Directions:

　　Write an essay based on the following chart. In your essay, you should

　　1)interpret the chart, and

　　2)give your comments.

　　You should write about 150 words on ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)

　　中國60歲以上人口占總?cè)丝诒壤�示意圖

　　The line chart depicts that the percentage of those aged over 60 increased moderately from 6% of the total population in 1990 to 15% in 2010 in China. It is predicted that the proportion will amount to 25% in 2020 and 30% in 2040.

　　Quite a few factors can account for this phenomenon, but the following might be the critical ones: for one thing, with the implementation of China's family planning policy and the improvement of people's living standard, fewer and fewer people are willing to have more children. Therefore, the birth rate has dramatically dropped, which results in a low proportion of youngsters and a higher proportion of elders. For another, due to the fact that more hospitals are equipped with advanced medical instruments and more professional staffs, many incurable diseases now can be easily cured. As a result, the public can enjoy an increased life span, adding to the growing proportion of old people.

　　The aging of the population is also a result of social progress and economic development. However, this phenomenon will be likely to bring about some undesirable consequences in the future. Hence it is high time that we figured out some ways to face the up-coming challenges.