原创 Soren 2024-10-22 09:25 江苏
年轻人为什么不想生、不敢生？
最近，国家统计局发布消息称，准备开展全国人口与家庭发展状况的抽样调查，旨在搞清楚年轻人“不想生、不敢生”的原因。
看来自路透社的报道：
来自经济学人双语精读音频：Reuters
China's National Health Commission (NHC) is surveying 30,000 people to understand factors influencing their attitudes towards childbearing and the "fear surrounding having children", as authorities struggle to boost a flagging birthrate.
The survey will include people from 150 counties in China and 1,500 different communities, the state-backed Global Times said late on Thursday, citing the China Population and Development Research Center, which falls under the NHC.
Beijing is trying to encourage young couples to have children after China posted a second consecutive year of population decline in 2023.
The survey aims to analyse "reluctance and fear surrounding having children" and ultimately provide fertility support and incentive measures, the newspaper said.
The last time a countrywide family and fertility survey was carried out was in 2021. It comes after China's National Bureau of Statistics said it will conduct a nationwide sample survey from Oct. 10-Nov. 30 to monitor population changes.
Population development has often been linked to a strong and rejuvenated China in state media.
Chinese health officials said in September they would focus more efforts on advocating marriage and childbirth at "appropriate ages" and called for shared parenting responsibilities to guide young people towards "positive perspectives on marriage, childbirth and family".
再来看解析：
1
China's National Health Commission (NHC) is surveying 30,000 people to understand factors influencing their attitudes towards childbearing and the "fear surrounding having children", as authorities struggle to boost a flagging birthrate.
中国国家卫健委正在对3万人进行调查，旨在了解影响人们生育态度及“生育恐惧”的因素，以应对日益下滑的出生率。
这句话的主干是：China's National Health Commission (NHC) is surveying 30,000 people to understand factors 中国国家卫健委正在对3万人进行调查，旨在了解因素。
什么因素？factors 后面通过V-ing形式的后置定语，进行补充：influencing their attitudes towards childbearing and the "fear surrounding having children" 影响人们生育态度及“对生育的恐惧”的因素。
其中their attitudes towards childbearing和the "fear surrounding having children"是并列的关系，作influencing的宾语。
flagging在这里的意思是“减弱的、衰退的”，这个词源于“flag”，意指“标志”或“信号”，作动词时引申为某种状态或强度减弱，相当于declining, weakening, dropping等，英国美食作家伏霞的《鱼翅与花椒》一书中两次出现了这个用法
Lei Feng is not alone as a communist role model: in the nineties the party sought to revive flagging public morals with a campaign based on the heroism of another young soldier named Xu Honggang, who was reportedly stabbed in the stomach by thieves while defending a woman bus passenger.
雷锋不是唯一的共产主义榜样：二十世纪九十年代，共产党想要重振有些颓靡的社会道德风气，于是发起了学习另一个年轻士兵的活动。这位榜样叫做徐洪刚，据报道，他乘坐公共汽车时遇到歹徒勒索欺侮一个妇女，于是见义勇为、挺身而出保护这名乘客，结果被歹徒拿匕首刺伤。
My private Chinese teacher at Sichuan University used to give me candied fruits or walnuts to ‘build my brain’ if she felt that my spirits were flagging.
我那个四川大学的私人中文老师要是觉得我精神萎靡不振，就会给我个蜜饯或者核桃说“补补脑”。
2
The survey will include people from 150 counties in China and 1,500 different communities, the state-backed Global Times said late on Thursday, citing the China Population and Development Research Center, which falls under the NHC.
《环球时报》周四报道，此次调查覆盖中国150个县和1500个社区，并援引了中国人口与发展研究中心（隶属于委健委）提供的数据。
state-backed意思是“国家支持的、国有的”，也可以说officially-funded, government-supported, state-owned，反义词是private或privately owned.
cite 是“提及”的意思，后面可以加 reason 或 example，比如：
He cited his heavy workload as the reason for his breakdown.
他提到繁重的工作负荷是导致他累垮的原因。
fall under在这里的意思是“隶属于”，相近的说法还有：be a subsidiary of、be a branch of、be part of、be affiliated with、be under the jurisdiction of，例如：
British Asia Airways is a subsidiary of British Airways.
英国亚洲航空公司是英国航空公司的子公司。
The research team is affiliated with a prestigious university.
该研究团队隶属于一所知名大学。
3
Beijing is trying to encourage young couples to have children after China posted a second consecutive year of population decline in 2023.
