单选题One reason for quick population increase in underdeveloped countries is that ______.A those countries encourage people to have large familiesB people can get government support if they have more kidsC improved public health standards have reduced death

共用题干
第一篇

Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it is a decrease in death rates, not an increase in birth rates,that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them.In hunting and gathering cultures,old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,somebody else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless they have wealth or private or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person.To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built. These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply "dumping grounds"for the dying in which" care" is given by poorly paid,overworked,and underskilled personnel.

The writer believes that the population explosion results from__________.
A:an increase in birth rates
B:the industrial development
C:a decrease in death rates
D:cultural advances

共用题干
Prolonging Human Life

1.Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it is a decrease in death rates,not an increase in birthrates,that has led to the population explosion.
2.Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures,old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child.
3.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work.We also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,somebody else must support them.In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people.Unless they have wealth or private or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if they have a serious illness.
4.When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person.To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built. These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply"dumping grounds"for the dying in which"care"is given by poorly paid,overworked,and under-skilled personnel.

Many people would have died of_______if they had been born 100 years ago.
A:too weak and ill
B:hunting and gathering cultures
C:childhood diseases
D:no one at home
E:epidemic diseases
F: traditional cultures

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第一篇

Gross National Happiness

In the last century,new technology improved the lives of many people in many countries.However,one
country resisted these changes.High in the Himalayan mountains of Asia,the kingdom of Bhutan remained
separate. Its people and Buddhist（佛教）culture had not been affected for almost a thousand years. Bhutan,
however,was a poor country.People died at a young age.Most of its people could not read,and they did not
know much about the outside world.Then,in 1972,a new ruler named King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
decided to help Bhutan to become modern,but without losing its traditions.
King Wangchuck looked at other countries for ideas.He saw that most countries measured their progress
by their Gross National Product(GNP).The GNP measures products and money. When the number of
products sold increases,people say the country is making progress.King Wangchuck had a different idea for
Bhutan.He wanted to measure his country's progress by people's happiness.If the people's happiness
increased,the king could say that Bhutan was making progress.To decide if people were happier,he created
a measure called Gross National Happiness(GNH).
GNH is based on certain principles that create happiness.People are happier if they have health care,
education,and jobs.They are happier when they live in a healthy,protected environment. They are happier
when they can keep their traditional culture and customs.Finally,people are happier when they have a
good,stable government.
Now there is some evidence of increased GNH in Bhutan.People are healthier and are living longer.
More people are educated and employed.Twenty-five percent of the land has become national parks,and the
country has almost no pollution.The Bhutanese continue to wear their traditional clothing and follow their
ancient Buddhist customs.Bhutan has also become a democracy.In 2008,King Wangchuck gave his power
to his son.Although the country still had a king,it held its first democratic elections that year. Bhutan had
political parties and political candidates for the first time.Finally,Bhutan has connected to the rest of the
world through television and internet.
Bhutan is a symbol for social progress.Many countries are now interested in Bhutan's GNH.These
countries are investigating their own ways to measure happiness.They want to create new policies that take
care of their people,cultures,and land.
Brazil may be the next country to use the principles of GNH.Brazilian leaders see the principles of GNH
as a source of inspiration.Brazil is a large country with a diverse population.If happiness works as a measure
of progress in Brazil,perhaps the rest of the world will follow.

According to GNH,people are happier if they_________.
A:have new technology
B:can change their religion
C:have a good,stable government
D:have more money

