Brazil has become one of the developing world’s great successes at reducing population growth, but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.
　　Brazil’s population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.
　　Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and installment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil’s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.
　　“Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values-not many children, different attitudes towards life, women working,” says Martine. “They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people aware of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package.”
【小题1】According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth _____.

 Brazil has become one of the developing world’s great successes at reducing population growth, but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.

　　Brazil’s population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.

　　Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and installment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil’s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.

　　“Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values-not many children, different attitudes towards life, women working,” says Martine. “They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people aware of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package.”

1.According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth _____.

2.What can you infer from the passage about many Third World countries ?

3.Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil’s birth rate because ______.

Brazil has become one of the developing world’s great successes at reducing population growth, but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil has had better result without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.
　　Brazil’s population growth rate has dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.
　　Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (通俗电视连续剧) and installment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil’s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.
　　“Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values-not many children, different attitudes towards life, women working,” says Martine. “They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people aware of other patterns of behavior and other values, which were put into a very attractive package.”

1. 1.

   According to the passage, Brazil has cut back its population growth______.

   1. A.
      by educating its citizens
   2. B.
      by careful family planning
   3. C.
      by developing TV programmes
   4. D.
      by chance
2. 2.

   What can you infer from the passage about many Third World countries ?

   1. A.
      They haven’t attached much importance to birth control
   2. B.
      They would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rate
   3. C.
      They haven’t yet found an effective measure to control their population
   4. D.
      They neglected the role of TV plays in family planning
3. 3.

   Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil’s birth rate because______.

   1. A.
      they keep people sitting long hours watching TV
   2. B.
      they have gradually changed people’s way of life
   3. C.
      people are drawn to their attractive package
   4. D.
      they popularize birth control measures

Many people don't realize the importance of music education in the schools today．A new study showed, however, music education is extremely important．

??? In college, music education is one of the largest programs．Teachers have to learn general education materials and techniques． They must learn to play every instrument; they must learn music history and music theory; they must learn instrument repair and teaching methods; they must learn conducting and so much more．At the same time, much of our culture and tradition is absorbed in music．

??? Music plays a very important role in our education．

??? Music helps with math and science． Students learn to count, and how to multiply and divide．Students also use science to help them discover what sounds good together and what doesn't．Students also need science to understand something called the “overtone series", which is about how music is produced by vibration（颤动）and why．

??? Students learn a lot about languages through music．Many songs are written in other languages, including ancient ones．Students must learn to translate these works to understand what they are singing about． A song is likely to be a famous short work set to music; so students are exposed to that very often while singing．

??? Students learn a huge amount of cooperation （协作）of body parts through music, so parts of the body can work better together．Students must use motor（肌肉运动的）skills in order to play an instrument．Singers and wind（管乐器）players must learn breath control and be in good shape to play．

??? Students learn about art． Some famous pieces were written about important pieces of art, and students learn about the artists and styles as they're playing the music．

???? Music education also brings higher thinking to our children．It allows them to think about complex patterns．Students have to be aware of what every other musician does at every time．In that way, it develops cooperation, as well．They tend to develop more ability for learning．

??? As one can see, music is very important to education．

1.According to the passage, learning music in college will be quite????????? ．

A． easy????????? B． stressful????? ????????????? C． attractive????? ????????????? D． useless

2.As to the benefits from music, which of the following is NOT included in the passage?

A． Calculation． ????????????? ????????????? B． Language study．

C． Relaxation． ????????????? ????????????? D． Cooperation of body parts．

3.The underlined word "that" in Para．5 refers to“ ?????????? "．

A． the music?????????????????????????? ????????????? B． the language

C． the culture?????????????????????????? D． the work

4.What can we know from the passage?

A． Science and music are extreme poles．

B． Only the wisest person can learn music well．

C． Music is good to our all-round development．

D． All of us know the importance of music clearly．