出生 and 出身 have very similar pronunciation and their meanings are a bit confusing. Check out the differences between 出生 and 出身.
Which one do you choose?
他（ ）在北方的一个小城镇。
大人物常常（ ）贫寒。
A. 出生 B. 出身
出身 [chū shēn]
V. be descended from
他出身于农民家庭。 He come from peasant stock.
N.
(1) one’s previous/important experience or occupation
你必须确保让那些出身不同学科的人一起共事。You’ve got to make sure that people work together across disciplines.
(2) family background
她因出身低贱而受到蔑视。She was despised because she was of humble origin.
(3) an official’s previous experience in feudal time
出生 [chū shēng]
V. be born
他出生在北京。He was born in Beijing.
N. birth
该镇去年出生的人数比死亡人数多160人。There were 160 more births than deaths in the town last year.