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第二篇

Human and the Earth

In terms of the evolution of life on Earth,human beings have just arrived.Despite their shori time on Earth,however,people have brought about enormous changes to the surface of the planet一changes far out of proportion to the interval of time they have occupied it.
People have more control over their surroundings than any other species on Earth.With the combination of intelligence and manual skill(allowing us to make and use tools),people have found ways to use plant and animal resources,mineral ores,fuels,and many other materials and resources from the Earth.
As the number of people on Earth increases,it becomes increasingly difficult for the population to survive on the resources of the land.The amount of land is limited.Although agricultural production can be increased by use of machinery such as tractors and the addition of fertilizer,the land ultimately can produce only so much food and no more.
As the human population grows,people consume more.Clearly,some locations on Earth already have too many people;in many of these areas,future increases will surely bring about more poverty and suffering. Yet people in rich nations use proportionally far more of the available resources than people in poorer nations.As they consume these resources without restraint,they also waste large amounts of them.
People are only a very small fraction of all the living things on the planet.Yet their numbers create a drain on resources that can't be renewed.For example,the amount of water on Earth is limited,this water is cleaned through natural processes.However,the natural processes for filtering water can clean only a certain amount of water by removing the pollution.Likewise,a limited amount of petroleum can be found under the Earth's surface.Petroleum is a valuable resource.Should people use it up to manufacture petrol for automobiles?As people work to control the planet and make life comfortable,are they using up resources that are needed for their survival?

Who use more available resources according to the passage?
A:Rich people on Earth.
B:Poor people on Earth.
C:People in developed countries.
D:People in developing countries.

The world population is expected to rise to more than nine billion by 2050，one-third of all people______expected to live in cities。

A.has been
B.are
C.have been
D.have succeeded in

共用题干
U.S.Signs Global Tobacco Treaty 1 The United States has taken the first step toward approving a global tobacco treaty that promises to help control the deadly effects of tobacco use throughout the world.Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC)this week at the United Nations.The Senate must still approve the treaty before the U.S.can implement its provisions.
2 The FCTC was developed by the World Health Organization and approved by members of the World Health Assembly,including the United States,last year.Countries that ratify it would be required to enact strict tobacco control policies.
3 For instance,cigarettes sold in those countries would have to have health warnings on at least 30% of the front and back of every pack.The treaty calls for higher tobacco taxes,restrictions on smoking in public places,and more promotion of tobacco prevention and cessation programs.It also requires bans on tobacco advertising,though there are some exceptions for countries like the United States,where the Constitution prohibits such an outright ban.
4 The impact of the treaty could be huge.The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills nearly 5 million people worldwide every year.In the U.S.alone,about 440,000 people die each year from tobacco-related illnesses;about one-third of all cancers in the U.S.are caused by tobacco use.If current trends continue,WHO estimates,by 2025 tobacco will kill 10 million people each year.
5 The treaty must be ratified by at least 40 countries before it can take effect.So far,109 countries have signed it,and 1 2 have ratified it.

Countries that ratify the FCTC will have to,among other things,______.
A:have ratified it
B:approving it
C:implement its provisions
D:restrict smoking in public places
E:caused by tobacco use
F:including higher tobacco taxes

共用题干
U.S.Signs Global Tobacco Treaty 1 The United States has taken the first step toward approving a global tobacco treaty that promises to help control the deadly effects of tobacco use throughout the world.Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC)this week at the United Nations.The Senate must still approve the treaty before the U.S.can implement its provisions.
2 The FCTC was developed by the World Health Organization and approved by members of the World Health Assembly,including the United States,last year.Countries that ratify it would be required to enact strict tobacco control policies.
3 For instance,cigarettes sold in those countries would have to have health warnings on at least 30% of the front and back of every pack.The treaty calls for higher tobacco taxes,restrictions on smoking in public places,and more promotion of tobacco prevention and cessation programs.It also requires bans on tobacco advertising,though there are some exceptions for countries like the United States,where the Constitution prohibits such an outright ban.
4 The impact of the treaty could be huge.The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills nearly 5 million people worldwide every year.In the U.S.alone,about 440,000 people die each year from tobacco-related illnesses;about one-third of all cancers in the U.S.are caused by tobacco use.If current trends continue,WHO estimates,by 2025 tobacco will kill 10 million people each year.
5 The treaty must be ratified by at least 40 countries before it can take effect.So far,109 countries have signed it,and 1 2 have ratified it.

