I. Please read the text after the speaker.

            Subsidized in the city

1. For recent college graduates, living in New York is no easy feat. As twentysomethings, we sacrifice having savings of any kind to survive in a city that promises so much social and cultural diversity. For those who crave urban living, New York is a siren, singing an irresistibly enticing song — until you are lured in and before you know it, 80 percent of your salary has been spent on rent.

2. I always knew I would end up in New York. After a three-month, rent-free, and low-cost living in an uncle’s apartment after college, I had saved enough money to renounce further financial assistance from my parents. If I was ever in a serious financial situation, I knew they would offer help, but after 10 years of private-school education on their dime, I didn’t want to come crawling back for an allowance.①Besides, wasn’t that the point of my expensive education — to adequately prepare me to take on the world and support myself? Financial independence means social freedom and absolute control over my own life. Although many of my peers believe so as well, they think it could be very hard to do so in the real settings.

3. The majority of them receive some sort of financial assistance from their parents to start their new life in a big city after graduation. However, some of them do want to make some changes to the way they live. One 25-year-old friend, whose parents pay for more than half of her rent as well as give her pocket money, has just begun to try compromising her lifestyle for financial independence.②Another, a 22-year-old who gets a portion of his rent paid by Mom and Dad, admitted he felt less stressed with his parents’ help. But he said he would be willing to cut back on “superfluous spending”, and move out of Manhattan and into a more affordable borough like Brooklyn or Queens.

4. Higher rents and the need for deeper pockets are an accepted fact of city living. ③Urban pricing aside, it is possible to live in any city regardless of your age or income, for it just takes a little budgeting and prioritizing. Surrendering to lifestyle flexibility may be unwelcome, but sometimes it’s necessary. We were taught that it is not correct to keep up with the Joneses and let our parents shoulder the financial responsibility.④According to a social survey, some young people who flood out of designer stores, arms adorned with shopping bags, wouldn’t be able to afford their purchases without ringing up a massive credit card debt. Regarding this, some educational experts argued that by continuing to provide for their grown-up kids, parents hinder their children’s ability to be financially responsible.

II. Text analysis

①Besides, wasn’t that the point of my expensive education — to adequately prepare me to take on the world and support myself? (para. 2)

翻译：而且，我接受昂贵教育的目的不就是让我做好充分的准备，能够独自面对整个世界并养活自己吗？

②Another, a 22-year-old who gets a portion of his rent paid by Mom and Dad, admitted he felt less stressed with his parents’ help. (para. 3)

翻译：我的另一个朋友22岁，他的房租一部分是由父母支付的，他承认在父母的帮助下，他的压力小一些。

③Urban pricing aside, it is possible to live in any city regardless of your age or income, for it just takes a little budgeting and prioritizing. (para. 4)

翻译：如果不考虑城市物价的话，不论年龄多大或收入多少，都可以在任何城市生活，因为这仅需要制定简单的预算，分清花销主次。

④According to a social survey, some young people who flood out of designer stores, arms adorned with shopping bags, wouldn’t be able to afford their purchases without ringing up a massive credit card debt.  (para. 4)

翻译：一项社会调查表明，一些年轻人经常从品牌店蜂拥而出，胳膊上挎着购物袋，如果他们不刷爆信用卡，是根本买不起那些东西的。

III.Test

1. For recent college graduates, living in New York is no easy feat. As twentysomethings, we sacrifice having savings of any kind to survive in a city that promises so much social and cultural diversity. For those who crave urban living, New York is a siren, singing an irresistibly enticing song — until you are lured in and before you know it, 80 percent of your salary has been spent on rent.

2. I always knew I would end up in New York. After a three-month, rent-free, and low-cost living in an uncle’s apartment after college, I had saved enough money to renounce further financial assistance from my parents. If I was ever in a serious financial situation, I knew they would offer

help, but after 10 years of private-school education on their dime, I didn’t want to come crawling back for an allowance.①Besides, wasn’t that the point of my expensive education — to adequately prepare me to take on the world and support myself? Financial independence means social freedom and absolute control over my own life. Although many of my peers believe so as well, they think it could be very hard to do so in the real settings. 

3. The majority of them receive some sort of financial assistance from their parents to start their new life in a big city after graduation. However, some of them do want to make some changes to the way they live. One 25-year-old friend, whose parents pay for more than half of her rent as well as give her pocket money, has just begun to try compromising her lifestyle for financial independence.②Another, a 22-year-old who gets a portion of his rent paid by Mom and Dad, admitted he felt less stressed with his parents’ help. But he said he would be willing to cut back on “superfluous spending”, and move out of Manhattan and into a more affordable borough like Brooklyn or Queens.

4. Higher rents and the need for deeper pockets are an accepted fact of city living. ③Urban pricing aside, it is possible to live in any city regardless of your age or income, for it just takes a little budgeting and prioritizing. Surrendering to lifestyle flexibility may be unwelcome, but sometimes it’s necessary. We were taught that it is not correct to keep up with the Joneses and let our parents shoulder the financial responsibility.④According to a social survey, some young people who flood out of designer stores, arms adorned with shopping bags, wouldn’t be able to afford their purchases without ringing up a massive credit card debt. Regarding this, some educational experts argued that by continuing to provide for their grown-up kids, parents hinder their children’s ability to be financially responsible.