“ boomerang generation”
“回巢族”
The rise of the so-called “boomerang generation” is revealed in official figures showing that almost one in five graduates in their late 20s now live with their parents.
官方数据显示，目前（英国）有近五分之一年龄在20多岁的大学毕业生和父母同住，由此可见，被称为“回巢族”的一代正在兴起。
By contrast, only one in eight university graduates had failed to fly the nest by the same age 20 years ago. It also found that grown-up sons are twice as likely as their sisters to still be living with their parents in their late 20s. With nearly a quarter of men approaching 30 still living at home, the findings are bound to lead to claims of a “generation of mummy’s boys”.
相比之下，20年前这一比例只有八分之一。研究还发现, “奔三”男和父母同住的几率为“奔三”女的两倍。近四分之一的“奔三男”仍然和父母住在一起，这一现象催生了“离不开妈的一代”这种说法。
Young professionals in their late 20s or early 30s have been nicknamed the “boomerang generation” because of the trend toward returning to the family home having initially left to study. Recent research has suggested that young people in Britain are twice as likely to choose to live with their parents in their late 20s than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.
那些“奔三”或三十出头的年轻职场人士被称为“回巢族”，因为这些人在离家求学后又重新回到父母身边。最新调查显示，与欧洲其他国家同一年龄段的年轻人相比，英国年轻人选择和父母同住的几率高一倍。
Rising property prices, mounting student debts and the effects of recession on the job market have forced a wave of young people to move back into the family home at an age when they would normally be moving out. But commentators warned that the phenomenon may have more to do with young people facing “dire” prospects than simply a desire to save money.
不断上涨的房价、高筑的学生贷款以及经济衰退对就业市场的影响已迫使一大批年轻人在本应独立生活的年龄搬回到父母身边。但评论人士提醒说，导致这一现象的原因并非只是这些年轻人想节约开支，更多的是因为他们所面临的“惨淡”前景。
While the proportion of those of university or college age moving out from the family home has continued to rise in the last 20 years, among those in their mid and late 20s the trend has been reversed. Overall 1.7 million people aged from 22 to 29 now share a roof with their parents, including more than 760,000 in their late 20s. In 1988, 22.7 per cent of men aged 25 to 29 were still living with their parents but last year the proportion was 24.5 per cent.
尽管在过去二十年间，处于上大学年龄段的年轻人离家的比例持续上升，但在二十五六岁和“奔三”的年轻人中，这一趋势却正好相反。目前英国共有170万年龄在22岁到29岁之间的年轻人和父母同住，其中超过76万的人年近三十。而在1988年，在25岁至29岁的人群中，22.7%的人和父母同住，但去年这一比例达到了24.5%。
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The economic crisis has shown its effect on the young generation.
B. More young professionals are returning home to live.
C. British parents are suffering more loads from their grown-up children.
D. Britain is suffering more than any other country in Europe.
2. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Male children seem to more independent than females.
B. Eighty percent of university graduates were able to live independently two decades ago.
C. The grown-up children choose to live with their parents only to save money.
D. More and more children are moving out at university age.
3. What does the underlined word “dire” probably mean?
A. promising. B. inconvenient. C. very bad. D. hopeful
4. The following factors may account for the phenomenon except _____.
A. that living prices have risen a lot.
B. that it’s difficult to land a job.
C. that education has already cost them a lot
D. that parents can help them more
【答案】
英国涌现“回巢族”，生活仍需依赖父母，你知道原因吗？你赞同吗？
1、B 细节理解题。本文主要介绍英国年青一代的趋势是和父母同住，而非其它三项所表述。
2、D 细节理解题。根据文章内容课判断前三个选项均是错误的。
3、C 词义猜测题。根据上下文可推测出词义。年轻人面临的形势是严峻的，并不是简单为了省钱。
4、D 细节理解题。根据短文倒数第二段，可知并没有提到父母的帮助会更大。