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X世代和婴儿潮世代老人的独居问题(中)
- Authors
让独居挑战雪上加霜的是，越来越多的老年人——55岁及以上的美国人中约有六分之一——没有子女，这引发了未来几十年如何照顾老年人的疑问。
双语精读
In many ways, the nation's housing stock has grown out of sync with these shifting demographics.
在许多方面，美国的住房存量已经与这些不断变化的人口结构脱节。
Many solo adults live in homes with at least three bedrooms, census data shows, but find that downsizing is not easy because of a shortage of smaller homes in their towns and neighborhoods.
人口普查数据显示，许多单身成年人住在至少有三间卧室的房子里，但他们发现缩小住房面积并不容易，因为他们所在的城镇和附近地区缺少较小的房子。
Compounding the challenge of living solo, a growing share of older adults-about 1 in 6 Americans 55 and older-do not have children, raising questions about how elder care will be managed in the coming decades.
让独居挑战雪上加霜的是，越来越多的老年人——55岁及以上的美国人中约有六分之一——没有子女，这引发了未来几十年如何照顾老年人的疑问。
"What will happen to this cohort?" Dr. Schafer asked. "Can they continue to find other supports that compensate for living alone?"
“这群人会怎么样呢？”谢弗问道，“他们还能找到其他帮助，以补偿独居的孤寂吗？”
For many solo adults, the pandemic highlighted the challenges of aging. Ms. Selman, the 55-year-old professor, lived in Terre Haute, Indiana, when Covid-19 hit.
对于许多单身成年人来说，疫情突显了衰老带来的挑战。 当新冠肺炎来袭时，现年55岁的塞尔曼教授住在印第安纳州的特雷豪特。
Divorced for 17 years, she said she used the enforced isolation to establish new routines to stave off loneliness and depression. She quit drinking and began regularly calling a group of female friends.
离婚17年的她说，她利用强制隔离期来养成新的习惯，以缓解孤独和抑郁。她戒酒了，并开始定期给一群女性朋友打电话。
This year, she got a new job and moved to Normal, Illinois, in part because she wanted to live in a state that better reflected her progressive politics.
今年，她找到了一份新工作，搬到了伊利诺伊州的诺默尔，部分原因是她想生活在一个更能反映她的进步主义政治观的州。
She has met new friends at a farmers' market, she said, and is happier than she was before the pandemic, even though she occasionally wishes she had a romantic partner to take motorcycle rides with her or just to help carry laundry up and down the stairs of her three-bedroom home.
她说，她在一个农贸市场结识了新朋友，比疫情前更快乐，尽管她偶尔希望有一个恋人和她一起骑摩托车，或者只是在她的三居室家里帮忙把洗好的衣服搬到楼上楼下。
She regularly drives 12 hours round trip to care for her parents near Detroit, an obligation that has persuaded her to put away her retirement fantasy of living near the beach, and move someday closer to her daughter and grandson, who live in Louisville, Kentucky. "I don't want my daughter to stress out about me," she said.
为了照顾住在底特律附近的父母，她经常开车往返12个小时，这一义务使她放弃了退休后住在海滩附近的幻想，也让她需要在将来搬到离住在肯塔基州路易斯维尔的女儿和孙子更近的地方。“我不想让女儿为我感到担心。”她说。
Watching their own parents age seems to have had a profound effect on many members of Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, who say they doubt that they can lean on the same supports that their parents did: long marriages, pensions, homes that sometimes skyrocketed in value.
看到自己父母变老似乎对出生于1965年至1980年之间的X世代产生了深远影响，他们说，他们怀疑自己能否拥有像父母那样的依靠：长久的婚姻、养老金，以及有时价值飙升的住房。
When his mother died two years ago, Mr. Miles, the videographer, took comfort in moving some of her furniture into his house in New Haven, Connecticut.
录像片制作人迈尔斯的母亲两年前去世，然后他把母亲的一些家具搬到了他位于康涅狄格州纽黑文的家中，这让他感到慰藉。
"It was a coming home psychologically," he said, allowing him to feel rooted after decades of cross-country moves and peripatetic career explorations, shifting from the music business to high school teaching to producing films for nonprofits and companies.
“从心理上讲，这是一次回家。”他说，这让他在经历了数十年的旅居各国和漂泊不定的职业探索后感到扎下了根，他从音乐行业转向高中教学，再到为非营利性组织和公司制作影片。
"I still feel pretty indestructible, foolishly or not," he said. Still, caring for his divorced mother made him think about his own future.
