I. Please read the text after the speaker.

5. Actually, this phenomenon can be noticed in many big cities. A Chicago acquaintance was promised “a big gift” to celebrate his graduation; a Boston friend received a handsome sum of subsidy after she moved into her apartment. On the one hand, young people don’t like to compete with each other; on the other hand, they do it unconsciously. ①After all, when parental financial aid is not only offered but expected, what is our generation learning about living on our own?

6. ②It’s disturbing when “adults” don’t have their credit cards linked to their own accounts for fear of overspending. A friend confessed to me that she used to think that she didn’t need to build credit. But once, when a loan arose, she did not go to her parents, but solved the problem by herself. She said this experience taught her a lot.

7. At 25, I’m still questioning what it means to be an adult. But I know that part of it means having the financial independence to never have to rely on my parents for my decision-making. ③This is indicative of a sort of social independence as well. If I want to plan a vacation halfway around the world, I do, and no one can tell me otherwise, because I am depending on my own means to get there. I can live wherever I want because I am paying my own rent. Financial independence has allowed me absolute control over my own life — an undeniably liberating feeling.

8. There is something to be said for writing your own rent check and managing to live comfortably on your own terms. ④Shopping freely on Mom and Dad’s credit card may have its momentary appeal, but the adult part of me believes that working for what I have is much more rewarding than being handed it on a silver platter. And I have my own mom and dad to thank for that.

II. Text analysis

①After all, when parental financial aid is not only offered but expected, what is our generation learning about living on our own?  (para. 5)

翻译：毕竟，当这种经济资助不只是父母给予的，还是孩子们所期望的时候，我们这一代人还怎么学着独自生存呢？

②It’s disturbing when “adults” don’t have their credit cards linked to their own accounts for fear of overspending.  (para. 6)

翻译：“成年人”因为害怕超支而不将信用卡与自己的账户关联，这令人不安。

③This is indicative of a sort of social independence as well.  (para. 7)

翻译：这也象征着一种社会独立。

④Shopping freely on Mom and Dad’s credit card may have its momentary appeal, but the adult part of me believes that working for what I have is much more rewarding than being handed it on a silver platter.  (para. 8)

翻译：用父母的信用卡随意购物可能有短暂的吸引力，但是我思想中成熟的一面认为，通过努力获得的东西比轻而易举得来的更有意义。

III.Test     

5. Actually, this phenomenon can be noticed in many big cities. A Chicago acquaintance was promised “a big gift” to celebrate his graduation; a Boston friend received a handsome sum of subsidy after she moved into her apartment. On the one hand, young people don’t like to compete with each other; on the other hand, they do it unconsciously. ①After all, when parental financial aid is not only offered but expected, what is our generation learning about living on our own?

6. ②It’s disturbing when “adults” don’t have their credit cards linked to their own accounts for fear of overspending. A friend confessed to me that she used to think that she didn’t need to build credit. But once, when a loan arose, she did not go to her parents, but solved the problem by herself. She said this experience taught her a lot.

7. At 25, I’m still questioning what it means to be an adult. But I know that part of it means having the financial independence to never have to rely on my parents for my decision-making. ③This is indicative of a sort of social independence as well. If I want to plan a vacation halfway around the world, I do, and no one can tell me otherwise, because I am depending on my own means to get there. I can live wherever I want because I am paying my own rent. Financial independence has allowed me absolute control over my own life — an undeniably liberating feeling.

8. There is something to be said for writing your own rent check and managing to live comfortably on your own terms. ④Shopping freely on Mom and Dad’s credit card may have its momentary appeal, but the adult part of me believes that working for what I have is much more rewarding than being handed it on a silver platter. And I have my own mom and dad to thank for that.