“The world has never been a better place to live in” says science writer Matt Ridley, “and it will keep on getting better.” Read on to see how Ridley makes his case. Right or wrong? You decide.

Compared with 50 years ago, when I was just four years old, people now make nearly three times as much money, eat one third more food and expect to live one third longer. In fact, it’s hard to find any areas of the world that’s worse off now than it was then, even though the world population has more than doubled over that period.

One reason we are richer, healthier, taller, cleverer, longer-lived and freer than ever before is that the four most basic human needs—food, clothing, fuel and shelter—have grown much cheaper. Take one example: In 1800, a candle providing one hour’s light cost six hours’ work. In the 1880s, the same light from a lamp took 15 minutes’ work to pay for. In 1950, it was eight seconds. Today, it’s half a second. In these terms, we are 43,200 times better off than in1800.

In the United States, rivers, lakes, seas and air are getting cleaner all the time. A car today produces less pollution traveling at full speed than a parked car did from leaks (泄漏) in 1970.

Although the world population is growing, the rate (率) of increase has been falling for 50 years. Across the world, national birth rates are lower now than in 1960, and in the less developed world, the birth rate has almost halved. According to a research report from the United Nations, population will start falling once it reaches 9.2 billion in 2075. After all, there are already seven billion people on earth, and they are eating better and better.

In 1970s, there were 550 billion barrels (桶) of oil reserves (储存) in the world, and in the 20 years that followed the world used up 600 billion. So by 1990, reserves should have been overused by 50 billion barrels. Instead, it is reported there are 900 billion today. They will last for many years and people will find something in place of oil long before they run out.

The more we develop, the more we can develop. The more we invent, the more inventions become possible. For 200 years, pessimists (people who believe that terrible things will happen in future) have had all the headlines—even though optimists have far more often been right. There are some reasons for pessimists. No charity (慈善机构) ever raised money by saying things are getting better. No journalist ever got the front page writing a story about how terrible things won’t happen. Don’t be a pessimist—dare to be an optimist!

1.Today, providing one hour’s light costs ______.

A. 6 hours’ work B. 15 minutes’ work

C. 8 seconds’ work D. 0.5 second’s work

2.Which of the following is true, according to the passage?

A. Things we used to need were much cheaper than they are today.

B. The pollution today is much more serious than it was long ago.

C. Population problem has nearly made the world stop developing.

D. It’s not necessary to be worried about oil reserves in the world.

3.What does the word “optimists” in the last paragraph mean?

A. People who are brave enough to face anything terrible.

B. People who can always tell good things from bad ones.

C. People who have hopeful and happy feelings about life.

D. People who don’t easily believe what they’re told about.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. Never Give Up B. Cheer Up

C. Don’t Be Sad D. Think Out

A report in a newspaper says that school accidents,such as food poisoning(食物中毒),fires,electricity and traffic,kill more primary and middle school students than anything else.So we must learn how to protect ourselves better.Here are some tips for keeping safety in mind every day.

On our way home or to school:Wait for the green traffic light,and look left and right before we cross the road.We’d better wear bright-color clothes,so the drivers can see us easily.Don't believe strange people in the street.

At school: When students around us begin to push each other,we need to stand still and try to hold onto something,or stay in a corner until the crowd leaves.If we fall down in a moving crowd,use both hands to cover the head.Lean to one side,curl up(蜷缩) our body and bend(使弯曲) the legs.

In a fire:Stay calm.Leave the classroom quickly under the directions of the teachers.Smoke can be more dangerous than fire,so use a piece of cloth to cover our mouth and nose.What will we do if the clothes burn? Remember not to rum Drop and fall to the ground.Then roll! It will make the fire go out.

For eating: Wash fruits carefully before eating them.Check the expiration dates(保质期) on the packages of the snacks,and if it look or smell bad,don’t eat it.

Topic:Keep 1. in mind every day

Fact

It’s 2. that school accidents kill more students than anything else.

Safety Tips

On the way

◆Wait for the green light,look both sides before we 3. the road.

◆Wear bright colors.

◆Don’t believe 4. in the street.

At school

◆It’s 5. for us to stand still and try to hold onto something,or stay in a corner until the crowd leaves.

◆We’d better cover our head with both hands,leaning to one side,curling up our body and 6. our legs.

In a fire

◆Stay calm Follow the teachers’ 7. and leave quickly.

◆Cover our mouth and nose by 8. a piece of cloth.

◆Drop to the ground and roll over and over to put out the fire.

For eating

◆Wash fruits carefully before we eat them.

◆Check the expiration dates.Don’t eat the food that 9. bad.

Purpose

To make the students know the tips to be protected from 10.

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