Across much of the world, populations are steadily growing older. People are now living longer than ever before, while at the same time, in many countries, families are choosing to have fewer children. As a result, the share of older people in society as a whole is rising, while the share of younger people of working age is gradually shrinking. This profound change, sometimes called the aging of society, is one of the most important trends of our entire age, and it raises a number of difficult questions about the future of work.
One immediate concern is the changing balance between workers and retirees. In many countries, the pensions and the health care that support older people are paid for largely out of taxes on those who are still working. As the number of retirees grows steadily larger relative to the number of workers, this whole system comes under increasing strain. Governments worry about how to keep their promises to older citizens without placing too heavy a burden on the young. There is no easy answer, and in many places the issue has become politically sensitive and bitterly contested.
One common response is to encourage, or even to require, people to work for more years before they finally retire. Supporters argue that, since people are now living longer and healthier lives, it makes good sense for them to remain in work longer too, which benefits both the wider economy and the individuals themselves. Critics reply, however, that not all jobs are equally suitable for older workers, and that those in physically demanding work may simply be unable to continue. Raising the retirement age, they warn, can fall hardest of all on people who are already disadvantaged in other ways.
Beyond the narrow question of the retirement age, the aging of society may require a much deeper rethinking of the nature of work itself. Some experts suggest that careers could become far more flexible, with periods of learning, work, and rest spread out across a longer life rather than packed tightly into its middle years. The experience of older workers could be valued far more highly, and workplaces could be thoughtfully redesigned to suit a much wider range of ages and abilities. Whether societies come to treat aging mainly as a problem, or also as a genuine opportunity, may shape the daily lives of billions of people in the decades to come.
（1） 正解 1. The share of older people is rising while younger workers shrink.
第1段落に「高齢者の割合が上がり、若い労働者の割合が縮む」とある。選択肢1。
（2） 正解 2. Because pensions and health care are funded largely by taxes on workers.
第2段落に「高齢者を支える年金や医療は、主に働く人々への税で賄われる」とある。選択肢2。
（3） 正解 3. That physically demanding jobs may be impossible for older workers.
第3段落に「肉体的にきつい仕事の人は続けられないかもしれない」とある。選択肢3。
（4） 正解 2. Making careers more flexible across a longer life.
第4段落に「学び・仕事・休みの時期を、より長い人生に分散させる柔軟な働き方」を提案とある。選択肢2。
algorithm：アルゴリズム
a set of rules a computer follows（コンピュータが従う一連の規則）
narrow：狭める
to make less wide or varied（幅や多様さを小さくする）
pollination：受粉
moving pollen so plants can make seeds（植物が種を作れるよう花粉を運ぶこと）
pesticide：殺虫剤・農薬
a chemical used to kill pests（害虫を殺すために使う化学物質）
insurance：保険
a system of paying to be protected against loss（損失に備えてお金を払う仕組み）
risk：リスク・危険
the chance that something bad will happen（悪いことが起こる可能性）
pension：年金
regular money paid to people after they retire（退職後の人々に定期的に支払われるお金）
retirement：退職
the act of stopping work in old age（高齢になって仕事をやめること）