VOA慢速英语2016--美国自杀率上升

 

Suicide Rates Increase in US 美国自杀率上升

The study showed that the number of suicides increased sharply after 2006. Economic conditions in the U.S. began to worsen at that time. A recession began in 2008.

The suicide rate increased for men under the age of 75 by 43 percent between 1999 and 2014. For women under the age of 75, the greatest rate of increase was among those between 45 and 64. The suicide rate among those women was 80 percent higher in 2014 than in 1999.

Men are much more likely to kill themselves than women. However, the study showed the rate of women who took their own lives grew much faster than among men.

The study found men are more likely than women to use a gun. Fifty-five percent of men who killed themselves in 2014 used a gun. Among women, 31 percent used a gun. About 34 percent of women used poison.

Suffocation¹ is more common now than it was in 1999, when 20 percent of those who killed themselves used the method. In 2014, the rate increased to 25 percent.

The suicide rate for non-Hispanic black men was lower in 2014 than in 1999. Black men are the only ethnic² group of either gender³ whose suicide rates decreased.

Experts say most people who try to kill themselves are not successful. They say taking steps to try to convince someone not to kill themselves is important. Researchers say removing the methods people use to kill themselves, such as guns or poison, can help for a short period. This can give long-term treatment time to take effect.

The CDC said the suicide rate is increasing while the rate of all deaths is declining. It said suicide is one of the top ten causes of death in each age group from 10 to 64 years old.  

Summary of CDC Report:

From 1999 to 2014 the suicide rate in the United States increased 24 percent. The growth rate was faster after 2006.

Suicide rates increased from 1999 through 2014 for both males and females and for all people ages 10 to 74.

The percentage increase in suicide rates for females was greatest for those between 10 and 14. For males, the greatest percentage increase was among those between 45 and 64.

In 2014, more than 55 percent of men who killed themselves used guns. The most-used method among women was poisoning. More than 34 percent used this method.

The percentage of suicides from suffocation increased for both genders⁴ between 1999 and 2014.

Words in This Story

suicide – n. to kill oneself

suffocation – n. to die from lack of oxygen

gender – n. the sex someone is

 

1 suffocation   

n.窒息

参考例句：

• The greatest dangers of pyroclastic avalanches are probably heat and suffocation. 火成碎屑崩落的最大危害可能是炽热和窒息作用。 来自辞典例句
• The room was hot to suffocation. 房间热得闷人。 来自辞典例句

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

4 genders   

n.性某些语言的（阳性、阴性和中性，不同的性有不同的词尾等）( gender的名词复数 )；性别；某些语言的（名词、代词和形容词）性的区分

参考例句：

• There are three genders in German: masculine, feminine and neuter. 德语中有叁性：阳性、阴性和中性。 来自辞典例句
• Japan was fourth among the genders of foreign students. 日本在二十个留美学生输送地中列第四位。 来自互联网