Population Change
Why is the world’s population growing? The answer is not what you might think. The reason for the explosion is not that people have been reproducing like rabbits, but that people have stopped dropping dead like flies. In 1900, people died at the average age of 30. By 2000 the average age was 65. But while increasing health was a typical feature of the 20th century, declining birth rate could be a defining one of the 21st.
Statistics show that the average number of births per woman has fallen from 4.9 in the early 1960s to 2.5 nowadays. Furthermore, around 50% of the world’s population live in regions where the figure is now below the replacement level(i.e.2.1 births per woman)and almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate. You might think that developing nations would make up the loss(especially since80% of the world’s people now live in such nations), but you’d be wrong. Declining birth rate is a major problem in many developing regions too, which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades.
A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China, for instance. What does it imply? First, China needs to undergo rapid economic development before a population decline hits the country. Second, if other factors such as technology remain constant, economic growth and material expectations will fall well below recent standards and this could invite trouble.
Russia is another country with population problems that could break its economic promise. Since 1992 the number of people dying has been bigger than that of those being born by a massive 50%,Indeed official figures suggest the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961.Why is this occurring? Nobody is quite sure, but poor diet an above all long-time alcoholism have much to do with it. If current trends don’t bend. Russia’s population will be about the size of Yemen’s by the year 2050.
In the north of India, the population is booming due to high birth rates, but in the south, where most economic development is taking place, birth rate is falling rapidly. In a further twist, birth rate is highest in poorly educated rural areas and lowest in highly educated urban areas. In total, 25% of India’s working-age population has no education. In 2030, a sixth of the country’s potential work force could be totally uneducated.
One solution is obviously to import foreign workers via immigration. As for the USA, it is almost unique among developed nations in having a population that is expected to grow by 20% from 2010-2030. Moreover, the USA has a track record of successfully accepting immigrants. As a result it’s likely to see a rise in the size of its working-age population and to witness strong economic growth over the longer term.
【答案】
71. lower
72. size/scale
73. immediate
74. economic
75. old/older
76. earlier
77. living/life
78. equality
79. immigration
80. compensate
72.size/scale信息归纳题。根据第二段“almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate”可知,发达国家人口出生率正在下降,即人口难以维持现有的规模,“maintain”一词是做题的依据,故填size/scale。
73.immediate信息归纳题。根据第二段“which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades”中的“within a few decades”可知,出生率的下降对发展中国家和全球的消极影响还没有发生,由此联想到“影响不是立即产生的”。
74.economic貌似信息查找题,其实还是信息归纳题。接下来几段分别讲了中国、俄罗斯、印度的人口与经济的问题,根据“economic development before a population decline hits the country”可知答案。
75.old/older信息归纳题。根据“A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China”可知,中国可能会迎来年轻劳动力的危机,就现在而言,中国的劳动力正在“老化”,故填older。
76.earlier信息归纳题。根据“the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961...but poor diet an above all long-time alcoholism have much to do with it”可知,俄罗斯人口由于缩短的寿命而急剧下降。
77.living/life信息归纳题。如果俄罗斯人改变他们的生活方式,他们的情况可能会好一些。
【名师点睛】
任务型读写题中的阅读能力同样要求考生在有限的时间内快速领会文章 的主旨大意,快速理解句段细节意义和理清上下文的逻辑关系,要能够理解文章作者的观点、态度和意图,同时不能忽视对语篇的整体把握和领悟。考查题型分为以下三类:
1.信息筛选题:信息筛选题是基础题目,一般可以直接通过将表格和短文进行对照,边读文章边找出与试题相关的句子信息,获取到相关单词,有时试题和原文句型句式不同,需进行简单的逻辑推理然后找到相应单词,不需变化,直接填入。例如第74、79题。
2.整合转换题:整合转换题是典型的二次加工题型,需要考生有基本的构词法知识,对句子成分和词性的对应关系要明确。做题时不仅需要找到与试题相关的语句,还要根据词法和句法知识以及上下文的逻辑关系进行加工,从而提炼出新词。可细分为如下两种情况:
(1)词形整合转换。被考查单词在原文和试题中充当的句子成分不同,因而需要在名词、动词、形容词、副词等之间进行转换。例如第76、78题。
(2)句型整合转换。试题中的被考查单词在原文中找不到同根词,无法获取单词进行转换,需根据原文中相应句子的意义和上下文逻辑联系进行句型转换。例如第71、72、73题。
①表格内词性、大小写和语法运用上要保持一致。同一单元格要注意在用词方面保持一致的格式。
②善用同义词和反义词进行转换。
③正确使用构词法。
④熟练运用语法句型转换。
3.综合概括题:综合概括题要求考生对全文或段落进行总体语篇把握,通过观察表格的设置特点,从而归纳和概括出所考查的单词。此类设题一般位于表格的第一行或第一列。为了更快捷地掌握概括能力,总结和熟记一些概括性词汇及其固定搭配也是很有必要的。例如75题。
基本的概括性词汇有:
总结、概括:conclusion, summary
建议:suggestion, tip, advice, proposal, recommendation
影响:effect, influence, impact 印象:impression
因果:reason, cause; result, consequence
考点:考查任务型阅读
In a society, such as the United States or Canada, which has many national, religious and cultural differences, people highly value individualism--the difference among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students don't memorize information. Instead, they work individually and find answers themselves. There is often discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.
