「兒童金」抗疫奏效
While other countries are grappling with their falling birth rates, Germany has bucked the trend with a 10% rise in the number of newborns in March.
正當其他國家還在設法解決出生率下跌的問題，德國出生率反而逆勢成長，3月新生兒人數增加了10%。
grapple(v.)扭打;搏鬥;克服;解決buck the trend=逆勢發展rise(n.)(v.)上升newborn(n.)新生兒
Germany recorded 65,903 births in March, which was an increase of 5,900 newborns compared with last year, according to statistics released by the authorities.
根據德國官方統計顯示，3月出生人數為6萬5903人，跟去年相比增加5900人。
increase(n.)(v.)增加decrease(n.)(v.)減少compared with=相較於…
The country has hit its highest birth rate since 1998, with just a slight decline of 0.6% in 2020.
德國自1998年以來首度突破6.5萬人，2020年的出生率僅下跌0.6%。
slight(adj.)少量的;微小的decline(n.)(v.)減少;衰弱;降低
Apparently, Germany’s first COVID-19 lockdown imposed between March and early May last year had little impact on the country’s fertility rate.
顯然德國在去年三月至五月初首度實施的封城措施對生育率的影響微乎其微。
have an impact on=對…造成影響fertility(n.)生育;生殖力fertile(adj.)肥沃富饒的;可繁殖的;可生育的fertilize(v.)施肥;使…受孕或受精fertilizer(n.)肥料
Experts attributed the rise in birth rates to the immigration policy as well as the Kindergeld program, which have now come to fruition, helping the country boost its population.
專家將出生率上升歸因於移民政策與「兒童金」計劃，這兩項政策已然看到成果並有助於提高該國的人口。
attribute … to …=把…歸因於…immigration(n.)移民(入境)immigrate(v.)移民(入境)immigrant(n.)外來移民emigrant(n.)(移居國外的)移民come to fruition=取得成果boost(v.)推動;增強;提高population(n.)人口
In 2015 and 2016, Angela Merkel’s administration accepted over a million refugees from the Middle East and North Africa in order to tackle its birth rate crisis.
梅克爾政府在2015與2016年收容了上百萬的中東與北非難民，以期解決出生率不足的危機。
accept(v.)接受;接納;收容refugee(n.)難民tackle(v.)處理;解決
The Kindergeld program is a child benefit scheme that provides monthly payments for parents in Germany, along with tax relief and tax-free child allowance as well as parental leave.
「兒童金」計劃是一項為德國父母每月提供育兒津貼的計劃，其中的福利包括了稅額減免、免稅育兒津貼與育嬰假。
relief(n.)寬慰;解脫;救濟(金)-free(suff.)無…的stress-free=無壓力的sugar-free=無糖的allowance(n.)津貼parental(adj.)跟父母有關的