8. Aging As Development

　　Human life is a process. A number of psychologists have attempted to identify the particulartasks that must be accomplished at each stage of development. Successful completion oftasks at one stage means that the individual normally proceeds to the next stage and a few setof tasks. It is not always recognized, however, that there are new tasks for the aged1 as well asfor those who are younger. Aging, in other words, is a new stage in the developmental processof life.

　　What are the developmental tasks faced by the aged? Some tasks are similar to those of otherage groups, and some are peculiar to the elderly. In the nineteenth century, for instance, mostmen had no transition to retirement. Typically, a man worked until disability or death. Fewpeople had to deal with the "empty nest2" problem, since children either did not leave the familyhouse or returned there to live with their elderly parents.

　　Today, when an increasing number of people are living into their seventies and eighties, thereare at least five developmental tasks facing the elderly. First, the aged must come to termswith3 the physical limitations inherent in4 their stage of life. They will no longer be able toengage in certain activities as often or as successfully as they once could. Second, havingcome to terms with the limitations, the older person must redefine the scope of his or heractivities. Third, the older person must find new sources for satisfying his or her needs. Thismay be particularly acute at the time of retirement for those who hold to the work ethic.

　　A fourth task is to reassess the criteria for self-evaluation. Again, the loss of work is involved,for many Americans consider themselves worthwhile because they have a fulltime job. Thequestion the elderly person must face is "Am I a worthwhile person because of the kind ofindividual I am, because of the various qualities I possess, or am I worthwhile only as long asI can function in some kind of job?" A man who lost his job in advertising when he was sixty-one told the author that he could not find another job in his field. He has done some freelancework, but he still mourns the loss of his job. "I loved what I did, " he said, "and I resented beingthrown out on the scrap heap5. There are times when I think I'm just not worth anythinganymore. "

　　Finally, the aged face the task of finding ways to give meaning and purpose to their 021 lives.This task arises throughout the individual's life. Many elderly people find challenges, struggles,and gratifications just as they did in their earlier years.

　　閱讀自測

　　Complete the sentences with the proper forms of the words given in parentheses:

　　1. We are _____( gratification) to learn that you have won the scholarship.

　　2. Your work in office has not been very _____( product) .

　　3. Money will be paid half in advance and half on_____ ( complete ) .

　　4. All railroads have weight and height _____( limit) because of tunnels, bridges and so forth.

　　參考答案

　　1. gratified 2. productive 3. completion 4. limitations

　　參考譯文

　　衰老是個發展過程

　　人生是個過程。一些心理學者試圖找出人生每一階段必須完成的特定任務。圓滿地 完成一個階段的任務意味著這個人已順利進入下一個階段, 又要面對一些新的任務。然 而, 人們并不一定能意識到不僅年輕人有新任務, 而且老年人也有新的事情要做。換句話 說, 衰老是人生過程中一個新的階段。

　　那么老年人面對的發展任務是什么呢? 有些任務與其他年齡組的相似, 還有一些則是 老年人特有的。比如說, 19 世紀, 大多數人不會退休。那個時候的人常常會工作到做不動 甚至做到死。很少會有人面對“ 守空巢”的問題, 因為他們的孩子或者不離開父母家, 或者 離家后又回來跟年邁的父母同住。

　　今天, 步入耄耋之年的老人越來越多, 他們至少要面對五項生活任務。首先, 老年人必 須承認這個人生階段所帶來的身體上的限制。他們已不能像年輕時候那樣頻繁地參加某 些活動, 也不會如過去那般成功。第二, 承認身體上的局限之后, 老年人就必須重新界定自 己的活動范圍。第三, 老年人必須要找到能滿足自己需要的新的資源。對于那些恪守工作 道德的老年人來說, 這一點在他們退休的時候也許尤為重要。

　　第四個任務是要重新審視自我評價的標準。又要說到失去工作這個問題了, 因為許多 美國人之所以認為自己有價值, 是因為他們有一份全職工作。老年人必須面對的一個問題 是“ 我的價值在于我本身, 還是在于我身上有各種優點, 還是僅僅在于我能在某份工作中起 022 到 一些作用? ”一位在61 歲的時候失去他在廣告業的工作的男士對本作者說, 他在廣告這 一行已經找不到工作了。雖然他現在做一些自由撰稿的活兒, 但仍然為失去原來的工作而 悶悶不樂。“ 我熱愛我的工作, ”他說,“ 我討厭像扔垃圾一樣被炒掉。有時候我感覺自己 已沒有什么價值了。”

　　最后, 老年人還要面對如何使他們的生活充滿意義和目的的任務。這個任務貫穿了人 的一生。許多老年人最終找到了各種挑戰、競爭和滿足感, 就像他們年輕的時候一樣。

　　閱讀導評

　　古人云:“ 夕陽無限好, 只是近黃昏。”步入老齡時, 我們的能耐就在于能否勇敢地追求 和體驗“ 無限好”, 而不沉浸在長感短嘆“ 黃昏”中。

　　閱讀導釋

　　1. aged a. 年老的。the aged 泛指“老年人”。aged 還可解釋為“ 有……歲的”, 如:My daughter is agedseven years. ( 我女兒7 歲。)

　　2. 空巢, 指子女在外工作和生活, 家里只剩下老人自己, 整個家就像空巢一樣。這導致許多 現代老年人患有empty nest syndrome( 空巢綜合癥, 指子女長大離家, 父母獨守空屋而感 到抑郁不歡) 。

　　3. 妥協, 讓步。此處指老年人要認識到自己老了, 不能逞強, 如: She has come to terms with her fate. ( 她已聽天由命了。)

　　4. be inherent in 為……所固有, 是……的固有性質, 如: Polarity is inherent in a magnet. ( 極 性是磁鐵的固有性質。)

　　5. 廢金屬堆。本文里引申為被淘汰的人或物的去處, 或廢物堆, 如: He found himself thrown on thepolitical scrap heap. ( 他感到自己在政治上被拋棄了。