新视野大学英语第三版第二册课文Journey through the odyssey years语法讲解-Unit3.docxVIP

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 differentage groups and life stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and oldage. We think of infancy before childhood and middle age before old age, witheach unique phase bringing its own peculiar set of challenges. Thesechallenges can be overcome by acquainting ourselves with them, such as thechilds need to learn, the adults need to find the right career and build a family,and the seniors need for support and good health care.2 Interestingly, ideas about the stages of life are changing.3 In previous times, people didnt have a solid idea of childhood as beingseparate from adulthood. A hundred years ago, no one thought ofadolescence. Until recently it was understood as a norm that their induction toadulthood was completed as soon as they graduated from college. They wouldnow find a sensible job which would lead to a career. Then during this careerthey would start a family, ideal y before they turned 30.4 Today we have an equivalent need to recognize a new phase of life thatcomes after high school graduation, continues through college, and then leadsto starting a family and having a career, the so-cal ed odyssey years. Recenttrendsshowradicalchangesasyoungpeoplearefol owingadifferent agenda. They take breaks from school, live with friends and oftenreturn to living with their parents. Similarly, they fall in and out of love, quit onejob and try another or even shift to a new career. So, we need to recognize thisnew stage, the odyssey years, which many now consider to be an unavoidablestage 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 certainaccomplishments: moving away from home, becoming financial y independent,finding the right spouse and starting a family. But that emphasis on stability didnot remain static. Today, young people are unlik