2018年12月四級翻譯預測練習：空巢老人

空巢老人

當子女外出求學或打工，父母就只能留守“空巢”，這就是所謂的空巢家庭。在一些大中城市，空巢家庭的比例在20%到30%之間，而一些小城鎮的比例則高達40%。家庭結構的變遷以及敬老院的數量相對不足都是空巢老人人數增加的原因。空巢老人常要面臨一系列挑戰，包括調節與子女的關係，充實空閒生活，加強與外界交流，甚至還要面對他人的不理解。

參考譯文：

As young people leave home for college or to start their careers, their parents are left to live on their own. These are sometimes called 'empty-nest' families. In big and middle-sized cities, empty-nest families account for 20 to 30 percent, and in small towns, the percentage is as high as 40 percent. The change in family structure, improvement in living conditions and a lack of nursing homes all contribute to the rise in number of empty nesters. Empty nest parents often face new challenges, such as establishing a new kind of relationship with their children, finding other ways to occupy their free time, reconnecting with each other, and a lack of sympathy from other people.

詞句點撥：

1. start one’s careers 立業

2. on one’s own 獨自地

3. account for （在數量，比例上）佔

4. a lack of …的缺失

5. contribute to 導致，引起