[8] Populations in central and eastern Europe, the third group, have been falling fast because of emigration. Around 2.5m Romanian nationals of working age, equivalent to a fifth of the population, live elsewhere in the EU. These countries also have relatively low older and female participation rates (the Baltic states, which take inspiration from the Nordics, are an exception). Poland and Hungary offer financial incentives for child-bearing. But research suggests that these rarely work.
參考譯文：
第三大類是中歐和東歐。由於外遷原因，中歐和東歐國家人口數量一直都在減少。羅馬尼亞約 250 萬勞動年齡的國民生活在其它歐盟成員國，這相當於該國總人口的五分之一。這些國家的老人和女性勞動參與率也相對較低（波羅的海國家是個例外，他們借鑑了北歐的做法）。波蘭和匈牙利通過提供財政獎勵來鼓勵生育，但研究表明這樣作用甚微。
講解：
第[8]段介紹第三大類（中歐和東歐）的情況。
第1句介紹了中歐和東歐人口變化的概況：一直在減少（原因：移居國外）。後面幾句介紹了羅馬尼亞等中歐和東歐國家的具體情況。
第2句講到羅馬尼亞的情況：約250萬羅馬尼亞人居住在歐盟其他國家。
注意：national 除了做形容詞（國家的，民族的）外，還可以是可數名詞，表示「國民，國人」.
注29：equivalent 既可以作形容詞，也可以做名詞。
1) [形容詞] 等值的，等同的，相當的：Having the same value, purpose, job etc. as a person or thing of a different kind.
Eight kilometers is roughly equivalent to five miles. 八公裡約等於五英裡。[+to]
I had no dollars, but offered him an equivalent amount of sterling. 我沒有美金，但給了他等值的英鎊。
表示該意思時的名詞為 equivalence, 如：
There is no straightforward equivalence between economic progress and social well-being. 經濟進步與社會福利之間絕非輕易等同。
2) [名詞] 等同物，等價物，對應物：Something that has the same value, purpose, job etc. as something else. 如：
The word has no equivalent in English. 這個詞在英語中國沒有對應詞。
He had drunk the equivalent of 15 whiskies. 他喝了相當於15杯威士忌酒。[+ of]
第3句講到中東歐國家老人和女性勞動參與率（older and female [labor force] participation rates）相對低的情況，但波羅的海國家是個例外。
take/draw inspiration from sb/sth 從（某人/某事）汲取靈感
文中 take inspiration from the Nordics 指的是借鑑北歐國家的做法（從北歐國家的做法中年汲取靈感），北歐國家屬於第一大類，上述第[6]段有簡單介紹。
第4/5句講到波蘭和匈牙利主張通過財政激勵（financial incentives）措施鼓勵生育（child-bearing），但收效甚微（rarely work），注意這裡work是不及物動詞「起作用，奏效」。
[9] These demographic disparities worsen economic divides. Southerners start in a poor position. Productivity is low and as the number of people in work falls, growth will weaken. Their gross public debt is already high—in Italy, over 130% of GDP—and risks rising further. The euro-zone’s one-size-fits-all monetary policy may seem less appropriate as growth prospects diverge.
參考譯文：
歐盟國家間的這種人口結構差異加劇了彼此間的經濟鴻溝。南歐國家起點較低。他們生產率低，而且，隨著勞動人口數量的下降，經濟增長也會被削弱。這些國家的公共債務總額已經較高——義大利的公共債務已經超過 GDP 的130%，且存在進一步飆高的風險。隨著增長前景發生分化，歐元區一刀切的貨幣政策似乎欠妥。
講解：
前面幾段按照人口結構不同對將歐盟國家分為三大類，第[9]段介紹了人口結構的不同導致的經濟差距。
第1句承接上文，指出人口結構差異在經濟上造成的後果。These demographic disparities 翻譯時可以具體化一點，增譯「歐盟國家間的…」，可以使中文的上下文銜接更緊密。經濟差距/鴻溝 economic divides = economic disparities.
注30：disparity [名詞] 不同，不等，差異，懸殊：If there is a disparity between two or more things, there is a noticeable difference between them. [Formal]。如：
The economic disparities between East and West Berlin 東西柏林之間經濟上的懸殊
The great disparity of wealth between rich and poor countries 貧富國家間的財富鴻溝
【拓展4】詞彙辨析：difference, contrast, gap, gulf, disparity
第2/3/4句具體介紹歐盟國家的情況。第2、3句介紹南歐國家的情況，southerner（南方人）在本文語境中可譯為「南歐國家」
weaken [及物/不及物動詞] 削弱，減弱：If you weaken something or if it weakens, it becomes less strong or less powerful.
worsen [及物/不及物動詞]（使）變得更壞（或更糟）；使（惡化）：If a bad situation worsens or if something worsens it, it becomes more difficult, unpleasant, or unacceptable.
注意這兩個詞既可以及物也可以不及物。
【拓展5】詞綴 en
risk 的用法見注18。
句子結構方面：第3句和第4句都有並列關係。
第3句是並列句，其中第二個並列分句主幹為 growth will weaken, 前面是as（隨著）引導的時間狀語從句。
第4句是句子成分並列——謂語並列：is already high … and risks rising …，兩個並列成分之間用破折號添加了一個插入成分，補充說明義大利的情況：—in Italy, over 130% of GDP—。
第5句是作者做出的判斷：人口結構差異→國家間的經濟鴻溝→發展前景分化→一刀切的經濟政策欠妥。
注31：one-size-fits-all 本義是「（服裝的設計）適合所有人穿的，通用尺寸的」：One-size-fits-all clothes are designed so that people of any size can wear them.