“我仍然觉得自己坚不可摧，不管这是不是愚蠢。”他说。尽管如此，照顾离异的母亲还是让他思考了自己的未来。
She had a government pension, security he lacks. Nor does he have children. "I can't call my kid," he added, "the way I used to go to my mom's house to change light bulbs." His options for maintaining independence are "all terrible," he said. "I'm totally freaked out by it."
他的母亲有政府养老金，这种保障是他所缺乏的。他也没有子女。“我不能打电话给子女，”他补充道，“没有人像我过去那样去我妈妈家换灯泡。他说，能够让他保持独立的选择“都很糟糕”。“我完全被它吓坏了。”
Several Gen X solo dwellers said they had begun exploring options to live communally as they age, inspired, in part, by living arrangements they had enjoyed in college years and young adulthood.
几个X世代的独居者说，随着年龄增长，他们已经开始探索集体生活的可能性，部分灵感来自于在大学和年轻时的生活安排。
"I've been talking to friends about end-of-life issues and how we might want to get together," said Patrick McComb, 56, of Riverview, Michigan, a graphic artist. "Being alone till the end would not be the worst thing in the world. But I would prefer to be with people."
56岁的帕特里克·麦库姆住在密歇根州的里弗维尤，是一位平面艺术家，他说：“我一直在和朋友们讨论临终问题，我们可能想要住在一起。” “孤独终老并不是世界上最糟糕的事情。但我更喜欢和其他人在一起。”
词汇预习
occasionally [高考]
美[əˈkeɪʒnəli] | 英[əˈkeɪʒnəli]
adv. 偶尔地
lean [高考]
美[liːn] | 英[liːn]
v. （身体）倾斜；倾向于做；依靠；倚靠，靠在 adj. 瘦且健康的；（肉）瘦的，脂肪少的；不景气的，贫乏的；精简的，效率高的；（混合汽化燃料）空气所占比例高的，稀化的 n. 倾斜，歪曲；瘦肉 【名】（Lean）（丹）利恩（人名）
retirement [高考]
美[rɪˈtaɪərmənt] | 英[rɪˈtaɪəmənt]
n. 退休；隐匿处
adulthood [高考]
美[əˈdʌlthʊd] | 英[ˈædʌlthʊd]
n. 成年
romantic [高考]
美[roʊˈmæntɪk] | 英[rəʊˈmæntɪk]
adj. 浪漫的；不切实际的 n. 浪漫的人
depression [高考]
美[dɪˈpreʃn] | 英[dɪˈpreʃn]
n. 沮丧；萧条
profound [高考]
美[prəˈfaʊnd] | 英[prəˈfaʊnd]
adj. 深奥的；渊博的；极度的；意义深远的
isolation [高考]
美[ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃn] | 英[ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃn]
n. 隔离；孤立
data [高考]
美[ˈdeɪtə] | 英[ˈdeɪtə]
n. 数据；资料
quit [高考]
美[kwɪt] | 英[kwɪt]
v. 停止；离开；退出；辞职 n. 离开；[计] 退出 adj. 摆脱了…的；已经了结的
security [高考]
美[sɪˈkjʊrəti] | 英[sɪˈkjʊərəti]
n. 安全；保证；证券；债券；抵押；防护措施
Ms. [高考]
美[mɪz] | 英[mɪz]
n. 女士，小姐
fantasy [高考]
美[ˈfæntəsi] | 英[ˈfæntəsi]
n. 幻想 v. 幻想
laundry [高考]
美[ˈlɑːndri] | 英[ˈlɔːndri]
n. 洗衣店；洗衣；要洗的衣服
politics [高考]
美[ˈpɑːlətɪks] | 英[ˈpɒlətɪks]
n. 政治；政治学；政治活动；政治策略；政见
compensate [高考]
美[ˈkɑːmpenseɪt] | 英[ˈkɒmpenseɪt]
v. 补偿；赔偿；付报酬
pension [高考]
美[ˈpenʃn] | 英[ˈpenʃn]
n. 养老金；退休金；抚恤金；年金；（欧洲等地的）私人小旅店 v. 发退休金
in part [高考]
美[ɪn pɑːrt] | 英[ɪn pɑːt]
部分地
living [高考]
美[ˈlɪvɪŋ] | 英[ˈlɪvɪŋ]
adj. 活着的；生动的 n. 生活；生计
housing [高考]
美[ˈhaʊzɪŋ] | 英[ˈhaʊzɪŋ]
n. 房屋；外壳；外套；外罩；住宅；卡箍；遮盖物；(芯片的)封装
obligation [高考]
美[ˌɑːblɪˈɡeɪʃn] | 英[ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃn]
n. 义务；责任
solo [高考]
美[ˈsoʊloʊ] | 英[ˈsəʊləʊ]
n. 独奏；独唱 adj. 单独的 adv. 单独地 v. 单独表演；[空]放单飞(飞行员一个人开飞机,无教练陪同)
