2006年VOA标准英语-US 'Baby Boomers' Face Inheritance Woes

By George Dwyer
Washington, DC
06 July 2006
 
watch Baby Boomers report

President George W. Bush  
  
U.S. President George W. Bush turns 60 this week, joining the ranks of about three million American "baby boomers" who will also reach that landmark¹ this year.  The AARP (formerly called American Association of Retired² Persons) says that by the age of 60, retirement³ planning should be well underway. But as VOA's George Dwyer reports, many of those now planning for retirements⁴ are finding that one source of income may not be available.

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An entire generation of Americans born in the two decades following World War II began turning 60 this year. Nearly 8,000 so-called "baby boomers" are reaching the landmark each day.  It is an age that is sometimes seen as the gateway⁵ to retirement. But a new survey by AARP, a retired persons' advocacy group, finds that the inheritance earnings⁶ many of them are hoping for are unlikely to be available. 

 
Michael Finn 
  
The case of 53-year-old Michael Finn is typical. He has some money because of an inheritance. "I inherited less than $40,000. Part of that was because it was split between seven people."

And Finn may be one of the lucky ones. AARP analyst⁷ John Gist⁸ says only a small percentage of boomers is likely to receive any significant inheritance at all.

"It's sort of like winning the lottery⁹. Everyone dreams about it, but it's not going to happen for most boomers."

Gist says most baby boomers will need to work well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65, and will need to supplement traditional retirement savings¹⁰ with other forms of income.

John Gist  
  
"They're going to have to build it through savings, possibly working longer and of course through Social Security."

AARP cites a variety of factors to explain the smaller-than-expected inheritances.  Many boomers come from relatively¹¹ large families. People today are living longer, while health care costs have been rising steadily¹² for both the boomers and their elderly parents.

Michael Finn has already accepted the fact he will have to work beyond traditional retirement age.  "I will have to work to pay for my expenses in life like health insurance. I don't see myself retiring until I die, probably."

A recent survey found boomers expect to retire around age 63. But fully¹³ two-thirds say they will continue to work after retirement. Some will work simply to stay busy and feel fulfilled, but many others because that is how they will pay the bills. 

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 retirements   

退休( retirement的名词复数 )； 退职； 退役； 退休的实例

参考例句：

• We've had two retirements in our office this year. 今年我们办公室已有二人退休。
• Those may take the form of sackings redundancies, temporary layoffs or retirements. 这些形式有开除，作为编余人员，暂时解雇或退休。

5 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

6 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• 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。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 gist   

n.要旨；梗概

参考例句：

• Can you give me the gist of this report?你能告诉我这个报告的要点吗？
• He is quick in grasping the gist of a book.他敏于了解书的要点。

9 lottery   

n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事

参考例句：

• He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
• They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

11 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

12 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

13 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。