新世纪大学英语综合教程第一册第4单元Text B

The Needs of Teenagers

Text

1 While we're still children, most of us live at home with our parents more or less, peacefully, but as we become teenagers, things change, and we all know the sort of difficulties we're likely to have. What's happening is that we're beginning to grow apart from our parents. We're a new generation that's almost ready to be independent, to leave the home where we grew up and make a new home of our own.

2 All human beings must grow up, but we don't all do it in the same way. Suppose, for instance, we belonged to a primitive tribe (部落). There, as we grew up, we'd learn the skills we needed as adults — how to hunt or fish, how to keep house and look after children. In our early teens, we'd be ready to marry and set up house near our family in the village we knew.

3 We call this a primitive way of life but it's what human beings have adapted to through hundreds of thousands of years. And it's what we are still adapted to in the 21st century; for man hasn't changed much in the short time since he became civilized.

4 However, could we leave home and look after ourselves at puberty (发育期，青春期)? Most people in the so-called civilized countries wouldn't do very well. For, even if man hasn't changed, the society he lives in has changed enormously, and we've more and more to learn before we're ready to leave our parents' shelter.

5 Think what we've learnt by puberty. We've learnt to read and write. We've learnt to use figures, to use money to buy things we need. We've learnt to use such things as radios, cooking-stoves (烹饪用的炉子), buses, trains.

6 All the same, at puberty we still don't know enough. We may be very nearly adult human beings, but we're certainly not adult members of society. We've still a lot to learn, and while we learn it, we still need shelter — so we usually live on in our parents' home.

7 No wonder, then, there are difficulties. Physically, we become adults younger and younger. Socially, we become adults older and older. And the more ambitious we are about what we want to do in life, the more we must learn, and the longer we need support.

8 No wonder teenagers feel frustrated, restless, rebellious (反叛的).

9 Here is what a teenaged girl, Marjorie, said about this time in her life: “I suppose it all began in the usual way. My parents weren't any worse or any better than most parents. When I was about fourteen, my parents would let me go round to a girlfriend's house and get home late, or stay up to watch a midnight movie on television, but if I wanted to go to a dance or a party, they made me return home by ten o'clock.

10 “I was scared of them being annoyed with me, so I used to try and be in on time, but sometimes things didn't always work out like that and if I was later than they said, they were furious. My mother would sit up with a furious expression on her face whatever time of the night it was and she'd terrify me so much that it wouldn't happen again for ages.”

11 Most of Marjorie's girlfriends were going through the same sort of thing, but as she got older, things became worse. Her parents refused to give her the house-key and she had to wake them at whatever time she got home. Once, her father came to a dance and dragged her out while she was dancing.

12 “… My mother had such an unnaturally (违反常规地，反常地) tight rein (缰绳) on me. She was always very possessive and, whereas my girlfriends' parents treated them as friends, I was never allowed to think for myself. My mother would tell me when to have a bath, what to wear, when to wear it. She was over-protective (过于爱护备至的). When I started going out with Jim, she didn't trust me an inch. She wanted to know where we were going, when we were coming back and where she could get hold of me.

13 “The ironic (具有讽刺意味的) thing, of course, is that my friends' parents were more lenient (宽厚的，仁慈的), and yet it was me who ended up in trouble.”

Text Translation

1    小的时候，绝大多数人和父母住在一起大抵能相安无事。但进入青少年时代，一切就起了变化。我们也都知道大概会碰到一些什么困难：我们跟父母越来越疏远。我们是即将独立的新一代。我们即将离开我们长大成人的家庭，建立自己的小家庭。

2    人人都要长大，但我们成长的方式各有不同。比如说，假如我们生活在一个原始部落里，我们就会在成长的过程中学会长大成人后所需具备的技能：如何狩猎捕鱼，如何持家和养育孩子。十几岁时，我们就准备结婚，并在熟知的村庄里紧挨着父母家建立起自己的家庭。

3    我们把这种生活称作原始的生活方式，但成千上万年来人们已经适应了这种方式。时至21世纪，我们依然习惯这种生活方式。人类进入文明社会的时间太短，还没有做出太多改变。