北京方面希望鼓励年轻夫妇生育，因为2023年中国人口连续第二年出现下降。
这里的 posted 指“报告”或“发布”某个数据或信息，后面可以加报告、数据、业绩等，可以和report, announce, record, reveal等词替换，例如：
The company reported a significant increase in profits this quarter.
公司报告本季度利润大幅增长。
The latest statistics revealed a troubling trend in unemployment rates.
最新统计数据显示sy率出现了令人担忧的趋势。
The study recorded a decline in biodiversity over the past decade.
研究记录了过去十年生物多样性的下降。
4
The survey aims to analyse "reluctance and fear surrounding having children" and ultimately provide fertility support and incentive measures, the newspaper said.
此次调查旨在分析人们“不想生、不敢生”的原因，并最终提供生育支持和激励措施。
surrounding此处是about的含义，也可以用concerning, regarding, with regard to替换，例如：
He asked several questions concerning the future of the company.
他问了几个有关公司前途的问题。
Call me if you have any problems regarding your work.
你如果还有什么工作方面的问题就给我打电话。
The company's position with regard to overtime is made clear in their contracts.
公司关于加班的立场在合同中有明确说明。
5
The last time a countrywide family and fertility survey was carried out was in 2021. It comes after China's National Bureau of Statistics said it will conduct a nationwide sample survey from Oct. 10-Nov. 30 to monitor population changes.
上一次全国范围的家庭与生育调查是在2021年，而国家统计局将于10月10日至11月30日开展一项全国性抽样调查，以监测人口变化。
这段话里有对同义替换：carry out和conduct，都表示“进行、执行”，后面可以加行动、任务、命令、政策、研究、实验、问卷、调查、面试等，如：
The police will carry out an investigation into the incident.
警方将对该事件进行调查。
The company carried out a survey to understand customer satisfaction.
公司进行了调查以了解客户满意度。
6
Population development has often been linked to a strong and rejuvenated China in state media.
国家媒体常将人口发展与中国的强盛与复兴相联系。
rejuvenate 意思是 to make sb / sth look or feel younger or more lively “使某人或某物变得更有活力”，比如 rejuvenate the economy 重振经济。
《时代周刊》给“球王”贝利写的讣告中也出现了这个词：
He changed his mind and was rejuvenated in the 1970 World Cup.
他改变了主意，在1970年世界杯上重登巅峰。
它的名词形式是 rejuvenation，这个词经常出现在《政府工作报告》和二三级笔译中，21年政工报告中有这么一句话：
Thanks to our hard work in these five years, we accomplished the major goals and tasks of the 13th Five-Year Plan, and made a giant stride toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
经过五年持续奋斗，“十三五”规划主要目标任务胜利完成，中华民族伟大复兴向前迈出了新的一大步。
补充一个rejuvenate的同义词：reinvigorate，意思是 to give new energy or strength to sth，既可以修饰经济，也可以修饰人，看两个例句：
We need to reinvigorate the economy of the area.
我们需要给这个地区的经济注入新的活力。
I felt reinvigorated after a rest and a shower.
我休息了一会儿，冲了个淋浴，感到精神焕发。
7
Chinese health officials said in September they would focus more efforts on advocating marriage and childbirth at "appropriate ages" and called for shared parenting responsibilities to guide young people towards "positive perspectives on marriage, childbirth and family".
中国卫生官员在9月表示，将更加重视倡导“适龄”婚育，并呼吁共同承担育儿责任，引导年轻人树立“积极的婚育与家庭观”。
focus more efforts on意思是“把更多精力集中在...、更加重视...”也可以直接说focus more on...，或者devote more resources to、prioritize等。
advocating marriage and childbirth at "appropriate ages"意思是：倡导在“合适的年龄”结婚、生育。其中advocate可以用promote, campaign for替换。
call for是“呼吁”的意思，类似urge, encourage等词。
shared responsibilities是名词，指“共同责任”，shared parenting responsibilities指夫妻两人共同承担育儿责任。
shared表示“共同的”，例如shared goals 共同目标，shared prosperity 共同繁荣，中国外宣材料里经常出现这句话：
China stands ready to work together with all other countries to make new contributions in promoting enduring world peace and shared prosperity.
中国愿与各国携手合作、同舟共济，为促进世界持久和平与共同发展做出新的贡献。
今天就到这里，感谢阅读！
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