歲末，英國央行發現，降息竟是全球嬰兒荒（baby bust）解方：降息刺激2009年多出1萬4,500名新生兒。匈牙利也將6家人工受孕診所收編國有，擬提供完全免費服務刺激生育率。亞洲的台灣、韓國與日本都是以低生育率出名，他山之石或可參考。
【嬰兒荒淺談】
■baby bust 嬰兒荒
Ａ：Bank of England researchers found that cutting interest rate can help fix the baby bust situation.
（英國央行的研究人員發現降低利率能解決嬰兒荒問題。）
Ｂ：It's because if people can lower their mortgage payments, they'd be more willing to have children.
（那是因為，少付一點房貸才能讓人比較有意願養小孩啊。）
■beyond someone's reach 非某人能力所及
Ａ：Personally, I don't think it'll work in Taiwan because high housing prices is the more critical problem.
（依我來看，這在台灣根本沒用，因為關鍵是高房價。）
Ｂ：Yes, if the younger generation doesn't have financial support, buying a house would be beyond their reach.
（沒錯，少了額外金援，年輕世代要買房遠非能力所及。）
■free of charge 免費
Ａ：In contrast, the Hungarian prime minister promised infertility treatments will be free of charge starting 2020.
（相較之下，匈牙利首長承諾自2020年起人工受孕治療完全免費。）
Ｂ：That'd be much more practical as 15% of married couples in Taiwan are infertile.
（這還比較實際，因為在台灣有15%的夫妻正面臨不孕問題。）
【延伸關鍵字】
1. to fund：資助
2. stipend：津貼
3. monetary：財政的
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