日常英語 認識一下九五后這代年輕人

你也許聽說過 “九五后” 這個稱謂。在西方很多國家，人們把出生于九十年代中葉后，2010年前的年輕人統(tǒng)稱為 “Z世代”。有人認為，出生于互聯(lián)網(wǎng)時代的他們對科技產(chǎn)物有著天生的敏銳感。你了解這代人嗎？你同意這種用年齡歸類的方式嗎？

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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?

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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?

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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?