經濟學人商論｜一代人的精神狀態——少年與屏幕｜第65篇精讀

外刊精讀筆記

第65篇精讀 By Shelly

原文

A generation』s mood

Teens and screens

Cutting adolescents』 use of smartphones and social media is a poor solution to their problems

FIRST they went for tobacco, coal and sugar. Now they are targeting smartphones and social media. On January 6th two large investors in Apple demanded that the technology company must help parents curtail their children』s iPhone use, citing research into the links between adolescent social-media habits and risk factors for suicide, such as depression. Old and new media abound with reports about phones』 addictive, mind-warping properties. On the school run, parents compare tactics for limiting screen time.

Something has made today』s teenagers different from teenagers in the past. As well as being far more temperate and better-behaved, they seem more anxious and unhappy. School surveys by the OECD, a club of mostly rich countries, suggest that 15-year-olds find it harder to make friends. In America—though, phone-bashers should note, not in the rich world as a whole—suicides of young people are up.

Before stampeding for the off switch, parents and others should ask two questions. First, are iPhones, Instagram and so on actually to blame for adolescents』 problems? Second, will curtailing their use do much good? On the available evidence, the answers are, respectively, maybe and no.

Some studies of Britain and America, which conduct large surveys of young people, have found correlations between heavy technology use and unhappiness. Correlation is not causation, however: it could be that unhappy people seek refuge online. And the correlations are very weak. Only about 1% of the variability in young people』s mental wellbeing can be explained by social-media or smartphone use. One British study suggests that eating breakfast regularly is more than three times as important.

（to be continued）

——原文和譯文來自2018.2月經濟學人商論APP

筆記

A generation』s mood一代人的精神狀態

Teens and screens少年與屏幕

Cutting adolescents』 use of smartphones and social media is a poor solution to their problems

要解決青少年問題，減少他們使用智能手機和社交媒體的時間是下策

辭彙複習

smart phone：智能手機

solution to their problems: 「......的解決辦法」不用solution of sth，而是solution to，其中to是介詞，後面跟名詞，名詞片語，代詞，動名詞。另外「......的關鍵」，「......的方法」也是用to，也就是「key to」，「approach to」，to均為介詞。

翻譯技巧

·Cutting adolescents』 use of smartphones and social media is a poor solution to their problems要解決青少年問題，減少他們使用智能手機和社交媒體的時間是下策

（翻譯表達積累：poor solution to...——下策）

FIRST they went for tobacco, coal and sugar. Now they are targeting smartphones and social media. On January 6th two large investors in Apple demanded that the technology company must help parents curtail their children』s iPhone use, citing research into the links between adolescent social-media habits and risk factors for suicide, such as depression. Old and new media abound with reports about phones』 addictive, mind-warping properties. On the school run, parents compare tactics for limiting screen time.

他們先是抨擊煙草、煤炭和糖，現在又盯上了智能手機和社交媒體。1月6日，蘋果公司的兩大投資者敦促這家科技公司幫助家長控制孩子使用iPhone的時間。他們援引的相關研究指出，青少年使用社交媒體的習慣和抑鬱等自殺風險因素存在關聯。新舊媒體上滿是使用手機成癮、扭曲心智的報道。家長們也會在接送孩子上下學時交流限制孩子「屏幕時間」的辦法。

辭彙複習

·go for sb：襲擊某人；抨擊(或攻擊)某人▽She went for him with a knife.她手持尖刀向他刺去。還有幾個經常見到的意思是：1.「適用於某人(或某事物)」▽They have a high level of unemployment—but the same goes for many other countries.他們的失業率很高——不過，其他許多國家也是如此。2. 「被…所吸引；(更)喜歡某人(或某事物)」▽She goes for tall slim men.她喜歡瘦高個子的男人。▽I don"t really go for modern art.我並不是很喜歡現代藝術。3.選擇某物▽I think I"ll go for the fruit salad.我想要水果色拉。4.努力爭取某事物▽Go for it, John! You know you can beat him.努力爭取吧，約翰！你知道你是可以打敗他的。▽It sounds a great idea. Go for it !這聽起來是個極好的主意。努力去實現吧！

·target VT（經常用被動）:把…作為攻擊目標；把…作為批評的對象▽The company has been targeted by animal rights groups for its use of dogs in drugs trials.這家公司因用狗做藥物試驗而成為動物保護團體批評的對象。（該段中target和前一句的go for一個意思。）

·curtail/ k:5teIl/VT:減少，縮減，削減;限制（drastically, seriously, severely curtail：急劇縮減；嚴重削弱）▽His power has been severely curtailed.他的權力已經被大大削弱了。（可代替reduce, shorten, decrease, diminish）

