Old people are always saying that the young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and it is always true. It has never been truer than it is today. The young are better educated. They have a lot more money to spend and enjoy more freedom. They grow up more quickly and are not so dependent on their parents. They think more for themselves and do not blindly accept the ideals of their elders. Events which the older generation remembers vividly are nothing more than past history. This is as it should be. Every new generation is different from the one that preceded it. Today the difference is very marked indeed.
The old always assume that they know best for the simple reason that they have been around a bit longer. They don't like to feel that their values are being questioned or threatened. And this is precisely what the young are doing. They are questioning the assumptions of their elders and disturbing their complacency. Office hours, for instance, are nothing more than enforced slavery. Wouldn't people work best if they were given complete freedom and responsibility? And what about clothing? Who said that all the men in the world should wear drab grey suits and convict haircuts? If we ruin our minds to more serious matters, who said that human differences can best be solved through conventional politics or by violent means? Why have the older generation so often used violence to solve their problems? Why are they so unhappy and guilt-ridden in their personal lives, so obsessed with mean ambitions and the desire to amass more and more material possessions? Haven't the old lost touch with all that is important in life?
These are not questions the older generation can shrug off lightly. Their record over the past forty years or so hasn't been exactly spotless. Traditionally, the young have turned to their elders for guidance. Today, the situation might be reversed. The old—if they are prepared to admit it—could learn a thing or two from their children. One of the biggest lessons they could learn is that enjoyment is not "sinful". Enjoyment is a principle one could apply to all aspects of life. It is surely not wrong to enjoy your work and enjoy your leisure, to shed restricting inhibitions. It is surely not wrong to live in the present rather than in the past or future.
What's the old generation's comment on the young?
A．The young are more knowledgeable than they are about the world around.
B．The young treat historical events as seriously as they do.
C．The young do not behave the way they did when they were young.
D．The young tend to ruin their minds to more serious matters.
相关问题推荐
-
The vast majority of people in any given culture will ________ established standards of that culture.
A) confine
B) conform
C) confront
D) confirm
-
Listening to others is an even more important part of communication than speaking. Many more errors and difficulties【C1】______ misunderstanding what you've heard, so it's essential to ready yourself to listen with an open mind. Like many of us, you【C2】______ to listen actively, with.【C3】______ for accuracy, feeling, meaning, understanding and mutual creativity. You may never have been trained to【C4】______ the other person's experience of being understood.【C5】______ you may not【C6】______ that others really hear the message you intend to communicate, others don't check to【C7】______ that what you heard is【C8】______ .
What gets in the way of accurate listening? When we're worried about what we're hearing or might hear next or what we might have to do about what we hear, we may very well receive a【C9】______ message.【C10】______ that we will have to "fix it" or "control it" causes us to listen with "filters". We may want to express our own point of view. We may also want to avoid being【C11】______ or being drawn into a conflict, so we【C12】______ . what we hear, because we're already thinking about what we'll say next. It then becomes impossible to hear the speaker's true meaning. Clearly in our workplaces, families and friendship, if we【C13】______ what we think we heard instead of what was actually said, the【C14】______ of the message we received will result in responses that aren't【C15】______ . On the other side, if others don't hear us accurately, we won't feel valued.
If you want to connect with others and take appropriate actions, you must learn to listen with curiosity, empathy and a deep appreciation for the feelings, reality and creativity of another. You need to ask for【C16】______ and not【C17】______ conclusions. You need to pay close attention and "mirror" back what you hear rather than listening【C18】______ while thinking of other things or listening through filters,【C19】______ or expectations that limit or distort the message's【C20】______ meaning. We build trust when others know we understand and value them.
【C1】
A．result in
B．lead to
C．stem from
D．bring about
-
AIDS is a global problem that demands a unified, worldwide solution, which is not only the responsibility of nations in which AIDS is most ________.
A) relevant
B) prevalent
C) vigorous
D) rigorous
-
【B3】
A．visual
B．vivid
C．live
D．lively
-
What do we learn from Mortimer Zuckermans lamentation?
A.Many middle-income families have failed to make a bargain for better welfare.
B.The American economic system has caused many companies to go bankrupt.
C.The American nation is becoming more and more divided despite its wealth.
D.The majority of Americans benefit little from the nations growing wealth.