19. Even demographics are working against the middle-class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent —and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance —have jumped eightfold in just one generation.

【分析】复合句。主句主干为demographics are working against the middle-class family。as 引导原因状语从句，其主干为the odds have jumped eightfold;破折号之间的部分起补充说明的作用。
【译文】甚至连人口统计数据都对中产阶级家庭不利，因为这些家庭中出现一个年老体弱的父亲或母亲一以及随之而来的体力和经济援助上的需要——的几率在一代人的时间里增加了八倍。

【点拨】odds意为“成败的几率或可能；几率；差别”。

20. From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders.

【分析】简单句。本句虽是简单句，但修饰成分较多。句子主干是 much of this looks less like an opportunity and more like a frightening acceleration。不定式结构to exercise... responsibility 作定语修饰 opportunity;介词短语of the wholesale...修饰 acceleration。
【译文】可以理解，从中产阶级家庭的角度来看,上述现象根本不像是一个行使更多经济职责的机会，而更像是将经济风险大规模转移到他们已经不堪重负的肩膀上的加速进程。

【点拨】perspective为名词，意思较多，如“远景，全景；观点；前途”，本句中意为“观点”。