现在我国已进入老龄化社会。为了减缓人口老龄化带来的一系列社会问题，需要多生孩子。可是我国在放开二胎生育之后，人口出生率仍然很低，因为现在养育孩子实在太花钱了。
Chinese couples can't afford a second child
by Nanlin Fang & Lily Lee
Before her son was born, Chen Huijuan was happy to splash out on skincare products, clothing and socializing with friends. Now, she even hesitates to buy a new dress.
splash /splæʃ/ out 挥霍
skincare /ˈskɪnkeə(r)/ n. 皮肤护理、护肤（由skin和care组成）
socialize /ˈsəʊʃ(ə)laɪz/ v. 社交、交往（由social加后缀-ize变成动词）
hesitate /ˈhezɪteɪt/ v. 犹豫、迟疑
Living in Suzhou in eastern Jiangsu province, Chen earns 5,000 yuan a month as a high school teacher, while her husband makes 16,000 yuan a month working for the sales department of an American company in neighboring Shanghai.
province /ˈprɒvɪns/ n. 省
high school 高中
sales department 销售部
neighboring /ˈneɪb(ə)rɪŋ/ adj. 邻近的、附近的
Raising their 2-year-old son, Xiyan, swallows at least a third of the family's annual income. Comparatively, in the US it costs a similarly positioned family a fifth of their income to raise a child.
raise /reɪz/ v. 抚养
swallow /ˈswɒləʊ/ v. 吞、吞没
income /ˈɪnkʌm/ n. 收入
comparatively /kəmˈpærətɪvli/ adv. 相比之下（由comparative加后缀-ly变成副词）
similarly /ˈsɪmɪləli/ adv. 类似地、相似地（由similar加后缀-ly变成副词）
position /pəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/ v. 放在某个位置（这里指经济地位）
Chen's financial struggle mirrors the difficulties facing millions of other middle-class families across China, and is a major reason why the government is struggling to boost the country's birth rate. More than 50% of families have no intention of having a second child, according to a 2017 study – and cost is one of the main reasons.
financial /faɪˈnænʃ(ə)l/ adj. 跟钱有关的
struggle /ˈstrʌɡ(ə)l/ n./v. 挣扎、奋斗
mirror /ˈmɪrə(r)/ v. 映照、反映
face /feɪs/ v. 面对、面临
class /klɑːs/ n. 阶级（middle class就是中产阶级）
major /ˈmeɪdʒə(r)/ adj. 主要的
boost /buːst/ v. 增加、提高
rate /reɪt/ n. 率、比率（birth rate就是出生率）
intention /ɪnˈtenʃ(ə)n/ n. 意图、打算
Parents and experts say the cost of raising a child in China has risen sharply as living standards in the country have improved and public trust in domestic products has weakened. Chen, for example, has never bought a Chinese brand of baby formula for her son, opting for expensive imported foreign brands.
sharply /ˈʃɑːpli/ adv. 急剧地
standard /ˈstændəd/ n. 标准（living standard指生活水平）
domestic /dəˈmestɪk/ adj. 国内的、国产的
weaken /ˈwiːk(ə)n/ v. 减弱（由weak加后缀-en变成动词）
brand /brænd/ n. 品牌
formula /ˈfɔːmjulə/ n. 配方奶粉
opt /ɒpt/ v. 选择、挑选
import /ɪmˈpɔːt/ v. 进口
In 2008, tainted Chinese baby milk killed at least six babies, and caused kidney stones and urinary tract problems in hundreds of thousands of children. That scandal still haunts many parents in China.
taint /teɪnt/ v. （受有害物质）污染
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成、导致
kidney /ˈkɪdni/ n. 肾脏（kidney stone是肾结石）
urinary /ˈjʊərɪn(ə)ri/ tract /trækt/ 尿道、尿路
scandal /ˈskænd(ə)l/ n. 丑闻
haunt /hɔːnt/ v. 给…留下心理阴影
Educational and entertainment costs are also a serious drain, according to Wang Dan, deputy director at Hong Kong University's Wah Ching Center of Research on Education in China. Until the 1990s, most people in China used public education, which was free or had a minimal cost, she said. "But now education has become a big industry," she added. "Of course, the overall costs will be driven up."
educational /ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adj. 教育的（由education加后缀-al变成形容词）
entertainment /ˌentəˈteɪnmənt/ n. 娱乐、消遣
drain /dreɪn/ n. 下水道、排水管（引申为让钱流走的东西）
deputy /ˈdepjuti/ n. 副职
minimal /ˈmɪnɪm(ə)l/ adj. 很少的、极少的
industry /ˈɪndəstri/ n. 行业、产业
overall /ˌəʊvəˈrɔːl/ adj. 总体的
drive /draɪv/ v. 驱动、推动
Feeling the pressure of an increasingly competitive society, Chen began buying Xiyan educational toys while she was pregnant so he wouldn't "lose at the starting line." Chen and her husband spend 5,000 yuan a month on their son's bilingual day care center – all of her monthly salary.
pressure /ˈpreʃə(r)/ n. 压力
increasingly /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli/ adv. 越来越（由increase的现在分词加上后缀-ly变成副词）
competitive /kəmˈpetɪtɪv/ adj. 有竞争的（由compete加后缀-itive变成形容词）
pregnant /ˈpreɡnənt/ adj. 怀孕的
bilingual /baɪˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/ adj. 双语的
day care center 日托中心
It isn't just basic education, either – extracurricular（课外的） activities are biting into families' annual expenses. On top of that, there is the annual 15,000 yuan bill for her son's private medical insurance. "I always want to give my child the best. The best doctors, the best toys, the best education," Chen said.
activity /ækˈtɪvəti/ n. 活动
bite into 使…减少
expense /ɪkˈspens/ n. 花费、开销（这里指孩子的课外活动挤占了家庭在其他方面的花销）
medical /ˈmedɪk(ə)l/ adj. 医疗的
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊər(ə)ns/ n. 保险（private medical insurance指商业医疗保险）
Authorities have offered subsidies to parents having a second child, such as financial assistance for baby formula, and maternity leave has been extended. But Chen said it must be for parents alone to decide how many children to have. "It's a choice about your own life," she said. "I will never consider having a second child. It is too expensive."
authorities /ɔːˈθɒrətiz/ n. 有关部门
subsidy /ˈsʌbsɪdi/ n. 补贴
assistance /əˈsɪst(ə)ns/ n. 帮助
maternity /məˈtɜːnəti/ adj. 跟生育有关的（maternity leave指产假）
extend /ɪkˈstend/ v. 延长
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