Question

A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International. Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time (01:55GMT) in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies. The United Nations estimated that on Monday 31 October, the world's population would reach seven billion.

  Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia. At the same time, low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages.

  Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October 1999. They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century. China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest. India is second at 1.2 billion. But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025.

  India will also have one of the world's youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. Also, the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India's children under the age of five are malnourished(营养不良).

  Michal Rutkowski, the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. He says, “I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to become really, really serious about sex equality and about access to services—to fight against malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water and schooling.”

1.What is true about the world's seven billionth person?

A. Baby Nargis is not the only child chosen as the seven billionth baby.

B. Baby Nargis has been chosen carefully so it is exactly the seven billionth baby.

C. Three countries have all declared Baby Nargis as the seven billi011th baby.

D. The United Nations declared Baby Nargis as the world's seven billionth person.

2.Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about?

A. Labor shortage.                B. Poor health care.

C. Not enough jobs.            D. Schooling of poor quality.

3.According to population experts, how long will it take for population to grow from six billion to nine billion?

A. About 12 years.    B. About 40 years.   C. About 50 years.   D. About 110 years.

4.What does the underlined phrase “demographic dividend” in the fourth paragraph refer to?

A. Possibility of lower birth rate.

B. Benefit gained by working young people.

C. Chances for more employment.

D. Disadvantages caused by aging population.

5.Which of the following public policies does Michal Rutkowski call on?

A. To encourage late marriage.       B. To reduce world's population.

C. To gain economic equality.             D. To improve health and education.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.A

2.A

3.C   

4.B

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：文章主要介绍了人口增长的问题。随着印度一名婴儿的出生，全球人口突破70亿关口。一些发展中国家人口增长过快，而一些发达国家却由于低生育率而面临劳动力短缺的问题。

1.根据“Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies.”可知，选择Nargis作为第70亿个人，只是象征性的，Bangladesh, the Philippines和Cambodia也被选为第70亿宝宝，故选A。

2.根据“low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages”可知，许多欧洲国家担忧的是劳动力短缺，故选A。

3.根据“Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October 1999. They predict nine billion by 2050”可知，达到90亿需要大约50年的时间，故选C。

4.根据“India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations.”可知，在其它国家进入老龄化阶段的时候，印度可以获得大量的年轻劳动力。这是有利的一面，故选B。

5.根据“to fight against malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water and schooling”可知，Michal Rutkowski提倡提高社会的医疗和教育水平。故选D。

考点：社会类短文阅读