Fragile. Oversensitive. Glued to their phones. Is this what comes to mind when we think of the teens of this generation? While this may be true, there might be more to this generation of teens than what is generally perceived.
Never before have the lives of any generation of teens been as flooded with mobile technology and social media as the teens of this generation. The popularity of social media has led to a world in which teens have to participate in Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, or else cause the social anger of their friends, some of whom communicate primarily via those online platforms. As compared to their parents or grandparents who were likely less connected and more isolated, these teens are constantly exposed to the highlight reels (高光时刻) of many in their social circles and beyond. It is no wonder that the self-esteem and mental health of this generation’s teens have taken a hit.
Moreover, the teens today are more individualistic. This is in contrast to the kampong spirit of their parents’ and grandparents’ days. Gone is the friendship among neighbours who are friendly with one another and quick to offer a helping hand when they see another in need. In its place, we have teens who may not even have a clue as to who lives in the unit next to theirs, much less offer a friendly nod or wave when they happen to cross paths with a neighbour.
Yet, the effects of technology on this generation of teens are not all bad. Arguably, the very connectedness that social media brings about has led to being more progressive. Logging onto platforms where people of all walks of life gather means that one is exposed to those people and their distinctive ways of life. In comparison, the parents or grandparents of this generation of tens probably did not have the same opportunity to get to know people outside of their social circles at their age, and are thus more likely to have fixed, stereotypical (刻板的) opinions of people different from them. This generation of teens, on the other hand, has the chance to use this technology to understand the variety and diversity out there.
【小题1】What does the underlined phrase “have taken a hit” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Have been terribly hurt. | B．Have improved a lot. |
| C．Have recovered soon. | D．Have been ignored. |
| A．Telephone your parents regularly. | B．Never say Hi to your classmates. |
| C．Share your food with neighbours. | D．Borrow money from your teacher. |
| A．They are more ambitious and active. |
| B．They are more friendly and generous. |
| C．They are more independent of their parents. |
| D．They are more open-minded and better informed. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By showing statistics. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By providing instructions. |
