CCTV9英语新闻11月：中国的光棍问题

For more on the search for a mate, if not love, here in China, we are joined in the studio by my colleague Wu Haojun.

Q1: How did the situation come to pass? Why is the quest for love so evasive?

Wu: Well, it’s certainly a very complicated issue. We already have a gender¹ ratio imbalance. By 2020, China is expected to have 24 million more men than women and the stagnating² birth rate isn’t helping³. Now, as to why, according to a recent survey done by one of China’s largest dating sites Jiayuan.com, the most common reason men gave for remaining single is not understanding how to interact with prospective⁴ partners. Basically, they don’t know the art of starting or maintaining a relationship. About 28% thought that their personal condition, that is, factors like height, appearance & financial situation were to blame. Most single women thought having a limited social circle is the biggest hindrance⁵. Basically they’re saying they just don’t have enough opportunities to meet interesting new people, that’s followed by not being able to take the initiative.

Q2: As you mentioned, some men say it boils down to money. Have material considerations always been a huge part in Chinese marriages, or is this something new?

Wu: The way people look at marriage and choose partners has changed a lot. Back in the 1950s, that’s when young people started to choose their own partners after centuries of arranged marriages. The biggest factor then was family background. Not a wealthy family, but rather a hard-working proletariat family that could give you a leg up. By in the early 1970s, young people, especially in towns and cities, began to focus on making life easier. That’s when men needed to have the three big items ready: a watch, a bicycle, and a sewing machine. In the late 1970s, China started "opening to the outside world." And when colleges and universities resumed enrollment⁶, a diploma conferred status. Today with a full- fledged market-economy, the demand for three big items has returned. Only now they’re a house, car and money.

 

1 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

2 stagnating   

v.停滞，不流动，不发展( stagnate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I feel I'm stagnating in this job. 我觉得，干这份工作我没有长进。
• ITT was stagnating when Geneen became the chief executive officer in 1959. 1959年吉宁出任行政总负责人时，国际电话电报公司正处于不景气时期。 来自辞典例句

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

5 hindrance   

n.妨碍，障碍

参考例句：

• Now they can construct tunnel systems without hindrance.现在他们可以顺利地建造隧道系统了。
• The heavy baggage was a great hindrance to me.那件行李成了我的大累赘。

6 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。