Chinese teens ‘adhere to traditionalvalues’
By Beina Xu
Published: July 5 2006 09:41 | Last updated: July 5 2006 09:41
（1）China’s teenage consumersvaluename brands and trendy products but also display a strong adherence to traditionalvalues that sets them apart from their peers in overseas markets, according to a recent survey by McKinsey & Company.
The survey, based on interviews with 800 consumers across China between the ages of 12 and 17, found thatu_______①teens in China drove Rmb290bn in spending a year. Though the majority of respondents said theyvalued name brands and fashion trends more than their parents,____________________________. （但涉及家庭价值和攒钱的问题时他们表现得仍很传统。）
The survey found that 96 per cent of teen respondents in China said they expected to support their parents in their old age while only 79 percent of parents said theya_______②such support.
The survey also indicated that though young Chinese felt a strongi_______③to keep up with the latest fashions, more teens than adults believed that saving a significant amount of money was a “virtue.”
“（2）The current generation of teens is simultaneously more traditional and more modern than its predecessors – in essence more confident of its place in the world,” the report said.
Chinese teens are an integral part of the country’s burgeoning consumer society, but their buying behaviour has remained somewhat unclear. This strain of traditional behaviour among teen consumers revealsf_________④differences in China’s consumer market that distinguishes it from those overseas, and indicates that （3）companies could be missing opportunities by targeting rebellious teens in their marketing strategies.
Mengniu Dairy, China’s second largest diary company, hasc________⑤on this phenomenon by combining modernity with “feelings of national pride” in its marketing campaigns, according to the report. Another example of how companies use nationalistic marketing is Aigo, the leader in China’s MP3 player market, whose brand name translates to “patriot” in Chinese.
The study also revealed differences in the way Chinese teens spend their free time and pocket money. （4）Though watching television still reigns as the most popular activity, as in most developed countries, Chinese teens spend a higher share of their free time reading books, magazines and newspapers than their Western counterparts.
试一试：
1．根据首字母提示和译文，填入适当单词：
①u_______ teens in China（中国城市中的青少年）
②they a_______ such support（他们指望孩子们赡养）
③felt a strong i_______ to keep up with the latest fashions（认为追赶时尚很有必要）
④reveals f________ differences（揭示出根本性区别）
⑤has c________ on this phenomenon（利用这一现象）
参考答案：
①urban ②anticipated ③imperative ④fundamental ⑤capitalized
2．翻译划线部分英文：
（1）中国的青少年消费者在看重品牌和时尚产品的同时，也坚守传统价值观，这使他们与海外市场的同龄人明显不同。
（2）当代青少年不仅比上一代青少年更为传统，而且也更为现代。他们实际上对自身在世界中的地位更为自信。
（3）那些将市场战略定位在叛逆的青少年身上的公司可能会错失商机。
（4）虽然与大多数发达国家的情况一样，看电视仍是青少年最喜欢的活动，但中国青少年读书看报所占用闲暇时间的比例要高于西方的同龄人。
3．根据译文，写出句子：
原文表达：[replyview] they remained quite traditional when it came to familyvalues and saving money
参考消息全文：
【英国《金融时报》网站7月5日文章】题：中国青少年“坚守传统价值观”
麦肯锡公司最近进行的一次调查显示，中国的青少年消费者在看重品牌和时尚产品的同时，也坚守传统价值观，这使他们与海外市场的同龄人明显不同。
这份针对全国各地800名年龄在12岁到17岁之间的消费者的调查报告显示，中国城市中的青少年每年开支多达2900亿元人民币。虽然受访者中绝大多数人表示他们比父母更看重品牌和时尚，但涉及家庭价值和攒钱的问题时他们表现得仍很传统。
调查表明，在中国青少年受访者中，96%的人表示，父母年迈后他们愿意赡养父母，而仅有79%的父母表示他们指望孩子们赡养。
调查还表明，虽然中国的年轻人认为追赶时尚很有必要，但相对于成年人来说，有更多的十几岁的青少年认为，省笔钱是一种“美德”。
调查报告说：“当代青少年不仅比上一代青少年更为传统，而且也更为现代。他们实际上对自身在世界中的地位更为自信。”
青少年是中国日益庞大的消费群中的一个主要组成部分，但他们的消费行为仍然有些模糊不定。青少年消费者的这种传统行为方式揭示出中国与海外消费市场存在的根本性区别。这也表明，那些将市场战略定位在叛逆的青少年身上的公司可能会错失商机。
据这份报告说，中国第二大乳业公司蒙牛公司便利用这一现象，在市场营销活动中将现代性与“民族自豪感”结合起来。而中国MP3播放器市场的领军产品的中文名称是“爱国者”，这也是公司成功将民族主义作为市场营销战略的一个例子。
调查结果还显示，中国青少年在打发闲暇时间和使用零花钱上与外国青少年不同。虽然与大多数发达国家的情况一样，看电视仍是青少年最喜欢的活动，但中国青少年读书看报所占用闲暇时间的比例要高于西方的同龄人。
