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NEETs: The Generation That Refuses to Grow Up 拒绝长大的「尼特族」

课文朗读

课文讲解 

繁體中文譯本

Among a clutter of CDs, newspapers, clothes, and action figures, Tom sits at the computer in his room. He spends the bulk of his time here, chatting online, playing computer games, and hoping to find the answer to the question “What am I supposed to do with my life?” This may sound like a typical high-school student, but Tom is not a teenager. At the age of 28, he is a member of a growing demographic: the NEET generation.

汤姆坐在房间内的计算机前，四周零乱地堆着CD、报纸、衣服和玩偶。他大部份时间都待在这里上网聊天，玩计算机游戏，还希望能找出「我应该如何过日子？」的答案。这或许听来像是典型的高中生情况，但汤姆可不是青少年了。28岁的他是目前人数日增的「尼特族」一员。

NEET stands for “Not in Employment, Education or Training,” and refers to an ever-growing number of people in places like Taiwan and Japan. Members of this generation of melancholy, escapism and passivity have usually received higher education, yet are reluctant to seek employment. Instead, they stay at home and live off their parents. From time to time, they may attempt a part-time job, but then quit at the faintest sign of hardship. Finding it easier to “fire their bosses” than to work through any problems they might encounter, they lazily indulge in lives of leisure and dependence.

「尼特族」这个字代表「未就业、不在学、没接受训练」，专指一个目前在台湾及日本等地逐渐扩增的族群。这个族群的特征是忧郁、逃避现实、被动消极，其成员通常受过高等教育，却不愿就业。相反地，他们待在家里，生活全依赖父母。有时他们会试着打零工，但只要有点辛苦，便打退堂鼓。他们觉得「开除老板」要比解决问题来得容易，所以懒散地耽于逸乐与依赖的生活。

The 2006 Japanese book NEET divides NEETs into four types: Pleasure-seeking NEETs reject the constraints of traditional expectations and look for a liberated life. Reclusive NEETs do not like to interact with people, retreating into their own private worlds. Shell-shocked NEETs avoid the outside world simply because it frightens them. And Frustrated NEETs believe they are downright worthless. Regardless of type, all NEETs shun work and school, and have virtually no physical contact with society.

日本2006年出版的《尼特族》一书将他们区分成四种类型：「享乐尼特族」抗拒传统期望的束缚，追寻解放的生活；「遁世尼特族」不喜欢与他人互动，退缩到自己的世界里；「战斗疲劳尼特族」纯粹因为外界令他们害怕而逃避；「受挫尼特族」则认为自己一无是处。不论哪一型，所有尼特族皆逃避工作与学业，与社会几乎完全没有实质接触。

Vocabulary

单词发音

be supposed [səˋpozd] to 认为必须, 认为应该; 认为...必要

in employment 在业; 有工作

employment [ɪmˋplɔɪmənt] n. 职业，工作

melancholy [ˋmɛlən͵kɑlɪ] n. 忧郁

live off 靠〔某经济来源或某人〕过活  to obtain one's living or means of survival from someone or something

encounter [ɪnˋkaʊntɚ] v. 遇到（困难，危险等）

constraint [kənˋstrent] n. 限制; 束缚

retreat [rɪˋtrit] v. 撤退，退却[（+from/to）]

downright [ˋdaʊn͵raɪt] adv. 完全地，彻底地

shun [ʃʌn] v. 躲开，避开

More Information

单词发音

clutter [ˋklʌtɚ] n. 杂乱；散乱的东西

action figure 手臂及腿部可以移动的玩偶（通常形似某故事中英雄）

bulk [bʌlk] n. 大部分[the S][（+of）]

demographic [͵diməˋgræfɪk]n. (尤指特定年龄段的)人群

stand for 代表

escapism [əsˋkepɪzəm] n. 逃避现实

passivity [pæˋsɪvətɪ] n. 被动

from time to time 有时, 偶尔 irregularly; now and then; occasionally; sometimes; not predictably

faint [fent] adj.（希望等）微小的; 微弱的

hardship [ˋhɑrdʃɪp] n. 艰难，困苦

work through 解决

indulge [ɪnˋdʌldʒ] v. 沉迷于；满足（欲望等）

liberated [`lɪbəˏretɪd] adj.〔在社交和男女关系上〕不受约束的﹐思想解放的

reclusive [rɪˋklusɪv] adj. 隐遁的；孤寂的

shell-shocked 患战斗疲劳症的; 【非正式】疲劳的; 慌乱的; 焦虑的  mentally confused, upset, or exhausted as a result of excessive stress

课文讲解 

Twenty-three-year-old Mike is a perfect example of a NEET. He obtained a certificate in food and beverage management from a vocational high school. After finishing military service, Mike wanted to work in the hospitality industry. His father pulled some strings to get him a job at a five-star hotel, but Mike quit after just two weeks, saying he was being worked too hard. This pattern would repeat itself several times. Even with good connections, his family could not land one job that Mike could endure. Eventually, both Mike and his family gave up trying. Now he lives a life of leisure at home with his parents.