·cite VT:提及(原因)；舉出(示例)；列舉▽He cited his heavy workload as the reason for his breakdown.他提到繁重的工作負荷是導致他累垮的原因。這裡翻譯為「援引」，同意思的還有一個在新聞中經常見到的詞——quote /kw??t/，經常使用的搭配是：quote (sth) (from sb/sth)/quote (sb) (as doing sth)▽The President was quoted in the press as saying that he disagreed with the decision.報刊援引總統的話，說他不贊成這項決定。

·abound/??ba?nd/ VI:充滿，大量存在（abound with/in sth）Examples of this abound in her book.這樣的例子在她書中比比皆是。

表示「充滿」我們有常用的be full of, be filled with，但是這兩個已經被用爛了，為了脫穎而出，我們可以使用這裡出現的abound with，再舉幾個例子：

1.[2017.8月經濟學人商論|全新的工作方式]中有一句話，

The meatiest part of the book is the treatment of platform economics,replete withdemand-curve charts.這本書的重頭戲是對平台經濟學的分析，而且輔以大量的需求曲線圖表。

「replete with demand-curve charts.」這句是形容詞短語做狀語，通常要去掉加在形容詞前面構成系表結構的be動詞或其他系動詞，所以千萬不可以寫成being replete with。這裡「be replete with」就是「充滿的」意思。

2.[2018.2月經濟學人商論|創意火種]該篇介紹了了兩本探索創造力進化根源的新書，以科學但又感性的方式探討創造力，

For a short book, 「The Origins of Creativity」 isbrimming withideas, many of which wander, as Mr. Wilson』s writing often does, beyond the brief of the title.《創造力的起源》篇幅不長，但觀點疊出，其中不少都不囿於書名所指議題——威爾遜的著作經常如此。

該句中「brim with」也是「滿溢，充滿」的意思▽Her heart was brimming over with happiness.她心中洋溢著幸福。（注意它的結構是A brim with B，brim是不及物動詞，後面跟賓語要加介詞with,不用被動。而replete是形容詞，be replete with是主系表結構。）

3.[2018.2經濟學人商論|非凡人物周小川]中有一句話描寫中國剛加入世貿組織時期，外國投資者對這位央行行長的描述，

He seemed safe to ignore: another black-haired, bespectacled official whose talkwas littered withsocialist bromides.看起來，忽視他也沒什麼風險：這不過是又一位黑頭髮、戴眼鏡的官員，一張嘴便是社會主義慣用的陳詞濫調。

這裡有一個「be littered with」是從「litter...with...」變被動過來的，通常指的是「充滿不好的東西」，因為litter有不可數名詞「垃圾」的意思。比如我們說網頁上充斥著大量垃圾廣告，就可以說「The Internet is littered with junk advertisements.」

總結一下「充滿」我們可以用abound with, brim with, be replete with；如果是「充滿不好的東西，充斥」可以用「be littered with」。[表達積累]

·wrap VI/VT:變形，扭曲；使變形，使扭曲▽The window frames had begun to warp.窗框已經開始變形。▽The individual"s whole personality appears to be permanently warped.這個人的整個人格似乎被永遠地扭曲了。（表示扭曲還可以用twist,distort[小結]）

·property CN:性質；特性▽Compare the physical properties of the two substances.比較一下這兩種物質的物理特性。▽a plant with medicinal properties藥用植物

·on the school run:這其中的run的意思是「(尤指短程或定期，乘交通工具的)旅程，航程」▽They took the car out for a run.他們乘汽車出去旅行。

·tactic CN:策略；手段；招數▽They tried all kinds of tactics to get us to go.他們施盡所有的招數想讓我們離去。▽delaying tactics拖延戰術▽Confrontation is not always the best tactic.對抗並非總是上策。(「上策」這裡用的「the best tactic」，下策可以使用題目中的「the poor solution to...」）

語法分析

·On January 6th two large investors in Apple demanded that the technology company must help parents curtail their children』s iPhone use, citing research into the links between adolescent social-media habits and risk factors for suicide, such as depression. 1月6日，蘋果公司的兩大投資者敦促這家科技公司幫助家長控制孩子使用iPhone的時間。他們援引的相關研究指出，青少年使用社交媒體的習慣和抑鬱等自殺風險因素存在關聯。

（語法點1. 「On January 6th」。在表示日期的時候，如果表示在幾月，介詞用in；在某年，介詞依然用in；如果表示在某天，用on，所以day的搭配是on。「某年某月某天」用on，「某月某日」也用on，只要是具體到某一天，都用on。