In most Asian societies, by contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in much of Asia reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea often work together and help one another in assignments. In the classroom, the teaching methods are often very formal. The teacher lectures, and the students listen. There is not much discussion. Instead, the students recite rules of information that they have memorized.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage to the system in Japan is that there much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information that they have memorized.
The advantage of the educational system in North American, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is, however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.
Title: 76 of Educational System between North America and Asia
Students in the US and 77 | Students in China, Japan and Korea | |
What do they 78 | Individualism | 79 goals and purposes |
Different 80 of study | Working individually | Listening to the teachers |
Forming their own ideas and opinions | Reciting rules and memorizing information | |
A lot of discussion in the classroom | Not much discussion | |
81 | Learning to think for themselves | Learning much more math and science |
Studying more hours each day and more days each year | ||
Good for a society that values 82 | Good for a society valuing 83 and self-control | |
Disadvantages | Students haven’t memorized many basic rules and facts before 84___ | Information is 85 easily. |
Directions: Read the following passage. Complete the diagram by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each answer.
American public education has changed in recent years. One change is that increasing numbers of American parents and teachers are starting independent public schools called charter schools.
In 1991, there were no charter schools in the Unite States. Today, more than 2300 charter schools operate in 34 states and the District of Columbia. 575. 000 students attend these schools. The students are from 5 years of age through 18 or older.
A charter school is created by groups of parents, teachers and community members. It is similar in some ways to a traditional public school. It receives tax money to operate a number of students. The charter school must prove to local or state governments that its students are learning. These governments provide the school with the agreement, or charter that permits it to operate.
Unlike a traditional public school, however, the charter school does not have to obey most laws governing public schools. Local, state or federal governments cannot tell it what to teach.
Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach those goals. Class sizes are usually smaller than in many traditional public schools. Many students and parents say teachers in charter schools can be more creative.
However, state education agencies, local education-governing committees and unions often oppose charter schools. They say these schools may receive money badly needed by traditional public schools. Experts say some charter schools are doing well while others are struggling.
Congress provided 200 million dollars for establishing charter schools in the 2006 federal budget. But, often the schools say they lack enough money for programs. Many also lack needed space, District officials say they have provided 14 former school buildings for charter education. Yet charter school supporters say officials should try harder to find more space.
Title: 71.
72 ________ | Independent public school | ||
Similarities between charter schools and traditional schools | ●73 ________ to operate U number of students ●Having to prove the students are learning ●Getting 74 ________ to operate from government | ||
75 __________ between charter schools and traditional schools | ●Not having to obey most laws for public schools ●Being free to decide the 76 ________ ●Being free to choose the goals and decide 77 ________ them ●There usually being 78 ________ students in charter schools’classes ●Having teachers who are more creative | ||
Charter school's problems | Opinions from education departments | These schools receiving money badly needed by 79 ________ Not all doing well | |
Opinions from charter schools | Lacking enough money Lacking 80._________ |