Rich and poor, jobs and migration, fairness, and the gap between town and country.
Writing about society leans on a few endings that turn a word into a measurement or a trend: 率 makes a rate (犯罪率, 出生率), 化 a process (边缘化). Many of the terms are four-syllable blocks that newspapers use whole, such as 贫富差距 or 留守儿童 — learn them as one word. The character of a rate is read shuài in some other words, as in 坦率, “frank”.
The words
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Verb (13)
歧视to discriminate against; discriminationVerb5
招聘的时候不能因为年龄歧视应聘者。When recruiting, you must not discriminate against applicants because of their age.
融入to integrate into; to fit intoVerb5
刚来的时候，她花了很长时间才融入当地的生活。When she first arrived it took her a long time to settle into local life.
扶贫to help people out of poverty; poverty reliefVerb5
他大学毕业后去农村参加了扶贫工作。After graduating he went to the countryside to work on poverty relief.
边缘化to marginaliseVerb5
如果不会用手机，一些老人很容易被边缘化。If they cannot use a mobile phone, some older people are easily left on the margins.
生育to give birth; to have childrenVerb5
很多年轻夫妻觉得生育和养育孩子的成本太高。Many young couples feel that the cost of having and raising children is too high.
Formal; in conversation 生孩子.
失衡to be out of balance; imbalanceVerb5
这个地区的男女比例有些失衡。The ratio of men to women in this region is somewhat out of balance.
赡养to support (one's parents or elders)Verb5
子女有赡养父母的义务。Children have a duty to support their parents.
Only upwards: for bringing up children the word is 抚养.
独居to live aloneVerb5
我奶奶一直独居，不愿意搬来跟我们住。My grandmother has always lived alone and does not want to move in with us.
欺凌to bully; bullyingVerb5
学校应该认真处理学生之间的欺凌事件。Schools should deal seriously with cases of bullying among pupils.
吸毒to take drugsVerb5
吸毒不但伤害身体，还会毁了整个家庭。Taking drugs not only harms your health but can also wreck a whole family.
Only illegal drugs; taking medicine is 吃药.
赌博to gamble; gamblingVerb5
他因为赌博欠了很多钱。He ran up large debts through gambling.
待业to be waiting for a job; out of workVerb5
他已经在家待业半年了。He has been at home looking for work for half a year now.
Softer than 失业; used especially of young people who have not yet had a job.
包容to accept; to be tolerant ofVerb5
我们要学会包容别人的不同。We need to learn to accept the ways in which other people are different.
This list belongs to Society and the news — four lists and 160 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.