过了21岁 我们还剩多少朋友？

 　　We're most popular at 21 (but after that, our 99 friends fall away).

　　我们在21岁的时候最受欢迎朋友最多（在那之后，我们人生中的99个朋友都会消失不见）。

　　We have a staggering¹ 99 friends at the age of 21 - more than at any other time in our life, according to a new study.

　　根据最新一项研究结果显示，在21岁的时候，我们拥有人生中最多的朋友：99个！这个数据让人吃惊吧。

　　The typical 21 year old's social circle nearly hits 100, with 13 “best” friends, 17 “close” friends and 70 acquaintances.

　　21岁时的标准社交圈人数几乎可以达到100人：13个最好的朋友，17个亲密朋友，还有70个熟人。

　　The research undertaken by skin care brand Nivea found our social circle peaks at 21 as we meet people at work while keeping in touch with friends from school and university.

　　护肤品牌妮维雅进行的这项研究发现，我们的社交圈顶峰期出现在21岁时，21岁的我们在工作中认识了不同的人，同时也和学校里的认识的朋友保持着联系。

　　But as our working lives take over, we lose contact with some old friends causing the number to drop to around 68 by the time we reach 29-years-old.

　　但是随着工作生涯持续接管我们的生活，我们会跟老朋友失去联系，到29岁的时候，我们的社交圈人数会跌到只有68人左右。

　　Although this decline² continues into old age, it slows down slightly for people in their 30s when many of them become first-time parents.

　　这种社交圈人数流失现象会一直持续到老年时期。但到30多岁的时候，这种流失现象会稍微放慢速度，因为很多30多岁的人第一次有了孩子做了父母。

　　It is believed that this is because people form new friendships while on the maternity³ ward⁴, at post-natal groups and when taking their toddlers to nursery.

　　人们认为这种速度降低是因为人们会在产科病房、产后小组或者带孩子去托儿所的时候发展新的友谊结识新的朋友。

　　The Nivea Closeness Report found the balance between our numbers of 'best friends', 'close friends' and 'acquaintances', remains⁵ fairly constant throughout our lifetime.

　　妮维雅亲密关系报告显示，在我们的生活中，我们的“最好的朋友”、“亲密的朋友”和“熟人”之间的数量平衡保持着相当的稳定性。

　　The average Briton has 18 close friends and a friendship circle, when all Facebook and other social networking 'friends' are included, of 208 people.

　　英国人平均有18个亲密朋友。如果将社交网络的上的“朋友”也算在内的话，英国人的平均友谊圈会有208人。

　　Business consultant⁶ Marie Stevens, 37, said she has lost contact with many school friends since having her son Alex six years ago.

　　37岁的咨询顾问Marie Stevens表示她在6年前生了儿子Alex后就和很多学校里结识的朋友失去了联系。

　　“I used to make friends playing netball, getting involved with political groups and going to nightclubs.”

　　“以前我在各种场合都能交到朋友：打篮网球，参加政治团体活动，去夜店，都会认识新朋友。”

　　“It would have been nice to remain in contact with everybody - and that was my intention - but I simply don't have the time any more.”

　　“我一直很友好地跟大家每个人都保持联系，因为交朋友就是我的初衷啊。可是现在我再也没时间去做这样的事儿了。”

　　“It is difficult enough trying to further my career and give Alex the best possible up-bringing.”

　　“职场生涯已经很辛苦了，我还想尽力给我儿子最好的成长教育。”

　　“I now meet up with just a few of my closest friends, many of whom are now also mums”.

　　“我现在只会见见那几个最亲密的朋友，她们好些人现在也都做妈妈了。”

　　The report found that men have more than twice the number of close friends, with around 27 compared to women who have just 12.

　　研究报告还发现，男性的亲密朋友数量大约是女性的两倍多：女性只有12个亲密朋友，而男性大约有27个。

　　Professor of Psychology⁷ at Manchester University Geoff Beattie said: 'At school, college and university we are used to being thrown together with people and having to make a lot of new friendships.

　　曼彻斯特大学的心理学教授Geoff Beattie表示：“在学校读书的时候，我们总是会跟一群人一起玩，也总是会交到很多新朋友。”

　　“The age of 21 is such a critical junction⁸ in life and that's why we have so many friends then.”

　　“21岁是我们人生中关键的十字路口，所以我们的社交圈会在21岁达到顶峰。”

　　“We are still in touch with school and college friends and these days it's an age when people are big users of social networks too.”

　　“我们还是跟学校结交的朋友保持联系，而且现在这个时代人们也在大量使用社交网络结识朋友。”

　　“As we get older we become more selective and have fewer, closer friends with whom we talk about the things that are really important to us.”

　　“随着我们年纪越来越大，我们对朋友的选择也会更加苛刻。我们的生活里会有几个很亲密的朋友，和他们可以讨论生活中很重要的事情。”

　　“Perhaps when we are younger, instead of having one trusted confidante we share different things with a variety of different people.”

　　“年纪大些的我们会想要有个信任的知己朋友，而在我们年轻的时候，我们可能会比较喜欢跟各种不同的人分享生活中不同的细节。”

1 staggering   

a.惊人的

参考例句：

• Why is that man staggering about the room like that? 那人为什么那样摇摇晃晃地在屋里走来走去？
• Profits have shot up by a staggering 25%. 利润惊人地攀升了25%。

2 decline   

n.衰微，跌落，下降；vt.使降低，婉谢；vi.下降，衰落，偏斜

参考例句：

• I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
• The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。

3 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

4 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

7 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

8 junction   

n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站

参考例句：

• There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
• You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。