Some nations think they must have more and more babies, more and more people, if they are to remain strong and free.
Actually, this is not so. Very often in history, small nations have conquered large ones. It’s not so much the size of the army as its organization and the technical level of its weapons. Thus, Greece took over Persia in the 300s B.C., Great Britain took over India in the 1700s, even though Persia and India had far bigger population than Greece and Great Britain.
If a nation wishes to avoid being dominated by its neighbors, its best chance is to raise its standard of living and its level of technology.This can be done best by not allowing its population to grow to such a point that it is sunk in misery and poverty. In fact, the worst way in which a nation can try to avoid being dominated by its neighbor is to increase its population to the point of misery and poverty.
If every nation tries to compete with its neighbors by raising its population, then the whole world will be sunk in misery and poverty. The nations will become weak in a disaster that will leave nothing behind that is worth dominating. No one will have gained anything. Everyone will have lost everything.
Once all this is understood, and people generally agree that population growth must not be allowed to continue, they must also come to understand how that growth can be stopped. Population grows because more people are being born than are dying. There are two ways, then, in which the growth can be stopped. You can increase the number of people who die until it matches the number of people who are being born. Or else you can decrease the number of people who are born until it matches the number of people who are dying.
The first method—increasing the death rate—is the usual way in which population is controlled in all species of living things other than ourselves, but we don’t want that, for disaster lies that way. The intelligent way is to reduce the birth rate. But how can the birth rate be reduced?
【小题1】 In paragraph 3, the word “This” refers to ______.

Some nations think they must have more and more babies, more and more people, if they are to remain strong and free.

Actually, this is not so. Very often in history, small nations have conquered large ones. It’s not so much the size of the army as its organization and the technical level of its weapons. Thus, Greece took over Persia in the 300s B.C., Great Britain took over India in the 1700s, even though Persia and India had far bigger population than Greece and Great Britain.

If a nation wishes to avoid being dominated by its neighbors, its best chance is to raise its standard of living and its level of technology.This can be done best by not allowing its population to grow to such a point that it is sunk in misery and poverty. In fact, the worst way in which a nation can try to avoid being dominated by its neighbor is to increase its population to the point of misery and poverty.

If every nation tries to compete with its neighbors by raising its population, then the whole world will be sunk in misery and poverty. The nations will become weak in a disaster that will leave nothing behind that is worth dominating. No one will have gained anything. Everyone will have lost everything.

Once all this is understood, and people generally agree that population growth must not be allowed to continue, they must also come to understand how that growth can be stopped. Population grows because more people are being born than are dying. There are two ways, then, in which the growth can be stopped. You can increase the number of people who die until it matches the number of people who are being born. Or else you can decrease the number of people who are born until it matches the number of people who are dying.

The first method—increasing the death rate—is the usual way in which population is controlled in all species of living things other than ourselves, but we don’t want that, for disaster lies that way. The intelligent way is to reduce the birth rate. But how can the birth rate be reduced?

1. In paragraph 3, the word “This” refers to ______.

A．avoidance of poverty                    B．improvement of life and technology

C．growth of population                     D．enhancement of living standard and competition

2. It can be inferred from the passage that if a country had fewer people, ______.

A．it could still remain strong                 B．it would be defeated by a strong neighbour

C．its standard of living could be high           D．its people would live misery

3. What might the author be further discussing after the passage?

A．Needs to balance population.              B．Problems involved in birth control.

C．Methods of decreasing population.          D．Opposition from some nations.

4. The passage mainly focuses on ______.

A．why we must control population            B．where we can find a solution

C．how to stop population growth             D．how to become a strong nation

　　While I studied at school, I felt a great difficulty in learning my Latin translations. I was always very __(1)___ in using a dictionary, and __(2)___ it most difficult, while to other boys it seemed no __(3)___.

　　I formed an alliance（盟友）with a boy in the Sixth Grade. He was very clever and __(4)___ read Latin as easily as English. My friend for his part was almost as __(5)___ troubled by the English essays he had to write for the headmaster as I was __(6)___ these Latin words. We agreed together that he could __(7)___ me my Latin translations and that I should do his essays. The arrangement __(8)___ wonderfully. The headmaster seemed quite __(9)___ with my work, and I had more time to myself in the morning. On the other hand, once a week __(10)___ I had to compose the essays of my friend. For several months no difficulty __(11)___, but once we were nearly caught out.

　　One afternoon, the headmaster __(12)___ my friend to discuss one essay with him in a lively spirit.“I was interested in this __(13)___ you make here. I think you might have gone further. Tell me __(14)___ you had in your mind.”The headmaster continued in this __(15)___ for some time to the fear of my friend. However the headmaster, not wishing to __(16)___ an occasion of praise into __(17)___ of fault-finding, finally __(18)___ him go. He came back to me like a man who had had a very narrow __(19)___ and I made up my mind to make every effort to study my __(20)___.

 (06·江西)

While l studied at school，I felt a great difficulty in leaning my Latin translations．I was always very   36  in using a dictionary，and    37   it most difficult，while to other boys it seemed   38  .

   I formed an alliance(盟友) with a boy in the Sixth Grade．He was very clever and  39   read Latin as easily as English．My friend for his part was almost as  40  troubled by the English essays he had to write for the headmaster as I was  41  these Latin words. We agreed together that he should   42   me my Latin translations and that I should do his essays. The arrangement                          43   wonderfully．The headmaster seemed quite   44   with my work，and I had more time to myself in the morning.On the othcr hand，once a week   45  I had to compose the essays Of my fnend．For several months no difficulty   46  ，but once we were near]y caught out．

    One afternoon，the headmaster   47  my friend tO discuss one essay with him in a lively spirit．“I was interested in this   48   you make here．I think you might have gone further．Tell me   49   you had in your mind." The headmaster continued in this   50   for some time to fear of my friend．However the headmaster，not wishing to   51   an occasion of praise into  52   of fault-finding，finally   53   him go．He came back to me like a man who had had a very narrow   54   and I made up my mind to make every effort tO study my   55  .

36．A．quick               B．slow                C．hard                D．good

37．A．made               B．got                  C．foud                D．left

38．A．trouble             B．difference        C．labor               D．worry

39．A．mlght              B．would              C．should             D．could

40．A．very                B．little                 C．much                     D．few

41．A．for                  B．by                   C．in                    D．to

42．A．change            B．take                 C．forgive            D．tell

43．A．worked            B．tried                C．happened         D．developed

44．A．angry                     B．satisfied           C．frightened        D．sad

45．A．or so               B．or else             C．as usual           D．as far

46．A．became            B．seemed            C．lay                  D．appeared

47．A．called              B．taught              C．arranged          D．sent

48．A．aim                 B．goal                 C.point                  D．opinion

49．A．why                B．how                C．which              D．what

50．A．exciment          B．way                 C．meaning           D．disappointment

51．A．turn                 B．leave                C．grow               D．become

52．A．none                B．one                  C．either               D．some

53．A．ordered            B．asked               C．took                D．let

54．A．surprise           B．escape             C．hope                D．chance

55．A．reading            B．writing             C．translations      D．essays