US Birth Rate Hits 30-Year Low

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

millennial

Noun

mɪˈlen.i.əl

a person reaching adulthood in the early 2000s

Millennials are sometimes called Generation Y.

childbearing years

Noun

ˈtʃaɪldberɪŋ jɪrz

the years in a woman's life in which she is able to give birth

Women in their childbearing years make up 12% of the country's population.

unease

Noun

ʌnˈiːz

the feeling of being worried about someone or something

The latest poll shows a great deal of public unease about the new gun laws.

aftermath

Noun

ˈæftərmæθ

something that follows an event, especially a negative one

Many people left their homes in the aftermath of the war.

bode well

Phrase

boʊd wel

to be a good sign of something

This report does not bode well for the future of the organization.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

US Birth Rate Hits 30-Year Low

Birth rates in the United States have reached 30-year lows, according to data from the U.S. government.

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that birth rates declined for all groups: teens, women in their 20s and 30s.

In total, there were 3.853 million births last year, the lowest since 1987. The total for 2017 was 92,000 less than 2016.

Researchers say several factors could be driving the drop. One possible cause could be that millennials, who are now in their childbearing years, are choosing to have fewer children later in life, if they choose to have children at all.

Another factor may be changing immigration patterns. Asians, who represent an increasingly large part of immigrants in the U.S., tend to have fewer children than other immigrant groups.

According to LiveScience, a science news website, one reason may be the economic unease many Americans are still feeling in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

“People feel just really uncertain about the future,” said Karen Benjamin Guzzo of Bowling Green State University. “And that generally does not bode well for having kids.”

Exercise 3

Questions

How many babies were born in the U.S. last year?

What does LiveScience give as one possible reason for the decline in birth rates?

Do Asians tend to have more children than other immigrant groups in the U.S.?

Exercise 4

Discussion

What are your thoughts on the findings of this report?

Why do you think millennials are choosing to have fewer children later in life?

What challenges do you imagine the U.S. is likely to face as a result of the birth rate decline?

In your opinion, what should the U.S. do to address this issue? Please explain your answer.

Would you say that people in your country are "really uncertain about the future"? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Does your country have a declining birth rate? Why do think this is the case?

Do you have children? If so, what do you enjoy most about being a parent? If not, do you plan to someday?

In your opinion, what is the ideal age to start having children? Why do you think so?

At what age do people generally start having children in your country? Why do you think that is?

Is there a large immigrant population in your country? Why do you think this is the case?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.