1. It's the best excuse ever to stay inside and binge-watch House of Cards.

2. You can skip that jog knowing that it is actually healthier to lie in bed and eat pizza than exercise outside.

3. We get a sweet high from all the fumes¹.

4. You can get that sexy smokers²' voice without having to waste money on cigarettes.

5. If you ever wanted to make a sci-fi movie but lacked the money for special effects, now's your time to shoot all the swamp planet scenes.

6. China will find a way to monetize the smog and turn it into bitcoins. Then we'll be rich!

7. It's only a matter of time before Louis Vuitton and Chanel start making couture masks. You know Beijing will get those first.

8. It promotes entrepreneurship.

9. It gets rid of all the sucker, soft expats that we didn't like anyway.

10. The murky³ air means people you don't want to talk to are less likely to notice you on the street.

11. Our children get to play under futuristic space domes⁴. When we were kids, we only had trees.

12. It matches our wardrobe. Grey and beige are so in this season.

13. In the meantime, a mask is a great way to cover up a breakout.

14. Easy conversation topic for awkward parties.

15. It hides that ugly construction project you used to be able to see out your window.

16. It's great practice for when we colonize⁵ other planets and have to adapt to new atmospheres.

binge-watch: 狂看

fumes：烟气，烟雾

monetize：铸造货币

bitcoin：基于网络的匿名数字货币

expat：亡命国外者，外籍雇，员外籍人士

murky：阴暗的，昏暗的；（水）脏的；（雾）浓的

wardrobe：衣柜，衣橱