Many of the present generation of recent over-18s do not feel like adults, according to a survey by Nationwide Building Society, and those commenting online seem to agree. The study of 2,000 over-18s found more than one in 10 did not think of themselves as fully-fledged (成熟的) grown-ups until they reached the age of 27.
Lisa Daisy, 34, said: “Even after a career for 10 years, it still took being married to make me feel grown-up.”
But 42-year-old Carole Lutringer said she felt like an adult when she was very young. “I had to cook from an early age, because my mother worked as a headteacher,” she said. “My mother came back home late, and my father was pretty useless in the kitchen. I had to be independent from really early on, and that’s probably what made me feel grown-up earlier than most of my peers (同龄人).”
Sana Khalid Khan also had adulthood thrust upon her. She said it was the death of her father that made her grow up, at the age of 17. “Being the eldest child, a lot of responsibility fell on my shoulders,” she said.
Of those 2,000 people asked when they felt like adults, the transition (转变) happened for half in their 20s, while a fifth said it happened in their 30s. One in 20 felt they had not grown up until their 40s. Of those questioned, 55% said being an adult was dependent on major life events, for example having children, moving out of the parental home or getting married.
For others, such as Elaine Smith, in London, adulthood is only a state of mind. “I still don’t feel grown-up,” she said. “I can’t believe I am responsible for looking after a four-year-old. How did that happen? I’m 44 this year, so it may happen soon.” Commenting online, Sophie Caunter agreed. “I’m 42,” she said. “I have an 11-year-old, a seven-month-old, a husband, and I still don’t feel grown-up.” Melinda Wilmot said, “I’m 58 and still waiting to grow up.”
1. What does the survey focus on?| A．What people think aging means. |
| B．How people feel about their childhood. |
| C．Why people grow up earlier than before. |
| D．When people feel they have reached adulthood. |
| A．Losing her dad. | B．Raising her children. |
| C．Being married to her husband. | D．Taking care of herself from an early age. |
| A．Made adulthood encourage her. | B．Forced adulthood on her. |
| C．Was excited about adulthood. | D．Prepared for adulthood. |
| A．Adulthood means responsibility. |
| B．Few people feel grown-up in their 20s. |
| C．Some people don’t feel grown-up even in their 40s. |
| D．Adulthood begins earlier than most people think. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds, he restricted his online access and e-mail. His new book argues the latest technology renders us less capable of deep thinking. Carr found himself so distracted (分心的) that he couldn’t work on the book while staying as connected. After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection, he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.
Reading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains. Facing much text, video, music, links to other web pages and blogs, our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information. As a result, we have developed sharper skills at making fast decision, particularly visual ones, Carr wrote.
But now most of us seldom read books, long articles that would help us focus. We are becoming more like librarians than scholars who digest and interpret information. That lack of focus hinders (妨碍)our long-term memory, leading many of us to feel distracted, he wrote.
“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills, the ones that require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus,” Carr said, adding that for centuries books shielded (保护)our brains from distraction, focusing our minds on one topic at a time.
But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming common, Carr predicts books too will change. “New forms of reading always require new forms of writing,” he wrote. Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration — slow down, turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation (思考)and reflection. “It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you are constantly distracted, you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”
1. The underline word “renders” can be replaced by ________.| A．causes |
| B．prevents |
| C．protects |
| D．sharpens |
| A．Whether there is no need for us to surf the Internet |
| B．How the Internet changes our method of writing |
| C．Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet |
| D．What we should do when we are surfing the Internet |
| A．Anxious |
| B．Concentrated |
| C．Relaxed |
| D．Puzzled |
| A．we are able to find information online quickly |
| B．we often feel bored of the information online |
| C．we are good at using our mental skills online |
| D．we have to focus on so much information online |
| A．read more books besides surfing the Internet |
| B．spend less time in surfing the Internet at a deep night |
| C．often slow down their pace of modern living |
| D．often get away from the disturbing of the Internet |
【推荐2】6 ways our post-pandemic (疫情后) world will be different
The future has never been easy to forecast, and the coronavirus makes life even more unpredictable. To gather informed views on how we most likely will live, learn, work, and communicate when we reach the new normal, National Geographic interviewed a range of experts and leaders.
