第二次和現象級英語小伙伴組隊賞析經濟學人，其中1-3段來自荊棘海(背景信息from燦燦)，4-5段來自燦燦，6-7段來自0，8-9段來自王大冠，10-12段來自Zeroun。
How Japan’s prime minister plans to cope with daunting demography
The reforms he has in mind are not bold enough
How Japan’s prime minister plans to cope with daunting demography
大標題：日本首相將會如何應對本國令人氣餒的人口問題
The reforms he has in mind are not bold enough
小標題：他籌劃中的改革方案不夠大膽
正副標題中我們可以看出來daunting和bold是一組反義詞，我們先來學習一下daunting，這個詞表示令人氣餒的、嚇人的，與后面demography連用讓人感到人口下降這件事有點細思恐極。而小標題中的bold為勇敢和敢于冒險之意，兩個標題一對比，令人更加體會到面對令人恐慌的人口問題時，安倍首相給出的改革措施實在有點過于保守。
這里可以學習一下兩個表達：
1.daunting：adj. frightening in a way that makes you feel less confident.表示使人氣餒，讓人變得不自信、望而卻步的意思。
例句：The trip seemed rather daunting for a young girl.
2.cope with：這個動詞短語表示應對、處理，to succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation，可以作為deal with，handle，manage等的同義替換詞。
例句：She feared she wouldn’t be able to cope with two new babies.
Paragraph 1：
①“THE DECLINE of the birth rate and the ageing of Japanese society is accelerating at unprecedented speed,” warns Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister.②Given the scale of the problem, he told The Economist this week, the government must push for “impactful policies” to tackle it right away. ③He mentions a series of reforms, intended to boost the workforce and reduce the cost of supporting the elderly. ④The Diet is currently debating a government proposal to admit 345,000 foreign workers over five years, for instance.
段落解析：
面對日趨嚴重的日本的出生率低和人口老齡化問題，日本首相安倍晉三希望推出有力的應對措施，刺激勞動力市場并減少對老齡人口的服務開支。此外，日本國會現正在對一項五年內引進超過30萬的外國勞動力提案進行辯論。
詞句精讀：
1.accelerate：v（及物）表示加速，釋義為if a process accelerates or if something accelerates it, it happens faster than usual or sooner than you expect，后面經常與speed、rate等表示速度的詞連用，文中“THE DECLINE of the birth rate and the ageing of Japanese society is accelerating at unprecedented speed”就表示日本的出生下降率和老齡化正在以前所未有的速度上升著。
2.unprecedented：adj. never having happened before, or never having happened so much 中文可以翻譯為空前的，前所未有的，與unusual是近義詞。這個詞來源于precedent，表示先例。
例句：Crime has increased on an unprecedented scale .
CNN就出過一本關于川普的書，書名叫Unprecedented：The election that changed everything，聯想到川普的種種駭人言論，這個單詞是不是很容易就記住了？
3.Given the scale of the problem…：given這個詞非常好用，在這里表示鑒于、考慮到，可以與considering做同義替換，后面可與名詞連接，也可接that引導的從句，在文中就表示，考慮到問題的嚴重程度…。
例句：Given that the patients have some disabilities, we still try to enable them to be as independent as possible.
4.tackle：v（及物）表示處理、解決，to try to deal with a difficult problem，與前面標題中的cope with同樣可做同義替換，后面可以直接跟名詞，比如：tackle the problem/issue；或者連接程度副詞，比如tackle directly；還可以與with或about連用，比如：When I tackled Susan about it, she admitted she’d made a mistake.
背景信息補充：（此段由燦燦提供）
Diet，名詞，常用釋義“飲食”，這里是指“議會”，a legislative assembly in certain countries (e.g., Japan). 日本議會是Diet，英國/加拿大議會是Parliament，美國國會是Congress。比如說，日本的議會相當于美國的國會，就可以說：The Diet in Japan corresponds to the American Congress.應用最近“每日一詞”學習的equivalent，可以說“The Diet is the Japanese equivalent of the American Congress”。
從詞源角度來看，Diet(議會)源自中世紀拉丁語的dieta，其有兩個意思，“parliamentary assembly 議會”和“daily food allowance 每天的食物津貼”，最初源自古希臘語的diaita，意思是“way of living 生活方式”，也即“diet 日常飲食”,"regular (daily) work 定期(每日)工作"。Diet這個詞之所以表示“會議”這個意思，是因為會議是在每日的基礎上進行的。日本議會Diet也是沿用德國的傳統，明治憲法（Meiji Constitution）深受德意志(普魯士)的影響(the heavy Prussian influence)。
Paragraph 2
①That sounds dramatic, but the demographic decline is even bigger. ②There are 400,000 more deaths than births each year.③Life expectancy is 84 years—the highest in the world. ④Over 28% of the population is older than 65, compared with 21% in Germany, 15% in America and 6% in India.⑤The country has 69,785 centenarians, a seven-fold increase on two decades ago.
