The Age of Majority

In most countries, turning 18 marks① the start of adulthood②. [1] But what does reaching this milestone③, the age of majority, really mean? Will you be completely in charge of④ your own life and able to express yourself in new and exciting ways? What new responsibilities will this freedom⑤ bring? Here, three young people tell us what turning 18 means, or meant, , to them. [2]

[1] turning 18为动名词短语作主语，谓语动词用了第三人称单数形式。

[2]该句中what引导宾语从句，what在从句中作宾语。

Bethany 16, Victoria, Australia

I can’t wait to be⑥ 18. One reason is that although I’ve been working ever since⑦ l leaving school, I won’t be voting⑧ in the next general election⑨. Why? Because I still won’t be old enough. Surely, if you’re old enough to earn a wage⑩ and pay taxes⑪, you should be allowed to have a say⑫ on how the government spends them! [3]I’ve also been taking driving lessons, and in fact I will be taking my driving test on the very day I turn 18. [4] My mum worries about me being behind the wheel⑬. As an ambulance⑭ driver, she’s seen a lot of car accidents involving⑮ teenagers⑯ and thinks the legal⑰ age for getting a driving licence⑱ should be 21. [5] But I think I’m already mature⑲ enough to understand that driving a car also means taking responsibility for⑳ my life and the lives of other people. [6]

[3]句中if引导条件状语从句，不定式短语作结果状语，构成“形容词+ enough to do. . .”; 主句中含有how引导的宾语从句。

[4]I turn 18为省略when的定语从句，修饰先行词day。

[5] involving teenagers为现在分词短语作后置定语。

[6] that引导宾语从句，作understand的宾语。在该宾语从句中，driving a car为动名词短语作主语。动名词短语taking…作动词means的宾语。

Lin Ning 19, Shanghai, China

I celebrated my 18th birthday just before I went to university. I expected to feel instantly㉑ different, as if I had closed the door on my childhood㉒ and stepped into a whole new adult world. [7] But it wasn’t like that. When I woke up the next day, there were still rules to obey㉓ and lessons to attend. [8] In fact, the change has been more subtle㉔ and gradual㉕ than I imagined. Instead of being the selfish㉖ teenager I used to be, I have begun to feel more aware of other people and to develop a stronger sense of social responsibility. To give an example, I will be signing an organ donation㉗ agreement this time tomorrow. This was a big decision for me, so I asked my parents for their approval㉘ first. Turning 18 also changed the way that society viewed㉙ me. [9]I was really surprised when a bank contacted me with a credit card offer. Of course, I would like to have more freedom with money and no doubt I will be getting a credit card at some point㉚, but I currently㉛ go don’t have a steady㉜ income, so getting a credit card might tempt㉝ me to spend more money than I have! [10]

[7] as if引导方式状语从句，使用虚拟语气，表示对过去事情的虚拟。

[8]不定式短语to obey和to attend作后置定语，分别修饰名词rules和lessons, 用主动形式表被动意义。

[9] that引导定语从句，修饰way。

[10]该句是由but和so连接的并列句。动名词短语getting a credit card作主语。

Morgan 20, Florida, the US

People say that 18 marks a new chapter㉞ in our lives, and that we should become more independent ㉟. [11]I used to believe this, but the reality for me has been very different. I assumed㊱ I’d already have a well-paid job and that I’d be moving into a rented apartment as soon as I turned 18, but how wrong I was! [12] My librarian’s㊲ salary ㊳ means that I’ll be living at home with my parents for a while longer. Because I contribute to㊴ the household㊵ bills and my commute㊶ to work is quite expensive, I find it hard to save any money. I’ll be starting a new job next month, however, so maybe things will get easier. I know I could get a bank loan㊷ to pay the deposit㊸ on my very own apartment, but I don’t feel ready to make that kind of commitment㊹, and I do like my mom’s cooking. [13] I guess some responsibilities are more about attitude than age.

