时间:2019-02-21 作者:英语课 分类:英语听力精选进阶版


英语课

As China's economy has grown bigger, its population has grown older. But is China growing too old, too fast?


The one-child policy has caused a decline 1 in the birth rate, while the average age has gone up. One in four permanent residents 2 in Shanghai is retired 3, and the rest of China will soon be just as mature. The Chinese population is no spring chicken: by the year 2050, a third of Chinese people will be over the age of 60.


A demographer 4 from Fudan University said that "the speed of ageing in China is unique." It has only taken China 20 years to reach an age profile 5 that took Britain or France 60 or 70 years.


But what problems are associated with living until a ripe old age? Fewer than 2% of the elderly will find a place in a state nursing home because all the beds are taken up.


China's economy also depends on a supply of cheap, young workers – and this supply is running out. "You can see the way an ageing society is affecting the labour force" says Jerry Mo, owner of a small factory. "We are becoming unprofitable."


An ancient Chinese saying sums up why this challenge is so worrying: China will become "too old to get rich." Despite its booming 6 economy, China is still a developing country. Can it find solutions as quickly as new challenges are born?


Quiz 小测验


1. Find four words or expressions in the article that mean 'old'.


Mature, no spring chicken, ageing, elderly.


2. Is this statement true, false or not given? One in four Chinese people is retired.


False. One in four residents in Shanghai is retired, and soon the situation will be the same in the rest of China.


3. Is this statement true, false or not given? In 2050, a third of Chinese people will be in their 60s.


False. In 2050, a third of Chinese people will be over the age of 60, but not necessarily 7 in their 60s.


4. Name two problems caused by China's ageing population and low birth rate.


1) Fewer than 2% of the elderly will find a place in a state nursing home. 2) The supply of young workers is disappearing.


5. Find two words in the article that mean 'growing'.


Booming and developing.


Glossary 词汇表


grown bigger 已经越来越大


grown older 已经越来越老


birth rate 出生率


average age 平均年龄


retired 退休的


mature 成熟的


no spring chicken 不再年轻了


demographer 人口统计学家


age profile 年龄轮廓


until a ripe old age 直到老年


elderly 老年人


nursing home 养老院


ageing society 老龄化社会


ancient 古老的


booming 蓬勃增长的


developing 发展中的



n.衰微,跌落,下降;vt.使降低,婉谢;vi.下降,衰落,偏斜
  • I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
  • The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。
n.居民( resident的名词复数 );(旅馆的)住宿者
  • Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。
  • Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
n.人口统计学家
  • Professor Antonio Golini is a demographer at the University of Rome. 罗马大学安东尼奥教授是位人口统计学家。 来自互联网
  • Demographer William Frey says immigrants with young families will help keep the United States competitive. 人口统计学家佛瑞表示这些年轻的家庭会帮助美国保持竞争力。 来自互联网
n.侧面,轮廓,人物素描;概要,人物简介;v.描绘...轮廓,评论人物
  • I turned my head and saw the profile of a man.我转过头,看见一个人的侧影。
  • He drew her profile.他给她画侧面像。
adj.急速发展的v.激增( boom的现在分词 );猛涨;发出隆隆声;以低沉有力的声音说话
  • The opera singer has a deep, booming, masculine voice. 这位歌剧演唱家有一副深沉而又浑厚有力的嗓音。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • He is booming as a teacher. 作为一位教师,他日趋成功。 来自《简明英汉词典》
adv.必要地,必需地;必定地,必然地
  • More work does not necessarily call for more men.增加工作量不一定就要增添人员。
  • A voter must necessarily be no younger than eighteen.选民必须在18岁以上。
学英语单词
2-sec-butylphenyl-n-methylcarbamate
adelae
apurashokoru i.
Askyaran
audhumla
auricular branch
Ban Lang Khao
Ban Phon Tan
belmontite
bikini bottom
biotic ecotype
blasts it
bockhart impetigo
body wastes
Bong-Siemens process
break-even exchange rate
Bunratty Castle
c.c.r.
calorite
cash flow budget
certificate of departure port
chenille cutting machine
cholemic intoxication
churchliest
coarseness
computational methods
dentiaskiascope
diligere
dilution test
dorsulum
double load
double ripple
dry provisions
duodenoscopy
earnings records
EIV
engine local control
exterritorial juisdiction
f numbers
fibrinbioplast
fleech
forced tremor
fugitive flavo(u)r
fully-automatic compression machine
geometrizations
high resolution capacity
hypomelanoses
instrew
integrated access device
intensity function
killeth
kryptonated silica
lans
ligameata puboprostaticum
marshscapes
matched joint
microresistivity log
middle palatine nerve
Miercurea-Ciuc
Mlicrococcus pyogenes
multiplicative Abelian group
murohara
non-loaded line
norrie
Ocean Towage
official copy
out-of-process
Pasiniaxzide
phosphotungstic green
plain-speaking
platypoda
post-tussis
potanthus pava
pre-coded
preservation of
pygmy lamp
quinin valerate
retinotopically
Rosario, Ensenada de
sagredoes
saw-tooth milling cutter
sea urchin sting
short-horneds
slatland
spray marking
Stone transmission bridge
sucked into
superhurricane
swing up saw
telescope switch
tether
Thesprotian
tin printing oven
top needle
transfer-in with compensation
tubular apocrine adenoma
uncharged particle
unfunded liabilities
virtual desktop
window-shopping
xenon variation