段落解析：
本段承接上文，雖然五年內引進30萬勞動力像是個夸張的數字，但日本人口問題卻更為夸張。并用數字舉例說明了日本老齡化的嚴重程度。
詞句精讀：
1.Life expectancy：表示預期壽命，是一個專有名詞，可以形容人、動物或者用品。expectancy這個詞是期待的意思，the feeling that something pleasant or exciting is going to happen。
expectancy這個詞在經濟學領域應用廣泛，比如說：
expectancy of value：期望值
expectancy theory：期望理論
expectancy effect：期望效應
2.seven-fold：七倍。fold作為名詞表示折疊的痕跡，與數字連用就表示倍數，是很形象的表達，可以與times同義替換。后常接increase/rise，表示增長了幾倍。
例句：Burglaries have increased sixfold.
3.Over 28% of the population is older than 65, compared with 21% in Germany, 15% in America and 6% in India.
這段話我們可以學習一下用數據來證明文章論點。在用數字之間的對比進行論證時，可以參考文中的寫法，提煉出來就是：over xx% is…,compared with xx% in…,xx% in…and xx% in…，把想要說明的主句放到前面，后面用compared with引導其他參照物的數據。
比如我們想表達中國經濟及其他地區的經濟增長率，就可以說：
China's GDP growth in 2017 is 6.9%,compared with 2.3% in America,1.8% in U.K and 1.6% in Japan.
Paragraph 3
①The welfare state has become unaffordable. Public debt is 250% of GDP. ②And Japan is suffering from an acute labour shortage. ③There are already 1.6 jobs for every job-seeker, and the workforce is predicted to shrink from 67m last year to 58m in 2030.
段落解析：
這段進一步講述日本的福利制度快要崩不住了。而且勞動力市場也非常短缺，預計到2030年還會減少九百萬勞動力。
詞句精讀：
1.suffer：v（及物）我們通常用這個詞表示遭受身體上的苦痛，然而它與經歷、損失連用，來表示面臨和承受也同樣好用，可以與face、encounter等進行同義替換。suffer后面可以與介詞from連用，也可以直接接名詞，比如loss/consequence/damage等。
本段中②Japan is suffering from an acute labour shortage.就表示日本正在面臨嚴重的勞動力市場空缺。suffer用在這里比使用它的同義詞face更能令人感受到這個空缺帶來的種種困難。
其他例句：They are unlikely to suffer any further loss of business.
2.acute：adj. an acute problem is very serious.這個詞在修飾問題的時候通常表示很嚴重，可以與serous做同義替換。但在與sense、mind等連用時也有“靈敏的、聰明的”之意。要注意上下文。
在表示住房短缺問題嚴重時，可以這么說：The housing shortage is more acute than first thought.
3.shrink：v（及物）to become or to make something smaller in amount, size, or value.
這個詞原意為縮水，引申為（使）縮水、減少，當在表示體積、體量減少的時候，可以使用shrink，可避免在論述中多次使用reduce等詞。后面可以與to連用，表示縮小到什么樣的程度。
比如：The firm’s staff had shrunk to only four people.
Paragraph 4
①One obvious solution is immigration. ②Only 2% of the workforce is foreign-born, compared with 17% in America. ③But the government has been surreptitiously admitting more foreign workers, mostly in the guise of students and trainees. ④The plan before the Diet aims to attract blue-collar workers in 14 industries, including construction, shipbuilding and caring for the elderly. ⑤They will receive visas of no more than five years, at least initially, and will not be able to bring their families. ⑥All must have some proficiency in Japanese.
段落解析：
前文提出了日本的生育率降低、人口老齡化帶來的勞動力急劇短缺的問題，從本段開始討論應對的舉措。本段主要提到的是，通過移民的舉措解決勞動力短缺。相對于美國這樣的移民大國來說，日本勞動力市場上的外國人占比還是很低的。政府其實已經打著學生和實習生的幌子，私下準入了更多的外國打工者，主要還是吸引建筑、造船、夕陽產業等藍領工人，這樣的勞動力也是有一定條件的，首次簽發的簽證有效期在5年之內，還不能攜家帶口，并且對日語水平也有要求。
詞句精讀：
③But the government has been surreptitiously admitting more foreign workers, mostly in the guise of students and trainees.
