What to Do About Grandma

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Lesson 8

         WhatDo About Grandma

              Text A

    Hal Bohlman,wife Judy,their three children livea small apartment. Hal worksthe income tax divisionthe government where hea public information officer. Their children are now 2, 05 years old. Their planfor Judyreturnwork after their youngest child .starts elementary school next year. They hopesave up enough moneybuyhouse, since they feel their present two bedroom apartmentmuch too crowded.

    Last week, however,Judy's father died suddenlya heart attack. They now havedecide whatdo about Judy's mother,since Judythe only child. Judy's father wasmanagera storea large supermarket chain, so her mother will receivemodest but sufficient pension fromcompany. In addition, he will receivemoney from her husband's life insurancewill continuereceive social welfare benefits fromgovernment. In orderavoid inheritance taxes, her husbandhis will leftestateJudy withprovision thatwife would have useit as long as she lived.

    Judy realizes thatwould probably be dangerousher motherlive alone. Although her healthbasically goodsomeone her age, 73, she has bad days when her heart or arthritis acts up. Judyafraid she might have trouble taking careherself now that shealone. Shelivingthe house that sheher husband owned .three bedroom housethe suburbsthe same city where HalJudy live.
    HalJudy's mother never got along wellthe past . but Hal rcalizes that Judyworried about her mother.

            Text B

    The huge populationChinaindeedvery serious problem.The government has made great effortscontrolbirth raterecent years.'
    Butwork has encountered strong resistance, especiallyrural areas, where both economyculture are still very backward , resultingthe birthrate rising again.

    Many people blame thisthe feudal tradition thatwas goodhave more childrenhave more working hands. However.
thisonly halfstory. Incountryside there are no pensionsno free medical carethe aged. Many young couples are afraid that once they are old. there will he nobodycarethem. So they wantson who can tend them all their lives.

    If we raise more fundsthe elderlyrural areasbuild more sanatoriumsother institutionsthem,farmers can put their minds at rest.
    The majorityyoung couples nowadays are well educated eventhe poverty-stricken areas. Althoughfeudal influencestrong, they can understandimportancefamily planning. What worries them mosttheir own old age.

         Additional lnformation

         Marny Suicides ReportedRespect For Aged Day

    Tragic suicides by aged persons were reported from acrosscountry Monday whennation celebrated Respectthe Aged Day,national holiday.
    Incity of. . . ,76-year-old woman was foundhave hanged herselfher room at about 2 a. m. , her grandson reportedpolice.

    The woman,... , had been suffering from tuberculosisthe hardeningthe arteriesaddition to,the losseyesight,grandson told police.
Incity of. . . ,neighbor visited78-year-old man's home at 9 a. m.find that he had gassed himself. The man,. .. , had lived alonepension sice 96 whenwife died.

    In. . . ,farmer reportedpolice that68-year-old wife hanged herselfa shed Monday afternoon.
    The woman, Mrs... , was worried about her frail healthhad often talkedlonelinessold age, accordingthe husband.
    A person fishingthe sea offcity of. . . foundbodyan aged woman drifting at 0. 20 a. m. Monday.
    Police later identifiedbody as that of... , 92, of... , who had been missing since Friday.

    Her family members believed that she was overwhelmed by pessimism because she was unablereceive pension fromcity office duesome flawher papersWednesday.
    A 66-year-old woman hanged herselfa roomher house in.... while her daughter-in-law wasanothei room. The daughter-in-law, Mrs... , told police that her mother-in-law,... , had been almost bed-ridden since 973.

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