A
(2019·南通一模)Tens of thousands of young people in Britain who are struggling with their mental health are seeking help online for problems such as anxiety, selfharm and depression.
Soaring numbers of under 18s are turning to apps, online counseling and “mood diaries” to help them manage and recover from conditions that have left them feeling low, isolated and, in some cases, suicidal.
A generation of young people are attracted by being able to receive fast，personal care and advice using their phone rather than having to wait up to 18 months to be treated by an NHS mental health professional.
The shift comes as ministers prepare themselves for publication on Thursday of the first new figures for 13 years showing how common mental health problems are in the young mainly as a result of the emergence of social media and its use in fuelling feelings of inadequacy.
The number of under 18s using Kooth, a free online counseling (咨询的) service, has shot up from 20,000 in 2015 to 65,000 last year, and is forecast to rise further to 100,000 this year.
One hundred NHS clinical commissioning groups across England, more than half the total, have now commissioned the service.It helps young people suffering from anxiety, low mood, poor selfworth or confidence, selfharm and loneliness.
“Young people like the fact they can talk to a counsellor either instantly, or within 10 minutes, for up to an hour in the evenings.They love that immediacy”，said Aaron Sefi, the research and evaluation director at XenZone, the company behind Kooth.
“They also love the anonymity involved, because they can sign up without giving their personal details.Plus, they're in control, because they are choosing to contact us rather than being told to do so.”
In addition, 123,138 people in the UK downloaded Calm Harm, an NHSapproved app that helps people selfharm less often or not at all, between April 2017 and this month.
“Users tell us that Calm Harm helps with suicidal thoughts and intent，” said Dr.Nihara Krause, the consultant clinical psychologist who developed the app.“Currently 92% of our users, who are mainly female and often aged 15－21, say the urge reduced.”
Calm Harm is among 18 apps that NHS England has endorsed (支持) to help cope with mental illhealth.They also include BlueIce, which helps young people manage their emotions using a mood diary and automatic routing (自动转接) to emergency help numbers if their urges to selfharm continue.
Experts welcomed the trend but warned that online help must complement, not replace, facetoface appointments with therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.
“Most young people spend much of their time online, and it can feel easier for them to communicate through messaging and online services than facetoface，”said Tom Madders, campaigns director at Young Minds, which helps people under 26.
“Evidencebased mental health apps and online support services can be really beneficial in helping young people to look after their own mental health, develop strategies for coping with difficult emotions, and get accessible information and advice when they need it.”
Claire Murdoch, NHS England's national mental health director, said：“Technology is constantly evolving and young people are usually at the forefront, so it's no surprise increasing numbers are turning to services like these which can certainly play a part, particularly when backed up by facetoface support.”
The NHS's forthcoming longterm plan, due next month, will“harness (利用) all of the benefits these advancements can bring”， she added.
Meanwhile, 37% of the young people referred to NHS child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) in England last year were refused help, the children's commissioner has revealed.
In an analysis of Camhs care published on Thursday, the children's commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, says that despite promises by politicians and NHS bosses to improve access, “a vast gap remains between what is provided and what children need”．
While she found improvements in several areas of care, including care for eating disorders, new mothers and under 18s in the criminal justice system, overall “the current rate of progress is still not good enough for the majority of children who require help but are not receiving it”．
语篇解读：本文主要介绍了几款青少年自主摆脱诸如焦虑、自残和抑郁等问题的在线软件。
1．Online help can be characterized as ________.
A．instant, confidential and controllable
B．attractive, convenient and symbolic
C．effective, accessible and controversial
D．considerate, authentic and impractical
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据信息词Online help可以定位到第三段“fast，personal”与A选项中的“instant，confidential”对应。第八段的“in control”对应controllable。
2．Teenagers suffer from mental problems mainly because ________.
A．they lack professional guidance
B．they tend to be more selfcentred
C．social media make them feel less confident
D．social media keep them distant from each other
解析：选C 细节理解题。 由第四段“showing how common mental health problems are in the young mainly as a result of the emergence of social media and its use in fuelling feelings of inadequacy”可知，青少年的精神痛苦主要来源于社交网络使他们感到不自信。inadequacy意为“不足，缺点”。
3．Calm Harm helps teenagers to ________.
A．keep a journal of their moods
B．manage their feelings of stress
C．reduce the urge to harm themselves
D．improve their selfidentity and confidence
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据第十段、第十一段的内容，特别是“Users tell us that Calm Harm helps with suicidal thoughts and intent”“automatic routing (自动转接) to emergency help numbers if their urges to selfharm continue.”这两句，可知Calm Harm能够帮助青少年降低伤害自己的欲望。
4．Experts believe that online help can ________.
A．strengthen bonds between teenagers with mental illnesses
B．play a role in pushing forward the cuttingedge advance
C．replace facetoface appointments with professionals
D．serve as a complement to facetoface appointments
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第十二段“online help must complement, not replace, facetoface appointments with therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists” 可知，在线帮助可以作为面对面的咨询的补充。
5．According to Anne Longfield, NHS child and adolescent mental health services ________.
A．have lived up to their expectations and promises
B．are reluctant to help teenagers with mental illnesses
C．will complete their ambitious forthcoming longterm plan
D．need to struggle to meet the increasing needs of teenagers
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第十八段“despite promises by ... to improve access，‘a vast gap remains between what is provided and what children need’”可知，这个服务供不应求。
6．What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．The popularity of online apps in treating teenagers' mental illnesses.
B．The contrasts between online help services and facetoface support.
C．The influence of teenagers' mental illnesses on online help services.
D．The drawbacks with the existing adolescent mental health services.
解析：选A 主旨大意题。全文在讨论青少年的精神疾病，同时主要介绍了治疗的app，而A选项包含了这两个关键词，故选A。
