{Topics on 2.26} Please Make Sure to Study Hard in Advance & Post a Comment＜정참,지참,불참＞

[TOPIC 01] Is Loneliness As Harmful As Smoking? Sciencemag.org writer Greg Miller reports on research that suggests social isolation may make people more prone to infections, heart disease, and depression. In fact, a recent study suggests "that being socially isolated gives you about the same risk, health risk, as being a smoker in terms of your longevity."  Even if you have lots of friends, the simple practice of dwelling on the fact that you're alone could be harmful to your health. The problem isn't the "periodic bouts of loneliness that people experience," such as a breakup or a friend moving away, writes Miller. What is most harmful is " feeling like they have no one that they can turn to." What to do? Researchers at the University of Chicago suggest that people "remain open and available to the people around you. And it's something that sounds really simple, but it's not always easy." This Valentine's Day: 1. Make plans to meet a good friend and remember how lucky you are to have caring people in your life. 2. If you're feeling alone and your health is at stake, seek therapy. 3. Even if you're attached, remember that someone else may need you and that they are reaching out for a reason. Don't forget to be there. A special note to parents: Studies suggest college freshmen "are actually among the loneliest people that have been studied because, even though they're surrounded by people their own age, they've left all of their high school friends and their parents and their family behind." Be sure to check in with your child or loved one often. Let him know you are there to listen, even if he says he's fine. 1. Do you think being constantly lonely is harmful to one's health? 2. What kind of person are you? Lonely person or not? 3. Are there some things that make you feel lonely?  4. Lately, feeling lonely or alone makes people fall into the danger. In the worst case, the people extremely try to commit a suicide. Why do you think they try to take extreme action?  [TOPIC 02] Young People Feel Closer to Mother's Family Young people in Korea tend to feel more attached to maternal relatives, according to a survey released by the National Youth Policy Institute on Tuesday. The survey asked 6,979 students in middle and high schools nationwide about their thoughts on families and family life. Some 83.4 percent said they consider their mother's sisters as their family, and 81.9 percent their mother's brothers. The father's sisters and brothers followed with 81.7 and 79.8 percent, the mother's brothers-in-law with 78.7 percent, and the mother's sisters-in-law with 78.6 percent. Other paternal relatives all scored in the high 70s. The result reflects a stronger tendency towards matriarchy in Korean society. Some 57.7 percent of the respondents said that they consider pets as a part of family, considerably higher than 49.9 percent for distant relatives. 1. How about you? Which family is closer to you? Mother's or Father's? and Why? 2. According to the survey above, young people feel closer to mother's family. Why do you think they feel like that? 3. Do you have any special memory with your relatives? bad things or good things? 4. For you, what's the meaning of the relatives? 5. If you get married, you will get another family. In that case, It would be difficult to maintain a good balance between your family and your spouse's. Let's talk about how to deal with it.