Many more countries have signed the FCTC than those that______.
A:have ratified it
B:approving it
C:implement its provisions
D:restrict smoking in public places
E:caused by tobacco use
F:including higher tobacco taxes

共用题干
第一篇

Why So Many Children

In many of the developing countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.The reason for
this is simple.Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The
majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources to care for their families.Why do they have so
many children?Why don't they limit the size of their families?There are several reasons for this.
One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families are helpful.Having more
children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.In an
industrial economy,the situation is different.Many children do not help a family;instead,they are an ex-
pense.Thus,industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,which was
industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century,Italy was a poor,largely
agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War II,Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and
industrialized. By the end of the century,the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman,the world's lowest.
However,the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia,for exam-
pie,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia,on the other hand,are
poor countries,with largely agricultural economies,but they have recently reduced their population growth.
Clearly,other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth
rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.This would explain the high
birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few
possibilities outside the home.On the other hand,the improved condition of women in Mexico,Thailand,and
indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to
provide more education and opportunities for women.
Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no
way to do so.In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive,birth
rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,Sri Lanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,
Mexico,and Brazil.In these countries,women have also been provided with health care and help in planning
their families.These trends show that an effective program to reduce population growth does not have to de-
pend on better economic conditions.

In a traditional agricultural economy,a large family_________.
A:may limit income
B:can be an advantage
C:isn't necessary
D:is expensive

共用题干
Prolonging Human Life
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it is a decrease in death rates,not an increase in birthrates,that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them.In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not.We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,somebody else must support them.In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty.Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless they have wealth or private or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person.To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built.These are often profit-making organizations,although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply"dumping grounds"for the dying in which"care"is given by poorly paid,overworked,and underskilled personnel.

The writer believes that the population explosion results from______.
A:an increase in birthrates
B:the industrial development
C:a decrease in death rates
D:cultural advances

共用题干
Prolonging Human Life
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population. Many people alive
today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because
more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time. In fact,it is a decrease in death rates,not an increase in birthrates,that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load. In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them. In hunting and gathering cultures,old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die. In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child. In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age. Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,some-body else must support them. In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless they have wealth or private or government insur-ance,they must often“go on welfare” if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families. In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died. Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person. To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built.These are of-ten profit-making organizations,although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply“dumping grounds”for the dying in which“care”is given by poorly paid,overworked,and under-skilled personnel.

The writer believes that the population explosion results from______.
A: an increase in birthrates
B: the industrial development
C: a decrease in death rates
D: cultural advances

共用题干
第二篇

In many of the developinlg countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.The reason for this is simple:Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources to care for their families.Why do they have so many children?Why don't they limit the size of the family?The answer may be that they often have no choice.There are several reasons for this.
One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families are helpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.In an industrial economy,the situation is different. Many children do not help a family;instead,they are an expense.Thus,industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,which was industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century,Italy was a poor,largely agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War Ⅱ,Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and industrialized.By the end of the century,the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman,the world's lowest.
However,the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia, for example,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia, on the other hand,are poor countries,with largely agricultural economies,but they have recently reduced their population growth.
Clearly,other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.This would explain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few possibilities outside the home.On the other hand,the improved condition of womnen in Mexico,Thailand,and Indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to provide more education and opportunities for women.
Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no way to do so. In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive ,birth rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,Sri Lanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,Mexico,and Brazil.In these countries,women have also been provided with health care and help in planning their families.
These trends show that an effective programn to reduce population growth does not have to depend on better economic conditions. It can be effective if it aims to help women and meet theii needs.Only then,in fact,does it have any real chance of success.

In a traditional agricultural economy,a large family_________.
A:can be an advantage
B:may limit income
C:isn't necessary
D:is expensive

共用题干
第二篇

In many of the developinlg countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.The reason for this is simple:Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources to care for their families.Why do they have so many children?Why don't they limit the size of the family?The answer may be that they often have no choice.There are several reasons for this.
One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families are helpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.In an industrial economy,the situation is different. Many children do not help a family;instead,they are an expense.Thus,industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,which was industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century,Italy was a poor,largely agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War Ⅱ,Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and industrialized.By the end of the century,the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman,the world's lowest.
However,the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia, for example,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia, on the other hand,are poor countries,with largely agricultural economies,but they have recently reduced their population growth.
Clearly,other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.This would explain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few possibilities outside the home.On the other hand,the improved condition of womnen in Mexico,Thailand,and Indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to provide more education and opportunities for women.
Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no way to do so. In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive ,birth rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,Sri Lanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,Mexico,and Brazil.In these countries,women have also been provided with health care and help in planning their families.
These trends show that an effective programn to reduce population growth does not have to depend on better economic conditions. It can be effective if it aims to help women and meet theii needs.Only then,in fact,does it have any real chance of success.