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
progressive [四级]
美[prəˈɡresɪv] | 英[prəˈɡresɪv]
adj. 先进的；前进的；渐进的；革新的(音乐上的） n. 进步分子；革新主义者
loneliness [四级]
美[ˈloʊnlinəs] | 英[ˈləʊnlinəs]
n. 孤独；寂寞
psychologically [四级]
美[ˌsaɪkəˈlɑdʒɪkli] | 英[ˌsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəli]
adv. 精神上地；心理上地
census [四级]
美[ˈsensəs] | 英[ˈsensəs]
n. 人口普查；户口普查；统计
cross-country [四级]
美[ˌkrɔːs ˈkʌntri] | 英[ˌkrɒs ˈkʌntri]
adj. 越野的；横过田野的 n. 越野运动
stave [四级]
美[stev] | 英[steɪv]
n. 桶板；窄板；诗句；诗节；五线谱表 v. 敲破；穿孔；挡开；避开；快步走动
graphic [四级]
美[ˈɡræfɪk] | 英[ˈɡræfɪk]
adj. 生动的；图表的 n. 图表
live in [四级]
美[liv ɪn] | 英[liv in]
v. 住进
effect on [四级]
美[ɪˈfɛkt ɑn] | 英[iˈfekt ɔn]
对 ... 的作用
out of [六级]
美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]
prep. 离…一段距离；从…里；离开 ...；出于
grown [专八]
美[groʊn] | 英[grəʊn]
adj. 长大的；成年的；长满某物的
bedroom [考研]
美[ˈbedruːm] | 英[ˈbedruːm]
n. 卧室 adj. 两性关系的；性感的；市郊住宅区的
communally [考研]
美[kə'mjunəli] | 英[kə'mjunəli]
adv. 共同地；社区地
don [托福]
美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]
n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上
重点讲解
In many ways, the nation’s housing stock has grown out of sync with these shifting demographics.
在许多方面，美国的住房存量已经与这些不断变化的人口结构脱节。
out of sync
1. 不同步
【例】The picture and the sound track were out of sync.
图像和声音不同步。
2. 不一致；不协调
【例】She found that the job was out of sync with her principles, and she had to leave.
她发现这份工作和她的理念不一致，于是她不得不辞职。
【拓展】和sync相关的一些表达：
1. in sync 同步；一致；协调
【例】His opinions were in sync with those of his colleagues.
他的看法和同事的一致。
2. lip-sync v. （与录制歌曲）对口型
【例】She lip-synced to a Beatles song.
她对口形假唱一首披头士乐队的歌曲。
downsize v.
1. 搬到更小的住房
【例】Many people downsize their homes at retirement age in order to free up cash.
许多人到了退休年龄会搬到更小的住房，从而变现一部分资金。
2. （企业）缩小规模，裁员
【例】The plight of the economy is forcing businesses to downsize.
经济困境正迫使企业裁员。
【拓展】dismiss/be made redundant 裁员；解雇
Many solo adults live in homes with at least three bedrooms, census data shows, but find that downsizing is not easy because of a shortage of smaller homes in their towns and neighborhoods.
人口普查数据显示，许多单身成年人住在至少有三间卧室的房子里，但他们发现缩小住房面积并不容易，因为他们所在的城镇和附近地区缺少较小的房子。
out of sync
1. 不同步
【例】The picture and the sound track were out of sync.
图像和声音不同步。
2. 不一致；不协调
【例】She found that the job was out of sync with her principles, and she had to leave.
她发现这份工作和她的理念不一致，于是她不得不辞职。
【拓展】和sync相关的一些表达：
1. in sync 同步；一致；协调
【例】His opinions were in sync with those of his colleagues.
他的看法和同事的一致。
2. lip-sync v. （与录制歌曲）对口型
【例】She lip-synced to a Beatles song.
她对口形假唱一首披头士乐队的歌曲。
downsize v.
1. 搬到更小的住房
【例】Many people downsize their homes at retirement age in order to free up cash.