4    但是，进入青春期后我们就可以离家自立了吗？很多在所谓文明国家中的人并不见得能完全做到。因为即使人的变化不大，其赖以生存的社会却已经发生了很大的变化，我们在离开父母的庇护前要学会的东西也越来越多。

5    想一想我们到了青春期时学到了什么？我们学会了读书和写字。我们学会了使用数字计算，用钱买我们所需的东西。我们也学会了使用收音机、炊具，学会了乘搭公共汽车还有火车。

6    不过，我们在青春期学到的东西仍然远远不够。我们也许接近成人年，但我们显然还不是社会的成年成员。我们还有很多东西要学。在学习过程中，我们仍需要庇护所——所以我们一般还与父母同住。

7    如此一来，困境自然便会出现。从身体发育的角度来看，我们成熟得越来越早。从社会角度来看，我们成熟得越来越晚。我们的人生抱负越大，我们要学得的就越多，我们依靠父母的时间就更长。

8    怪不得青少年常感到沮丧和不安，常存有叛逆心理。

9    一个名叫玛乔丽的少女是这样描述自己这一人生阶段的：“我想一开始一切还算正常。我的父母跟大多数父母差不多。我十四岁左右时，父母会允许我去女性朋友家，而且可以很晚回家，或者熬夜看电视上的午夜节目。但如果我要去参加舞会或晚会，他们就要求我在十点前必须回家。”

10    “我非常怕他们生我的气，所以我尽量准时回家，但有时做不到。假如我比他们规定的时间晚了，他们会很生气。不管几点妈妈都不上床睡觉，怒气冲冲地坐在那里。我实在怕死了，所以好久都不敢再很晚回家。”

11    玛乔丽的大多数朋友都有过类似的经历。但她长大些以后，情况变得更糟。她的父母不给她房门的钥匙，她什么时候回家都必须叫醒他们。有一次，她的父亲竟到一个舞会上，把正在跳舞的她拖了出来。

12    “我妈妈对我的管束实在严得不行。她非常专制，而我那些朋友的父母却把她们当朋友。我的父母从来就不让我独立思考。妈妈规定我什么时候洗澡，穿什么衣服以及什么时候穿。她对我过度保护。当我开始和吉姆约会的时候，她压根儿就对我没有一丁点儿的信任。她要知道我们去哪里，几时回来，在哪里可以找到我。”

13    “当然，具有讽刺意味的是：我朋友的父母比较宽容，但最终出问题的反倒是我。”

Word Study

Key Words:

apart  ad.	independent a.	instance n.	adapt v.
figure n.	ambitious a.	frustrated a.	restless a.
drag v.	tight a.   & ad.	whereas conj.

apart  ad.  separated by a distance; in or into two or more separate parts 分开，相距，相隔；拆开，分开

 e.g. 1. You never see them apart these days.

        2. We planted the trees wide apart.

independent a.  [(of)] usu. apprec not depending on the help, advice, or opinions of others; habitually taking actions or decisions alone [常与of连用]〖一般褒〗不依赖别人帮助的；不受他人影响的，有独立见解的；惯于单独行动的

e.g. 1. She often goes on holiday alone — she’s very independent.

       2. Judges must be independent of political pressure.

instance n.  a single fact, event, etc., expressing a general idea; example; case 例子，实例，事例

e.g. 1. In most instances the pain soon goes away when the drug takes effect.

       2. She cited an instance where their training had been a marvelous help in dealing with problems.

adapt v.  make or become suitable for new needs, different conditions, etc.  （使）适应，（使）适合

e.g. 1. When we moved toFrance, the children adapted very well.

       2. They have had to adapt themselves to a war economy.    

figure n.  any of the number signs from 0 to 9; (the shape of) a whole human body 数字符号 （即从0到9）；人像；人形；人影

e.g. 1. Write the number in words and in figures.

