Book-2-unit-3-Journey-through-the-odyssey-years-奧德賽歲月之旅

1、Book 2 Unit 3 Journey through the odyssey years奧德賽歲月之旅Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. We think of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, with each unique phase b

2、ringing its own peculiar set of challenges. These challenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as the childs need to learn, the adults need to find the right career and build a family, and the seniors need for support and good health care.我們大多數(shù)人都知道，根據(jù)不同的年齡和生活階段，人生可與此平行劃分為童年、青春

3、期、成年和老年這四個(gè)階段。我們把這些階段想象為嬰兒期在童年之前，中年在老年之前，每個(gè)階段都會(huì)面臨一系列特有的挑戰(zhàn)，如孩子對學(xué)習(xí)的需要，成人對找到合適的職業(yè)生涯和建立一個(gè)家庭的需要，以及年長者對得到幫助和良好醫(yī)療保健的需要。通過對它們的充分了解，我們就可以戰(zhàn)勝這些挑戰(zhàn)。Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing.有趣的是，關(guān)于人生階段的觀念正在發(fā)生變化。In previous times, people didnt have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from

4、adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought of adolescence. Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood was completed as soon as they graduated from college. They would now find a sensible job which would lead to a career. Then during this career they would start

5、a family, ideally before they turned 30.在先前的年代，人們并沒有一種固有的把童年和成年分開的想法。一百年前，誰也沒有想到過青春期。直到最近，人們還很自然地認(rèn)為：只要他們一從大學(xué)畢業(yè)，他們的成人入門階段就結(jié)束了。他們就會(huì)找到一份把他們引入職業(yè)生涯的合適的工作。然后在此職業(yè)生涯期間，他們會(huì)成家，三十歲之前成家更為理想。Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after high school graduation, continues throu

6、gh college, and then leads to starting a family and having a career, the so-called odyssey years. Recent trends show radical changes as young people are following a different agenda. They take breaks from school, live with friends and often return to living with their parents. Similarly, they fall i

7、n and out of love, quit one job and try another or even shift to a new career. So, we need to recognize this new stage, the odyssey years, which many now consider to be an unavoidable stage in reaching adulthood.今天，我們同樣需要認(rèn)識(shí)一個(gè)新的人生階段：從高中畢業(yè)到上大學(xué)，然后到成家立業(yè)，即所謂的奧德賽歲月。由于年輕人正按照一種不同的模式生活，最近的趨勢出現(xiàn)了根本性的變化。他們從學(xué)校休學(xué)

8、，與朋友同住，也?；厝ヅc父母同住。同樣，他們戀愛又失戀，辭掉一份工作又去尋找新的，甚至改行。因此，我們需要認(rèn)識(shí)這個(gè)新階段奧德賽歲月?，F(xiàn)在許多人認(rèn)為這是步入成年之前的一個(gè)難以回避的階段。People who were born prior to the 60s or 70s in the last century tended to frame their concept of adulthood based upon achieving certain accomplishments: moving away from home, becoming financially independen

9、t, finding the right spouse and starting a family. But that emphasis on stability did not remain static. Today, young people are unlikely to do the same. During the odyssey years, a high proportion of young people are delaying marriage, child bearing, and even employment.出生于上個(gè)世紀(jì) 60 年代或 70 年代之前的人們往往會(huì)

10、將成年的概念基于是否取得了某些成就：從父母家搬走，經(jīng)濟(jì)上獨(dú)立，找到合適的配偶并組織家庭。但是，對穩(wěn)定的強(qiáng)調(diào)并沒能保持不變。今天，年輕人不太可能仿效他們的父母。在奧德賽歲月中，相當(dāng)比例的年輕人都推遲結(jié)婚、生子，甚至推遲就業(yè)。The odyssey years can saddle young people with enormous pressure to move forward quickly. As the sole heir and focus of their parents expectations, hopes and dreams, some react with rebelli