語法點2.文中用到了demand的一詞，後面接了賓語從句，嚴格來說從句中的謂語動詞要虛擬，形式是（should）+動詞原形，should經常省略，只保留動詞原形。類似用法的還有insist, require, desire, require, request, propose, suggest, advise, command, order, recommend，這幾個要特別記憶一下。[複習]文中從句中用的是must do，嚴格來說是不規則的，翻譯和寫作的時候建議還是按照嚴格語法來寫。

語法點3.「citing research into the links between adolescent social-media habits and risk factors for suicide, such as depression.」是現在分詞做原因狀語，其邏輯主語是「investors」，它們之間是主動關係，所以用現在分詞。）

翻譯技巧

·FIRST they went for tobacco, coal and sugar. Now they are targeting smartphones and social media.他們先是抨擊煙草、煤炭和糖，現在又盯上了智能手機和社交媒體。

（翻譯表達積累：抨擊——go for/target...）

·On January 6th two large investors in Apple demanded that the technology company must help parents curtail their children』s iPhone use, citing research into the links between adolescent social-media habits and risk factors for suicide, such as depression. 1月6日，蘋果公司的兩大投資者敦促這家科技公司幫助家長控制孩子使用iPhone的時間。他們援引的相關研究指出，青少年使用社交媒體的習慣和抑鬱等自殺風險因素存在關聯。

（技巧1.中文兩個句號，前後兩句之間是因果關係，後一句是因，前一句是果，兩句的主語也是同一個，所以我們可以把表示原因的一句處理非謂語，翻譯出來就是原文的樣子。

技巧2. 「援引的相關研究指出，青少年使用社交媒體的習慣和抑鬱等自殺風險因素存在關聯。」這句很容易翻譯成「citing research which indicates that adolescent social-media habitsarelinked with risk factors for suicide, such as depression.」這樣就普通了，其實「research研究」有一個搭配「research into」，而介詞into的賓語是link，可以用這個短語避免使用過多普通的賓語從句。

技巧3.翻譯表達積累：控制——curtail）

·Old and new media abound with reports about phones』 addictive, mind-warping properties.新舊媒體上滿是使用手機成癮、扭曲心智的報道。

（翻譯表達積累：充滿——abound with。這句話中充滿的是不好的東西，所以可以用剛才介紹的「be littered with」，也就是「Old and new media are littered with reports about phones』 addictive, mind-warping properties.」）

Something has made today』s teenagers different from teenagers in the past. As well as being far more temperate and better-behaved, they seem more anxious and unhappy. School surveys by the OECD, a club of mostly rich countries, suggest that 15-year-olds find it harder to make friends. In America—though, phone-bashers should note, not in the rich world as a whole—suicides of young people are up.

世易時移，如今的青少年與以往世代的同齡人有所不同。一方面他們溫和規矩得多，另一方面似乎也更焦慮和不快樂。經合組織（OECD，成員主要為富裕國家）開展的學校調查表明，現在15歲的青少年覺得更難交到朋友。在美國，年輕人的自殺率在上升——但抨擊手機的人要知道，富裕國家整體上並非如此。

辭彙複習

·behave VI:表現▽He was a little boy, but he behaved as if/though he was an adult.他是一個小男孩，但卻表現得像個大人。▽（badly/well behaved不守規矩/守規矩）a well-behaved child規規矩矩的孩子//a very well-behaved dog非常聽話的狗

//The crowd was well-behaved.人群很守秩序。▽（behave oneself守規矩）Students should be encouraged to develop good habits and better behave themselves.應當鼓勵學生養成良好的習慣，行為更加規矩。（在日常英語中，人們常用good來表示孩子表現好，而不說well-behaved▽Have the children been good ?孩子們乖不乖？）

·OECD:經濟合作與發展組織（Organization for Economic Cooperation and development。簡稱經合組織，是由35個市場經濟國家組成的政府間國際經濟組織，旨在共同應對全球化帶來的經濟、社會和政府治理等方面的挑戰，並把握全球化帶來的機遇。成立於1961年，目前成員國總數35個，總部設在巴黎。中國沒有位列其中。）

·bash VT:嚴厲批評▽Bashing politicians is normal practice in the press.嚴厲批判政治人物乃是新聞界常事。▽a liberal-bashing administration打擊自由主義的政府（上一段中的go for也是這層意思。）

語法分析

·Something has made today』s teenagers different from teenagers in the past.世易時移，如今的青少年與以往世代的同齡人有所不同。

