“There’s no place like home.” This English saying has much truth in it: the best place to be is surrounded by our treasured possessions and our loved ones and with a roof over our head. And for many young adults, it’s the only affordable place to stay; some place where they can receive first- class service from mum and dad. But this comes at a price!
In some countries, it’s quite traditional for people in their late teens and early 20s to live at home with their parents, but in other places, flying away the nest to start their own independent life is very desirable. But there’s been a growing trend, in the UK at least, for young people to return home to live —or not to leave home at all.
According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, about a quarter of young adults aged 20-34 live at home, and that figure has been growing. A survey by a price comparison website found that 18% of adult children in the UK said they were moving back home because of debt, compared with 8% last year. More young people had lost their jobs, and others couldn't afford their rent compared with the previous year. So, it’s easy to see why they’re increasingly becoming home birds.
The BBC’s Lucy Hooker explains that many returning adult children enjoy home comforts. These include cooked meals, a full fridge and cleaning, as well as their bills being covered by what is commonly called “the hotel of mum and dad”. But for the “hoteliers”, that’s mum and dad, the survey found the average cost to them has gone up sharply, and that they are sacrificing luxuries and holidays to look after their “big kids”. Emma Craig from Moneysupermarket says “they’re trying to look after their children more. If your child comes home and you see them struggling financially, you feel more awkward asking them for rent or lo contribute.
With parents splashing out（花费）around ￡l,886 on takeaway food, buying new furniture and upgrading their Wi-Fi for the benefit of their children, it’s easy for the returning children to put their feet up and make themselves at home. That's before they learn a home truth that one day it might be their own kids who'll be checking into the hotel of mum and dad!
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true according to the text?| A．The main reason for their moving back home lies in parents' service. |
| B．Different countries have different traditions. |
| C．More and more young people live with parents in the UK. |
| D．Young people desire to live independently in all countries. |
| A．They are struggling financially. |
| B．They want to keep their parents company. |
| C．They can't afford to buy their own house. |
| D．They want to enjoy home comforts |
| A．They have difficulty making ends meet. |
| B．They feel happy with their children around. |
| C．They feel awkward asking their children for rent. |
| D．They give up their own life to take care of their kids. |
| A．A new trend in the UK. |
| B．The hotel of mum and dad. |
| C．There’s no place like home. |
| D．Everything comes at a price. |
