你也許聽說過 “九五后” 這個稱謂。在西方很多國家，人們把出生于九十年代中葉后，2010年前的年輕人統稱為 “Z世代”。有人認為，出生于互聯網時代的他們對科技產物有著天生的敏銳感。你了解這代人嗎？你同意這種用年齡歸類的方式嗎？《隨身英語》探討 “Z世代” 的特征，并介紹和 “年輕人” 有關的英語詞匯。

Vocabulary: youth 詞匯: 年輕人

When were you born? If it was in the late nineties or early noughties, then you've been classified as being part of Generation Z. But what does that mean and is it necessary to group people according to their date of birth?

People have always been defined by their generation. We had the baby boomers of the 1960s, followed by Generation X and then Generation Y, often referred to as millennials, and the'new kids on the block' are Generation Z – aged between 16 and 22. It's easy to classify these young people as all being the same, sharing the same attitudes towards life – but is that fair?

A survey by the BBC's youth radio channel, Radio One, found that people from Generation Z, informally called 'Z-ers', may be viewed by others as shallow digital natives, incapable of real-world friendships. But they actually view themselves as hardworking, entrepreneurial and about to change the world for the better. It's an ambitious aim.

The previous generation, born between the mid-1980s and late 1990s - the millennials - were also thought to have these characteristics. But according to Hiral Patel, an analyst from Barclays, many people view this new generation as "mini-millennials" She told the BBC that Z-ers are different "they have their own set of values and preferences which consumer brands need to cater for. Our research found that Gen Z are tech-innate, hyper-informed consumers, and extremely savvy."

It's true to say that technology is playing an important part in the lives of Generation Z, particularly in the area of social media. In fact they have not known life without it and using it to communicate, share ideas and campaign is second nature – it is their norm. It means they have more of a say on what we eat, drink and buy than any generation before them. These young people certainly need to be listened to by retailers and businesses – they are the people with time on their hands and money.

But being a Z-er comes with pressure. One young person told the BBC survey "many people in Generation Z have mental health issues because they're unsure what the future will bring." The future always brings uncertainties but maybe there is pressure for this generation to be the most successful ever. If you're one of them, how do you feel about your future?

詞匯表

noughties 2000后至2010年
generation 世代
baby boomer （二戰后至六十年代間）嬰兒潮一代出生的人
millennial 二十一世紀初期成年的千禧一代
new kids on the block 初來乍到的人
real-world 現實世界中的
entrepreneurial 富有企業家精神的
ambitious 雄心勃勃的
cater for 迎合
tech-innate 天生諳熟科技產物的
hyper-informed 消息非常靈通的
savvy 精通…的
second nature 習慣、習性
norm 常規、常態
time on their hands 有大把的時間
pressure 壓力
mental health issue 心理健康問題

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Which generation came before Generation X?

2. What have Generation Z never lived without?

3. True or false? Generation Z feel they are unable to make real-life friendships.

4. According to the article, what can the pressures Generation Z experience lead to?

5. Why should retailers and businesses listen to what the people of Generation Z are saying?

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Our university canteen has to ______ all kinds of dietary requirements.

cater at       cater with       cater for       catering for

2. My friend is very computer ______ and he's managed to easily fix my laptop.

norm      pressure       savvy       tech-innate

3. As you've got ______, maybe you could help me with the housework?

handy time       time on your hands       time with your hands       hands on time

4. As far as pop music is concerned, the ______ were a time of innovation.

noughties       generation       baby boomers       real world

5. My sister is great at singing and dancing so taking part in the musical was ______ for her.

norm        pressure       second nature       real world

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Which generation came before Generation X?
The baby boomer generation.

2. What have Generation Z never lived without?
Generation Z have never lived without social media.

3. True or false? Generation Z feel they are unable to make real-life friendships.
False. Other people have viewed Generation Z as incapable of real-world friendships but the people from this generation would necessarily agree.

4. According to the article, what can the pressures Generation Z experience lead to?
The pressures can contribute to the development of mental health issues.

5. Why should retailers and businesses listen to what the people of Generation Z are saying?
Not only are they used to commenting on social media, they are the people with spare time and money.

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Our university canteen has to cater for all kinds of dietary requirements.

2. My friend is very computer savvy and he's managed to easily fix my laptop.

3. As you've got time on your hands, maybe you could help me with the housework?!

4. As far as pop music is concerned, the noughties were a time of innovation. 

5. My sister is great at singing and dancing so taking part in the musical was second nature for her.