1 . New research shows that the cost of raising a child in China is nearly seven times its GDP per capita (头数), far more than in the United States and Japan.
GDP, or gross domestic product, is the measure of the total value of goods and services in a country. GDP per capita is a measure resulting from GDP divided by the size of a nation’s total population.
The high cost of child-raising is one more difficulty Chinese policymakers face as they try to deal with quickly decreasing birth rates.
Experts warn China’s aging population will put pressure on its health and social security systems. A decrease in workers could also severely limit growth for the world’s second largest economy in the coming years.
New policies permit families to have as many as three children But China’s birth rate dropped to 7.52 births per 1,000 people in 2021. That is the lowest since the National Bureau of Statistics began recording the information in 1949.
The high costs of raising a child have caused officials in China to place restrictions (限制规定) on the private tutoring industry. Some areas have been giving couples money for having a second or third child.
The average cost of raising a child to the age of 18 in China in 2019 was 485,000 yuan for a first child. That is 6.9 times China’s GDP per capita that year. That information comes from a recent report from the YuWa Population Research Institute in Beijing.
China ranks second highest among the 13 countries included in the study. The country is behind only South Korea, which has the lowest birth rate in the world. The United States number, based on 2015 data, is at 4.11 times GDP per capita. Japan stands at 4.26, based on data from 2010.
Child raising costs are even higher in China’s major cities, reaching more than 1 million yuan in Shanghai and 969,000 yuan in Beijing. Birth rates in the two cities are even lower than the national average.
YuWa warned the decreasing birth rate would “profoundly (深刻地) affect” China’s economic growth potential, its ability to create and its welfare (福利) problems.
The study found that China would need to spend at least 5 percent of its yearly GDP to provide reasons for couples to have more children. That would include education funding (基金), special housing loan (贷款) rates and tax breaks. Other considerations include equal time for mothers and fathers to be away from their jobs and the building of more childcare centers.
1. Why do officials in China place restrictions on the private tutoring industry?| A．Because of the high cost of childcare. |
| B．Because there are too many extra-curricular tutoring classes. |
| C．Because the tutoring industry does not help students improve their grades. |
| D．Because many families want to give their children more leisure time. |
| A．China has the lowest birth rate in the world. |
| B．The cost of childcare in Beijing is higher than that in Shanghai. |
| C．The reduction of workers won’t limit China’s growth in the future. |
| D．The birth rate in 2021 has been the lowest since 1949. |
| A．About 3,346,500 yuan. | B．Around 70,300 yuan. |
| C．Less than 50,300 yuan. | D．More than 80,000 yuan. |
| A．The measures that can reduce education costs. |
| B．The conclusion of the research by YuWa Population Research Institute. |
| C．The ways to increase the birth rate. |
| D．The impact of the decline of the birth rates. |
2 . I came to Canada from Sri Lanka in 2000. My first day in Canada started at Toronto airport. I will never forget that day, when I felt very strange in the airport. There were so many people with different faces, skin color, hair, clothes and languages. I met an immigration officer, who turned to me and said, “Welcome to Canada.” I replied, “Thank you.” At that time my feelings were mixed which he understood.
On my first day in Canada there were many surprises in my life. The weather, transportation, culture, medical system, taxes, houses and languages are different in my country. When I came to Canada, it was snowing in Toronto. That day was very beautiful. I had never seen snowfall. I was happy to be here but Sri Lanka is a hot country with no winter and no snowfall. Canada has different seasons and different weather.
On my first day in Canada I knew few English words. I wanted to speak with other people but I couldn’t speak very well, because I didn’t know enough English. So I decided to study English and after that I would look for a job.
In Canada the health care system is very good, where there’re many hospitals and doctors, and we don’t pay for the medical care. There’re few hospitals in my home country, where I have to pay a lot.
On my first day in Canada I went shopping and I paid tax for the first time. I was so nervous that I asked my husband about it and he explained it was normal to pay tax there.
In Canada there are different kinds of houses. In my country, there are no apartments, no townhouses and no basements. When houses are built in Canada, the government makes a plan, while in my country, people make a plan.
As my stay lasts in Canada, my feelings, my mind, and my life are changing slowly. I enjoy living here because in my country a war has broken out. I’m feeling safe living in Canada.
1. Which surprised the author on her first day in Canada?| A．Snowfall. | B．Heavy rain. |
| C．Fine weather. | D．immigration officers. |
| A．Logic. | B．Contrast |
| C．Time order. | D．Exemplification. |
| A．My first day in Canada |
| B．Sri Lankans in Canada |
| C．Better life in Canada |
| D．Escape from SriLanka |
3 . How the 2022 World Cup Works
The World Cup is nearly here. The schedule is complete. The leagues have stopped. The players have arrived. Yet even as the teams know where they are meant to be and who they are meant to play, there are still plenty of questions about how things will unfold as soccer moves center stage over the month in Qatar.
Where is it being held?
This year’s host is Qatar, which in 2010 beat the United States and Japan to win the right to hold the tournament. Whether that was an honest competition remains in dispute.
When is it?
The tournament will open on Nov.20, when Qatar plays Ecuador. That counts as a slow day; over the two weeks that follow, four games will be played on most days.
No. The World Cup usually takes place in July or it did, until Qatar won the right to host it. Considering the fact that its temperatures can reach 120 degrees (48.8℃), FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, agreed to move the tournament to the relatively bearable months of November and December.
Qatar is so small. How can it accommodate all these matches?
| A．That is unusual. |
| B．Here’s a primer (入门指南). |
| C．It is true that Qatar is tiny. |
| D．Why is it being held in winter? |
| E．Is a winter World Cup normal? |
| F．The tournament ends with the final on Dec.18, |
| G．It can accommodate 31 teams and an audience of 60,000. |
1. Why did the speaker come to China?
| A．To study. | B．To do business. | C．To visit friends. |
| A．About 2 weeks. | B．About 10 weeks. | C．About 3 months. |
| A．Salad. | B．Bread. | C．Tomato sauce. |
| A．By using hand gestures. |
| B．By asking for her son’s help. |
| C．By using a translator device. |