surreptitiously，副詞，形容詞是surreptitious，秘密的，偷偷摸摸的，鬼鬼祟祟的，done secretly or quickly because you do not want other people to notice. 同義詞secret，反義詞barefaced(不隱瞞的)/aboveboard(光明正大的)。單詞很長，但我們可以這么記憶：sur-rept-itious，sur下面, rept = creep爬（reptile爬行動物）itious表示形容詞，在下面爬來爬去，偷偷摸摸的。比如我們想表達，商人私下付的報酬補充了低工資，就可以說：Low wages were supplemented by surreptitious payments from tradesmen.
guise，名詞，意思是“偽裝，外表，幌子”，是比較正式的表達，the way someone or something appears to be, which hides the truth or is only temporary，常用表達“in / under the guise of sth”，本文是指日本政府打著學生和實習生的幌子，私下準入了更多的外國工作者。
比如我們想表達，他們掛著職業介紹所的牌子從事毒品走私活動，就可以說：They operated a drug-smuggling business under the guise of an employment agency.
再比如說我們想表達，一樣的觀點只是形式不同，就可以說：It’s the same idea in a different guise.
Paragraph 5:
①Mr Abe plays down the idea that he is doing anything momentous. ②In debates he is at pains to stress that the new arrivals are not permanent immigrants, but guest workers. ③Moreover, he portrays foreign workers as a last resort, to fill gaps while the government tries to get more Japanese to work. ④During his six-year tenure, 2m more women have joined the workforce, lifting the female participation rate above America’s. ⑤He has increased the number of nurseries and made big companies document their efforts to promote female workers. ⑥From next year nurseries will be free. ⑦Over half of women return to work after having a child, compared with 38% in 2010. ⑧“We have tried to make a society that enables more women to be active, advanced and empowered,” he says.
段落解析：
本段承接上一段，安倍對議會輕描淡寫移民舉措的重要性，強調外來務工者只是來“客座”工作的，可不是永久移民，而且這是迫不得已而為之的最后舉措了。除了“引進外援”，安倍在任期內大力鼓勵女性工作，日本女性的工作參與率已超過了美國（這已顛覆了我的認知），安倍通過增建托兒所和給職業女性晉升空間解決女性職工的后顧之憂，并且從明年起托兒所都免費啦！免費啦！免費啦！（重要事情說三遍）怪不得日本有一半以上生完孩子的女性都重返職場。安倍希望打造一個社會，讓更多的女性積極、先進、賦有權力。
詞句精讀：
①Mr Abe plays down the idea that he is doing anything momentous.
play down，表示“減低…的重要性，輕視”，give less emphasis or make something seem less important，可以說是對某事的輕描淡寫，同義詞downplay。比如我們想表達，這個政客對民意測驗顯示出的他的影響力下降不予重視，就可以說：The politician played down the polls that showed that he was becoming less popular.（請腦補川普大爺傲嬌地噘著小嘴表示“I don't care”）
momentous，表示“重大的”，程度要重于important，very important because it will have a great influence on the future. 本文是說安倍首相想表示出在移民方面他并沒有做什么重大舉措。如果我們想表達，現在我們在經歷東西方關系發生重大轉變的時期，就可以說：Now we are experiencing a period of momentous changes in East–West relations.
②In debates he is at pains to stress that the new arrivals are not permanent immigrants, but guest workers.
at pains，表示“小心翼翼地做某事(以免別人誤解)”，be especially careful to make sure people understand what you are saying or what you plan to do. 本段通過一個“at pains”（小心翼翼）和前句的一個“play down”（輕描淡寫），很形象的把安倍首相對移民問題謹小慎微的處理方式表現出來，也與上一段的surreptitiously有暗合之處。比如我們想表達，翠花特地說明英語是她唯一曾經考試不及格的科目，就可以說：Tracy was at pains to point out that English was the only exam she’d ever failed.
③Moreover, he portrays foreign workers as a last resort, to fill gaps while the government tries to get more Japanese to work.
resort，名詞，常用釋義“度假勝地”，在本文“last / final resort”是指（其他辦法都失敗后采用的）最后的辦法，what you will do if everything else fails，常用搭配為“as a last resort”，“of last resort”和“in the last resort”。比如我們想表達，藥物治療只能作為最后的辦法，就可以說：Drug treatment should only be used as a last resort. 再比如說我們想表達，最后使出的武器，就可以說：a weapon of last resort. 還比如說我們想表達，實在沒有別的辦法時，才會采取經濟制裁，就可以說：Economic sanctions will be used only in the last resort.
