听力文本

People are working to an older age in Britain. The number of 70-74 year-old people who work has doubled in the past decade. Around 10 per cent of British people in their early 70s are now working. It is the highest figure since records began. The British government says just over a quarter of a million 70-74-year-olds currently have jobs. In 2005, there were around 100,000 of them. The government said people are working to an older age and are deciding to retire later. A labour union spokesperson said the reason for people working in their old age is because retirement pensions in Britain are becoming more difficult to live on. Many older people have to work and delay retirement to be able to survive.

Employment spokesman Frances O'Grady said: "The last decade has seen big changes in the labour market, with far more people working beyond retirement age. While there are plenty who enjoy remaining in work, many need to earn extra cash because they cannot afford to retire." He added that: "We need decent jobs and pensions for all so that people can make a genuine choice about whether they remain in work." A spokesman for small businesses, John Allan, said more older people were starting their own businesses. He said: "More and more older people are deciding on a career change later in life and are starting up their own businesses, pursuing something they may have dreamed of doing for years."

中文翻译

英国退休年龄延迟riYtH]MEfsr+9B4XP|#H。在过去十年中，70-74的在职工作者人数翻一番!JHcCf3!opHNr7[osV。在所有70岁出头的英国人中，约10%仍然坚持工作rYL9uz1Pv@z&oD,F*。这是有记录以来的最高值sG6C@CzCsY_*_^,Q。英国政府表示称，70-74岁老年人工作人数超过了25万R-yi@nCR6;4i*。2005年，这一数字大约为10万g;0F~u@b)6ISXEoh1-Z。政府称人们的工作年限增加，退休年龄延迟NAjB+[i8XXGRL@*。一名工会发言人表示称，由于英国的退休金很难维持生计，导致人们延迟了工作年限#yONdIP+g3QSj。许多老年人不得不坚持上班，延迟退休维持生计iX5SfFGq+1XgR2m。

员工发言人弗朗西·奥格雷迪认为：“过去十年，劳动力市场发生了翻天覆地的变化，延迟退休的人数越来越多vP9Liiy[=4ytK。许多人愿意坚持工作，还有一些人由于无法生活而选择继续挣钱86Mz~g2O,;A00OG。”他还补充道：“我们需要好工作，需要满意的退休金，这样人们才能够对是否继续工作做出选择l=4&a%6-7;0yyP。”小企业发言人约翰·阿兰认为，许多老年人选择单干sZg.wOOhCELZ^]lHZ-S。他认为：“许多老年人决定在晚年更换职业，开始自己做买卖，追寻他们梦想多年的事业ggqYf3AwFbjUE%ykzy!。”

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重点讲解

1.live on 靠…为生

例句：That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.

那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活pPXyM=VpK6wt4LN。

2.decide to 决定

例句：A dentist may decide to extract the tooth to prevent recurrent trouble.

牙医可能会决定拔掉那颗牙，以免反复发作.G~W~z[7Tl.^u(%P]rWY。

3.retirement age 退休年龄

例句：He was well past retirement age.

他早过了退休年龄9YL)[~=YzAX(ibTU5Iv。

4.be able to 能够

例句：Chantal was lucky to be able to salvage her career.

尚塔尔能保住她的事业算是走了运G;&0KcRF1SM。

听力题目

1.By how many times has the number of working 70-74 year-olds risen?

a) five times

b) four times

c) three times

d) two times

2.What percentage of 70-74 year-old people are now working in the UK?

a) 15%

b) 10%

c) 20%

d) 25%

3.How many working 70-74 year-old people were there in 2005?

a) 130,000

b) 120,000

c) 110,000

d) 100,000

4.What is becoming more difficult to live on in Britain?

a) bonuses

b) salaries

c) pensions

d) savings

5.What are older people having to delay in Britain?

a) home improvements

b) working

c) having a family

d) retirement

6.What has the labour market seen in the past decade?

a) shocks

b) a fall

c) big changes

d) growth

7.What do many 70-74 year-old people need more of?

a) cash

b) time

c) hours

d) food

8.What do 70-74 year-old people need to make a genuine choice?

a) Internet bandwidth

b) information

c) pensions and jobs

d) advice

9.What are many 70-74 year-old people starting?

a) families

b) their own businesses

c) self-help groups

d) protests

10.What have many older people been dreaming of for years?

a) starting a business

b) retirement

c) foreign holidays

d) working

听力答案

1.d

2.b

3.d

4.c

5.d

6.c

7.a

8.c

9.b

10.a