英語學習論壇的“聽力練習區(qū)”正式與大家見面啦。歡迎大家來這里練習聽力，交流經驗，共同進步。

本練習區(qū)的音頻文件選自英語點津的“聽中國日報”、“VOA常速”、“流行金曲”及“名人演講”等欄目，題材豐富，難度各異，適合不同階段的英語學習者。

英語點津會定期發(fā)布音頻材料，大家可以在跟帖中貼出自己聽寫出的音頻文字稿。每個音頻材料的標準文字稿會在帖子發(fā)布兩天后公布。

進入該文章的聽寫練習頁面

Australians must become more productive or risk losing their famously relaxed lifestyle as the population ages and the workforce shrinks. That’s the warning from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

While Australians were urged in the past to "populate or perish", Rudd said the country now needs to boost productivity as the population becomes increasingly elderly and the tax revenue from workers falls.

"It is productivity growth that must play the central role in building Australia's future economic growth," Rudd said in Melbourne late on Monday.

It is estimated that Australia's population will grow from the current 22 million to 36 million by 2050, thanks to surging birth rates and rising immigration.

At the same time, increasing life expectancy means the proportion of those citizens aged 65 or over will jump to almost one in four by that time.

These demographics mean that public finances will be burdened with the increased costs of looking after the elderly, Rudd said.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.