11、ous and prideful attitudes and behavior toward their parents. They often resent the pressure theyre feeling and keep a distance from their parents or even run away from home. Their confusion comes from the difficulties to make parents understand them and the fluid journey of discovery they need in t

12、his phase of their lives. To get away from this confusion and upset, many young people resort to computer games, iPods, iPhones, or iPads to help distract them from their pain and stress.奧德賽歲月使年輕人承受了巨大的壓力，迫使他們快速往前沖。作為他們父母唯一的繼承人和所有期望、希望和夢想的聚焦，有些年輕人以叛逆和桀驁不馴的行為和態(tài)度對待父母。他們往往憎恨他們所感到的壓力，并同他們的父母保持距離，甚至離家出走。

13、他們的困惑源于很難讓家長了解他們，也源于這段需要進(jìn)行自我探索的、不確定的人生之旅。為了逃避困惑和不安，許多年輕人訴諸電腦游戲， iPod, iPhone 或 iPad，以幫助分散他們的痛苦和壓力。Likewise, their parents are feeling more anxious. They may make allowances for a transition phase from student life to adult life, but they get upset when they see the transition of their grown children

14、s lives moving away from their expectations and stretching five years to seven years, and beyond. The parents dont even detect a clear sense of direction in their childrens lives. They look at them and see the things that are being delayed.同樣，他們的父母更是著急。雖然他們理解從學(xué)生到成年需要一個(gè)過渡階段，但看到他們已成年子女的過渡階段的生活與他們的期望漸行

15、漸遠(yuǎn)，過渡階段延至五年，七年，甚至更長時(shí)，他們感到生氣。父母甚至不能清楚地覺察到他們孩子未來生活的方向，只能看著他們，看著要做的事被拖延著。Its hard to predict whats next. New guidelines havent been established yet, and everything seems to give way to a less permanent version of itself.接下來會(huì)如何發(fā)展很難預(yù)測。新的準(zhǔn)則還沒有建立，一切似乎都被一個(gè)不確定的版本所取代。Theres been a shift in the status and bala

16、nce of power between the genders, too. More women are getting degrees than men. Male wages have remained stable over the past decades, while female wages have boomed.兩性之間地位和權(quán)力的平衡也有了轉(zhuǎn)變。取得學(xué)位的女性比男性更多。男性的工資在過去的幾十年里一直停滯不前，而女性的工資卻出現(xiàn)激增。Apart from anything else, this has had an implicit effect on courtship.

17、 Educated women can get many of the things they want, such as security, accomplishment, and identity without marriage. However, both genders are having a harder time finding suitable mates to build their lives with. Considering all of this, its beneficial to know that even though graduates are delay

18、ing many things after college, surveys show they still hold highly traditional aspirations. For example, this contemporary generation rates parenthood even more highly than previous generations did!別的不說，這對擇偶產(chǎn)生了不言而喻的影響。即使未婚，受過教育的婦女仍可以得到很多她們想要的東西，如安全感，成就感，和認(rèn)同感。不過，不論男女都更難找到合適的伴侶來一同建立他們的生活。在討論這一切時(shí)，有助于讓大

19、家知道，即使畢業(yè)生離開大學(xué)后推遲了做很多事，調(diào)查結(jié)果顯示，他們?nèi)猿钟泻軅鹘y(tǒng)的愿望。例如，當(dāng)今的一代比以前的幾代對如何扮演好父母的角色有著更高的要求。This new phase will likely grow more pronounced in the coming years. Nations around the world have witnessed similar trends toward delaying marriage and spending more years than ever shifting between higher education and settl

20、ing down with a career and family.這一新階段在未來幾年可能更明顯。世界各國都目睹了相似的趨勢，人們推遲結(jié)婚，花更多年的時(shí)間徘徊在接受高等教育和建立職業(yè)生涯及家庭之間。Nevertheless, graduates shouldnt be deceived into thinking they can back off simply because things have become more difficult. A large number of people chasing relatively fewer opportunities can create strong competitive pressure. So, from the outset, keep your resume professional and up-to-date.