Ejercicio 2B · Inglés PAU La Rioja Extraordinaria 2023

Text B- Generation Z: ‘We have more to do than drink and take drugs.’

They drink less, take far fewer drugs, and have made teenage pregnancy a near anomaly. Generation Z – one of several terms used to describe post-millennial youth born after 1996 – prefer juice bars to pub crawls and give more importance to good grades than friendship, at least according to a report published by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service last week.

Headlines characterise today’s youth as boring, sensible and extremely screen-addicted. So, are the kids all right?

“We have so much more to do than [just] drink and take drugs,” says Demi Babalola, a 19-year-old philosophy and sociology student.

What’s her biggest time stealer? “Social media.” Babalola uses Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, although she considers people silly at the mention of Facebook, full as it is of “older people”.

“We listen to music, make our own food, and play games,” she says. “We’ll probably organise it a couple of days before.”

Lewis Allely, 14, from Cornwall, agrees. “We’re quite different [from your generation] because there's more stuff to do at each other’s houses and we have more technology – like, we have video games.”

The remark that many young people spend far too much time online, instead of rebelling, may have some truth, but as futurologist Rhiannon McGregor points out, Gen Z-ers are more cautious and risk-averse than their parents, partly because that technology exists.

“But they’re also more socially aware since they see themselves as part of a global community. It’s easier to get and feel connected to someone in Africa or Asia and share preoccupations about climate change, for instance.”

Owen Munro adds: “My generation feels bitter about all the things we won’t be able to do because of what the older generation chose.”

“We’re more inclusive,” says Babalola. “You can do what you want as long as you don’t harm anyone and stay safe. It’s about freedom. Previous generations always made distinct separations between being gay or straight. “I try to avoid labels.”

Generation Z-ers will, after all, be living longer and more healthily, and looking better for it. So, what is the new going out? The Generation Z idea of fun that is inexplicable to older adults? Owen Munro, Allely and Babalola instantly refer me to Snapchat, where they communicate constantly with their friends. Broadcasting the small details of her day – a good outfit, a trip to London – is as instinctive as breathing to Babalola.

(Adapted from an article by Nosheen Iqbal, The Guardian, 21 July 2018).

2B. Answer these questions in no more than 8 words. (1 point, 0.25 each)

a.

How are social media like Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook defined in the text?

b.

Why are Lewis Allely’s generation’s houses different from the previous generation’s?

c.

What concern do the Generation Z-ers share with people from Africa or Asia?

d.

What is the Generation Z idea of fun?