英语听力精选进阶版 6463

When Luke went to university he thought he would be embarking¹ on a new journey in life and getting his own place. In the UK, it's common to fly the nest at a fairly young age. Many choose a flatshare; others make plans to get on the property ladder.

But the current economic situation forced Luke back to his mum's house at the age of 27. And he's not alone: a quarter of young adults in the UK now live with their parents. The Office for National Statistics² said more than 3.3 million adults between the ages of 20 and 34 were living with their parents in 2013.

Lack of jobs and the high cost of renting accommodation made Luke change his plans. He's frustrated³: "There's something very difficult about being an adult living in an environment where you're still a child," he says. "It limits me socially; sometimes I feel it limits me professionally."

Indeed, many young people have no choice but to stay at 'the hotel of Mum and Dad'.

Krissy had to return home after a year away and now lives in rather cramped⁴ conditions, sharing the family's three-bedroom house with her siblings⁵. She says they end up getting on each other's nerves⁶ when it's time to use the bathroom in the morning.

Of course, residing⁷ with your parents is not unusual in some countries. Economic conditions, culture, or family traditions mean many young people stay at home until they get hitched⁸. Even then, it can be too expensive to rent or buy a house and the married couple continue to live at one of their parents' homes.

But some parents seem to enjoy having their kids back at home. Janice's daughters are part of what's being called 'the boomerang generation'. She says: "I get to share their lives with them, and I've got to know them all as adults. We have the sort of conversations that good friends do."

So for some it's a win-win situation – spending time with your families, and saving⁹ money.

Quiz 测验

1. How many adults between 20 and 34 are living with their parents in the UK?

According to the Office for National Statistics figures in 2013, more than 3.3 million adults.

2. What is making young people in the UK go back to their parents' homes?

The lack of jobs and the high cost of renting accommodation.

3. Which 'hotel' in the text means a free place to stay?

The 'hotel of Mum and Dad'.

4. Which word means 'small and crowded'?

Cramped.

5. Why are these young people being called 'the boomerang generation'?

Because like the Australian boomerang, they come back after they fly away.

Glossary 词汇表

to embark 着手，准备开始

(his) own place 属于自己的地方

to fly the nest 离开父母家

flatshare 合租公寓

the property ladder 房地产阶梯

frustrated 感到沮丧的

the hotel of Mum and Dad 爸妈的饭店（指父母家）

cramped 拥挤的

sibling 兄弟姊妹

to get on each other's nerves 使对方心烦意乱

to reside 居住

to get hitched 结婚

boomerang 回巢（族）

a win-win situation 双赢局面

1 embarking   

乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
• The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争，须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。

2 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。

3 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 cramped   

a.狭窄的

参考例句：

• The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。
• working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

5 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

6 nerves   

n.神经紧张 vt.鼓起勇气

参考例句：

• What he said at the meeting strung her nerves up. 他在会议上的发言使她的神经很紧张。
• At the end of a day's teaching, her nerves were absolutely shattered. 教了一天课，她精疲力竭。

7 residing   

居住( reside的现在分词 )； 定居； 驻扎； 属于

参考例句：

• We same are residing inside the city quite a few years. 我们在同一个城市里居住了好几年。
• My friends now residing in America is willing to be me voucher during my stay there. 我在美国期间，居住在那里的朋友愿意为我提供担保。 来自出国英语口语25天快训

8 hitched   

（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。
• We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。

9 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。