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Generation Z

你也许听说过 “九五后” 这个称谓。在西方很多国家，人们把出生于九十年代中叶后，2010年前的年轻人统称为 “Z世代”。有人认为，出生于互联网时代的他们对科技产物有着天生的敏锐感。你了解这代人吗？你同意这种用年龄归类的方式吗？我们一起探讨一下 “Z世代” 的特征，并介绍和 “年轻人” 有关的英语词汇。

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When were you born? If it was in the late nineties or early noughties, then you've been classified as being part of Generation Z. But what does that mean and is it necessary to group people according to their date of birth?

People have always been defined by their generation. We had the baby boomers of the 1960s, followed by Generation X and then Generation Y, often referred to as millennials, and the'new kids on the block' are Generation Z – aged between 16 and 22. It's easy to classify these young people as all being the same, sharing the same attitudes towards life – but is that fair?

A survey by the BBC's youth radio channel, Radio One, found that people from Generation Z, informally called 'Z-ers', may be viewed by others as shallow digital natives, incapable of real-world friendships. But they actually view themselves as hardworking, entrepreneurial and about to change the world for the better. It's an ambitious aim.

The previous generation, born between the mid-1980s and late 1990s - the millennials - were also thought to have these characteristics. But according to Hiral Patel, an analyst from Barclays, many people view this new generation as "mini-millennials" She told the BBC that Z-ers are different "they have their own set of values and preferences which consumer brands need to cater for. Our research found that Gen Z are tech-innate, hyper-informed consumers, and extremely savvy."

It's true to say that technology is playing an important part in the lives of Generation Z, particularly in the area of social media. In fact they have not known life without it and using it to communicate, share ideas and campaign is second nature – it is their norm. It means they have more of a say on what we eat, drink and buy than any generation before them. These young people certainly need to be listened to by retailers and businesses – they are the people with time on their hands and money.

But being a Z-er comes with pressure. One young person told the BBC survey "many people in Generation Z have mental health issues because they're unsure what the future will bring." The future always brings uncertainties but maybe there is pressure for this generation to be the most successful ever. If you're one of them, how do you feel about your future?

vocabulary

noughties 2000后至2010年
generation 世代
e.g., generation by generation 世代相传
be classified as 被分类为...
baby boomer （二战后至六十年代间）婴儿潮一代出生的人
millennial 二十一世纪初期成年的千禧一代
new kids on the block 初来乍到的人
real-world 现实世界中的
entrepreneurial 富有企业家精神的
ambitious 雄心勃勃的
cater for 迎合
for the sake of ... 为了...的利益
tech-innate 天生谙熟科技产物的
hyper-informed 消息非常灵通的
savvy 精通…的
second nature 习惯、习性
norm 常规、常态
get time and money on their hands 有大把的时间和金钱
pressure 压力
mental health issue 心理健康问题
uncertainty (n) 不确定性 certainty 确定性
playing an important part in... 在...中扮演重要角色
previous 之前的
have more of a say on 在...方面有更多的发言权

make sentences

1. Our university canteen has to cater for all kinds of dietary requirements.

2. My friend is very computer savvy and he's managed to easily fix my laptop.

3. As you've got time on your hands, maybe you could help me with the housework?!

4. As far as pop music is concerned, the noughties were a time of innovation.
   e.g.,As far as I am concerned,...就我而言，据我所知...

5. My sister is great at (=be good at...) singing and dancing so taking part in the musical was second nature for her.

6. It means they have more of a say on what we eat, drink and buy than any generation before them.
   那意味着“95后”一代在吃什么，喝什么，买什么方面比其他年代的人更有发言权。