Upper-Intermediate - Living on Welfare (D2320)

下面请听本地新闻:本市将调整各类社会救助标准的数额。城镇居民最低生活保障标准将从每人每月505元调整为每人每月570元;农村居民最低生活保障标准从每人每月360元调整为每人每月430元……
xiàmian qǐng tīng běndì xīnwén: běnshì jiāng tiáozhěng gèlèi shèhuì jiùzhù biāozhǔn de shùé. chéngzhèn jūmín zuìdī shēnghuó bǎozhàng biāozhǔn jiāng cóng měirén měiyuè wǔbǎilíngwǔ yuán tiáozhěng wéi měirén měiyuè wǔbǎiqīshí yuán; nóngcūn jūmín zuìdī shēnghuó bǎozhàng biāozhǔn cóng měirén měiyuè sānbǎiliùshí yuán tiáozhěng wéi měirén měiyuè sìbǎisānshí yuán……
And now, the local news: The city will soon adjust the standard amounts of social assistance. Urban residents' minimum living standard will be adjusted from 505 yuan per person per month to 570 yuan per person per month; residents in the countryside will have the minimum living standard adjusted from 360 yuan per person per month to 430 yuan per person per month.
A: 上海城市低保一个月才500多?现在物价这么高,500多够花吗?
Shànghǎi chéngshì dībǎo yī ge yuè cái wǔbǎi duō? xiànzài wùjià zhème gāo, wǔbǎi duō gòu huā ma?
Shanghai city's welfare payments are only a bit more than 500 a month? Now the prices of things are so high. Is a bit more than 500 enough?
B: 就算很少,很多贫困家庭都申请不到呢!
jiùsuàn hěnshǎo, hěn duō pínkùn jiātíng dōu shēnqǐng bùdào ne!
Even if it's very little, many poor families still can't apply for it successfully.
A: 是吗?在中国申请低保很难吗?
shìma? zài Zhōngguó shēnqǐng dībǎo hěn nán ma?
Really? Is it difficult to apply for welfare in China?
B: 是啊,申请难,限制多,光申请材料就得准备几十项。除了申请书,户口本,身份证,还要家庭成员收入证明,家庭财产证明等等等等。
shì a, shēnqǐng nán, xiànzhì duō, guāng shēnqǐng cáiliào jiù děi zhǔnbèi jǐshí xiàng. chúle shēnqǐngshū, hùkǒuběn, shēnfènzhèng, hái yào jiātíng chéngyuánshōurùzhèngmíng, jiātíngcáichǎnzhèngmíng děngdengděngdeng.
Yeah. The application is tough and there are many restrictions. Just the application alone requires preparing tens of items. Besides the application form, hukou booklet and ID card, one also needs a Proof of Household Income, Proof of Household Property, etc.
A: 怎样才能申请低保呢?
zěnyàng cáinéng shēnqǐng dībǎo ne?
Then how does one apply for welfare?
B: 家庭收入达不到当地最低标准的话,可以申请。不过审核条件相当严格,比如有的城市规定养宠物的人不能申请低保,有的地方规定家里有空调都不能申请低保,还有规定不能买手机,反正任何非生活必需品都不能有。
jiātíng shōurù dá bu dào dāngdì zuìdī biāozhǔn dehuà, kěyǐ shēnqǐng. bùguò shěnhé tiáojiàn xiāngdāng yángé, bǐrú yǒude chéngshì guīdìng yǎng chǒngwù de rén bùnéng shēnqǐng dībǎo, yǒude dìfang guīdìng jiālǐ yǒu kōngtiáo dōu bùnéng shēnqǐng dī bǎo, háiyǒu guīdìng bùnéng mǎi shǒujī, fǎnzhèng rènhé fēi shēnghuó bìxūpǐn dōu bùnéng yǒu.
If a family's income doesn't meet that area's lowest standard, they can apply. However, the examination criteria are very strict. For example, some cities stipulate that someone who keeps a pet can't apply for welfare. Some places stipulate that homes with air conditioners can't apply for welfare. And some stipulate that one can't have bought a cell phone. Anyway, you can't have anything that's necessary for living.
A: 低保金那么少,还有这么多规定!那这些家庭的生活质量不是很低吗?
dībǎojīn nàme shǎo, háiyǒu zhème duō guīdìng! nà zhèxiē jiātíng de shēnghuó zhìliang bùshì hěn dī ma?
Welfare money is so little and there are so many rules! The quality of life of these families is low, right?
B: 所以还是要靠自己努力,靠低保吃饭都不一定够,更不用说看病之类的了。哎,据说有些高福利国家的人想工作就工作,不想工作就不工作,靠低保日子过得也很滋润?
suǒyǐ háishì yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì, kào dībǎo chīfàn dōu bùyīdìng gòu, gèngbùyòngshuō kànbìng zhīlèi de le. āi, jùshuō yǒuxiē gāo fúlì guójiā de rén xiǎng gōngzuò jiù gōngzuò, bù xiǎng gōngzuò jiù bù gōngzuò, kào dībǎo rìzi guò de yě hěn zīrùn?
So they still have to rely on their own hard work. Relying on welfare payments to eat definitely isn't enough, and that doesn't even consider medical treatment and things like that. Jeez, I've heard that people in some welfare states can work if they want to, or not work if they don't want to, and still live their days comfortably on welfare.
A: 有些国家是这样,所以人变得越来越懒了,国家的经济也越来越差了。我可不想过那样的日子。
yǒuxiē guójiā shì zhèyàng, suǒyǐ rén biànde yuèláiyuè lǎn le, guójiā de jīngjì yě yuèláiyuè chà le. wǒ kě bù xiǎng guò nàyàng de rìzi.
Some countries are like this, so people become lazier and lazier. The country's economy also becomes worse and worse. I couldn't imagine that kind of life.
B: 所以你就来中国了?
suǒyǐ nǐ jiù lái Zhōngguó le?
So that's why you came to China?

Key Vocabulary

调整 tiáozhěng to adjust
救助 jiùzhù to aid
保障 bǎozhàng to ensure, guarantee
低保 dībǎo welfare
贫困 pínkùn poor, impoverished
申请 shēnqǐng to apply
限制 xiànzhì restriction, limitation
xiàng item (in an application)
除了 chúle except for
申请书 shēnqǐngshū application form
户口本 hùkǒuběn residency booklet
当地 dāngdì local
审核 shěnhé to examine and verify
规定 guīdìng rule, law
必需品 bìxūpǐn necessary good
低保金 dībǎojīn welfare payment
福利 fúlì welfare, benefit
滋润 zīrùn comfort

Supplementary Vocabulary

灾害 zāihài disaster
金额 jīn'é amount (of money)
保证 bǎozhèng to guarantee
残疾 cánjí disabled, handicapped
贫困地区 pínkùndìqū impoverished area
审查 shěnchá to examine
核实 héshí to verify, check
社保 shèbǎo social insurance
养老金 yǎnglǎojīn pension, retirement payments

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