Our Graying Planet　高齡化世界
Over a 3)billion 4)senior citizens　
超過十億銀髮族‧

標題
1) gray (v., a.) （頭髮）變灰白；（頭髮）灰色的
I'm only thirty years old but my hair is graying.
2) planet (n.) 行星
Earth is the third planet away from the sun.
3) billion (n.) 十億
Bill Gates has over forty billion dollars.
4) senior citizen (n.) 老人，高齡公民
Train tickets are discounted for senior citizens.

1.If you won the 5)lottery, the number 缹ne billion* would be wonderful to hear. But if you're talking about the world's aging population, one billion is no longer a figure that brings smiles to people's faces. Instead, it is causing many to worry.
如果你中了樂透彩，「十億」會是個悅耳的數字。但如果是在談全世界的高齡人口，十億就不再是能夠讓人面露微笑的數字了。這個數字事實上令許多人憂心忡忡。

‧ 中級單字
5)lottery (n.) 彩券，樂透
Janet won a million dollars in the lottery.

2.Worldwide, there are currently about 600 million people over the age of 60. It is 6)estimated that this number will double to 1.2 billion by 2025. This will be the biggest jump ever in the number of the world's senior citizens. While these numbers show how medical 7)advancements have helped people live longer, it's not this positive side people are focusing on.
全世界目前超過六十歲的人口約有六億。據估計這個數字到二○二五年會倍增到十二億，這將是有始以來世界高齡人口的最大增幅。這些數字固然表示醫療的進步幫助人們得以延年益壽，但是這個好處並非人們關注的焦點。

. 中級單字
6) estimate (v.) 估計
It's estimated that there are one hundred thousand immigrants（移入移民）per year.
7) advancement (n.) 進步，進展
Scientific advancements come faster than understanding of science nowadays.

3.The focus is instead on the 8)burden older people put on the 9)workforces and 10)economies of countries around the world. An increase in people over 60 means fewer people in the workforce 11)generating incomes and spending money. More older people holding on to their 12)savings means a slower economy.
焦點反而在於老年人口對世界各國勞動力和經濟造成的負擔。六十歲以上人口增加，表示比較少的勞動人口在創造收入與消費。比較多老人守住他們的積蓄，表示經濟會比較不活絡。

‧ 中級單字
8) burden (n.) 負擔，負荷物
It's really a burden to take care of all these children.
9) workforce (n.) 勞動力，總勞動人口
This fire department（消防隊）has a one hundred man-strong workforce.
10) economy(n.) 經濟
The economy has been getting better ever since the last crash（崩盤）.
11) generate (v.) 產生
The dam（水壩）on that river generates a lot of electricity.
12) savings (n.) 積蓄，存款
I have almost no savings in my bank.

4.Older people also require more care. They 13)suffer from more 14)chronic diseases and 15)consume a lot of resources from Social Security or National Health Insurance systems. This puts a 16)strain on any government's 17)finance and has people worried.
老年人也需要更多的照料。他們罹患的慢性疾病比較多，而且消耗掉許多社會福利或國家健保的資源。這對任何政府都會造成財政壓力，引起人們擔心。

‧ 中級單字
13) suffer (v.) 受苦，罹患
Jim has been suffering from depression（憂鬱症）ever since his girlfriend left him.
14) chronic (a.) 慢性的，長期的
Chronic problems such as poverty（貧困）are hard to solve.
15) consume (v.) 消耗
Americans consume a fourth of（四分之一的）the world's resources（資源）.
16) strain (n.) 緊張，壓力
All this arguing has really put strain on our relationship.
17) finance (n.) 財政，財務
Jevon is studying finance in order to work at a bank.

5.The best 18)solution is to keep our older population fit as long as possible and to find ways to keep our Social Security or National Health Insurance systems running strong, as we watch our world become an increasingly 1)gray place.
眼看著我們的世界逐漸高齡化，最好的因應之道就是儘可能保持老年人口身體健康，並設法維持我們的社會福利及國家健保制度健全運作。

‧ 中級單字
18) solution (n.) 解決（辦法）
The government's solution to this city's traffic problems is to build an underground metro（地鐵）.


- posted by star blog @ Thursday, November 18, 2004