VOA标准英语2011--'Boomerang' Kids Return Home After Colle

'Boomerang' Kids Return Home After College

Going away to college used to be the ultimate flight of young people from the nest. It represented freedom for them and their parents alike.
But last school year alone, instead of flying free, a whopping 85 percent of seniors about to graduate from college told researchers they were moving back home to Mom and Dad.
They had no choice, they said. Job prospects¹ were grim in a struggling economy.
According to one estimate, 20 million young-adult Americans who left home for all sorts of reasons have moved back. Some could not afford the high cost of rental² housing on their own. Or they got into trouble with credit-card debt.
Others just wanted to save some money, or realized it’s a pretty good deal living rent-free, getting home-cooked meals, while they dabble³ in acting⁴, play in a garage band, or contemplate⁵ what they want to do with their lives.
“Boomerang kids,” they’re called - flying far away for awhile but circling back home.
And thousands of boomerangers are knocking on grandma and grandpa's doors as well. The New York Times discovered that in many towns, once the old folks come up with the money to move into a condominium community, younger relatives happily join them.
If you peek⁶ at the tennis courts, swimming pools, or exercise classes at America’s “active adult” luxury retirement⁷ communities, you’ll see not just gray-haired men and women but also much younger adults in the prime of their lives.
Not that there aren’t tough choices at the gated retirement village. Should we do aerobics⁸ today, or play golf? And what did you say is on the menu for dinner?
It’s true that going home to your parents or grandparents has its drawbacks. But how many bachelor pads have central air conditioning, a washing machine and dryer⁹ down the hall, and keys to the family car hanging by the door?
Wait, these boomerangers tell the Times, despite the amenities¹⁰ of condo life, there are hardships. Living with parents or grandparents can put a real damper on one’s love life.

1 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

2 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

3 dabble   

v.涉足，浅赏

参考例句：

• They dabble in the stock market.他们少量投资于股市。
• Never dabble with things of which you have no knowledge.绝不要插手你不了解的事物。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

6 peek   

vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥

参考例句：

• Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
• Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛，别偷看。

7 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

8 aerobics   

n.健身操，健美操，韵律操

参考例句：

• Doing aerobics is a good way to improve one's health.做有氧健身操是改善健康状况的一个好方法。
• Aren't you going to the aerobics class this morning?今天上午你不是去上有氧运动课吗？

9 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

10 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》