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A s a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn’t the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe’s new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, realestate developers and ad executives alike.The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the “irresistible momentum of individualism” over the last century.The communications revolution, the shift form a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc Europeans’ private lives.
Europe’s new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence.The current generation of homealoners came of age during Europe’s shift form social democracy to the sharper,more individualistic climate of Americanstyle capitalism.Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice.Today’s techsavvy workers have embraced a free and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage — twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens.While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice.
Living alone was conceived to be negative — dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light.But then came along the idea of singles.They were young, beautiful, strong ! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever.And that doesn’t leave much room for relationships.Pimpi Arroyo, a 35yearold composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn’t got time to get lonely because he has too much work. “I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult.” Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says.Kaufann, author of a recent book called “The Single Woman and Prince Charming,” thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don’t last long — if they start at all.Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan.teaches grade school in the mornings.In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing.Just shy of 50, she says she’d never have wanted to do what her mother did — give up a career to raise a family. Instead, “I’ve always done what I wanted to do :live a selfdetermined life.”【2005年6月】
一位智者曾言道，我们最终都会是形单影只。但有越来越多的欧洲人年纪轻轻地就这样生活。这可不是为了进行晦涩艰深的哲学沉思，而是因为欧洲经济面貌的根本改观；社会学家，房地产开发商，广告商也持有类似观点。一位法国的社会学家认为，这意味着从家庭生活向单身独居的转变，但这只不过是百年以来那股“不可抵挡的个人主义潮流”的一部分。通信革命，商业文化由稳定型向流动型的转变以及大批女性涌入就业市场，极大地撼动了欧洲人的私生活。
欧洲的新经济氛围造就了这股自主风潮。欧洲当代独居者跨入老年时，正值欧洲从社会民主政体转向更加严苛、个人主义色彩更加浓厚的美式资本主义。成长在私有化时代的他们面临着越来越多的选择。因此，对技术了如指掌的年轻一代走上独居之路也就不足为奇。
过去，选择独居的人要么是结婚已二十多年的专业人士，要么是丧偶的老年人。其中，靠养老金生活的人，特别是年老女性占大多数。而如今的独居者则是那些三四十岁的高薪一族，他们倾向于独居的生活方式。
独居者曾被认为消极、阴险、冷酷；如今，却是热情、开朗的象征。现在有独居想法的是那些活力十足的年轻人，他们很向往单身生活。
欣欣向荣的经济意味着人们比以前更努力地工作，因而挤掉了各种社会联系应有的空间。作曲家皮姆丕·阿洛伊现年35岁，独居巴黎。“从未觉得孤独寂寞，因为工作实在是太多了，”他说：“这种生活方式使得很难与他人共同生活，或许一位梦想中的女人才能使我改变这种生活方式。”《单身女人和白马王子》一书的作者考夫曼认为，这种过激的个人主义驱使人们寻找更多的性伴侣；因而一段恋情根本不会持续很长时间。爱本德居于柏林，她是一名肤色黝黑的金发女郎。上午，她在学校授课；下午，要么享受日光浴，要么倒头大睡，然后便去跳舞。年届五十的她常为年龄而苦恼，她言道：“我不会像母亲那样为家庭而放弃职业；相反，我一直在做我想做的事，过着凡事均由我做主的生活。”
1. More and more young Europeans remain single because .
A)they have entered the workforce at a much earlier age
B)hey are pessimistic about their economic future
C)they have embraced a business culture of stability
D)they are driven by an overwhelming sense of individualism
2.What is said about Europeans society in the passage?
A)It is getting closer to Americanstyle capitalism.
B)It has limited consumer choice despite a free market.
C)It is being threatened by irresistible privatization.
D)It has fostered the trend towards small families.
3.According to Paragraph 3, the newest group of singles are .
A)negative and gloomyB)on either side of marriage
C)healthy and wealthyD)warm and lighthearted
4.The author quotes Eppendorf to show that .
