PART 1: Read the text below to answer the PART 1 questions of your worksheet.
With about 1.3 billion people, China has the largest population in the world. For many years, Communist leaders encouraged the country's population to grow because they believed that having more people- and workers- would strengthen China's economy. In time, however, it became difficult to provide food, housing, education, and jobs for the country's citizens.
To curb their rapidly growing population, the government introduced the one-child policy in 1979. This law limited families living in urban areas (cities) to having only one child. (Legally, they were only ALLOWED to have ONE child!) Those who complied, or followed the law were rewarded with more food, improved housing, and better education and job opportunities for that one child. Those who did not comply had to pay large fines, faced loss of jobs, housing, or even could have been forced into having an abortion. In addition, culturally, couples have prefered male children and may abort or abandon girl babies if they are only permitted one child. This has resulted in the unequal ratio of 114 males for every 100 females born, creating a large gender gap in the country. (Imagine if there was only one girl per class!)
As a result of the one-child policy, the population growth declined to about 0.65% per year by 2010, which is about half of what it was in 1979. There are some exceptions to the policy. For example, minority populations and rural(farm land) families may have two or more children. In general, China's one-child policy has worked. The fertility rate, or the average number of children born per woman, dropped from about six in the 1950's to about two by 1995. The Chinese government claimed that since it was put in place, the policy has helped reduce the number of births in China by 400 million. According to the government, the policy has also improved the standard of living for many Chinese people. The one-child policy has had a positive effect on children's education. Parents are more involved than ever in their only child's success at school. Tradition also dictates that the Chinese value education. Many Chinese parents pay to send their children to better schools- sometimes schools in other countries. A survey taken in several large, urban areas showed that about 60% of Chinese families spend up to one-third of their income on educating their children. They claim this is because it is easier to afford and provide for only one child, since that is all they are allowed.
The policy's biggest long-term impact will be on the age distribution of China's population. With fewer children being born, the elderly will soon outnumber young people in China. (Imagine a country with almost ALL old people and no young people?!) This aging population will place a burden on those born under the one-child policy, who will have to care for their older parents and grandparents. Traditionally, daughters and daughter-in-laws have been the primary caretakers of elderly parents. However, if a single adult cannot take care of his or her parents, the old people will have to depend on other people and government services to take care of them which will cost people living in China a lot of money. Because of these economic fears, last year (November, 2015) the Chinese government actually took back the one-child policy and now increased the number to 2 children per family!
The policy may also have an unintended impact. With no brothers and sisters, the "only" children produced by China's population policy are often seen as spoiled and selfish. Chinese society has traditionally emphasized children's respect for their parents. Now some parents complain that why are neglected by their adult children, who are focused mainly on their own lives and careers.
PART 2: INTERPRETING CHARTS - Read the directions on your worksheet and click the links below to answer questions 9-12
PART 1: Read the text below to answer the PART 1 questions of your worksheet.
With about 1.3 billion people, China has the largest population in the world. For many years, Communist leaders encouraged the country's population to grow because they believed that having more people- and workers- would strengthen China's economy. In time, however, it became difficult to provide food, housing, education, and jobs for the country's citizens.
To curb their rapidly growing population, the government introduced the one-child policy in 1979. This law limited families living in urban areas (cities) to having only one child. (Legally, they were only ALLOWED to have ONE child!) Those who complied, or followed the law were rewarded with more food, improved housing, and better education and job opportunities for that one child. Those who did not comply had to pay large fines, faced loss of jobs, housing, or even could have been forced into having an abortion. In addition, culturally, couples have prefered male children and may abort or abandon girl babies if they are only permitted one child. This has resulted in the unequal ratio of 114 males for every 100 females born, creating a large gender gap in the country. (Imagine if there was only one girl per class!)
As a result of the one-child policy, the population growth declined to about 0.65% per year by 2010, which is about half of what it was in 1979. There are some exceptions to the policy. For example, minority populations and rural(farm land) families may have two or more children. In general, China's one-child policy has worked. The fertility rate, or the average number of children born per woman, dropped from about six in the 1950's to about two by 1995. The Chinese government claimed that since it was put in place, the policy has helped reduce the number of births in China by 400 million. According to the government, the policy has also improved the standard of living for many Chinese people. The one-child policy has had a positive effect on children's education. Parents are more involved than ever in their only child's success at school. Tradition also dictates that the Chinese value education. Many Chinese parents pay to send their children to better schools- sometimes schools in other countries. A survey taken in several large, urban areas showed that about 60% of Chinese families spend up to one-third of their income on educating their children. They claim this is because it is easier to afford and provide for only one child, since that is all they are allowed.
The policy's biggest long-term impact will be on the age distribution of China's population. With fewer children being born, the elderly will soon outnumber young people in China. (Imagine a country with almost ALL old people and no young people?!) This aging population will place a burden on those born under the one-child policy, who will have to care for their older parents and grandparents. Traditionally, daughters and daughter-in-laws have been the primary caretakers of elderly parents. However, if a single adult cannot take care of his or her parents, the old people will have to depend on other people and government services to take care of them which will cost people living in China a lot of money. Because of these economic fears, last year (November, 2015) the Chinese government actually took back the one-child policy and now increased the number to 2 children per family!
The policy may also have an unintended impact. With no brothers and sisters, the "only" children produced by China's population policy are often seen as spoiled and selfish. Chinese society has traditionally emphasized children's respect for their parents. Now some parents complain that why are neglected by their adult children, who are focused mainly on their own lives and careers.
PART 2: INTERPRETING CHARTS - Read the directions on your worksheet and click the links below to answer questions 9-12
AGING POPULATION INTERACTIVE GRAPH
POPULATION DATA