美国抚养孩子的成本上涨2.6％

 　　WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua)-- U.S. middle-income families with a child born in 2012 can expect to spend about 241,080 U.S. dollars on average over the next 17 years, increasing 2.6 percent from a year ago, according to an annual report released on Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

　　The report, conducted by the department's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion¹, said the total cost, which covers food, shelter and other necessities to raise a child by middle- income families, edges up to 301,970 U.S. dollars when adjusted for inflation.

　　Housing costs are the single largest expenditure² on raising a child, averaging 71,820 U.S. dollars or 30 percent of the total cost over 17 years, the report said. Meanwhile, child care and education costs from birth through high school are the second- largest expense, accounting³ for 18 percent of the total cost.

　　The report, based on data from the Federal government's Consumer Expenditure Survey, noted⁴ that family income affects child-rearing costs. For families earning less than 60,640 dollars per year, the cost of raising a child averages at 173,490 dollars. For families earning more than 105,000 dollars, they can expect to spend 399, 780 dollars.

　　For the year 2012, annual child-rearing expenses per child for a middle-income, two-parent family ranged from 12,600 to 14,700 U. S. dollars.

　　The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been estimating the cost of raising a child since 1960. At that point, it cost an average of 25,230 U.S. dollars (roughly 195,690 U.S. dollars adjusted for inflation) to raise a child to age 17.

1 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

2 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

3 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。