Reading Aloud 6

Elderly's plight

Many people commit suicide because of financial problems. Although Hong Kong's economy has improved, the unemployment rate is still high.

As the birth rate declines, the city's elderly population will continue to increase. But a majority of them cannot find work, so they depend on government handouts.

The government should not cut the allowance for elderly people. Instead, the authorities should pay more attention to this neglected section of the community.

They don't have grand desires. They simply want to lead a quiet, comfortable life in their remaining years.

Chan Chun Kit (6A)
South China Morning Post (March 10, 2005)

Vocabulary

1. plight (n) 困境
2. commit suicide (n)自殺
3. financial problems (n) 財政問題
4. economy (n) 經濟情況
5. unemployment rate (n) 失業率
6. declines (v) 下降
7. majority (n) 大多數
8. allowance (n) 津貼
9. the authorities (n) 當局
10. neglected (adj) 忽視的

Useful Sentences

1. continue to decline 繼續下降
  Support for the party continues to decline.

2. the vast majority 絕大多數
  The vast majority had never traveled outside China.

3. depend on 依靠
  Children depend on their parents for all of their material needs.

4. pay attention 注意
  Pay particular attention to the warnings printed on the label.

5. neglect to do sth 遺漏
  She had neglected to inform me that the company was having financial problems.

6. have no desire to do sth 不想做某事
  Young people have no desire to work for the government.