常用比喻義，表示：（態度、方法、計劃等）為滿足所有的人/情況而設計的（往往效果不佳）：a one-size-fits-all attitude, method, plan etc. is designed to please everyone or be suitable for every situation, often with the result that it is not successful. 如：
A one-size-fits-all public education program 一刀切的公共教育計劃
外刊例句：
In an effort to minimize gaps in teacher quality, some education reformers are pushing a routinized, one-size-fits-all approach to instruction and classroom culture.
為了最小化師資力量的差距，一些教育改革人士正在推行一種針對教學與課堂文化的常規化的通用方法。
（——《華盛頓郵報》）
Perhaps some school leaders feel that they have to provide new employees with pre-set classroom-management procedures or one-size-fits-all reading curricula because the teachers simply aren’t ready to differentiate learning, much less manage a class of boisterous students in an individualized, culturally responsive manner.
（——《華盛頓郵報》）
或許，某些學校領導認為：他們不得不向新員工提供預先設定的課堂管理程序或通行的閱讀課程，因為老師們根本沒有準備好差別化對待學習，更不用說以個別化的、針對不同文化做出不同響應的方式，管理一個班級愛鬧騰的學生們。
補充知識：
simply 做副詞用，除了表示「簡單地，只不過，僅僅」等外，還可以用於強調，表示「簡直，根本」：You use simply to emphasize what you are saying. 如上述外刊例句，再如：
This sort of increase simply cannot be justified. 這種增長根本就不合理。
So many of these questions simply don’t have answers. 這些問題有很多根本就沒有答案。
In a poll of these leaving the theatre and nine out of ten thought it was simply marvelous. 一項對那些剛在劇院看完這場戲的觀眾所做的調查顯示，百分之九十的人都認為這場戲簡直棒極了。
【拓展4】詞彙辨析：difference, contrast, gap, gulf, disparity
1) difference: a detail, fact, or quality that makes one person or thing different from another.[使某人或某事物與其他人或其它事物區別開來的細節、事實或品質]，如：
We should think about the similarities between cultures, not the differences. 我們應該關心不同文化之間的相似性，而非差異。
difference between
Try and spot the differences between these two pictures. 試圖找出這兩張圖片之間的不同之處。
The difference between the two cheeses is that one is made from goat’s milk. 這兩種奶酪之間的區別是：其中一種是用羊奶製作的。
difference in
I don’t think there’s any difference in the way you pronounce these two words. 我認為你對這兩個單詞的發音是完全一樣的。
2) contrast: a very clear difference that you can easily see when you compare two things or people. [在比較兩個事物或人時，能夠輕易發覺的顯而易見的差異]
contrast between something/somebody and something/somebody
What surprised me was the contrast between Picasso’s early style and his later work. 令我感到驚訝的是畢卡索的早期風格與他後期作品之間截然不同的差異。
3) gap: a big difference between two amounts, two ages, or two groups of people. [兩種數量、兩種年齡或兩類人之間很大的差異]
gap between
There’s a ten-year gap between Kay’s two children. 凱的兩個孩子相差十歲。
The gap between rich and poor is wider in the South than in the rest of the country. 該國南方的貧富差距要大於其它地方。
age/gender/income etc. gap
The age gap between us didn’t seem to matter until we decided to have children. 在我們決定要小孩之前，我倆之間的年齡差距似乎不要緊。
4) gulf: a very big difference and lack of understanding between two groups of people, especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way of life. [兩種人之間差別非常大且缺乏了解，特別是在他們的信仰、觀點和生活方式上]
gulf between somebody and somebody
More riots led to a growing gulf between the police and the communities in which they worked.
bridge/cross the gulf = improve understanding and communication: To reduce or get rid of the differences that exist between two things or groups of people 消除隔閡/鴻溝/分歧
The central problem was how to bridge the gulf between the warring factions of the party. 中心問題是如何消除該黨衝突派系之間的分歧。
5) disparity: [formal] a big difference between two groups of people or things --- use this especially when you think the difference is unfair or may cause problems 兩類人或兩種事物之間很大的差異——尤其用於你認為差異不公平或可能導致出現問題的情況。
disparity between
It’s not easy to explain the disparity that still exists between the salaries of men and women. 關於仍然存在的男女薪資差異，不太容易解釋。
disparity in
the disparity in wealth between the highest and the lowest employees 收入最高和最低員工之間的財富差異
the economic/income etc disparity
The economic disparity between the area’s black and white citizens is a serious problem. 該地區黑人和白人之間的經濟差距是一個嚴重的問題。
【拓展5】詞綴 en
前綴 en-：構成動詞，在以字母 b, m 或 p 開頭的單詞前為 em-。
(1) 表示「置於…之中，使處於…狀態，賦予」。如：encase 置於箱中；endanger 使遭遇危險；empower 授權；
(2) 表示「使，使成為」。如：enlarge 擴大；embolden 使更有膽量
後綴 –en：
(1) 構成動詞，表示「使，使成為，變得」。如：blacken 使變黑；sadden 使悲傷；
(2) 構成形容詞，表示「由…製成（或構成）的；像…一樣的」。如：wooden 木製的；golden 金的。
-未完待續-