除了“last resort”的表達方式，英文中還有“first resort”的表達，表示“最先采取的手段”，what you will do first before you try other things. 比如我們想表達，過去找工作總是先找家人幫忙，就可以說：In the past, your family was the first resort when looking for a job.
④During his six-year tenure, 2m more women have joined the workforce, lifting the female participation rate above America’s.
lift，常用義“抬起，提起，舉起”，這里的意思是“增加，提高(價格﹑利潤等)”，to make prices, profit etc increase，同義詞increase，本文是指提升女性的參與率。比如我們想表達，美國可能會用減稅的方法來提振經濟，就可以說：The U.S. may use tax cuts to lift the economy.
⑤He has increased the number of nurseries and made big companies document their efforts to promote female workers.
document，動詞，常見義是做名詞的“文件，文檔”，這里是“記錄”的意思，make a detailed record of it in writing or on film or tape. 比如我們想表達，他寫了一本書，記錄他的海外經歷，就可以說：He wrote a book documenting his overseas experiences.
Paragraph 6:
①Mr Abe also wants people to “remain active without retirement throughout their lives”.②His government is likely to raise the retirement age for civil servants from 60 to 65, and to encourage companies to do the same.③As it is, many companies have raised their retirement ages or taken to rehiring retired workers, often on a part time basis. ④Fully 23% of over-65s work; they constitute a much bigger share of the workforce than in other rich countries (see chart).⑤Mr Abe plans to bolster this trend by increasing the public pension for those who agree to start drawing it later than they are currently entitled to.⑥In the long run, the prime minister hopes, robots and artificial intelligence will help ease the labour shortage. ⑦“I do think that we will need fewer jobs because of higher productivity.”
段落解析:
除了上文中提到的通過移民和讓更多女性進入職場，安倍還計劃通過提高退休年齡，來應對日本人口衰減帶來的勞動力短缺問題。安倍政府準備把公務員的退休年齡從60歲提高到65歲，很多公司也開始推行延遲退休。目前日本65歲以上人群中有23%的人還在工作，比例遠遠高于其他富裕國家。為了鼓勵這種趨勢，安倍計劃提高延遲退休的人的公共養老金。而從長遠來看，安倍寄希望于機器人和人工智能帶來生產率的提高，來徹底緩解日本的勞動力短缺。本段最后提到的安倍寄希望于機器人和人工智能來緩解勞動力短缺.
詞句精讀:
1.Likely:adj./adv.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about. 常用短語：be likely to do sth.有可能做某事。比如看外面的情況，雨雪天氣可能還會持續幾天。可以這么說：The raining day is likely to last for a few days.
2.數據圖表的解讀
Fully 23% of over-65s work; they constitute a much bigger share of the workforce than in other rich countries (see chart).
文中沒有直接以文讀圖，而是用圖文互補的方式，表達日本65歲以上還在工作的人所占比重很大。文中先說在65歲以上的人群中，日本有23%的人還在工作，圖表則是各國65歲以上人群在國內總勞動力的占比，進一步擴大影響范圍說明在國內整體勞動力市場中，日本65歲以上工作人群數量的情況。
3.bolster：vt.? support and strengthen
這里的句型可以直接套用：sb. plans to bolster sb./sth. by doing sth. 文中安倍通過增加退休金來鼓勵延遲退休。我們可以說：老板發了一大筆獎金來鼓勵員工繼續努力：
The boss hopes to bolster his staff keeping their efforts by offering a large bonus.
媽媽準備周末給小明買他想要了很久的糖果，獎勵他在學校的良好表現：
Mother plans to bolster Xiao Ming by buying him the dreaming candy this weekend.
Paragraph 7：
①Getting older people to work for longer is especially beneficial to the government’s finances, since it leads both to higher tax revenue and lower spending on pensions.②Mr Abe’s tweaks are the latest in a series of changes intended to make the pension system more affordable. ③But the government is always playing catch-up, as the ageing of the population and shrinking of the workforce accelerate. ④It reckons social-welfare costs will rise by more than half by 2040, from ￥121trn ($1.06trn) to ￥190trn.
段落解析：
延遲退休對政府的財政尤其有利：一方面增加了稅收，另一方面又能降低養老金的支出。而安倍近期的一系列調整正是為了防止日本的養老系統崩潰。但是政府的舉措總是落后于日本人口老齡化和勞動力萎縮的速度。據估計，到2040年，社會福利成本將增加一半以上。
詞句精讀：
1.Getting older people to work for longer is especially beneficial to the government’s finances, since it leads both to higher tax revenue and lower spending on pensions.此句可以提煉出一個句型：A is especially beneficial to B,since it leads both to C and D.
