You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.

The first signs of (1) ……………………… interest among the young in science and engineering (2) ……………………… almost two decades ago, after Japan reached first-world living standards, and in recent years there has been a steady (3) ……………………. in the number of science and engineering students. But only now are the Japanese companies starting to feel the real pinch. By one ministry of internal affairs estimate, the (4) ……………… technology industry here is already short almost half a million engineers. Headhunters have begun (5) …………………… engineers midcareer with fat signing bonuses, a (6) ……………………….. practice once unheard-of in Japan’s less-cutthroat (7) ………………………. of capitalism. The problem is likely to (8) …………………… because Japan has one of the lowest birthrates in the world.

« Previous                                               21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40                                      Next »