（「made //today』s teenagers //different from teenagers in the past」中「different from teenagers in the past」是形容詞片語做賓語teenagers的賓補。）

·As well as being far more temperate and better-behaved, they seem more anxious and unhappy.一方面他們溫和規矩得多，另一方面似乎也更焦慮和不快樂。

（「as well as」在這裡是「和；也；除......之外」的意思。注意as well as連接主語時，謂語動詞應與as well as前的主語保持人稱和數的一致，也就是就遠原則。▽The teacher as well as his studentsisgoing to plant trees tomorrow.明天不但學生們去指數，老師也去。另外「with, along with, together with, as well as, rather than, but, except」連接兩個主語的時候，謂語動詞的單複數和它們前面的主語保持一致。另外還有一個和well有關的常見的短語「may/might (just) as well do sth做某事也無妨」▽Since we haven』t gone very far, we might just as well turn around to get the map.既然我們還沒走遠，不妨返回去取地圖。）

Before stampeding for the off switch, parents and others should ask two questions. First, are iPhones, Instagram and so on actually to blame for adolescents』 problems? Second, will curtailing their use do much good? On the available evidence, the answers are, respectively, maybe and no.

在慌忙給孩子們斷網前，家長和其他人應該先弄清兩個問題。第一，青少年問題的罪魁禍首真的是iPhone和Instagram這些東西嗎？第二，強行減少他們使用這些東西的時間會有很大的益處嗎？根據現有證據，這兩個問題的答案分別為：也許是和不會。

辭彙複習

·stamped for：匆忙做

·the off switch：off switch來自動詞片語switch off，這裡倒過來變成了名詞。

·be to blame (for sth)：歸咎於，（對某事）負有責任▽The severe housing shortage is largely to blame for the inflated rents.住房奇缺是租金猛漲的重要原因。（注意：to be to blame表示「應對此負責」、「是自己的過錯」，雖然意義是被動的，但形式上不用累贅的被動式to be to be blamed。）

·do much good:有好處，有益（「有好處」還可以用be beneficial to, be conductive to, be instructive to）

·available evidence ADJ:一般情況下available是表語形容詞，也就是更多的時候做的是表語，而不是定語，如果做定語，要放在被修飾詞的後面。（英語中，有一類形容詞叫做表語形容詞。一些以a-開頭的形容詞（字母a通常弱讀）如alive, afraid, awake, alone, asleep, available等，就屬於這一類。這類形容詞一般做表語；如果做定語，則必須置於被修飾詞的後面。▽Doctor have a variety of drugs available.醫生都備有各種各樣的藥物。▽We are doing our best with the limited resources available.我們正利用可獲得的有限資源，盡最大努力。▽Money alone can』t bring happiness.錢本身不能帶來幸福。▽He is one of the most famous pianists alive in the world today.他是當今世界在世的最著名的鋼琴家之一。）但是該段中兩個available都放在了被修飾詞的前面，其實available也是可以放在名詞前面的，但是如果同表示「有」或「存在」的動詞連用，通常要放在名詞後面▽There are currently five categories available.目前有五類。//There is almost no food available on the market.市場上幾乎沒有食品出售。不過安全起見，我們翻譯或寫作的時候，最好把它放在後面。

·evidence UN:證據（只需要注意一點，作為「證據」講，尤其（法庭上的）證據，一般都是不可數名詞。）

·respective ADJ:分別的；各自的▽They are each recognized specialists in their respective fields.他們在各自的領域都被視為專家。▽the respective roles of men and women in society男女在社會中各自的角色

·respectively /r??sp?kt?vl?/ADV:分別地▽Their sons were three and six respectively.他們的兒子們分別是3歲和6歲。[口譯高頻辭彙]

Some studies of Britain and America, which conduct large surveys of young people, have found correlations between heavy technology use and unhappiness. Correlation is not causation, however: it could be that unhappy people seek refuge online. And the correlations are very weak. Only about 1% of the variability in young people』s mental wellbeing can be explained by social-media or smartphone use. One British study suggests that eating breakfast regularly is more than three times as important.