本段第一句提到延遲退休對政府財政有點妙，一石二鳥：增加收入還能減少支出。手段還是不錯的，一個舉動達到兩個目的，句型套用起來也是很順的。做什么對什么特別有利，既能怎樣又能怎樣（怎么想都覺得有點賊）。
比如最近追的劇中：放出老板生病的假消息對公司度過難關特別有用，一方面為自己爭取了時間，另一方面放松了競爭對手的警惕心。
可以這么說：Let out false information about the boss's illness is especially beneficial to their company，since it leads both to longer time for itself and lower vigilance of competitors.
2.play catch-up
這也是一個有趣的表達，句中③But the government is always playing catch-up, as the ageing of the population and shrinking of the workforce accelerate.看起來就像是政府永遠在玩貓和老鼠的游戲，動畫中的貓和永遠也追不上的老鼠。
生活中也有很多無奈的時候，可以用起來。比如信息焦慮，職場中的我們,感覺一天都是追在信息的后面疲憊不堪，回不完的郵件，看不完的新消息…
可以這么說：In the work place,we always spend much of our day just playing catch-up to news,emails,new messages…
3.? ? 數據的表達
④It reckons social-welfare costs will rise by more than half by 2040, from ￥121trn ($1.06trn) to ￥190trn. 本段最后一句的數值表達套路：It reckons A will rise by B by 2040, from C to D. 據估計，到2040年，A將會上升到B，從現在的具體數值C到2040年的數值D。
例句：預計到2050年，月球旅行的人數將會上升到十倍以上，從現在的3000多人到3萬人以上。（瞎扯的數據%>_<%）
It reckons the number of people traveling to the moon will rise by more than ten fold by 2050, from over 3000 now to 30,000.
Paragraph 8：
①Mr Abe appears to be planning sweeping changes to put the welfare state on a firmer footing. ②“There will be an overall social-security reform, including health and medicine, pension and others,” he says. “We are trying to create a society and community where people can remain healthy and active...and find meaning in staying alive and living long.”
段落解析：
這段的大意是講安倍看上去在計劃在社會福利方面有一些大動作以便使其基礎更加穩固。這是根據他說的話推斷的：“馬上會有一個整體的社會安全的改革，包括健康、醫療、養老金和其他。....我們正試圖創造一個人民可以保持健康和活力的社會和社區...讓他們能找到活得長久的意義...”
詞句精讀：（可以學習的實用表達）
1. appears to be
V-LINK 連系動詞:①好像;似乎;看來 If you say that something appears to be the way you describe it, you are reporting what you believe or what you have been told, though you cannot be sure it is true.②看起來；顯得? If someone or something appears to have a particular quality or characteristic, they give the impression of having that quality or characteristic. 同義詞：give the impression。
這個詞組可以學起來，保證使用率超高哦。不管是口語中還是寫作中都可以使用。如果你說一個東西看起來像你形容的樣子，就是表示你在表達你的主觀看法，你認為你說的是對的，但是你并不完全確定百分之百正確。在這里是用在了形容政治立場上，也是比較常見的句型:
someone or something appear to be xxxxx
牛津搭配詞典例句：
There appears to be increasing support for the leadership to take a more aggressive stance...好像有越來越多的人支持領導層采取更為強勢的立場。
Under stress these people will appear to be superficial, over-eager and manipulative.這些人在壓力下會顯得淺薄無知、操之過急，而且愛擺布人。
在口語中，你也可以經常使用在八卦或者表達個人看法上面。比如你第一次見到Jasmine，感覺她看上去很傲慢耶，就可以說：
Jasmine appears to be very arrogant.
2. planning sweeping changes
ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副詞或介詞詞組修飾的形容詞(變化)巨大的，重要的，有廣泛影響的,深遠的 Sweeping changes are large and very important or significant.
我剛開始就有點想當然了，把sweeping的意思認作了sweep的動詞含義再延伸過來，以為是掃平的意思，但是其實不是。sweeping在這里做形容詞，表示的是重要的改變，在政治經濟領域會很常用到這個表達，可以在寫作中使用到。
例句：The new government has started to make sweeping changes in the economy...新政府已經著手在經濟領域進行意義深遠的改革。
3.? on a firmer footing
footing這個詞理解起來比較tricky，屬于那種你好像理解了又好像沒理解的詞匯類型。看上去簡單，實際上的使用范圍也很廣，需要你有一些英式思維。foot指的是腳跟，加上ing變成名詞footing，很容易讓人聯想到中文中的“站穩腳跟”，拓展一下就是表達基礎和地位的意思。在這里，firmer footing的意思就是打一個牢固的基礎。這個表達同樣在政治經濟領域很常見。比如：
A Supreme Court ruling against the university might put ethnic and racial diversity on college campuses on a firmer-footing for the long term.