New Ways to Learn
Balance Work and Life
The future of work won’t be fully remote, but it won’t be limited to offices, either. It’ll be a mixture. Smaller offices will be centers for occasional in-person collaboration, while improved digital tools—such as better video chatting—will support workers at home. Besides, more emphasis on balancing productivity with personal needs will allow employees to organize their work hours to fit their schedules.
Tech Leads the Way
Broadband(宽带) access has never been equal.
Get Out and Stay Out
U. S. national parks saw dramatic drops in visitors last spring—but then numbers exploded this spring, as did sales for RVs and bikes.
Public concern in the United States about global warming hit an all-time high last November, according to researchers at Yale and George Mason Universities. Large majorities of Americans think human-caused global warming is real, and they feel worried and even personally responsible. Surprisingly, a survey in April found that COVID-19 hadn’t replaced concern over the climate—though it had reduced media coverage of it.
| A．Remote Possibilities |
| B．One Planet, Two Crises |
| C．Therefore, flexibility will be the ultimate job benefit. |
| D．The pandemic exposed that divide. |
| E．One positive aspect of schools closing may be how districts are innovating to improve learning from home. |
| F．Many cities have closed streets to make room for outdoor dining, public events, and parks. |
| G．The Internet has made it possible for millions of people to work remotely, but it’s put us at risk of cyber- attacks. |
【推荐3】Volunteers are the backbone of the NHS (National Health Service). Time and time again I have seen the extraordinary impact they have on patient care. Without them, I do not think the NHS would survive. Yet they are often the unsung heroes of the health service. They go about their work quietly and with devotion, but often we overlook quite how important they are. Volunteers do the kind of work that doctors and nurses are unable to do, but is so important for the patients. Sometimes medicine can be too focused on the biological side of things — the diagnosis (诊断), the treatment, the pills and operations — and forgets that there is a social aspect that is just as important This is where volunteers can step in.
They have plenty of time to spend with patients, ensuring that they are comfortable, talking to them and listening to them in a way that many staff would love to do, but sadly just never have enough time. I remember an elderly woman who had come into hospital after she broke her leg, She was in pain, unable to walk and scared. Yet the thing that was causing her the most worry was the thought of her Yorkshire terrier at home, alone, without any food. From a medical perspective, this wasn’t a concern — it’s not something that the surgeons are going to prioritise (优先处理) worrying about when faced with someone so seriously unwell. The nurses on the ward have more than enough to do without thinking about a dog. Yet for the patient, this was the most important thing and there is no way she would have been able to focus on getting better until she knew her dog was looked after. In stepped Andy, a volunteer.
“Don’t worry. ” he reassured her, “I’ll sort everything out. ” He went round, checked on the dog and fed him and then sat and arranged for a charity which provides temporary homes to pets while their owners are in hospital. He even got regular photograph updates from the temporary parents that he showed the patient while she recovered to reassure her that her beloved dog was fine. It allowed the patient peace of mind to focus on getting better.
1. Why are volunteers in NHS important?| A．Because NHS survives because of them. |
| B．Because they work quietly and devotedly. |
| C．Because they contribute to patients’ well-being. |
| D．Because they help doctors diagnose and treat patients. |
| A．show NHS volunteers’ role |
| B．show patients’ worries and pain |
| C．show NHS volunteers are ignored |
| D．show doctors are powerless sometimes |
| A．To help her deal with boredom. |
| B．To prove the importance of his work. |
| C．To relieve her stress from her disease. |
| D．To drive away her worries about her dog. |
| A．Caring and devoted. | B．Brave and warm-hearted. |
| C．Ambitious and confident. | D．Determined and humorous. |
Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department of Education report, based on state estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis. But the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are at least two times as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly.
One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of the “throwaway” youths who have been cast of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not treated as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions（规定） of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education.
1. It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.
| A．the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties |
| B．many older homeless residents are going on strike in 25 cities |
| C．there is a serious shortage of academic facilities |
| D．homeless children are denied the opportunity of receiving free education |
| A．350,000 | B．1,500,000 | C．440,000 | D．110,000 |
| A．the homeless children are too young to be treated as children |
| B．the homeless population is growing rapidly |
| C．the homeless children usually stay outside school |
| D．some homeless children are deserted by their families |
| A．the educational problems of homeless children are being recognized |
| B．the estimates on homeless children are hard to determine |
| C．the address of grade-school children should be located |
| D．all homeless people should have free education |
【推荐2】Every April 22 people come together to take action that will protect the environment. The theme of Earth Day 2023 is “Invest In Our Planet”. So how is investment in eco-innovation helping to deliver a more sustainable future?