       2. I could see a figure in the far distance, but I could not make out who it was.

ambitious a.  having a strong desire for success, power, wealth, etc. 有抱负的，有雄心（志气）的；野心勃勃的

e.g. 1. He’s a very ambitious man and he wants to be the number one in our company.

       2. She is politically ambitious.

frustrated a.  discouraged; not satisfied 挫败的；失望的；失意的；泄气的

e.g. 1. I’m feeling rather frustrated in my present job; I need a change.

2. He felt extremely frustrated when things went against him.

restless a.  unwilling or unable to stay still, esp. because of anxiety or lack of interest 不安静的，焦虑的；不耐烦的

e.g. 1. After listening to him for three hours the audience became restless.

2. He’s been feeling very restless lately and is applying for a job abroad. 

drag v.  pull (sth. heavy) along with great effort 用力拖(拉)(重物)

e.g. 1. He got up and dragged his chair towards the table.

2. The protesters were dragged away by the police.

tight a. & ad.  closely fastened, held, knotted, etc.; firmly fixed in place; closely; firmly; tightly 紧的，牢的；紧紧地，牢牢地

e.g. 1. The drawer is so tight that I can’t open it.

2. She held the baby tight in her arms. 

whereas conj.  (used to show an opposite or different fact, situation, etc.) but 但是，而，却（用于引出相反的或不同的事实、情况等）

e.g. 1. He earns 8,000 dollars a year whereas she gets at least 20,000 dollars a year.

2. They want a house, whereas we would rather live in a flat.  

Expressions:

grow   apart	for   instance
(it’s)   no / small / little wonder (that)	stay   up
(be) scared of (doing) sth.	(be) annoyed at / with sb.
sit up	have / keep a tight rein on
get   hold of	end   up
in deep/big trouble

grow apart  if two people grow apart, their relationship becomes less close  关系逐渐疏远

e.g.1. It’s hard to believe that she grew apart from her husband after twenty years of marriage.

          2. It sounds as if you have grown apart from Tom.

for instance  for example 例如

e.g. 1. You can’t rely on her; for instance, she arrived an hour late for an important meeting yesterday.

           2. They put so much emphasis on so many wrong things. Fame, for instance.

(it’s) no / small / little wonder (that)  it is not surprising; naturally 并不奇怪，不足为奇，十分自然

e.g. 1. It’s no wonder you have got a headache since you drank so much last night.

           2. He failed the math test. No wonder he was so upset.

stay up  remain awake; not go to bed 仍然醒着，不就寝

e.g. 1. To finish my term paper, I had to stay up late for several days running.

           2. I will make this radio work even if I have to stay up all night.

 (be) scared of (doing) sth.  full of fear; frightened 惊慌的，吓坏了的，害怕…的

e.g. 1. What are you scared of?

           2. Everybody is scared of him.

(be) annoyed at / with sb.  rather angry 有点生气的，恼火的

e.g. 1. She tapped her forehead and looked annoyed with herself.    

           2. I was annoyed with him because he kept interrupting.

sit up  [(for)] stay up late; not go to bed [常与for连用]熬夜，不睡

e.g. 1. We sat up drinking and talking, for we would say good-bye to each other early next morning.

           2. Don’t sit up for me if I’m late.

have / keep a tight rein on  control firmly 抑制，严加控制 

e.g. 1. The finance director keeps a tight rein on our spending.

           2. She keeps a tight rein on her son.

get hold of  find and make use of ; find sb. for a reason找来使用，找到某人，与某人联系

e.g. 1. In the midst of the flood, he managed to get hold of the branch of a tree and saved his own life.

           2. I have been ringing his office all day, but I can’t get hold of him.

end up  be in the end (in the stated place, condition, etc.)  最后成为（处于）

e.g. 1. We didn’t like it at first, but we ended up cheering aloud.

           2. Wasteful people usually end up in debt.

in deep/big trouble  in a situation that involves danger, punishment, pain, worry, etc. 处于危险、受罚、痛苦、忧虑的境地

e.g. 1. We got into deep trouble during our trip when a flood occurred suddenly.

       2. If you run out of cash, you are in big trouble.

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