城镇化(urbanization)导致了巨大的住房需求。出口导向型经济(export-oriented economy)吸引了大量劳动力从农村来到城市。高等教育的迅速扩张也通过提供教育机会致使大量知识分子涌人城市。社会资源分布不均使得只有少数城市成为人口迁移的理想目的地，这就进一步加大了一些大城市的住房需求。人们对未来的不确定使他们将房产当作他们养老金的“最后一根稻草”。传统的观念植根于中国文化。人们认为拥有房产是长期居住的先决条件。

　　参考译文:

　　Urbanization leads to the huge demand for housing.The export-oriented economy attracts a large amount of labor force from rural to urban areas.The fast expansion of higher education also leads to the large inflow of intellectuals to cities by offering education opportunities.The uneven distribution of social resources makes only a few cities the ideal destinations for population migration, which has further increased the demand for housing in some of metropolises.People's uncertainty about the future makes them regard the real estate as the“last straw”for their pension.The traditional concept is rooted in Chinese culture.People regard the ownership of the real estate to be the prerequisite for long term inhabitation.

　　1.出口导向型经济吸引了大量劳动力从农村来到城市:“出口导向型经济”可用the export-oriented economy表示，oriented是“以…为导向”的意思。“从农村来到城市”可译为from rural to urban areas,from...to...意为“从…到…”。“劳动力”可译为labor force。

　　2.人们对未来的不确定使他们将房产当作他们养老金的“最后一根稻草”:“房产”可译为the real estate。“将…当作…”可译为regard…as…。

　　3.传统的观念植根于中国文化:“植根于”可译为be rooted in, root在这里是动词，意为“生根”。“植根于”还可以翻译为take root in。