China has 1.3 billion people, more than any other country in the world. To keep the number of people from growing too fast, the Chinese government limits couples in cities to one child and those in the countryside to two.
But this one-child policy is becoming a problem because more boys are being born than girls. In 2005, 118 boys were born for every 100 girls in China.
Traditionally, Chinese couples hoped to have a son who would be able to take care of them in their old age.
PHOTO: AP
The Chinese government said that if too many young men can't find wives, they may become troublemakers or even try to buy a wife.
But the government says the policy is still working and doesn't need to be changed. They point out that parents can spend more money on one child, giving them better education and more attention. (Jason Cox, Staff writer with AP)
中國有十三億人口,居全球之冠。為了讓人口別成長太快,中國政府限制城市夫妻只能生一胎,鄉村地區的夫妻則最多生兩胎。
不過,由於出生的男孩數比女孩數少,一胎化政策成為問題。二○○五年中國出生的男女比例為118比100。
傳統上,中國夫妻都希望能養兒防老。
中國政府表示,假如太多年輕男子找不到老婆,他們可能會變成麻煩製造者,甚至去花錢買妻。
但中國也說,一胎化政策仍照常執行,無須變革。他們指出,父母可以花更多錢在一個小孩身上,讓小孩受到更好的教育與照顧。 (翻譯:賴美君)
A: In addition to “Mission: Impossible 8,” what other new movies are in theaters? B: “Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “The Wedding Banquet” are out. The French film “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” will also open soon. A: The Final Destination horror movie series is so scary that I don’t dare watch it. B: Then how about “The Wedding Banquet,” which is a 2025 remake of the 1993 classic of the same title? Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung’s performance in it is highly anticipated. A: But as a fan of British writer Jane Austen, I’m more interested to see how her works
US President Donald Trump on Monday last week signed the TAKE IT DOWN ACT (Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act), bipartisan legislation that enacts stricter penalties for the distribution of non-consensual intimate imagery, sometimes called “revenge porn,” as well as deepfakes created by artificial intelligence. The measure, which goes into effect immediately, was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, and later gained the support of First Lady Melania Trump. Critics of the measure, which addresses both real and artificial intelligence-generated imagery, say
Cats ruled in ancient Egypt—and not just in their own minds. These clever, graceful creatures were so deeply respected by the Egyptians that harming one could lead to severe punishment, even death. But why did the Egyptians hold cats in such high regard? It wasn’t just because they were cute; cats played a crucial role in protecting the country’s grain stores from pests. As guardians of Egypt’s food supply, they were seen as sacred animals. The Egyptians honored them through Bastet, the cat-headed goddess of protection, the home and fertility. Egyptians didn’t just love cats; they worshipped them. Cats lived in luxury,
A: Wanna go see a movie during the three-day weekend for the Dragon Boat Festival? B: Sure, I wanna see “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” A: Rumor has it that this may be actor Tom Cruise’s last mission with the Mission: Impossible action movie franchise. B: Tom was only 34 when the first installment of the series was released in 1996. Now, he’s 63 and the eighth installment is out. A: I hope he’ll stay with the series. Let’s go see him fight against AI this weekend. A: 端午節三天連假週末要不要去看電影? B: 好啊我想看 《不可能的任務:最終清算》! A: 這有可能是湯姆克魯斯最後一次為動作片《不可能》系列出任務。 B: