新视野三版读写B2 U3 Text AJourney through the odyssey years1 Most of us know about the phases of life which we label to parallel different age groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and oldage. We think of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, with each unique phase bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. These challenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as the child's need to learn, the adult's need to find the right career and build a family, and the senior's need for support and good health care.2 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing.3 In previous times, people didn't have a solid idea of childhood as being separate from adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought of adolescence. Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction to adulthood was completed as soon as they graduated from college. They would now find a sensible job which would lead to a career. Then during this career they would start a family, ideal y before they turned 30.4 Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life that comes after high school graduation, continues through college, and then leads to starting a family and having a career, the so-cal ed odyssey years. Recent trends show radical changes as young people are fol owing adifferent agenda. They take breaks from school, live with friends and often return to living with their parents. Similarly, they fall in and out of love, quit one job and try another or even shift to a new career. So, we need to recognize this new stage, the odyssey years, which many now consider to be an unavoidable stage in reaching adulthood.5 People who were born prior to the 60s or 70s in the last century tendedto frame their concept of adulthood based upon achieving certain accomplishments: moving away from home, becoming financial y independent, finding the right spouse and starting a family. But that emphasis on stability did not remain static. Today, young people are unlikely to do the same. During the odyssey years, a high proportion of young people are delaying marriage, child bearing, and even employment.6 The odyssey years can saddle young people with enormous pressure to move forward quickly. As the sole heir and focus of their parents' expectations, hopes and dreams, some react with rebellious and prideful attitudes and1

新视野大学英语第三版第二册课文Journeythroughtheodysseyyears语法讲解-Unit3