第十四篇　The Sandwich Generation(2014新)

　　Today people often look forward to their middle age as a time when they will be able to take things easier. After their children are grown, they expect to enjoy the life they have worked hard to create. However the reality is often very different. In middle age, many people discover that they have two ongoing responsibilities: one is to look after their aging parents,and the other is to help their young adult children deal with the pressures of life. Around the world, there are millions of people who are “sandwiched”in between the older and the younger generations. Sometimes there may be two or three generations living in the same household — a situation that is common in many Asian countries and in some parts of Europe. In other cases, a couple may be taking care of parents and children, but they do not live with them.

　　There are two important reasons for the rise of the sandwich generation. First, people are living longer than they used to. In the early nineteenth century, the average life expectancy for adults in the United States，for example，was about 40，whereas today people live to an average age of 75. Therefore, children are taking care of their parents over a longer period of time. The second reason is that these days, young adults often live with their parents for a longer time than they did in the past. This is often for financial reasons. It’s also more common for today’s young adults to return home during or after college if they need financial or emotional support.

　　People who take care of elderly parents often face difficult issues. They may have to cover expenses that their parents cannot. They may have to manage their parents’ financial and legal affairs. They may have to prepare for their parents’ future needs, such as special medical care or a move to a nursing home. This can be a traumatic experience for everyone.

　　Caring for adult children presents challenges as well, and caregivers have to resolve important questions; How can financial responsibilities be shared among members of the household? How can household chores be shared? What is the best way to ensure everyone’s privacy? Successfully coping with these issues can avoid a lot of stress for the whole family.

　　The financial and emotional pressures on the sandwich generation can be overwhelming. However, this time in life also has its rewards. It can be a time to rediscover the special qualities of one’s parents or children. It can also provide a valuable opportunity to spend more time with them. However, in order to survive this difficult period in their lives, the members of the sandwich generation must remember that they also need to pay attention to their own needs and look after the quality of their own lives. They can’t be totally selfless.

　　词汇：

　　sandwich 三明治 life expectancy 预期寿命

　　traumatic 使人不快的 resolve 解决

　　overwhelming 令人难以应对的 selfless 无私的;不考虑自己的

　　注释：

　　1.two ongoing responsibilities意为“同时担负两项责任”。

　　2.It’s also more common for today’s young adults to return home during or after college if they need financial or emotional support.：现在，年轻人在上大学期间或毕业后还会回家，以寻求经济或情感支持，这种情况也很常见。

　　3.Successfully coping with these issues can avoid a lot of stress for the whole family.：成功解决这些问题，就可以为整个家庭减轻很大负担。

　　译文：三明治一代

　　现在很多人都向往中年，觉得到那个时候就能放松一下了。孩子们长大了，中年人期望有时间享受努力工作创造的生活，但是现实却不允许。到了中年，许多人发现自己同时担负两项责任，一个是照顾老去的父母，二个是帮助刚成年的孩子分担生活的压力。全世界有数百万人像三明治一样夹在两代人中间。有些情况下，两代或三代人住在一起，这在许多亚洲国家和一些欧洲国家很常见。在有些家庭中，夫妇俩会照看父母和孩子，但并不与他们居住在一起。

　　三明治一代人数的增加有两个重要原因：一是人们的寿命比以前长了。比如在19世纪早期，美国人的平均寿命在40岁左右，而现在人们通常能活到75岁。因此，孩子们照顾父母的时间变长了。二是出于经济考虑，现在的年轻人跟父母住的时间比以前长了。现在，年轻人在上大学期间或毕业后还会回家，以寻求经济和情感支持，这种情况也很常见。

　　照顾年迈父母的人常常要面对一些问题。他们要解决几个重要问题：家庭成员间该怎样分担经济负担?家务活怎样分配?怎样才能更好地保护每个人的隐私?成功解决这些问题，就可以为整个家庭减轻很大负担。

　　三明治一代肩上的经济和精神压力可能使他们不堪重负，但中年这段时间也给他们带来回报。这段时间可能会使他们重新发现自己的父母或孩子的特殊才能，同时也给家庭成员共度欢乐时光提供了机会。然而，为了度过生命中这段艰难的时光，三明治一代也要注意，一定要注意自身的需求和健康，不能只为别人考虑而忽视了自己。