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(cè)

　　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(gè)發(fā)展過(guò)程

　　人生是個(gè)過(guò)程。一些心理學(xué)者試圖找出人生每一階段必須完成的特定任務(wù)。圓滿地 完成一個(gè)階段的任務(wù)意味著這個(gè)人已順利進(jìn)入下一個(gè)階段, 又要面對(duì)一些新的任務(wù)。然 而, 人們并不一定能意識(shí)到不僅年輕人有新任務(wù), 而且老年人也有新的事情要做。換句話 說(shuō), 衰老是人生過(guò)程中一個(gè)新的階段。

　　那么老年人面對(duì)的發(fā)展任務(wù)是什么呢? 有些任務(wù)與其他年齡組的相似, 還有一些則是 老年人特有的。比如說(shuō), 19 世紀(jì), 大多數(shù)人不會(huì)退休。那個(gè)時(shí)候的人常常會(huì)工作到做不動(dòng) 甚至做到死。很少會(huì)有人面對(duì)“ 守空巢”的問(wèn)題, 因?yàn)樗麄兊暮⒆踊蛘卟浑x開(kāi)父母家, 或者 離家后又回來(lái)跟年邁的父母同住。

　　今天, 步入耄耋之年的老人越來(lái)越多, 他們至少要面對(duì)五項(xiàng)生活任務(wù)。首先, 老年人必 須承認(rèn)這個(gè)人生階段所帶來(lái)的身體上的限制。他們已不能像年輕時(shí)候那樣頻繁地參加某 些活動(dòng), 也不會(huì)如過(guò)去那般成功。第二, 承認(rèn)身體上的局限之后, 老年人就必須重新界定自 己的活動(dòng)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(duì)于那些恪守工作 道德的老年人來(lái)說(shuō), 這一點(diǎn)在他們退休的時(shí)候也許尤為重要。

　　第四個(gè)任務(wù)是要重新審視自我評(píng)價(jià)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。又要說(shuō)到失去工作這個(gè)問(wèn)題了, 因?yàn)樵S多 美國(guó)人之所以認(rèn)為自己有價(jià)值, 是因?yàn)樗麄冇幸环萑毠ぷ鳌＠夏耆吮仨毭鎸?duì)的一個(gè)問(wèn)題 是“ 我的價(jià)值在于我本身, 還是在于我身上有各種優(yōu)點(diǎn), 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(shí)候失去他在廣告業(yè)的工作的男士對(duì)本作者說(shuō), 他在廣告這 一行已經(jīng)找不到工作了。雖然他現(xiàn)在做一些自由撰稿的活兒, 但仍然為失去原來(lái)的工作而 悶悶不樂(lè)。“ 我熱愛(ài)我的工作, ”他說(shuō),“ 我討厭像扔垃圾一樣被炒掉。有時(shí)候我感覺(jué)自己 已沒(méi)有什么價(jià)值了。”

　　最后, 老年人還要面對(duì)如何使他們的生活充滿意義和目的的任務(wù)。這個(gè)任務(wù)貫穿了人 的一生。許多老年人最終找到了各種挑戰(zhàn)、競(jìng)爭(zhēng)和滿足感, 就像他們年輕的時(shí)候一樣。

　　閱讀導(dǎo)評(píng)

　　古人云:“ 夕陽(yáng)無(wú)限好, 只是近黃昏。”步入老齡時(shí), 我們的能耐就在于能否勇敢地追求 和體驗(yàn)“ 無(wú)限好”, 而不沉浸在長(zhǎng)感短嘆“ 黃昏”中。

　　閱讀導(dǎo)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(gè)家就像空巢一樣。這導(dǎo)致許多 現(xiàn)代老年人患有empty nest syndrome( 空巢綜合癥, 指子女長(zhǎng)大離家, 父母獨(dú)守空屋而感 到抑郁不歡) 。

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

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

　　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。