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想快速提高英语水平，读新闻绝对是个好方法！新闻里有很多超实用的词汇和句型，而且内容都是跟我们生活相关的。今天咱们就来读一篇关于丹麦退休年龄的新闻，看看能学到些啥！
Denmark to have world's highest retirement age
Higher rates of longevity are pushing up ages of retirement. In line with this, the Danish government has just announced it will raise the retirement age for its citizens from 67 to 70 by the year 2040. In so doing, Denmark's workers will have the world's longest wait before they can retire. Denmark said the new law was necessary to keep pace with increasing life expectancy. However, Jesper Rasmussen, a trade union leader in Denmark, expressed his consternation at the government's move. He said: "Denmark has a healthy economy and yet the EU's highest retirement age". He added: "A higher retirement age means that [workers will] lose their right to a dignified senior life."
There is a precedent for the retirement age being 70. The world's first case was in Germany in 1881. It set the age at 70, before reducing it to 65 in 1916. Many countries followed suit and incorporated their own ages for workers to retire with a state pension. The USA first adopted a retirement age in 1935. It was set at 65. The USA Today website reported that in America, the retirement age was also steadily creeping up. It wrote: "The upward trend is slow, but striking. In 1994, the average man worked to age 61, while the typical woman clocked out at 59. Americans are living longer, and working longer." China has also announced an increase, to be rolled out over the next 15 years.
新闻里有些词可能平时聊天用得少，但在正式场合、新闻报道里很常见，学会了能让你的英语更地道！
retirement age
意思：退休年龄
The government decided to increase the retirement age.
政府决定提高退休年龄。
longevity
意思：长寿
注意：这个词比较正式，通常用在讨论人口结构、健康等话题时。
Improved healthcare contributes to increased longevity.
改善的医疗保健有助于提高长寿水平。
in line with something
意思：与...一致，符合...
这个短语超好用，表示“因为某个情况，所以采取相应的行动”。
In line with your request, we have sent the documents.
按照您的要求，我们已经发送了文件。
In line with the company policy, employees must wear ID badges.
根据公司政策，员工必须佩戴工牌。
raise / increase
意思：提高，增加
raise 常用在提高工资、价格、问题、孩子等，后面直接跟名词。 increase 既可以是动词也可以是名词，表示数量、程度的增加。
The government plans to raise taxes.
政府计划提高税收。
The company announced an increase in sales. (名词)
公司宣布销售额增长。
The temperature will increase tomorrow. (动词)
明天气温会升高。
by the year XXXX
意思：到 XXXX 年的时候
表示一个未来的时间点，强调在这个时间点或之前完成某事。
He hopes to finish his degree by the year 2025.
他希望到 2025 年的时候完成他的学位。
in so doing
意思：这样做的时候，在做了那件事之后
这是一个比较正式的连接语，用来指代前面提到的那个动作或情况。
She quit her job. In so doing, she gained more free time.
她辞职了。这样做，她获得了更多的空闲时间。
keep pace with something
意思：与...保持同步，跟上...的步伐
这个短语非常形象，就像走路要跟上别人的步调一样。
Technology is changing so fast, it's hard to keep pace with it.
科技发展太快了，很难跟上它的步伐。
trade union leader
意思：工会领导人
了解一下，新闻里经常出现的人物。
express one's consternation
意思：表达某人的惊愕/沮丧/不安
consternation 是一个表示“惊愕，不知所措”比较强烈的词。这个搭配也很常用。
Many residents expressed their consternation at the news.
许多居民对这个消息表示非常不安。
move (作名词用)
意思：举措，行动 (通常指政府、组织等采取的行动)
The government's latest move was criticized by the public.
政府最新的举措受到了公众的批评。
healthy economy
意思：健康的经济，良好的经济状况
这个很好理解。
dignified senior life
意思：有尊严的老年生活
dignified 是形容词，表示“有尊严的，庄重的”。
precedent
意思：先例，前例
通常指历史上发生过的可以作为以后参考的类似事件。
This ruling sets a precedent for future cases.
这项裁决为今后的案件开创了先例。
set something at something
意思：将某物设定在某个数值/水平
The thermostat was set at 25 degrees.
恒温器被设定在25度。
reduce something to something
意思：将某物减少到某个数值/水平
The company had to reduce its staff to 50 employees.
公司不得不将员工裁减到50人。
follow suit
意思：照办，仿效，跟着做
这个短语超实用，表示“别人做了什么，我也跟着做”。
When one company started offering free coffee, others soon followed suit.
一家公司开始提供免费咖啡后，其他公司也很快效仿了。
incorporated
意思：纳入，合并
通常指把某物并入一个更大的整体中。在这里是指把退休年龄这个概念纳入到制度里。
The new model has incorporated the latest technology.
新模型纳入了最新的技术。
state pension
意思：国家养老金，退休金
就是政府给退休人员发的钱。
adopted
意思：采纳，采用
可以用于采纳意见、政策、制度等。
The committee adopted the new proposal.
委员会采纳了新的提议。
steadily creeping up
意思：稳步缓慢上升
steadily 是“稳步地”，creep up 是“缓慢地向上移动”，这个搭配非常生动形象，表示变化不快但持续进行。
The cost of living is steadily creeping up.
生活成本在稳步缓慢上升。
upward trend
意思：上升趋势
这个表达很直观。
striking
意思：显著的，引人注目的
用来形容虽然变化慢，但结果很明显，让人印象深刻。
There is a striking difference between the two pictures.
两张图片之间有显著的差异。
average man / typical woman
意思：普通男性 / 典型的女性
新闻报道中常用来描述群体的平均情况。
clock out (at work)
意思：下班，打卡下班 (这里引申为“停止工作，退休”)
原意是指工作结束打卡，这里用得很形象，指结束工作生涯。
I can't wait to clock out and go home.
我等不及要下班回家了。
living longer, and working longer
意思：活得更久，工作时间更长
很直观的对比。
rolled out
意思：推出，实施 (通常指新的计划、产品或政策分阶段或正式推出)
原意像把东西卷开铺平，引申为逐步展开、实施。
The new system will be rolled out nationwide next month.
新系统将于下月在全国推广实施。
People in Denmark will have to retire when they are 70 from 2030. T / F
Only two countries will have a higher retirement age than Denmark. T / F
Denmark's new law is because people are living longer. T / F
A trade union leader said Denmark had too unhealthy an economy. T / F
Germany was the first country to have a retirement age of 70. T / F
The USA started retirement ages in 1935. T / F
In the USA, women clock out from work at the age of 59. T / F
China is set to lower the retirement age over the next 15 years. T / F
