Thepassageismainlyabout .