研究发现年轻人“圣诞独处”比例翻倍

圣诞快乐！
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🤔️小作业： 1. Which statement best summarises the article's overall conclusion? A. Christmas in Britain has become fundamentally joyless and fragmented B. Rising loneliness reflects a complete breakdown of family traditions C. Despite measurable changes, core elements of Christmas persist D. Religious decline is the primary driver of changing Christmas behaviours

无注释原文： Young people more likely to spend Christmas alone, study finds
From: The Independent
The number of young people spending Christmas Day alone has doubled, according to new research that compares festive attitudes and behaviours in 2024 and 1969.
According to a study by the Policy Institute at King's College London, one in nine people say they will be spending Christmas Day alone this year.
That number has increased from one in 20 who said the same 55 years ago.
While the share of people aged 65 and over who said they would spend Christmas Day by themselves has remained the same since 1969 – 15% of over 65s  – the number for other demographics has risen.
The biggest increase was seen among the youngest surveyed, where one in 11, or 9%, of people aged 21 to 34 said they will be spending Christmas Day alone.
Only one in 100 said the same in 1969.
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King's College London, said the data indicates that Christmas now seems just a little bit lonelier and less magical than it was 55 years ago.
“The proportion of people spending the day itself alone has doubled, we're less likely to say we enjoy it, and a lot less likely to think parents should encourage their children to believe in Santa,” he said.
“But this doesn't mean we've given up on Christmas – indeed a large majority of eight in 10 still say they do enjoy it, and nine in 10 will spend it with family or friends.”
The research – which is based on two nationally representative surveys of UK adults aged 21 and over in 2024 and 1969 – is part of a series of studies updating survey results from decades ago to understand changes in Britain's core beliefs and ways of living.
Other data found that 80% of people today say they enjoy Christmas, which has dropped slightly from 86% in 1969.
A large chunk of Britons also believe that stores push Christmas and festive goods onto consumers far too early in the year, with 79% agreeing with that statement.
Men have seen the biggest change in attitudes on Christmas in retail, with 81% of males surveyed saying Christmas goods are sold too early – up from 59% in 1969.
The religious significance of Christmas has also dwindled in the UK, with 60% of people stating that Christmas is a family occasion, rather than a religious one.
When asked 55 years ago if Christmas was more about family than religion,  53% of respondents agreed, indicating a decline in the Christian faith in Britain.
“These long-term trends are also useful in reminding us that some things have remained the same, despite the huge changes seen,” he said.
“1969 was the year man landed on the moon, John and Yoko staged their bed-in for peace, the death penalty was finally abolished, and our current King was invested as the Prince of Wales.
“But even back then, eight in 10 were complaining that Christmas was too commercialised – exactly the same proportion as today.”
- ◆ - 注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考 含注释全文：
Young people more likely to spend Christmas alone, study finds
From: The Independent
The number of young people spending Christmas Day alone has doubled, according to new research that compares festive attitudes and behaviours in 2024 and 1969.
一项比较2024年和1969年节日态度与行为的新研究显示，独自度过圣诞节的年轻人人数已是过去的两倍。

festive
festive /ˈfes.tɪv/ 表示“节日的；喜庆的；欢乐的”，英文解释为“having or producing happy and enjoyable feelings suitable for a festival or other special occasion”如：a festive mood/occasion 节日气氛/喜庆场合。

According to a study by the Policy Institute at King's College London, one in nine people say they will be spending Christmas Day alone this year.
根据伦敦国王学院（King's College London）政策研究所（Policy Institute）的一项研究，今年每九个人中就有一人表示将独自度过圣诞节。
That number has increased from one in 20 who said the same 55 years ago.
这一比例相比55年前的二十分之一有了明显上升。
While the share of people aged 65 and over who said they would spend Christmas Day by themselves has remained the same since 1969 – 15% of over 65s – the number for other demographics has risen.
虽然自1969年以来，65岁及以上人群中表示会独自度过圣诞节的比例保持不变——为15%——但其他人群的比例却有所上升。

demographics
demographic /ˌdem.əˈɡræf.ɪk/ 1）作形容词，表示“人口的；人口统计的；人口学的”，英文解释为“relating to demography (= the study of populations and the different groups that make them up)”举个🌰：There have been monumental social and demographic changes in the country. 该国的社会和人口状况已经发生了巨大的变化。
2）作名词，表示“（顾客）族群”，英文解释为“a group of people, for example customers, who are similar in age, social class, etc.”举个🌰：This demographic (young teenagers) is the fastest-growing age group using the site. 该族群（十几岁的年轻人）是使用这个网站人数增长最快的年龄群体。
📍demographics /ˌdem.əˈɡræf.ɪks/ 表示“人口统计数据，人口统计结果”，英文解释为“the number and characteristics of people who live in a particular area or form a particular group, especially in relation to their age, how much money they have and what they spend it on”举个🌰：The demographics of the country have changed dramatically in recent years. 近年来该国的人口统计数据发生了巨大的变化。