许多人到了退休年龄会搬到更小的住房，从而变现一部分资金。
2. （企业）缩小规模，裁员
【例】The plight of the economy is forcing businesses to downsize.
经济困境正迫使企业裁员。
【拓展】dismiss/be made redundant 裁员；解雇
Compounding the challenge of living solo, a growing share of older adults—about 1 in 6 Americans 55 and older—do not have children, raising questions about how elder care will be managed in the coming decades.
让独居挑战雪上加霜的是，越来越多的老年人——55岁及以上的美国人中约有六分之一——没有子女，这引发了未来几十年如何照顾老年人的疑问。
compound n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）化合物
【例】Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.
普通食盐是钠和氯的化合物。
（2）复合词
【例】“Bathroom” is an example of compound.
单词bathroom就是一个复合词。
（3）有围栏的场地（内有建筑群）
【例】The gates opened and the troops marched into their compound.
大门打开，士兵们列队齐步走入场内。
2. 作动词：
（1）由……构成
【例】The DNA molecule is compounded from many smaller molecules.
DNA分子是由许多更小的分子组成的。
（2）使加重；使恶化
【例】Severe drought has compounded food shortages in the region.
严重的干旱加重了该地区的粮食短缺问题。
【拓展】complicate v. 使复杂化
cohort n.
1. （有共同特点的）一群人
【例】the 1999 birth cohort 在1999年出生的人
【拓展】set n. （志趣、地位相同的）一群人
【例】the golfing set 热爱高尔夫球的一群人
2. （领导的）助手，追随者
【例】one of the mayor's cohorts 市长的助手(或支持者)之一
“What will happen to this cohort?” Dr. Schafer asked. “Can they continue to find other supports that compensate for living alone?”
“这群人会怎么样呢？”谢弗问道，“他们还能找到其他帮助，以补偿独居的孤寂吗？”
compound n. & v.
1. 作名词
（1）化合物
【例】Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.
普通食盐是钠和氯的化合物。
（2）复合词
【例】“Bathroom” is an example of compound.
单词bathroom就是一个复合词。
（3）有围栏的场地（内有建筑群）
【例】The gates opened and the troops marched into their compound.
大门打开，士兵们列队齐步走入场内。
2. 作动词：
（1）由……构成
【例】The DNA molecule is compounded from many smaller molecules.
DNA分子是由许多更小的分子组成的。
（2）使加重；使恶化
【例】Severe drought has compounded food shortages in the region.
严重的干旱加重了该地区的粮食短缺问题。
【拓展】complicate v. 使复杂化
cohort n.
1. （有共同特点的）一群人
【例】the 1999 birth cohort 在1999年出生的人
【拓展】set n. （志趣、地位相同的）一群人
【例】the golfing set 热爱高尔夫球的一群人
2. （领导的）助手，追随者
【例】one of the mayor's cohorts 市长的助手(或支持者)之一
For many solo adults, the pandemic highlighted the challenges of aging. Ms. Selman, the 55-year-old professor, lived in Terre Haute, Indiana, when Covid-19 hit.
对于许多单身成年人来说，疫情突显了衰老带来的挑战。 当新冠肺炎来袭时，现年55岁的塞尔曼教授住在印第安纳州的特雷豪特。
stave off
1. 赶走；击退
【例】to stave off wild animals 把野兽赶走
2. 暂时挡住（坏事）；延缓；推迟
【例】The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to stimulate the economy and stave off a recession.
美联储降低利率以刺激经济，暂时缓解经济衰退。
Divorced for 17 years, she said she used the enforced isolation to establish new routines to stave off loneliness and depression. She quit drinking and began regularly calling a group of female friends.
离婚17年的她说，她利用强制隔离期来养成新的习惯，以缓解孤独和抑郁。她戒酒了，并开始定期给一群女性朋友打电话。
stave off
1. 赶走；击退
【例】to stave off wild animals 把野兽赶走
2. 暂时挡住（坏事）；延缓；推迟
【例】The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to stimulate the economy and stave off a recession.
美联储降低利率以刺激经济，暂时缓解经济衰退。
This year, she got a new job and moved to Normal, Illinois, in part because she wanted to live in a state that better reflected her progressive politics.
今年，她找到了一份新工作，搬到了伊利诺伊州的诺默尔，部分原因是她想生活在一个更能反映她的进步主义政治观的州。
put away
1. 把……收起；把……放回原处
【例】She put her clothes away in the dresser.