同樣我們還可以變化下這個表達就是一個俚語，用在口語中表達一個堅定的立場：on firm footing，意思是well supported。例句：
He believes that his argument is on firm ground/footing.
Paragraph 9：
①Yet in practice Mr Abe is being cautious. ②Even after the retirement age increases, it will still be lower than in many other rich countries. ③Moreover, the current system discourages those over 65 from working more than part-time since their pension is reduced if their income from it and their salary exceeds 460,000 yen ($4,039) a month. ④It is not clear whether this will change. ⑤The government has modified but not eliminated a tax quirk that discourages married women from earning more than a relatively lowly amount. ⑥By the same token, the share of medical expenses that patients must pay under the public health-care system falls as they get older, imposing a big burden on the state. ⑦There are various ways the government could reduce its health-care bill, including increasing premiums for the public insurance scheme, raising patients’ co-payments for treatments and excluding some expensive procedures from the scheme.
段落解析：
上一段講的是安倍看上去想搞大動作改革，這一段接著說和看上去相反，安倍實際上卻非常謹慎。這段具體描述了安倍實際上都做了哪些事情，而這些舉措收效甚微。老齡化還是很嚴重，這些舉措也很不合理，比如針對65歲老年人的稅收和醫療花費等：即使退休年齡增長了，但是還是和其他富裕國家相比更低。現有的系統也很奇怪，65歲的老人如果想要全職工作的話他們的養老金會減少，所以他們只會選擇做 part-time。政府也并沒有取消一個針對已婚女性的很奇怪的稅收政策，不鼓勵她們去賺錢。同樣的奇怪的情況也發生在醫療上。隨著年齡的增長，病人付錢享受公共醫療系統的金額卻逐漸下降，這給國家帶來了巨大的負擔。而實際上政府有很多的方式來減少醫療支出，比如增加公共保險的保費啊，提高病人的 co-payments啊，去除一些昂貴的項目啊，然而政府卻沒有這么做。
詞句精讀
1.in practice：used to say what is actually done or what the actual effect or result of something is.這個表達看上去很簡單卻很實用，不管用在句首句中句尾，口語或寫作中，都是一個實用的表達。給自己的詞庫里多增添一些可替換表達，去替換in reality或者actually。
例句：The software is designed to block pornographic Web sites, but in practice[=in reality], it blocks many other sites as well.
In actual practice, people sometimes forget to take their medication.
口語中也可以直接用，頻率很高。比如說這個工作實際咋做的呀，就可以說：
How would this work in practice?
2. a tax quirk：A quirk is something unusual or interesting that happens by chance.
這句話老實說不太懂，查了很久。第一反應是一個專有名詞，特指一種類型的稅收。但是谷歌了老半天都沒找到什么相關的，只在一些新聞標題上看到使用quirk這詞。結合上下文，推斷這句話⑤The government has modified but not eliminated a tax quirk that discourages married women from earning more than a relatively lowly amount. 的意思為：政府正在修改但并沒有取消這個奇怪的稅收政策，這個政策不鼓勵已婚女性賺取高于一個相對而言較低的數字的收入。
3.by the same token：for the same reason；in the same way— used to introduce a statement that says something more and often something different about the same situation referred to by a previous statement
這個表達可以學起來，用來豐富寫作中的連接詞組。有兩層意思。
第一層是表示同樣的意思：比如我不擅長數學，同樣，我也很糾結與科學方程式。
Similarly. In the same manner. I'm not good at math and, by the same token, I struggle with scientific equations.
第二層意思是在之前提到的相同的條件下會怎樣：
Because of the same causes or the same reasons as what was previously stated. When crime increases, houseprices plummet by the same token.
這個結果很令人沮喪，但是同樣的條件下，說不定會更壞呢。
The result was disappointing, butby the same token, it could have been much worse.
在想表達一些復雜意思的時候，可以用到這個表達。
4. imposing a big burden
這個詞組也很簡單實用：impose a burden 施加一個很大的影響。
impose這個動詞表示強制實行或強加的意思。If you impose something on people, you use your authority to force them to accept it.
這個burden前面的big可以隨意替換形容詞。例句：
Achievement of the targets set in the framework legislation must not impose a burden on consumers and firms because of an exhorbitant increase in energy costs.
Assure that the use of food additives does not lead to unacceptable risks for the consumer and at the same time does notimpose unnecessary burdento the industry.