英美一些針對年輕人的大規模調查發現，重度使用科技產品與鬱鬱寡歡之間存在關聯。然而，相關性不等於因果關係：也可能是不快樂的人在網上尋求逃避。而且這一關聯性很微弱。使用社交媒體或手機只能解釋年輕人約1%的心理健康變化。英國一項研究表明，按時吃早餐與心理健康的關聯性要高出兩倍以上。

辭彙複習

·conduct a survey:做調查。「做/進行調查」可以用的動詞搭配是do, carry out, make, conduct, perform。其中survey這個詞我們不陌生，這裡請大家記幾個搭配▽field survey實地調查▽pilot survey試點調查▽survey into對......的調查（同上面提到的research into，使用介詞搭配，可以大大縮減句子，體現英文中善用介詞代替動詞的語言特點。）

·correlation CN:相互關係；相關；關聯▽There is a direct correlation between exposure to sun and skin cancer.暴露在太陽下與皮膚癌直接相關。▽the correlation of social power with wealth社會權力與財富的相關性▽weak correlation牽強的相關性

·causation UN:起因，誘因；因果關係

·refuge/ˋr?fjud?/UN:避難;庇護▽（take / seek refuge (in sth)）All too often, they get bored, and seek refuge in drink and drugs.太多的時候，他們覺得無聊就在酒精和毒品中尋求慰藉。（seek的過去式和過去分詞是sought, sought）▽As the situation at home got worse she increasingly took refuge in her work.隨著家庭情況的惡化，她越來越在工作中尋求慰藉。▽（refuge against/from）Home is a refuge against the pressures of work.家是躲開工作壓力的地方。▽The cave provided refuge from the storm.山洞是躲避暴風雨的地方。

·variability/ vε?ri?"bil?ti /UN:可變性；易變性；反覆不定▽climatic variability氣候的多變性▽a degree of variability in the exchange rate匯率的變化幅度

·well-being UN:舒適;健康;幸福;〔國家的〕繁榮▽We are responsible for the care and well-being of all our patients.我們對我們所有病人的保健和健康負有責任。▽（a sense / feeling of well-being）A good meal promotes a feeling of well-being.一頓美食能增強幸福感。▽（physical / psychological / material wellbeing）the physical and emotional well-being of the children兒童的身心健康▽We are now concerned for the economic well-being of the country.我們目前關注的是國家的經濟繁榮。▽（contribute to/ensure/foster/promote the well-being有助於健康；保證健康；謀福利；促進健康）A better water supply would contribute dramatically to the villagers』 well-being.改善供水會大大有助於村民的生活。政府工作報告中經常提到的「人們安居樂業」表達出來就是「people』s well-being」。

語法分析

·One British study suggests that eating breakfast regularly is more than three times as important.英國一項研究表明，按時吃早餐與心理健康的關聯性要高出兩倍以上。

（該句中出現了倍數表達法。複習一下倍數表達法：倍數表達法一般有三種方法：1.平級：倍數+as+adj/adv+as; 2.倍數+比較級+than; 3.倍數+ the size/length/ width/height of…。舉個例子，我們的教室是他們的三倍大。1. Our class room is 3 times as large as theirs. 2. Our classroom is 3 times larger than theirs. 3. Our classroom is 3 times the size of theirs.可以看一下，倍數全部放在了前面。兩倍的表達是「twice」，從三倍開始是「數字+times」。Time當「次數，倍數」講時可數名詞。很明顯該句使用的是第一種，但是不是「as...as...」，而是只有一個as。大家看到as多多少少都有點沒有把握，「as…as」通常被解釋成固定搭配「和……一樣」，但它們不一定一起出現。首先要理解兩個as的詞性，第一個as是副詞「和……一樣」的意思，其後通常接形容詞或副詞(用原級)，第二個as可用作介詞(後接名詞或代詞)或連詞(後接從句)，第二個as後面如果沒有接東西，完全可以不出現。[高頻知識點]）

翻譯技巧

·Some studies of Britain and America, which conduct large surveys of young people, have found correlations between heavy technology use and unhappiness.英美一些針對年輕人的大規模調查發現，重度使用科技產品與鬱鬱寡歡之間存在關聯。

（翻譯表達積累：重度使用科技產品——heavy technology use。這裡把中文中「重度使用科技產品」這樣的主謂結構，轉化成了英文中「對科技產品的重度使用」這樣的定中結構。）

·Only about 1% of the variability in young people』s mental wellbeing can be explained by social-media or smartphone use.使用社交媒體或手機只能解釋年輕人約1%的心理健康變化。

（按照中譯英來看，我們重新理解一下中文，也就是「年輕人約1%的心理健康變化歸咎於使用社交媒體或手機」，翻譯為「Social-media or smartphone use is to blame for only about 1% of the variability in young people』s mental wellbeing」。或者用片語「attribute/ascribe...to...」，翻譯為「Only about 1% of the variability in young people』s mental wellbeing is attributed/ascribe to social-media or smartphone use」，當然也可以用片語result in, result from, lead to, due to, owing to等，大家可以自行造句。）

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