她把衣服收起，放在衣橱里。
2. 放弃；抛弃
【例】To put grief away is disloyal to the memory of the departed.
忘却悲痛有悖于对亡者的怀念。
3. 存钱；攒钱
【例】She has a few thousand dollars put away for her retirement.
她为退休生活积攒了几千元钱。
She has met new friends at a farmers’ market, she said, and is happier than she was before the pandemic, even though she occasionally wishes she had a romantic partner to take motorcycle rides with her or just to help carry laundry up and down the stairs of her three-bedroom home.
她说，她在一个农贸市场结识了新朋友，比疫情前更快乐，尽管她偶尔希望有一个恋人和她一起骑摩托车，或者只是在她的三居室家里帮忙把洗好的衣服搬到楼上楼下。
put away
1. 把……收起；把……放回原处
【例】She put her clothes away in the dresser.
她把衣服收起，放在衣橱里。
2. 放弃；抛弃
【例】To put grief away is disloyal to the memory of the departed.
忘却悲痛有悖于对亡者的怀念。
3. 存钱；攒钱
【例】She has a few thousand dollars put away for her retirement.
她为退休生活积攒了几千元钱。
She regularly drives 12 hours round trip to care for her parents near Detroit, an obligation that has persuaded her to put away her retirement fantasy of living near the beach, and move someday closer to her daughter and grandson, who live in Louisville, Kentucky. “I don’t want my daughter to stress out about me,” she said.
为了照顾住在底特律附近的父母，她经常开车往返12个小时，这一义务使她放弃了退休后住在海滩附近的幻想，也让她需要在将来搬到离住在肯塔基州路易斯维尔的女儿和孙子更近的地方。“我不想让女儿为我感到担心。”她说。
put away
1. 把……收起；把……放回原处
【例】She put her clothes away in the dresser.
她把衣服收起，放在衣橱里。
2. 放弃；抛弃
【例】To put grief away is disloyal to the memory of the departed.
忘却悲痛有悖于对亡者的怀念。
3. 存钱；攒钱
【例】She has a few thousand dollars put away for her retirement.
她为退休生活积攒了几千元钱。
Watching their own parents age seems to have had a profound effect on many members of Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, who say they doubt that they can lean on the same supports that their parents did: long marriages, pensions, homes that sometimes skyrocketed in value.
看到自己父母变老似乎对出生于1965年至1980年之间的X世代产生了深远影响，他们说，他们怀疑自己能否拥有像父母那样的依靠：长久的婚姻、养老金，以及有时价值飙升的住房。
lean on
1. 倚靠
【例】She walked slowly, leaning on her son's arm.
她倚靠着她儿子的手臂，缓慢行走。
2. 依靠；依赖
【例】He leans heavily on his family.
他在很大程度上依赖他的家庭。
【拓展】rely on 依赖；依靠
3. 施加压力；威胁
【例】The government has been leaning on the TV company not to broadcast the show.
政府一直给电视公司施加压力，不准播放此节目。
take/draw comfort in/from 得到安慰
【例】She drew comfort from the fact that he died peacefully.
想到他走得很安详，她便感到一丝安慰。
peripatetic adj. 到处走的；巡回工作的；漫游的
【例】He had a peripatetic career as a salesman.
作为推销员，他的工作经常让他东奔西走。
When his mother died two years ago, Mr. Miles, the videographer, took comfort in moving some of her furniture into his house in New Haven, Connecticut.
录像片制作人迈尔斯的母亲两年前去世，然后他把母亲的一些家具搬到了他位于康涅狄格州纽黑文的家中，这让他感到慰藉。
lean on
1. 倚靠
【例】She walked slowly, leaning on her son's arm.
她倚靠着她儿子的手臂，缓慢行走。
2. 依靠；依赖
【例】He leans heavily on his family.
他在很大程度上依赖他的家庭。
【拓展】rely on 依赖；依靠
3. 施加压力；威胁
【例】The government has been leaning on the TV company not to broadcast the show.
政府一直给电视公司施加压力，不准播放此节目。
take/draw comfort in/from 得到安慰
【例】She drew comfort from the fact that he died peacefully.
想到他走得很安详，她便感到一丝安慰。
peripatetic adj. 到处走的；巡回工作的；漫游的
【例】He had a peripatetic career as a salesman.
作为推销员，他的工作经常让他东奔西走。
“It was a coming home psychologically,” he said, allowing him to feel rooted after decades of cross-country moves and peripatetic career explorations, shifting from the music business to high school teaching to producing films for nonprofits and companies.