背景補充
co-payments:an amount of money that a person with health insurance is required to pay at the time of each visit to a doctor or when purchasing medicine.
co-payments是指你已經有了醫療保險，但是你每次去買藥或者看醫生的時候還是要自付一部分費用，表達上也可以簡化成co-pay。
Paragraph 10:
①Yet Mr Abe only hints at the need for any of this. ②“We are not thinking about immediately raising the co-payment for medical and health services,” he says. “But there must be a careful review of the balance between the contribution and benefit.” ③Those who take action to prevent illness, such as regular exercise, could be rewarded. ④“We would like to think about the incentives—what should be done to the contributions that have to be paid by the people who adopt habits to prevent diseases,” he says.
段落解析：
本段繼續前面的話題，安倍解釋為什么不提高醫療中的自費金額，以及他的解決方式和這么做的理由。他指出必須有一個對于貢獻和利益之間平衡的仔細的審查，比如對采取行動去預防疾病的人進行激勵。
詞句精讀：
1. hint：本詞在文段中表示暗示的動詞。要注意hint（動詞）后面通常接 at，偶爾接 of。也可以接that從句。
動詞：暗示;示意；If you hint at something, you suggest it in an indirect way.
要注意這個詞的名詞用法，除了和動詞同義的暗示之外，還有好主意和少量的意思。
名詞：暗示；A hint is a suggestion about something that is made in an indirect way/有益的建議，不錯的主意，好點子；A hint is a helpful piece of advice, usually about how to do something./少許;微量；A hint of something is a very small amount of it.
例句：
1）I'm hoping to get some fashion hints.
2）She added only a hint of vermouth to the gin.
她只在杜松子酒里加了少許苦艾酒。（熟悉柯南的同學，這個例句的場景你記得在哪一集嗎？）
2.incentive：n. If something is an incentive to do something, it encourages you to do it.可以與motivation進行同義替換.
例句：As an added incentive , there’s a bottle of champagne for the best team.
3.reward：v（及物）If you do something and are rewarded with a particular benefit, you receive that benefit as a result of doing that thing.
不可有雙賓語，如不可說 They have rewarded me ￥100，該在 me 后面加上 with。
除去獎賞之外，還有值得付出時間或精力、賞金、酬謝之意。
(1) 動詞：值得付出時間或精力；If you say that something rewards your attention or effort, you mean that it is worth spending time or effort on it.
例句：It richly rewards the effort.
(2) 可數名詞：獎勵;獎賞；A reward is something that you are given, for example because you have behaved well, worked hard, or provided a service to the community/賞金;賞格；A reward is a sum of money offered to anyone who can give information about lost or stolen property or about someone who is wanted by the police./報答;回報;酬謝；The rewards of something are the benefits that you receive as a result of doing or having that thing.
例句：The firm last night offered a ￡10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killer.
昨晚這家公司懸賞 1萬英鎊，尋找能將兇手定罪的證據。
4. adopt：v（及物）采取；采納；采用；If you adopt a new attitude, plan, or way of behaving, you begin to have it.
在本段中與habits連用，為養成習慣之意。
句子解析：
③Those who take action to prevent illness, such as regular exercise, could be rewarded.
一個句子重點在頭和尾，一般中間的插入語不是主要信息。
④“We would like to think about the incentives—what should be done to the contributions that have to be paid by the people who adopt habits to prevent diseases,” he says.
the incentives—破折號解釋說明激勵措施
what should be done to the contributions 激勵應該被用于貢獻
that have to be paid 定語從句修飾貢獻：貢獻不得不被付出
by the people 來自人們
who adopt habits to prevent diseases 定語從句修飾人，養成習慣去預防疾病
這些激勵——應該被用于那些養成習慣去預防疾病的人們付出的貢獻。
Paragraph 11:
①This caution is excessive. ②Pushing back the retirement age is not as controversial in Japan as elsewhere. ③A government poll conducted in 2017 found that 42% of people aged 60 or more who work want to continue to do so. ④Although some politicians fret about foreigners bringing crime and disturbing social harmony, the majority of the population approves of Mr Abe’s plans to admit more foreign workers.
段落解析：
經濟學人首先用開門見山的寫法馬上亮出自己的觀點，對于安倍的政策作出點評。之后馬上給出數據證明自己的觀點。2017年進行的一項政府民意調查發現，年齡在60歲或以上的人中有42％希望繼續這樣做。雖然一些政客擔心外國人帶來犯罪和擾亂社會的和諧，大多數人認可安倍準許接收更多外國工人的計劃。
詞句精讀：
1. push back：to change (a planned event) to start at a later date or time
改變（計劃的事件）以便在以后的日期或時間開始。
2. be not as controversial as elsewhere.