When countries become industrialized,________.
A:families often become larger
B:the birth rate generally goes down
C:women usually decide not to have a family
D:the population generally grows rapidly

资料： The poverty line is the minimum income that people need for an acceptable standard of living. People with incomes below the poverty line are considered poor. Economists study the causes of poverty in order to find solutions to the problem.
As the general standard of living in the country rises, the poverty line does, too. Therefore, even with today’s relatively high standard of living, about 10 percent of the people in the United States are below the poverty line. However, if these people had stable jobs, they could have an acceptable standard of living. Economists suggest several reasons why poor people do not have jobs.
For one thing, more than half of the poor people in the United States are not qualified to work. Over 40 percent of the poor. People are children. By law, children less than 16 years old cannot work in many industries. A large number of poor people are Old. Many companies do not hire people over 65 years old, the normal retirement age.
Some poor adults do not look for jobs for a variety of personal reasons: they are sick, they do not have any motivation, they have family problems, or they do not believe that they can find a job.
Other poor people look for a job but cannot find one. Many poor adults never went to high school. Therefore, when they look for jobs, they have few skills that they can offer.
At the present time, the government thinks it can reduce poverty in the country in the following ways. First, if the national economy grows, businesses and industries hire more workers. Some of the poor who are qualified to look for jobs may find employment. Then they will no longer be below the poverty line. Second, if society invests in the poor, the poor will become more productive. If the government spends money on social programs, education, and training for poor people, the poor will have the skills to offer. Then it is more likely that they can find jobs.
Finally, if the government distributes society's income differently, it raises some poor people above the poverty line. The government collects taxes from the non－poor and gives money to the poor. These payments to the poor are called welfare. In 1975 over 18 million people in the United States received welfare.
Some economists are looking for better solutions to the poverty problem. However, at the present time, many people depend on welfare for a minimally acceptable standard of living.

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the reason of unemployment?

A.some people are too young to work in many industries
B.some people are satisfied with the government welfare
C.some people don’t have motion to work
D.some people are not qualified to work

共用题干
U.S.Signs Global Tobacco Treaty 1 The United States has taken the first step toward approving a global tobacco treaty that promises to help control the deadly effects of tobacco use throughout the world.Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(FCTC)this week at the United Nations.The Senate must still approve the treaty before the U.S.can implement its provisions.
2 The FCTC was developed by the World Health Organization and approved by members of the World Health Assembly,including the United States,last year.Countries that ratify it would be required to enact strict tobacco control policies.
3 For instance,cigarettes sold in those countries would have to have health warnings on at least 30% of the front and back of every pack.The treaty calls for higher tobacco taxes,restrictions on smoking in public places,and more promotion of tobacco prevention and cessation programs.It also requires bans on tobacco advertising,though there are some exceptions for countries like the United States,where the Constitution prohibits such an outright ban.
4 The impact of the treaty could be huge.The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills nearly 5 million people worldwide every year.In the U.S.alone,about 440,000 people die each year from tobacco-related illnesses;about one-third of all cancers in the U.S.are caused by tobacco use.If current trends continue,WHO estimates,by 2025 tobacco will kill 10 million people each year.
5 The treaty must be ratified by at least 40 countries before it can take effect.So far,109 countries have signed it,and 1 2 have ratified it.