When it comes to the environment, it is universally accepted that the technology industry is both the problem and the solution. Tech is responsible for between 3.5% and 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile the EU estimates that the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is responsible for 10% of all electricity consumption. On the other hand, we all want a sustainable future for the planet. Yet we also want the convenience and fun of modern living. Only eco-innovation can deliver the solutions.
Eco-innovation is the key to doing more with less. All over the world, and across many different industries, innovators are working to reduce human footprints while improving productivity. Innovative farming is a good example.
Until very recently, most agricultural improvements were mechanical in nature. Now digital tools are kick-starting (启动) a new wave of efficiencies. Innovative farming companies look to increase farm efficiency and decrease input waste through farming techniques. And they are embedding (嵌入) real-time sensors located in the field or in equipment. The data collected by these sensors help farmers make better decisions about where to allocate (分配) effort and resources while minimizing environmental footprints. GPS technology makes planting and input application far more accurate than manual tractor methods, meaning that farmers can decrease fertilizer waste.
As we approach Earth Day on April 22, the pressure is on the tech industry to keep working on the inventions like those described above. These breakthroughs will help us all to do more with less. Meanwhile, tech firms are also facing calls to keep their own houses in order. Lawmakers and consumers want them to use fewer materials in the manufacturing and rethink their approach to recycling and waste. The good news is that governments and eco-innovative companies themselves are already committed to a major clean-up.
1. According to Paragraph 2, what can we learn about the technology industry?| A．It benefits and damages the environment. | B．It contributes to electricity saving. |
| C．It is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. | D．It brought a sustainable future to us. |
| A．The governments’ investment. | B．The eco-innovation. |
| C．Natural law. | D．The green agricultural development. |
| A．By making examples. | B．By making improvement lists. |
| C．By analyzing data. | D．By stating the fewer agricultural materials. |
| A．The innovation of machine. | B．The management of resources. |
| C．The application of digital tools. | D．The improvement of industry. |
【推荐3】"The music will not vanish," said Zhang Yadong，a famous Chinese music producer, in an interview with CGTN，expressing his strong belief in the power of today’s young musicians.
China’s new popular variety show "The Big Band，"debuted (首演）in May, is bringing some incredibly talented Chinese rock bands into the mainstream. As one of the judges, or "Super Fans"， Zhang has grabbed the spotlight for his professional remarks on the show. Zhang, who started his career as a music producer in the early 1990s, has composed, recorded and produced several hit songs and albums for notable Chinese singers and bands.
Although Zhang admitted the importance of having a unique style and innovative (创新的）music， he emphasized the necessity of hard work. He said he respects talent，but he doesn’t think it is reliable. "Music is my profession，which cannot just rely on talent,"he said, "I have to work hard to keep myself sharp all the time."
According to a 2018 report by the Communication University of China, nearly 30 percent of Chinese musicians earn nothing from their music and 70 percent have to find part-time jobs. "The cost is quite high for today’s music producers, who need the support of expensive equipment," said Zhang. "It is convenient for users to download unauthorized content，but musicians may lose their motivation to create new content because their efforts seem to have gone in vain. Luckily, music copyrights have been strengthened as numerous policies to crack down on (打击）pirated music on the Internet have come into effect." Zhang agrees that these measures are helpful, and that record companies should not sign unequal contracts with musicians by taking advantage of their desire to be famous.
Decades have passed since Zhang came to Beijing to pursue his dream. Chinese popular music, meanwhile，has continued to transform and develop. Zhang said today’s young musicians are more stressed due to fiercer competition. However, he thinks they are hopeful and should not be underestimated. "I believe the changes are from quantity to quality," said Zhang. "I hope more people can write songs and fall in love with music." For more: click here.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “vanish” in paragraph 1?| A．disappear. | B．boom. |
| C．survive. | D．exist. |
| A．talented but pessimistic | B．stressed and negative |
| C．passionate but unsociable | D．promising and hopeful |
| A．On a poster. |
| B．In a magazine. |
| C．On the Internet. |
| D．In a traveling guide. |
