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 . Towns across Italy have been racing to launch clever plans aimed at attracting new residents to revive (复兴)their fortunes in recent years. From abandoned homes selling for little more than a euro, to ready- to-occupy houses at knockdown prices, there has been a rush of competition.
The picturesque town of Presicce in the sunny region of Puglia is the latest to enter the game with a very tempting offer. Officials say they will pay people up to 30,000 euros to buy an empty house and take up residency. Even better, the houses up fbr sale as part of the deal are priced from around 25,000 euros.
Authorities in Presicce hope the cash motivation will breathe new life into their depopulating town, where newborns are fewer each year.
Presicce dates back to the middle Ages, flourishing during the Renaissance as a prosperous place known for its fine wine, cheeses and cattle trade. It gains a reputation as Puglia’s “town of green gold” for green olive trees and olive oil. Its location is incredible, surrounded by the nature of the Salento area and close to beautiful beaches and clear waters of Santa Maria di Leuca.
“There are many empty homes in the historical center built before 1991 which we would like to see alive again with new residents,” says local councilor Alfredo Palese. It is a pity witnessing how our old districts full of history, wonderful architecture and art are slowly emptying. The details of the deal are currently being finalized, Palese adds, and authorities are ready to launch applications in upcoming weeks when information will be available on the town hall website.
According to Palese, a 2019 merger (合并)with the nearby town Acquarica to create the larger town Presicce-Acquarica has provided them with extra money to ensure the project can continue for years to come. “After the merger, as per Italian law, our wider territory will be blessed with more public funds, roughly 1,000,000 euros per year for several years forward, which we intend to invest to revitalize (振兴) the old district, ” says Palese.
Together, Presicce and Acquarica now have some 9,000 inhabitants, but only half of the population live in the older part of the community.
The town hall has already launched other plans to attract more residents, including tax benefits to set up new business activities and baby bonuses for families with kids.
1. What problem do many Italian towns face according to the text?| A．Population decline. | B．Financial crisis. | C．Falling tourism. | D．High living cost. |
| A．Risky. | B．Informal. | C．Attractive. | D．Conditional. |
| A．To show Presicce’s past glory. |
| B．To recommend a travel destination. |
| C．To point out the economy of Presicce. |
| D．To stress the importance of reviving Presicce. |
| A．An Italian town’s welfare system. |
| B．An Italian town’s recovery strategy. |
| C．An Italian town’s long-term plan. |
| D．An Italian town’s current situation. |
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. |
