就業冰河期世代
When it comes to getting promotions or raises, Japan’s workers in their mid-30s to mid-40s still have a long way to go. Those who fall within this age range are known collectively as the “lost generation” or the generation of the “employment ice age.”
當提到升職或加薪時，對日本35歲至45歲的勞工而言，還有很長一段路要走；落在這個年齡層的這些勞工也被稱為「失落世代」或「就業冰河期世代」。
promotion(n.)升遷、晉升raise(n.)加薪range(n.)範圍collectively(adv.)集體地、共同地employment(n.)受僱、就業age(n.)時代、時期
They started their job search after the economic bubble collapsed in the late 1990s and while Japan was facing a severe financial crisis. At the time, companies tightened up on hiring new employees to keep the old employees.
他們在1990年代末經濟泡沫時代崩潰後開始找工作，而當時日本正面臨嚴重的金融危機，許多公司為了留住舊員工而縮減僱用新員工時。
search(n.)搜索、搜尋economic(adj.)經濟的bubble(n.)泡沫、經濟泡沫collapse(v.)倒塌、崩潰face(v.)面臨、面對severe(adj.)非常嚴重的financial(adj.)金融的、財務的crisis(n.)危機tighten up使變緊、使更嚴格hire(v.)僱用employee(n.)僱員、員工
“In our company, there just aren’t any positions for us to get promoted to,” said a 40-year-old man working for a major financial institution in Tokyo.
一名在東京大型金融機構工作的40歲男子表示：「在我們公司，就是沒有任何讓我們晉升的職位。」
position(n.)工作、職務promote(v.)晉升、升遷major(adj.)主要的、重大的institution(n.)機構
He and colleagues around his age are facing dim prospects for earning promotions and raises. Although the bubble generation graduated from college back in the late 1980s and early 1990s when the economy was flying high, many of them are still climbing the ladder.
他和他年齡層的同事正面臨升遷與加薪的希望渺茫；雖然泡沫世代畢業於1980年代末1990年代初當景氣大好時，他們卻仍然在升遷中。
dim(adj.)昏暗的、前景黯淡的prospect(n.)可能性、機會although(conj.)雖然、儘管economy(n.)經濟ladder(n.)階梯、階段
The company’s demographic imbalance is making things worse. The members of the bubble generation are more than double the members of his age group.
該公司的人口分佈失衡也讓事情變得更糟：泡沫世代的成員是他這個年齡層的兩倍以上。
demographic(adj.)人口的imbalance(n.)不平衡double(n.)兩倍、雙倍
Research published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare shows that the proportion of managers in their 40s is declining, and their income is down 6.8% from 10 years earlier.
厚生勞動省公布的研究報告顯示，年齡處於40幾歲的主管比率下滑，並且他們的收入較十年前下滑6.8%。
research(n.)研究publish(v.)發表、公布welfare(n.)福利proportion(n.)比率、比例decline(v.)減少、降低income(n.)收入
As a result, these people are now cutting back on spending not only on housing and children’s education, but on luxuries such as family vacations and eating out as well.
因此，這些人不僅縮減在購屋或子女教育上的開銷，還包括全家度假及外出用餐這類奢侈項目的支出。
as a result因此、所以cut back減少、縮減spending(n.)支出、開銷education(n.)教育luxury(n.)奢侈品、名貴品