23岁的麦可是典型的尼特族。他从高职毕业，持有餐饮管理证照。服完兵役后，麦可希望从事旅馆餐饮业。他父亲运用关系在五星级饭店为他找到工作，但麦可两星期后就辞职了，抱怨自己被操得太凶。此一情形重复多次。麦可的家人即使关系再好，也无法找到他能忍受的工作。最后麦可和他的家人都放弃了；现在他和父母同住，过着安逸的生活。

What has given rise to this emerging group of people that seem so keen to idle away their time? For one, automation and globalization have made the job market extremely competitive worldwide. Also, in today’s world, a college degree no longer guarantees a lucrative job. Finally, because married couples are having fewer children, parents are prone to dote on their kids. This has begotten the “strawberry generation,” which cannot bear the slightest frustration.

是什么导致这种爱混日子的新兴族群的出现？原因之一，是自动化和全球化造成全世界就业市场的激烈竞争。另外，在现今社会，大学文凭不再是高薪工作的保证。最后一点，由于社会的少子化，父母容易溺爱小孩，而此现象便产生了无法承受一丁点挫折的「草莓族」。

As daunting as the NEET problem seems, there are solutions. Job training and referrals provided by governments could coax some NEETs out of their protective shells. Parents should stop being overprotective, and force their kids to stand on their own two feet. Nevertheless, no matter what parents and the government do, it’s up to NEETs themselves to develop the will to earn a living and take control of their own lives.

尼特族的问题看似吓人，其实有解决之道。政府所提供的职业训练与中介，可诱导一些尼特族离开保护壳。父母则不该过度保护，应强迫小孩自力更生。不过，无论父母和政府做了什么，还是得靠尼特族自己发展出谋生的意愿，掌控自己的人生。

−by Joe Henley

Vocabulary

单词发音

certificate [sɚˋtɪfəkɪt] n. 证明书；执照

management [ˋmænɪdʒmənt] n. 管理

pull strings【口】透过私人关系 to secretly use the influence that you have over important people in order to get something or to help someone

endure [ɪnˋdjʊr] v. 忍耐，忍受

globalization [ˌgloʊbələˈzeɪʃn] n. 全球化

competitive [kəmˋpɛtətɪv] adj. 竞争的; 充满竞争的

lucrative [ˋlukrətɪv] adj. 赚钱的; 赚大钱的

dote [dot] on 溺爱 to love someone or something a lot, sometimes foolishly or too much

coax [koks] v. 用好话劝，哄诱

stand on one’s own two feet  独立自主; 自立 to be independent and provide yourself with all the things that you need to live without having to ask anyone else to help you

More Information

单词发音

vocational [voˋkeʃən!]adj. 职业的

hospitality [͵hɑspɪˋtælətɪ] n. 好客；殷勤招待

land [lænd] v.【口】弄到，捞到

give rise to 引起 to cause something to exist

keen [kin] adj. 渴望的，极想的[+to-v]

idle away 虚度〔光阴〕; 消磨〔时间〕to waste one's time in idleness; to waste a period of time, such as an afternoon, evening, and one’s life

automation [͵ɔtəˋmeʃən] n. 自动化（技术）；

prone [pron] adj. 有……倾向的，易于……的[F][（+to）][+to-v]

beget [bɪˋgɛt] v. 引起，招致

daunting [ˋdɔntɪŋ] adj. 令人怯步的；使人气馁的

referral [rɪˋfɝəl] n. 【正式】提交; 介绍

Reading Questions

1. Which of the following would fall into demographic of the NEET generation?

A. A person who works during the day and goes to school at night.

B. One who is not in university, and instead enters vocational training.

C. A person who is out of school, and does not actively seek a job.

D. One who is between semesters at college, and doesn’t work during that period.

2. What would a NEET be most likely to do?

A. Find creative ways of making money.

B. Continuously borrow money from his or her parents.

C. Actively seek real challenges in life.

D. Try his or her best to meet traditional expectations.

3. Which is NOT a reason given for the rise of the NEET generation?

A. Parents have become too soft on their children.

B. There is more international competition for jobs nowadays.

C. Advances in technology have eliminated many jobs.

D. Employers today are much quicker to dismiss their employees.

4. What would be a good alternate title for this article?

A. NEETs: Going Nowhere Fast

B. NEETs: Ambition Personified

C. How to Become a NEET

D. It’s Neat to Be a NEET

Going Nowhere Fast: to not progress

96日本 尼特族

Answer