空巢老人

當(dāng)子女外出求學(xué)或打工，父母就只能留守“空巢”，這就是所謂的空巢家庭。在一些大中城市，空巢家庭的比例在20%到30%之間，而一些小城鎮(zhèn)的比例則高達(dá)40%。家庭結(jié)構(gòu)的變遷以及敬老院的數(shù)量相對(duì)不足都是空巢老人人數(shù)增加的原因。空巢老人常要面臨一系列挑戰(zhàn)，包括調(diào)節(jié)與子女的關(guān)系，充實(shí)空閑生活，加強(qiáng)與外界交流，甚至還要面對(duì)他人的不理解。

參考譯文：

As young people leave home for college or to start their careers, their parents are left to live on their own. These are sometimes called 'empty-nest' families. In big and middle-sized cities, empty-nest families account for 20 to 30 percent, and in small towns, the percentage is as high as 40 percent. The change in family structure, improvement in living conditions and a lack of nursing homes all contribute to the rise in number of empty nesters. Empty nest parents often face new challenges, such as establishing a new kind of relationship with their children, finding other ways to occupy their free time, reconnecting with each other, and a lack of sympathy from other people.

詞句點(diǎn)撥：

1.?start one’s careers 立業(yè)

2.?on one’s own 獨(dú)自地

3.?account for （在數(shù)量，比例上）占

4.?a lack of …的缺失

5.?contribute to 導(dǎo)致，引起