“从心理上讲，这是一次回家。”他说，这让他在经历了数十年的旅居各国和漂泊不定的职业探索后感到扎下了根，他从音乐行业转向高中教学，再到为非营利性组织和公司制作影片。
lean on
1. 倚靠
【例】She walked slowly, leaning on her son's arm.
她倚靠着她儿子的手臂，缓慢行走。
2. 依靠；依赖
【例】He leans heavily on his family.
他在很大程度上依赖他的家庭。
【拓展】rely on 依赖；依靠
3. 施加压力；威胁
【例】The government has been leaning on the TV company not to broadcast the show.
政府一直给电视公司施加压力，不准播放此节目。
take/draw comfort in/from 得到安慰
【例】She drew comfort from the fact that he died peacefully.
想到他走得很安详，她便感到一丝安慰。
peripatetic adj. 到处走的；巡回工作的；漫游的
【例】He had a peripatetic career as a salesman.
作为推销员，他的工作经常让他东奔西走。
“I still feel pretty indestructible, foolishly or not,” he said. Still, caring for his divorced mother made him think about his own future.
“我仍然觉得自己坚不可摧，不管这是不是愚蠢。”他说。尽管如此，照顾离异的母亲还是让他思考了自己的未来。
indestructible adj. 不可摧毁的
【例】an indestructible friendship/memory 坚不可摧的友谊/不可磨灭的记忆
【拓展】destroy v. 毁灭；摧毁 destruction n. 摧毁；破坏
She had a government pension, security he lacks. Nor does he have children. “I can’t call my kid,” he added, “the way I used to go to my mom’s house to change light bulbs.” His options for maintaining independence are “all terrible,” he said. “I’m totally freaked out by it.”
他的母亲有政府养老金，这种保障是他所缺乏的。他也没有子女。“我不能打电话给子女，”他补充道，“没有人像我过去那样去我妈妈家换灯泡。他说，能够让他保持独立的选择“都很糟糕”。“我完全被它吓坏了。”
indestructible adj. 不可摧毁的
【例】an indestructible friendship/memory 坚不可摧的友谊/不可磨灭的记忆
【拓展】destroy v. 毁灭；摧毁 destruction n. 摧毁；破坏
Several Gen X solo dwellers said they had begun exploring options to live communally as they age, inspired, in part, by living arrangements they had enjoyed in college years and young adulthood.
几个X世代的独居者说，随着年龄增长，他们已经开始探索集体生活的可能性，部分灵感来自于在大学和年轻时的生活安排。
communally adv. 集体地
【例】The property was owned communally.
这财产属集体所有。
【拓展】community n. 社区；集体；社团
communal adj. （居住在一起的人）共有的；集体公用的
【例】As a student he tried communal living for a few years.
当学生时他尝试过几年集体生活。
“I’ve been talking to friends about end-of-life issues and how we might want to get together,” said Patrick McComb, 56, of Riverview, Michigan, a graphic artist. “Being alone till the end would not be the worst thing in the world. But I would prefer to be with people.”
56岁的帕特里克·麦库姆住在密歇根州的里弗维尤，是一位平面艺术家，他说：“我一直在和朋友们讨论临终问题，我们可能想要住在一起。” “孤独终老并不是世界上最糟糕的事情。但我更喜欢和其他人在一起。”
communally adv. 集体地
【例】The property was owned communally.
这财产属集体所有。
【拓展】community n. 社区；集体；社团
communal adj. （居住在一起的人）共有的；集体公用的
【例】As a student he tried communal living for a few years.
当学生时他尝试过几年集体生活。
课后练习
It cinferred ththe phrase “out of synprobably means ____.
A. adapting to new changes
B. making something worse
C. not in agreement with the situation
D. more thwhis needed
One of the challenges of aging faced Ms. Selmis that ____.
A. she sometimes feels lonely despite having friends
B. her politicviews are not accepted her colleagues
C. she finit exhausting to cleher three-bedroom home
D. she often stresses out about her parents’ well-being
Mr. Miles moved some of her mother’s furniture into his house to ____.
A. reducosts and compensate for laof pension
B. feel a sense of settlement after years of roaming
C. serve a memorito his mother after her death
D. give himself courage to maintain his independence
One of the options of aging for PatriMcComb is to ____.
A. turn to his children for support
B. stthe care home for the elderly
C. live with his frienfor company
D. restore the lifestyle of young adulthood