It is hoped that the FCTC will greatly help to reduce deaths______.
A:have ratified it
B:approving it
C:implement its provisions
D:restrict smoking in public places
E:caused by tobacco use
F:including higher tobacco taxes

US Signs Global Tobacco Treaty【美国签订了全球烟草协议】
　　The United States has taken the first step toward approving a global tobacco treaty that promises to help control the deadly effects of tobacco use throughout the world. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson signed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) this week at the United Nations. ____(46)
　　The FCTC was developed by the World Health Organization and approved by members of the World Health Assembly，including the United States，last year. ______(47)
　　For instance, cigarettes sold in those countries would have to have health warnings on at least 30% of the front and back of every pack. _____(48) It also requires bans on tobacco advertising, though there are some exceptions for countries like the United States, where the Constitution prohibits such an outright ban.
　　______(49)The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills nearly 5 million people worldwide every year. In the US alone, about 440,000 people die each year from tobacco-related illnesses; about one-third of all cancers in the US are caused by tobacco use. If current trends continue, WHO estimates, by 2025 tobacco will kill 10 million people each year.
　　The treaty must be ratified by at least 40 countries before it can take effect. ______(50)
文章(41~45)

A.Tobacco stocks also perked up as investors discounted fears of litigation(诉讼) from the US
B. So far，109 countries have signed it, and 12 have ratified it.
C. The impact of the treaty could be huge.
D. Countries that ratify(批准) it would be required to enact strict tobacco control policies.
E.The treaty calls for higher tobacco taxes, restrictions on smoking in public places, and more promotion of tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
F. The Senate must still approve the treaty before the US can implement its provisions.

共用题干
第一篇

Why So Many Children

In many of the developing countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.The reason for
this is simple.Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The
majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources to care for their families.Why do they have so
many children?Why don't they limit the size of their families?There are several reasons for this.
One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families are helpful.Having more
children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.In an
industrial economy,the situation is different.Many children do not help a family;instead,they are an ex-
pense.Thus,industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,which was
industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century,Italy was a poor,largely
agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War II,Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and
industrialized. By the end of the century,the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman,the world's lowest.
However,the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia,for exam-
pie,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia,on the other hand,are
poor countries,with largely agricultural economies,but they have recently reduced their population growth.
Clearly,other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth
rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.This would explain the high
birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few
possibilities outside the home.On the other hand,the improved condition of women in Mexico,Thailand,and
indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to
provide more education and opportunities for women.
Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no
way to do so.In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive,birth
rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,Sri Lanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,
Mexico,and Brazil.In these countries,women have also been provided with health care and help in planning
their families.These trends show that an effective program to reduce population growth does not have to de-
pend on better economic conditions.

When countries become industrialized,_________.
A:the birth rate generally goes down
B:families often become larger
C:women usually decide not to have a family
D:the population generally grows rapidly

共用题干
Prolonging Human Life
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it is a decrease in death rates,not an increase in birthrates,that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them.In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not.We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,somebody else must support them.In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty.Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless they have wealth or private or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person.To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built.These are often profit-making organizations,although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply"dumping grounds"for the dying in which"care"is given by poorly paid,overworked,and underskilled personnel.

According to the passage,which of the following statements about retired people in the United States is true?
A:Many of them have a very hard life.
B:They cannot live a decent life without enough bank savings.
C:They rely mainly on their children for financial support.
D:Most of them live with their children and therefore are well looked after.

共用题干
Prolonging Human Life
Prolonging human life has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive today would have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years ago.Because more people live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it is a decrease in death rates,not an increase in birthrates,that has led to the population explosion.
Prolonging human life has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who are disabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of society to provide for them.In hunting and gathering cultures, old people who could not keep up might be left behind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because they could not survive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they could have another child.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moral obligation to keep people alive whether they can work or not.We have a great many people today who live past the age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules which require people to retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money for their retirement,somebody else must support them.In the United States many retired people live on social security checks which are so little that they must live in near poverty.Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless they have wealth or private or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if they have a serious illness.
When older people become senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create grave problems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they would be cared for at home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or in school,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak person.To meet this need,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built.These are often profit-making organizations,although some are sponsored by religious and other nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of them are simply"dumping grounds"for the dying in which"care"is given by poorly paid,overworked,and underskilled personnel.

It can be inferred from the passage that in hunting and gathering cultures______.
A:it was a moral responsibility to keep old-aged people alive
B:infants could be left dead in times of starvation
C:parents had to impart the cultural wisdom of the tribe to their children
D:death was considered to be freedom from hardships