2012四级阅读：年轻，缺乏安全感和抑郁

 本篇阅读材料“青年危机：年轻，缺乏安全感和抑郁”选自《卫报》（原文标题：The quarterlife crisis: young, insecure and depressed¹ 2011.5.5）New research by British psychologists shows educated twenty and thirtysomethings most likely to be hit by pre-midlife blues².

　　It is supposed to be the time of opportunity and adventure, before mortgages and marriage have taken their toll³. But struggling to cope with anxieties about jobs, unemployment, debt and relationships, many young adults are experiencing a "quarterlife crisis", according to new research by British psychologists.

　　Bearing all the hallmarks of the midlife crisis, this phenomenon – characterised by insecurities, disappointments, loneliness and depression – is hitting twenty- and thirtysomethings shortly after they enter the "real world", with educated professionals most likely to suffer.

　　"Quarterlife crises don't happen literally⁴ a quarter of the way through your life," said lead researcher Dr Oliver Robinson, from the University of Greenwich in London. "They occur a quarter of your way through adulthood⁵, in the period between 25 and 35, although they cluster around 30."Robinson, who presented his findings at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Glasgow, worked with researchers from Birkbeck College on what he says is the first research to look at the quarterlife crisis from a "solid, empirical angle based on data rather than speculation⁶."The research is backed by a survey undertaken by Gumtree.com which found 86% of the 1,100 young people questioned admitted feeling under pressure to succeed in their relationships, finances and jobs before hitting 30.

　　Two in five were worried about money, saying they did not earn enough, and 32% felt under pressure to marry and have children by the age of 30. Six percent were planning to emigrate, while 21% wanted a complete career change.

　　But Robinson also found that the quarterlife crisis – which lasts on average for two years – can be a positive experience. Such early-life crises have four phases, he said, moving from feelings of being trapped to a catalyst⁷ for change then, eventually, the building and cementing of a new life.

　　"The results will help reassure⁸ those who are experiencing this transition that it is a commonly experienced part of early adult life, and that a proven pattern of positive change results from it," said Robinson.

　　Damian Barr, author of the book Get it Together: A Guide to Surviving Your Quarterlife Crisis, said growing numbers of 25-year-olds are experiencing pressures previously⁹ felt by those in their mid-forties.

　　"Plenty of people are going to say the quarterlife crisis doesn't exist," he said. "The truth is that our 20s are not, as they were for our parents, 10 years of tie-dye fun and quality 'me' time. Being twentysomething now is scary – fighting millions of other graduates for your first job, struggling to raise a mortgage deposit and finding time to juggle¹⁰ all your relationships.

　　"We have the misfortune to be catapulted into a perilous¹¹ property market. We're earning more and spending more than ever. We're getting into debt to finance our degrees, careers and accommodation."He added: "The Depression Alliance estimates that a third of twentysomethings feel depressed.

　　"If, as we're constantly told, the world is our oyster¹², it's definitely a dodgy one. Unlike the midlife crisis, the quarterlife crisis is not widely recognised. There are no 'experts' to help us. We have no support apart from each other."Four phases of a quarterlife crisisPhase 1, defined by feeling "locked in" to a job or relationship, or both. "It's an illusory sense of being trapped," said Robinson. "You can leave but you feel you can't."Phase 2 is typified by a growing sense that change is possible. "This mental and physical separation from previous commitments leads to all sorts of emotional upheavals¹³. It allows exploration of new possibilities with a closer link to interests, preferences and sense of self.

　　"Up until then you may be driving fast down a road you don't want to be going down. A minority of participants described getting caught in a loop, but the majority reflected on a difficult time which was a catalyst for important positive change."Phase 3 is a period of rebuilding a new life.

　　Phase 4 is the cementing of fresh commitments that reflect the young person's new interests, aspirations¹⁴ and values.

　　【重点单词及短语】  【外语教育&网www.for68.com】

　　thirtysomethings adj. 三十多岁的（人）；三十多岁功成名就的（人） n. 三十多岁事业有成的人mortgages  抵押贷款；房屋贷款quarterlife crisis 青年危机，指二十几岁的年轻人，尤其在刚刚完成学业后，经历的迷茫、焦虑及自我怀疑等情绪。这是仿照mid-life crisis（中年危机）这个说法来定义的。

　　cluster  v. 聚集；丛生empirical  adj. 经验主义的，完全根据经验的speculation n. 思索；推测backed by  依靠；在……的支持下emigrate v. 移民；移居国外be trapped to  被困在……catalyst  n. 刺激因素；催化剂illusory  adj. 错觉的；幻影的；虚假的typify v. 作为…的典型；具有…的特点upheaval  n. 剧变；动乱up until then  直到那时get caught in  陷入；遇到Question time:

　　1. Can you conclude what quarterlife crisis is according to the passage?

　　2. What's the difference between quarterlife crisis and mid-life crisis?

1 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

2 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。

6 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

7 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

8 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 juggle   

v.变戏法，纂改，欺骗，同时做；n.玩杂耍，纂改，花招

参考例句：

• If you juggle with your accounts,you'll get into trouble.你要是在帐目上做手脚，你可要遇到麻烦了。
• She had to juggle her job and her children.她得同时兼顾工作和孩子。

11 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

12 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

13 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

14 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。