[11] and连接两个that引导的宾语从句，作动词say的宾语，表示并列。

[12] assumed后面接两个宾语从句。I’d already have a well-paid job省略that; that I’d be moving into a rented apartment as soon as I turned 18不能省略that; as soon as I turned 18是时间状语从句；how wrong I was是感叹句。

[13] 助动词do强调谓语like。

①mark v. 标示；做标记

②adulthood n. 成年

③ milestone n. 重大事件，里程碑

④in charge of主管；掌管

⑤freedom n. 自由

⑥can’t wait to do sth. 迫不及待做某事

⑦ever since自……以来

⑧vote v. 投票；选举

⑨election n. 选举

⑩wage n. (按小时、日或周计算的) 工资，薪金

⑪tax n. 税

⑫have a say有发言权

⑬behind the wheel在驾驶汽车

⑭ambulance n. 救护车

⑮involve v. 涉及；牵涉

⑯teenager n. 青少年，十几岁的孩子 (13到19岁之间的孩子)

⑰legal adj. 合法的

⑱licence n. 执照

⑲mature adj. 成熟的，明白事理的

⑳take responsibility for对……负责

㉑instantly adv. 立即，马上

㉒childhood n. 童年，儿童时代

㉓obey v. 服从；遵守

㉔subtle adj. 难以察觉的；微妙的

㉕gradual adj. 逐渐的，逐步的

㉖selfish adj. 自私的

㉗organ donation器官捐献

㉘approval n. 赞成，同意

㉙view v. 看作；看待

㉚at some point在某一时刻

㉛currently adv. 现时，当前

㉜steady adj. 稳定的

㉝tempt v. 诱惑，引诱

㉞chapter n. 章；篇章

㉟independent adj. 独立的；自主的

㊱assume v. 假定；假设；认为

㊲librarian n. 图书馆管理员

㊳salary n. 薪金，工资

㊴contribute to为……做出贡献；有助于；导致；为……撰稿

㊵household adj. 家庭的

㊶commute n. 每天上班的路程

㊷loan n. (银行等的) 贷款

㊸deposit n. 订金

㊹commitment n. 投入，花费

成年

在大多数国家，进入18岁便意味着成年。但是到达成年这一里程碑到底意味着什么呢? 你将完全主宰自己的生活吗? 你能够用新奇的、激动人心的方式来表达自己吗? 获得这种自由又会带来什么新的责任呢? 接下来，有三位年轻人会为我们讲述年满18岁对他们意味着什么，或是曾经意味了什么。

贝萨妮 16岁，澳大利亚维多利亚州

我简直等不及想要到18岁了。其中一个原因是虽然我一毕业就工作了，但是我依然不能在下一届大选中投票。为什么? 因为我依然不满18岁。但是我认为如果一个人已经工作并且交税了，那他应该对政府在支配税收方面有一定的话语权。我也一直在学习驾驶，并且我会在18岁当天就去考驾照。妈妈十分担心我开车，作为一名救护车司机，她目睹过太多涉及青少年的车祸，她认为考驾照的法定年龄应该推迟到21岁。但是我觉得自己已经足够成熟，知道开车也意味着要对自己和他人的生命负责。

林宁 19岁，中国上海

上大学前我刚满18岁。我曾经期待马上会有不一样的感觉，就好像自己关闭了童年的大门，踏进一个全新的成人世界。但是事实并非如此。第二天我醒来时，仍然有需要遵守的规则，需要参加的课程。事实上，这种变化比我想象的更微小，更平缓。相比自己之前那个自私的青少年角色，我已经开始更多地关注别人，并且去培养更强烈的社会责任感。比如说，明天这个时候我将会签署器官捐赠意向书。这对我来说是一个重大的决定，所以我先征求了父母的同意。满18岁后，社会对待我的方式也改变了。有家银行给我打电话让我办理信用卡的时候，我非常惊讶。虽然我想在花钱方面更为自由，而且毫无疑问我将在未来的某个时间获得一张信用卡，但是我现在还没有稳定的收入，所以现在办理的话可能会诱惑我透支！

摩根 20岁，美国佛罗里达州

人们都说18岁意味着翻开人生的新篇章，我们应该变得更独立。我曾经也这样认为，但是事实并非如此。我以为我一到18岁就能有一份薪水不错的工作，能搬进自己租的公寓，我是多么异想天开呀！作为一个图书管理员，我的工资只够我继续长时间和父母住在一起。因为我要分担家庭账单，而且我的通勤费用很高，所以我发现攒钱非常困难。不过下个月我会开始一份新工作，也许情况能有所好转。我知道我可以通过贷款来支付购买自己公寓的订金，但我还无法向银行做出这种重大的承诺，而且我真的很喜欢吃妈妈做的饭。我觉得要想负起一些责任，更多的是关乎态度，而不是年龄。