The biggest increase was seen among the youngest surveyed, where one in 11, or 9%, of people aged 21 to 34 said they will be spending Christmas Day alone.
增长最明显的是最年轻的受访人群，其中21至34岁的人中，每11人就有1人，也就是9%，表示将独自度过圣诞节。
Only one in 100 said the same in 1969.
而在1969年，这一比例仅为百分之一。
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King's College London, said the data indicates that Christmas now seems just a little bit lonelier and less magical than it was 55 years ago.
伦敦国王学院政策研究所所长博比·达菲教授（Bobby Duffy）表示，这些数据表明，与55年前相比，如今的圣诞节似乎稍显孤独，也少了一些魔力。
“The proportion of people spending the day itself alone has doubled, we're less likely to say we enjoy it, and a lot less likely to think parents should encourage their children to believe in Santa,” he said.
他说：“独自度过圣诞节的人数比例已经翻倍，人们对圣诞节的享受程度有所下降，也更少人认为父母应该让孩子相信圣诞老人。”

proportion
proportion /prəˈpɔː.ʃən/ 1）表示“比率，比例”，英文解释为“the number, amount, or level of one thing when compared to another”举个🌰：The proportion of women to men at my college was about one to eight. 我所在大学的男女比例大约为8：1。
2）表示“部分；份额”，英文解释为“the number or amount of a group or part of something when compared to the whole”举个🌰：Children make up a large proportion of the world's population. 孩子占世界人口的很大一部分。
3）表示“（某物各个组成部分或一物与另一物之间的）相称，协调，均衡，匀称”，英文解释为“the correct or most attractive relationship between the size of different parts of the same thing or between one thing and another”举个🌰：Your legs are very much in proportion to (= the right size for) the rest of your body. 你的腿和你身体的其他部位比例非常协调。

“But this doesn't mean we've given up on Christmas – indeed a large majority of eight in 10 still say they do enjoy it, and nine in 10 will spend it with family or friends.”
“但这并不意味着我们已经放弃了圣诞节——事实上，仍有八成的人表示自己享受圣诞节，九成的人会与家人或朋友一起度过。”
The research – which is based on two nationally representative surveys of UK adults aged 21 and over in 2024 and 1969 – is part of a series of studies updating survey results from decades ago to understand changes in Britain's core beliefs and ways of living.
这项研究基于2024年和1969年对21岁及以上英国成年人的两次全国代表性调查，是一系列更新数十年前调查结果的研究之一，旨在了解英国核心价值观和生活方式的变化。
Other data found that 80% of people today say they enjoy Christmas, which has dropped slightly from 86% in 1969.
其他数据显示，如今有80%的人表示自己享受圣诞节，略低于1969年的86%。
A large chunk of Britons also believe that stores push Christmas and festive goods onto consumers far too early in the year, with 79% agreeing with that statement.
相当一部分英国人还认为，商店在一年中过早地向消费者推销圣诞及节日商品，79%的人对此表示认同。

chunk
chunk /tʃʌŋk/ 表示“大块；厚块；一部分；（尤指）大部分，一大块”，英文解释为“a roughly cut piece；a part of something, especially a large part”如：a chunk of cheese 一大块奶酪，a chunk of meat 一大块肉，a chunk of text 一大段文字，a substantial chunk of profits 利润的很大一部分。
📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述中资银行崛起的文章中提到：If recent form is a guide, a chunk will be recycled into developing countries. 如果近期的情况可作为一种参考，那么其中的一大块又会被收集利用，流向发展中国家。
🎬电影《冰河世纪4：大陆漂移》（Ice Age: Continental Drift）中的台词提到：Now get this chunk of ice seaworthy by sundown 太阳下山前把这块浮冰给我找来。

Men have seen the biggest change in attitudes on Christmas in retail, with 81% of males surveyed saying Christmas goods are sold too early – up from 59% in 1969.
在对圣诞商业化的看法上，男性的变化最大，81%的男性受访者认为圣诞商品销售得过早，高于1969年的59%。
The religious significance of Christmas has also dwindled in the UK, with 60% of people stating that Christmas is a family occasion, rather than a religious one.
圣诞节在英国的宗教意义也有所减弱，60%的人表示圣诞节更像是一个家庭节日，而非宗教节日。

religious
religious /rɪˈlɪdʒ.əs/ 1）表示“宗教的；宗教上的”，英文解释为“relating to religion”如：religious education 宗教教育；
2）表示“笃信宗教的；虔诚的”，英文解释为“having a strong belief in a god or gods”举个🌰：He's deeply religious and goes to church twice a week. 他非常虔诚，每周都去教堂做两次礼拜。

