請依下文回答第 38 題至第 42 題 There’s no question that taking care of the elderly and frail will incur huge costs, stretching already overburdened
pension and health-care systems. But with people living longer and continuing to contribute productively to society, we
need to recalibrate just what we mean by old. In Japan, for instance, more than a quarter of the population is currently at
the age of 60 or older, a figure that’s set to reach 42% by 2050. However, many of these folks are hardly sitting idly at
home. One in three Japanese aged 60 or over is still part of the labor force. Keeping older folks employed is particularly
important because by mid-century, says the UN, the world will have more elderly people than children. By 2050, nearly a
third of the developed world’s labor force will be aged 50 or older. Many elderly are spending more, too. While a good
chunk of their savings will be needed to fund longer retirements and higher health payments, older people have
considerable purchasing power. Britons over 50 years of age, for instance, control 75% of the country’s wealth.
Businesses catering to a so-called silver economy are booming, offering everything from elderly-friendly housing to trips
for retiree globetrotters.
With the older generation controlling so much of the world’s money, it’s hardly fair to dismiss senior citizens as an
inevitable burden on society. “Many Japanese are living so long, it’s like they’ve been given second lives,” says Toshiko
Katayose, editor of a Tokyo magazine. “They’re doing everything with energy: working, turning kimonos into cool
patchwork designs; even doing math drills to keep mentally fit. ”
【題組】39 Which of the following statements is true?
(A) More than 40% of the population in Japan is older than 60.
(B) One out of three Japanese aged 60 or older is still employed.
(C) 75% of the wealth in Britain is in the hands of those older than 60.
(D) In order to save up for health payments, old people tend to spent very little. 代號:2201
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