……并不像其他地方那樣具有爭議性。
3. conduct：v（及物）進行;組織;實施，When you conduct an activity or task, you organize it and carry it out.
除了組織，還有其他的名詞用法和動詞用法
(1) 單數名詞(任務或活動的)組織方式，實施辦法；The conduct of a task or activity is the way in which it is organized and carried out.
(2) 不可數名詞：行為;舉止；Someone's conduct is the way they behave in particular situations.
(3) 動詞：表現;舉止；If you conduct yourself in a particular way, you behave in that way.
(4) 動詞：指揮(管弦樂隊或合唱團)；When someone conducts an orchestra or choir, they stand in front of it and direct its performance.
例句：Solti will continue to conduct here and abroad.
索爾蒂將繼續在國內外擔任指揮。
(5) 動詞：傳導(熱或電)；If something conducts heat or electricity, it allows heat or electricity to pass through it or along it.
例句：Water conducts heat faster than air.
水的導熱速度比空氣快。
(6) 動詞：陪伴;引導;帶領；If you conduct someone to a place, you go there with them.
例句：He asked if he might conduct us to the ball which was to bring the proceedings to an end.
他問是否可以帶我們去舞會現場，整個儀式將在那兒結束。
4. poll：可數名詞，A poll is a survey in which people are asked their opinions about something, usually in order to find out how popular something is or what people intend to do in the future.
本詞含義都是圍繞民意調查相關的，要注意復數名詞的用法。
(1) 動詞：對…進行民意測驗或調查；If you are polled onsomething, you are asked what you think about it as part of a survey.
(2) 復數名詞：政治選舉；大選；投票地點；The polls means an election for a country's government, or the place where people go to vote in an election.
(3) 動詞：獲得…票數；If a political party or a candidate polls a particular number or percentage of votes, they get that number or percentage of votes in an election. [V n]
相關詞組：
【1】opinion poll
尤指政治議題的民意測驗，民意調查；Anopinion poll involves asking people's opinions on a particular subject, especially one concerning politics.
【2】straw poll
[可數名詞] 非正式民意測驗；A straw poll is the unofficial questioning of a group of people to find out their opinion about something.
【3】polling
[不可數名詞] 選舉中的投票；Polling is the act of voting in an election.
【4】deed poll
[PHRASE 短語] (在英國)通過單務契約(更名等)；In Britain, if you change your name by deed poll, you change it officially and legally.
5.fret：v（不及物）苦惱;煩惱;發愁；If you fret about something, you worry about it.
用法：+ about/over n.
例句：She’s always fretting about the children.
6. approve：v（及物）贊成；同意；If you approve of an action, event, or suggestion, you like it or are pleased about it.
作“贊成”或“認為良好”解的時候后面現在幾乎總有 of
【分辨】approve與approve of
approve表示來往手續公事公辦上的“予以同意”，不牽涉到好壞的價值判斷。
approve of則是個表示價值判斷的延續狀態動詞，表示對某事或某人有好感，予以支持或善待。
反義詞disapprove與disapprove of，用法也與approve和approve of相對應。
7. admit：v（及物）準許…加入；接納；招收；If someone is admitted to an organization or group, they are allowed to join it.
本文用法為準許加入。注意不情愿的意思。
(1) 動詞：指不情愿地承認，供認；If you admit that something bad, unpleasant, or embarrassing is true, you agree, often unwillingly, that it is true.
(2)動詞：準許…進入；To admit someone to a place means to allow them to enter it.
Paragraph 12:
①Mr Abe wants Japan to be a model for other ageing societies. ②He has done more than his predecessors to prepare for a smaller, older population. ③The danger is that Japan will become an example of a country that has done too little, too late.
段落解析：
全文最后點出安倍的目的和經濟學人對此的擔心，提出本文的洞見。個人的理解是安倍自以為給世界提出了一個好計劃、當了一個好典范、開了一個藥方，其實是給世界上越來越多的老齡化國家開了一個錯誤、糟糕的先河，他反而是在國家老齡化政策上為世界打開了盒子的潘多拉。
詞句精讀：
1.predecessor：n（可數）someone who had your job before you started doing it
反義詞為繼任者：successor
例句：Kennedy’s predecessor as President was the war hero Dwight Eisenhower.
2.population：集合名詞，作為一個整體，前面可以按照定指或不定指加上定冠詞或不定冠詞。人數少，可以說a small population (*few population, little population)。注意：一個整體，用a單數）
3.be a model for/ become an example of
成為一個……的榜樣
4.a smaller, older population/ too little, too late
small對little，older對late，相當巧妙的呼應。
補充閱讀：Aging in Japan