dwindle
dwindle /ˈdwɪndəl/表示“逐渐减少，缩小，变小”（to gradually become less and less or smaller and smaller）举个🌰： The factory's workforce has dwindled from over 1,000 to a few hundred. 该厂的工人总数已从1000多减少到了几百人。
表示降低，减少的词经常出现，比如： 📍fall表示“（水平、数量、价格等，尤指较大幅度地）下跌，下降，降低”（to go down to a lower level, amount, price etc, especially a much lower one）
📍slide表示“（价格等）下滑，下跌”（if prices, amounts, rates etc slide, they become lower）
📍diminish表示“（使）减少，（使）减小”（to become or make something become smaller or less）
📍dip表示“降低，减少”，英文解释为“if an amount or level dips, it becomes less, usually for just a short time”，如：Profits dipped slightly last year. 去年利润略有降低。

When asked 55 years ago if Christmas was more about family than religion, 53% of respondents agreed, indicating a decline in the Christian faith in Britain.
在55年前被问及圣诞节是否更偏向家庭而非宗教时，53%的受访者表示同意，这表明英国基督教信仰正在下降。
“These long-term trends are also useful in reminding us that some things have remained the same, despite the huge changes seen,” he said.
他说：“这些长期趋势也提醒我们，尽管社会发生了巨大变化，但有些事情依然保持不变。”
“1969 was the year man landed on the moon, John and Yoko staged their bed-in for peace, the death penalty was finally abolished , and our current King was invested as the Prince of Wales.
“1969年，人类踏上月球，约翰·列侬与小野洋子发起“床上和平行动”（Bed-In for Peace），死刑被正式废止，而现任国王也在那一年加冕为威尔士亲王。”

stage
stage /steɪdʒ/ 作名词，表示“（火箭的）级”，英文解释为“one of the separate parts of a rocket, each part having its own engine”举个🌰：Once its fuel supply runs out, each stage separates from the main part of the rocket and falls back to earth. 每一级在燃料燃尽后，就会从火箭主体上脱落，落回到地球上。
stage /steɪdʒ/ 作动词，1）表示“上演；举办；举行；组织；筹划”，英文解释为“to organize and present a play or an event for people to see”，如：to stage a ceremony/an event/an exhibition 举行仪式/活动/展览，举个🌰：The local theatre group is staging a production of ‘Hamlet’. 当地剧团在上演《哈姆雷特》。
2）表示“使发生；使出现”，英文解释为“to make sth happen”举个🌰：After five years in retirement, he staged a comeback to international tennis. 退役五年之后，他又复出国际网坛。
🎬电影《无罪的罪人》（Presumed Innocent）中的台词提到：Your opinion is that this was... a staged rape? 你的看法是这是…有预谋的强奸？

区分： 📍wage 作名词，表示“工资，工钱，报酬”，作动词，表示“发动（战争）；组织，筹备（活动）”，英文解释为“to fight a war or organize a series of activities in order to achieve something”举个🌰：They've been waging a long campaign. 他们已组织发起了一场持久的运动。
📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇介绍拉美电商平台美卡多的文章中提到：The biggest is Amazon, against which his firm has waged a costly battle in Mexico. 最大的威胁来自亚马逊，美卡多与它在墨西哥展开了一场较量，代价高昂。

abolish
abolish /əˈbɒl.ɪʃ/ 表示“废除，废止”，英文解释为“to end an activity or custom officially”举个🌰：I think bullfighting should be abolished. 我认为斗牛应该废止。

invest
invest最熟悉的意思是“投资”（金钱）或“投入”（时间、精力），此处表示“正式授予（头衔、职位、爵位等）；举行授职/授爵仪式。”它来自于拉丁语investire（穿上衣服），在中世纪欧洲，授予爵位或职位时常伴有授予袍服、权杖等象征物的仪式，所以用invest表示“授予、册封”。

“But even back then, eight in 10 were complaining that Christmas was too commercialised – exactly the same proportion as today.”
“但即便在那个年代，也有八成的人抱怨圣诞节过于商业化——这一比例与今天完全相同。”

c ommercialise
英式 commercialise 美式 commercialize /kəˈmɜː.ʃəl.aɪz/ 表示“使商业化，使商品化；从…中赚钱”，英文解释为“to organize something to make a profit”
- 词汇盘点 - festive、demographics、proportion、chunk、religious、dwindle、stage、abolish、invest、commercialise
- 词汇助记 By AI - At a festive stage, demographics shifted: the religious proportion dwindled; a chunk voted to abolish rituals, invest funds, and commercialise traditions. - 推荐阅读 - 日更10年，我是怎么坚持下来的
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