Despite a continuing improvement in the standard of living, many people believe that young people suffer more stress than older generations. In this essay, the arguments surrounding the issue of teenage stress will be discussed.

Firstly, teenagers are exposed to more products than earlier generations as a result of living in a modern consumer society. Through films and the media, they see celebrities with expensive jewelry, clothes, and cars. In addition, youth-oriented advertising gives them an awareness of the latest technology such as digital music formats and mobile phones. Consequently, teenagers feel pressure to acquire these items. Some might argue that these pressures are not new. However, I believe that such stresses were not so strong during earlier times.

It could also be argued that pressures at school are stronger than before. In order to achieve the lifestyle they see in the media, teenagers must succeed in their studies so they can compete for the best jobs. Parental pressure, examinations, and homework are all reported as causing increased levels of strain.

On the other hand, although it may be true to say that modern society produces certain stresses it does not necessarily mean that stress was previously absent. In earlier times, hunger and physical discomfort would undoubtedly have caused high levels of anxiety, as would hard physical labor, for example, working down a mine. Any balanced view must take into account these alternative factors.

To sum up, consumerism and academic pressures are powerful causes of stress on today's teenagers. Nevertheless, it is my view that these stresses are no greater than those experienced by earlier generations of teenagers.

尽管生活水平不断提高，但很多人认为年轻人比老一辈人承受的压力更大。在本文中，将围绕青少年压力问题的争论展开讨论。

首先，由于生活在现代消费社会中，青少年比上一代人接触到更多的产品。通过电影和媒体，他们看到名人拥有昂贵的珠宝、衣服和汽车。此外，面向青少年的广告让他们认识到数字音乐格式和手机等最新技术。因此，青少年感到有压力去购买这些物品。有人可能会说，这些压力并不新鲜。然而，我相信这种压力在早期并不那么强烈。

也可以说，学校的压力比以前更大了。为了实现他们在媒体上看到的生活方式，青少年必须在学习上取得成功，这样他们才能竞争到最好的工作。据报道，父母的压力、考试和家庭作业都会造成更大的压力。

另一方面，虽然说现代社会产生了某些压力，但并不一定意味着以前没有压力。在早期，饥饿和身体上的不适无疑会引起高度的焦虑，艰苦的体力劳动，例如在矿井下工作，也会引起焦虑。任何平衡的观点都必须考虑到这些替代因素。

总之，消费主义和学业压力是造成当今青少年压力的有力原因。不过，我认为，这些压力并不比前几代青少年所经历的压力大。