2 . Today, the world celebrates the United Nations International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) under the theme “Resilience (复原力) of Older Persons in a Changing World”.
The number of older persons worldwide is projected to reach more than 1.5 billion in 2050. All regions will see an increase in the size of the older population between 2022 and 2050. Less developed countries excluding the least developed countries will be home to more than two-thirds of the world’s older population (1.1 billion) in 2050. Yet the fastest increase is projected to take place in the least developed countries, where the number of people aged 65 or over could rise from 37 million in 2019 to 120 million in 2050 (about 225%).
As to the “Silver Generation”, all countries have to bear increased pension (养老金) and healthcare costs as people live longer. But including the elderly in a productive way in the national economy has become a major problem for many countries. Many young families also struggle to care for their elderly parents or give it up altogether. Meanwhile, though older persons continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, economic, social and cultural lives, their contributions and experience are largely ignored.
The 2022 theme of UNIDOP serves as a fillip, something that jogs your memory and makes you think about the significant role older people play in taking up global challenges and contributing to their solutions. UNIDOP 2022 is also a call for action and opportunity to hear older persons’ voices and show their resilience and contributions in society.
Age is just a number and only a state of mind. Indeed, what matters is ageing elegantly, accompanied by good health. It is meaningless to live to 85 or 90 if one is limited to bed, unable to move around. But this could be a thing of the past in the light of rapid medical advances, which will give mobility and a new life to the elderly. I believe there will come a time when one’s actual age doesn’t really matter anymore in both a physical and mental sense.
1. Why are the figures used in paragraph 2?
| A．To clarify the gap between rich and poor. |
| B．To show the growth in the older population. |
| C．To explain the correctness of the UN statistics. |
| D．To analyze the reasons for population ageing. |
2. What does the author say about the “Silver Generation”?
| A．It is a double-edged sword. |
| B．It is a force to be treated seriously. |
| C．It is a huge burden to young families. |
| D．It is a by-product of the economic development. |
3. Which word is closest in meaning to “fillip” underlined in paragraph 4?
| A．Reference. | B．Guideline. | C．Reminder. | D．Platform. |
4. What is the author’s understanding of age?
| A．Age affects both physical and mental health. |
| B．Age is not a number but a mental state. |
| C．Age does not matter in the medical field. |
| D．Age pales by comparison with health. |
