如何缩小城乡差距

　　The gap of living in cities and the countryside is larger and larger. What are the reasons in your country and how to reduce the differences?

　　As the step of economic development accelerates, the gap between the city and the countryside becomes more and more overt, which arouses colossal concerns. Take a further look at the phenomenon, there are three major causes.

　　Firstly, the insufficiency of investment in the rural areas accounts mainly for the issue. China, for example, covers a very large area. Due to the emphasis on the development in the coastal areas, the government devotes more investment in the large cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The investment, undoubtedly, is repaid by the threefold increase of economy and commerce in these cities. However, this is not the case in the rural areas and the western regions. The lack of investment barriers the productivity and economic development and sharpens the gap between the city and the countryside.

　　Secondly, the low education level in the rural areas contributes partly to the gap of living. Education is the prime force of productivity. Keeping this in mind, many countries and governments give priority to the development of education. China’s education witnessed a rapid growth in the past decade. However, the education level in the countryside still keeps very low. The enrollment of primary schools and secondary schools is much lower compared with the advanced regions, not to mention the developed countries in the world. Without good education, the development of economy and technology would be a dream difficult to be realized.

　　Finally, the influx of migrant workers to the cities from the countryside deteriorates the undeveloped condition in the rural areas. The life style in the urban areas is very attractive to the people in the countryside. To seek more working opportunities, many people abandon the fertile lands and leave them uncultivated. If the situation continues, it will lead to serious unbalance of economic and regional development.

　　To sum up, only when the government renders more concerns over the issue can the gap between the cities and the countryside be bridged.

译文

　　城市和农村的生活差距越来越大。贵国的原因是什么以及如何减少差异？

　　随着经济发展步伐的加快，城乡差距越来越明显，引起人们的广泛关注。进一步分析这一现象，主要有以下三个原因。

　　首先，农村投资不足是主要原因。以中国为例，其面积非常大。由于重视沿海地区的发展，政府加大了对上海、北京、广州等大城市的投资。毫无疑问，这些投资将通过这些城市的经济和商业增长三倍来得到回报。但在农村和西部地区却并非如此。投资不足阻碍了生产力和经济发展，加剧了城乡差距。

　　其次，农村地区受教育程度低也是造成生活差距的一个原因。教育是生产力的主要力量。考虑到这一点，许多国家和政府都优先发展教育。过去十年，中国教育事业快速发展。然而，农村的教育水平仍然很低。中小学入学率与先进地区相比要低得多，更不用说与世界发达国家相比了。没有良好的教育，经济和科技的发展将是一个难以实现的梦想。

　　最后，农民工从农村涌入城市，加剧了农村欠发达的状况。城市的生活方式对农村人很有吸引力。为了寻求更多的就业机会，许多人放弃了肥沃的土地，任其荒芜。如果这种情况持续下去，将导致经济和地区发展严重不平衡。

　　综上所述，只有政府给予更多的关注，才能缩小城乡差距。