Doomscrolling: Why do we do it? - 6 Minute English

Doomscrolling - when people spend a lot of time reading negative news stories online - is something that people all over the world do. But is there an evolutionary reason why we're attracted to bad news? Sam and Neil discuss whether the internet or our history is to blame, and learning some useful related English vocabulary.

❓❓❓ This week's question
According to international news agency, Reuters, what has been the top global news story of 2023 so far? Is it:
a) The war in Ukraine?
b) Increasing prices and inflation?, or,
c) Prince Harry's autobiography?
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary
✔️ doomscrolling - spending a lot of time looking at your computer screen or mobile phone and reading bad news stories

✔️ feel ick - (US slang) feel sick, often because of something disgusting or disturbing

✔️ on tap - easily available so that you can have of much of it as you want, whenever you want

✔️ make up for (something) - compensate for something bad with something good

✔️ romanticise (something) - talk about something in a way that make it sound better than it really is

✔️ 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' - saying which expresses the idea that by going through difficult life experiences, people build up strength and resilience for the future

[Cover: Getty Images]
You can download the transcript and audio for this programme here: ???? https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230209

More 6 Minute English episodes:
⭐ Exercise for the lazy https://youtu.be/vq2x7k_nofw
⭐ Can AI have a mind of its own? https://youtu.be/tHZRXN_pVi8
⭐ Climate change: Are there too many people? https://youtu.be/qoNRZKgLDhg
⭐ The hidden life of buffets: https://youtu.be/8p7HytjrKj4
⭐ Songwriting: https://youtu.be/X5YjfOKBffU
⭐ 3-D printers: https://youtu.be/uAhFY8oGSZs

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