Singapore’s economy has fallen into a deep recession since the second quarter of this year. Some aspiring parents are putting off their parenthood plans due to financial pressure caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, the government promises to offer a “baby bonus” to parents who give birth amid the pandemic.
Singapore’s fertility rate is 1.14 births per woman, way below the replacement level (approximately 2.1). Since the 1980s, the government has launched many campaigns, along with a host of financial and tax incentives, trying to reverse the trend of dropping fertility rates.
The one-time payment for parents is to help with their expenses, hoping to successfully boost births in the economic downturn.
友善讓你懂｜解說：
從今年第二季開始，新加坡的經濟開始嚴重衰退。有些原本期待有小孩的夫妻，因為疫情帶來的經濟壓力，而延後了懷孕生子的計畫。因此，新加坡政府承諾將提供「生產獎勵津貼」給在疫情期間生產的父母。
新加坡不只出生率在全球國家中墊底，生育率也只有每位婦女1.14個孩子，遠低於每位婦女2.1個孩子的「遞補水準生育率」。從1980年代開始，政府就推出了許多計畫，還有財政及稅務補貼，試圖挽救直直下降的生育率。
這個一次性的津貼，將幫助補貼家庭的支出，希望能夠在這個經濟衰退的時期，成功地刺激生育。
輕鬆帶著走｜學習：
- one-time 一次性的，屬於美式用法，英式英語則常說one-off。
例句：
The club will take a one-time charge.
這個俱樂部只會收取一次性的費用。
- put off 延後，意思與用法都近似於postpone，前者比較口語，後者較正式。
例句：
We all have to put off travel plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
因為COVID-19疫情的關係，我們全部都得把旅遊計畫延後了。
本篇其他相關單字：
- recession (n.) 經濟衰退
- aspiring (adj.) 渴望的
- parenthood (n.) 為人父母
- fertility rate 生育率
- replacement-level 遞補水準生育率，維持一國人口數平衡不會減少的標準
- incentive (n.) 激勵、刺激。tax incentives 稅收獎勵
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