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第三十八篇
　　Excessive Demands on Young People
　　Being able to multitask is hailed by most people as a welcome skill，but not according to a recent study which claims that young people between the ages of eight and eighteen of the so-called Generation M1are spending a considerable amount of their time in fruitless efforts as they multitask. It argues that，in fact，these young people are frittering away as much as half of their time again as they would if they performed the very same tasks one after the other.
　 　Some young people are juggling an ever larger number of electronic devices as they study. At the same time that they are working，young adults are also surfing on the Internet，or sending out emails to their friends，and/or answering the telephone and listening to music on their iPods2 or on another computer. As some new device comes along it too is added to the list rather than replacing one of the existing devices.
　 　Other research has indicated that this multitasking is even affecting the way families themselves function as young people are too wrapped up3 in their own isolated worlds to interact with the other people around them. They can no longer greet family members when they enter the house nor can they eat at the family table.
　　All this electronic wizardry is supposedly also seriously affecting young people’s performance at university and in the workplace. When asked about their perception of the impact of modern gadgets on their performance of tasks，the overwhelming majority of young people gave a favour able response.
　　 The response from the academic and business worlds was not quite as positive. The former feel that multitasking with electronic gadgets by children affects later development of study skills，resulting in a decline in the quality of writing，for example，because of the lack of concentration on task completion. They feel that many undergraduates now urgently need remedial help with study skills. Similarly，employers feel that young people entering the workforce need to be taught all over again，as they have become deskilled.
　　While all this may be true，it must be borne in mind4 that more and more is expected of young people nowadays; in fact，too much. Praise rather than criticism is due in respect of5 the way today’s youth are able to cope despite what the older generation throw at them.
　　词汇：
　　excessive adj.过多的，额外 interact vi.交流，沟通，互动
　　multitask vi.同时进行多个任务 wizardry n.魔力，法术
　　supposedly adv.据认为，据推测
　　hail vt.赞扬 performance n.表现，行为
　　claim vt.声称，主张 perception n.认识，看法，见解
　　considerable adj.相当大的，相当多的 impact n.影响，作用
　　gadget n.小巧的机械装置
　　fritter vt.消耗，浪费 overwhelming adj.压倒性的
　　juggle vt.耍弄，玩耍 majority n.大多数
　　electronic device n.电子装置，电子仪器 academic adj 学术的，学校的
　　decline n.下降，衰退
　　surf vi.(网上)冲浪，漫游，浏览 concentration n.专心，专注
　　indicate vt.表明，指出 remedial adj.补习的，补救的
　　affect vt.影响 deskilled adj.逐渐失去技能的
　　isolated adj.孤立的，与世隔绝的 due adj.应有的，适当的
　　注释：
　 　1.Generation M：M代表multimedia。Generation M即“多媒体时代”，是指伴随着计算机和因特网的普及而成长起来的一代年轻人。他们多出生于1980年之后，热衷于计算机、因特网、视频游戏、智能手机。 这些新媒体和传统媒体如电视、印刷品、音响制品结合起来，使得他们的世界异常丰富多彩。“多媒体时代”的另一特征就是可以multitask，即多项任务 同时进行，如他们可以一边上网冲浪、一边听着音乐、一边看着电视里的MTV、一边和朋友短信聊天、同时还做着自己的家庭作业。
　　2.iPod：美国苹果公司的一款音乐播放器，除了可以播放MP3音乐外，iPod还可以作为高速移动硬盘使用，可以显示联系人、日历和任务，以及阅读电子书和聆听有声电子书以及播客(Podcasts)。
　　3.be wrapped up in…注意力完全集中于……
　　4.bear in mind记住
　　5.in respect of关于，就……而言
　　练习：
　　1. According to a recent study, what is probably true about the multitasking Generation M?
　　A)They are highly commended for being so effective and efficient.
　　B)They waste more time than they should save，contrary to common assumptions.
　　C)They should prioritize and focus on the most important tasks on hand.
　　D)They need to improve their organizational skills so as to complete all their tasks.
　　2.With the advent of new gadgets，what will happen to Generation M’s present e-devices?
　　A)They make way for the latest and greatest and are retired by the young people.
　　B)They are put away temporarily but stay in rotation for their owners to choose from.
　　C)They become part of the ever increasing collection of novelties.
　　D)They are either sold or traded so that their owners can update their toys and hobbies.
　　3.How will multitasking affect Generation M adversely?
　　A)It makes them feel lonely and pitiful.
　　B)It makes them aloof and elusive to family and friends.
　　C)It makes them selfish and possessive.
　　D)It makes them impolite and ungrateful.
　　4.What is the biggest problem for multitasking undergraduates in universities?
　　A)They should adjust their academic attitudes seriously.
　　B)They should seek psychological professionals for assistance.
　　C)They should take some crash courses to catch up with their classmates.
　　D)They should try harder to focus on one task before moving on to the next.
　　5.In dealing with today’s youth. what approach should parents take?
　　A) Be supportive and understanding.
　　B) Be realistic and lower their expectations
　　C) Be encouraging and let their children stick to their old habits.
　　D) Be patient and hope everything will work out just fine eventually.
　　答案与题解：
　 　1.B 从第一段第一句话中的“a considerable amount of their time”“fruitless efforts”以及该段最后一句话中的“frittering away as much as…”可以进行同义替换，waste就是fruitless和fritter的同义词。
　　2.C从第二段的最后一句话中的“added to the list rather than replacing”可以判断出，这些年轻人的电子设备是越来越多，而不是A被取而代之、B被轮流使用、D被出售或交换以便买更新的产品。

　 　3.B 答案A是文字游戏，原文中“isolated worlds”应该理解为孤立的世界，即独自"alone"，而不是孤独“lonely”。答案C说他们变得自私和占有欲强，想买更多电子产品，显然不 对。答案D说他们变得不懂礼貌和不知感恩，均是对第三段最后一句话中的“no longer greet”和“nor can they eat at the family table”的字面理解。答案B是两个近义词，重点在性格变化上，变得“若即若离，难以捉摸"。
　　4.D 答案A认为是态度问题，把客观问题主观化。答案B是误导选项，试图用“remedial help”误导大家联想到remedy一词，故引出psychological professional的曲解。答案C把第五段第一句中的“later development”和“decline in the quality of...”表象化，认为应该抓紧赶上同学(catch up)。答案D才是正确答案，问题症结在于multitasking难以让人集中注意力，造成浪费时间、影响表现等后果，这些前文均已提过。
　　5.A答案A把praise替换成了相对隐性的近义词。答案B只针对最后一段的第一句话，断章取义。答案C前半部分encouraging还算接近正确答案，后半部分则成了鼓励“将错就错"。答案D认为应采取“听之任之，顺其自然”的态度转变。