A)some modern women prefer a life of individual freedom
B)most Europeans conceive living a single life as unacceptable
C)some professional people have too much work to do to feel lonely
D)the family is no longer the basic unit of society in presentday Europe
5.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage ?
A)To contemplate the philosophy underlying individualism.
B)To examine the trend of young people living alone.
C)To stress the rebuilding of personal relationships.
D)To review the impact of women becoming high earners.
wise adj. 聪明的，明智的，有智慧的
【辨析】wise，thoughtful:
wise“明智的，聪明的”，指具有判断力，有见识、有经验等；
thoughtful“考虑周到的，善于思考的”，指思维细致，周密。
increasev.& n. 增加，增进
【辨析】enlarge，increase：
enlarge“增大”，特别指在范围、大小和广度等方面的增大，不能用于指重量、速度、时间等；
increase“增加”，可以用于距离、面积、力量、程度、价值等方面的增加。
【词根】～=in(towards)+crease(to grow)
stuffn. 材料，原料，质料，素材vt. 装，把……装满，塞满，把……塞进
【关联】形近词：stiff 僵硬的，生硬的；staff 全体职员
gloomyadj.①阴暗的 ②(天气)阴沉的 ③(人)沮丧的 ④令人沮丧的
【考点】gloomy news 令人悲伤的消息
take a gloomy view of 对……悲观
feel gloomy感情忧郁
【派生】gloom n.悲哀(观)；黑暗，阴暗
embrace vt.①拥抱，抱 ②包含，包括n.拥抱，怀抱
【辨析】embrace，comprise，contain，compose，consist：
embrace与include 同义，即“包括”；
comprise “包含，由……构成”，谓语用复数;
contain “包含，容纳”，它的宾语只是整体的一部分;
compose “构成”，表示许多部分构成一个整体，一般用被动；
consist与compose同义，但不用被动，即consist of =be composed of。
【词根】～=em(in)+brace(two arms)
exterioradj.①外部的 ②外表的n. 外部，外表
【关联】近义词：external,outer，appearance,surface
反义词：interior
observev.①遵守，(法律，习俗)奉行 ②观察，注意到，看到
【派生】observant adj.善于观察的
observation n.观察
observance n.遵守
observable adj.看得见的
observatory n.天文台
currentadj.①当前的，现时的 ②通行的，流行的n.①流动 ②电流 ③趋势，倾向
【考点】an electric current 电流
current account 活期存款
go with the current随波逐流
【关联】近义词：present,temporary,prevalent,tendency
【派生】currently adv. 当前，现今
consumern.①用户，消费者 ②消耗者
temperamentn. 气质，性情／格
【派生】temperamental adj. 性情的；性格／脾气多变的，喜怒无常的
【词根】～=tempera(to moderate)+ment(词尾)
singleadj.①唯一的，单一的，一个的 ②未婚的，独身的 ③适于一人的，一人用的，一人做的n.单程票vt.(out)选出，挑出
【辨析】single,separate ，particular：
single单一的，单个的，强调只有一个，即单个的观念；
separate 单独的，个别的，强调单独性，与其他事物分离或不相连;
particular 各个的，个别的，指在固定事物中某一事物具有的独特性。
deadlinen.最后期限
pessimisticadj. 悲观的，悲观主义的
【关联】近义词：cynical,dejected,depressed,despairing,despondent,hopeless,sad
反义词：optimistic
【派生】pessimist 悲观主义
pessimism悲观主义
individualadj.①个人的，单独的 ②独特的，个性的n. 个人，个体
【词根】～=in(not)+divid(to divide)+ual(词尾)
landscape n.①(一张)风景画，风景绘画 ②风景，景色vt.使自然美化
negativeadj.①否定的 ②消极的 ③反面的，反的 ④阴性的，负的n.①负数 ②底片
【词根】～=neg(to deny)+ative(词尾)
conceivevt.①设想，想出，认为 ②怀孕（胎）vi.①(of)构想出，设想 ②怀孕
【考点】 conceive of 想像
【派生】conceivable adj.可想像的
fierce adj.①凶猛的，残忍的 ②狂热的，极度的 [1]
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