We can begin our discussion of “population as global issue” with what most persons mean when they discuss “the population problem”: too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute. It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to “a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.”
To understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus, the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race.
This pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective, but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children, but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality.
Demographic history can be divided into two major periods: a time of long, slow growth which extended from about 8,000 BC till approximately AD 16150. In the first period of some 9600 years, the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 16150. Between 16150 and the present, the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 20500 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 16150, an average of only 50,000 persons was being added annually to the world’s population each year. At present, this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80,000,000 persons annually.
1. Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy?
2. During the first period of demographic history, societies were often in danger of extinction because ______.
3. Which statement is true about population increase?
4. The author of the passage intends to ______.
5. The word “demographic” in the first paragraph means ______.
问题1选项
A.A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population.
B.A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid, dramatic increase.
C.Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year.
D.A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality.
问题2选项
A.only one in ten persons could live past 40
B.there was higher mortality than fertility in most places
C.it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions
D.our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children
问题3选项
A.There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 20500.
B.About 50,000 babies are born every six hours at present.
C.Between 8000 BC and the present, the population increase is about 80,000,000 persons each year.
D.The population increased faster between 8000BC and 150 than between 150 and the present.
问题4选项
A.warn people against the population explosion in the near future
B.compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 150
C.find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years
D.present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth
问题5选项
A.statistics of human
B.surroundings study
C.accumulation of human
D.development of human
第1题:A
第2题:B
第3题:A
第4题:D
第5题:A
第1题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy? 以下哪一种人口增长模式最适合细长的火药导火索这一类比？
A. A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population. A. 一个几乎稳定或轻微减少的时期，然后人口突然剧增。
B. A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid, dramatic increase. B. 一段很长时间的缓慢增长，然后是一段快速、急剧增长的时期。
C. Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year. C. 地球上的人太多了，而且人数每年都在快速增加。
D. A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality. D. 一段较长的时期，死亡率超过出生率，然后一段较短的时期，生育率较高，死亡率较低。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位至文章第一段最后一句“把人口增长比喻为‘一根细长的火药导火索，稳定而断断续续地燃烧，直到最后达到爆炸点’，这是非常正确的”，可知火药导火索先是稳定或断断续续燃烧，然后突然爆炸，那么推断同样地，人口增长模式也是一样的，经历了一个稳定的时期后突然人口剧增，A项“一个几乎稳定或轻微减少的时期，然后人口突然猛增”符合此分析，故该题选择A项。
【干扰项排除】
B项“一段很长时间的缓慢增长，然后是一段快速、急剧增长的时期”和D项“一段较长的时期，死亡率超过出生率，然后一段较短的时期，生育率较高，死亡率较低”都不符合对火药导火索这一类比的描述，这两项属于曲解原文；
C项“地球上的人太多了，而且人数每年都在快速增加”是指持续增加，并没有爆发性，不符合对火药导火索这一类比的描述，该项属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
During the first period of demographic history, societies were often in danger of extinction because ______. 在人口历史的第一阶段，社会经常处于灭绝的危险中，因为______。
A. only one in ten persons could live past 40 A. 只有十分之一的人能活过40岁
B. there was higher mortality than fertility in most places B. 在大多数地区，死亡率高于出生率
C. it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions C. 由于条件恶劣，生孩子太危险了
D. our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children D. 我们的祖先对多生孩子没有什么热情
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位至第二段倒数第二句“通常，社会处于明显的灭绝危险之中，因为死亡率可能超过其出生率”理解可知，社会经常处于灭绝的危险中，是因为在大多数地区，死亡率高于出生率，B项“在大多数地区，死亡率高于出生率”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“只有十分之一的人能活过40岁”根据该段倒数第三句“在人类历史的大部分时间里，很少有十分之一的人能活过40岁”可知，能活过40岁的人连十分之一都不到，该项表述绝对，属于曲解原文；
C项“由于条件恶劣，生孩子太危险了”，原文没有提到生孩子的危险，该项属于无中生有；
D项“我们的祖先对多生孩子没有什么热情”，根据第二段第五句“大多数地区的生育率都很高，但这通常与高死亡率相平衡”可知，大多数地区生育率都很高，所以该项属于反向干扰。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Which statement is true about population increase? 关于人口增长，哪一种说法是正确的？
A. There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000. A. 从现在到2000年可能会增加22亿人。
B. About 50,000 babies are born every six hours at present. B. 目前每六个小时大约有5万个婴儿出生。
C. Between 8000 BC and the present, the population increase is about 80,000,000 persons each year. C. 从公元前8000年到现在，人口每年增长约8000万人。
D. The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present. D. 从公元前8000年到1650年，人口增长速度比1650年到现在更快。
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】根据最后一段三四句“从1650年到现在，人口从5亿增加到40多亿。据估计，到2000年，全世界将有62亿人。”理解可知，从现在到2000年，世界上的人口将可能增加22亿人，A项“从现在到2000年可能会增加22亿人”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
B项“目前每六个小时大约有5万个婴儿出生”，最后一段提到“从公元前8000年到1650年，世界人口平均每年增加5万人。目前，这个数字每六个小时增加一次。”，也就是说目前每六个小时人口就增加了五万，而增加人口数量是同时期出生人口数量减去死亡人口数量，所以出生的婴儿数量肯定不止5万，该项属于曲解原文；
C项“从公元前8000年到现在，人口每年增长约8000万人”，文章最后几句话提到“从公元前8000年到1650年，世界人口平均每年增加5万人。目前，这个数字每六个小时增加一次。每年增加约8000万人。”，从中可知，从公元前8000年到现在，并不是人口每年平均增长约8000万人，该项属于曲解原文；
D项“从公元前8000年到1650年，人口增长速度比1650年到现在更快”，根据最后一段第一句“从公元前8000年左右到公元1650年左右的漫长而缓慢的增长时期”，和最后两句“目前，这个数字每六个小时增加一次。每年增加约8000万人。”可知，公元前8000年到1650年的人口增长是漫长而缓慢的，而1650年到现在的人口增加是迅速的，所以该项属于反向干扰。
第4题:
【选项释义】
The author of the passage intends to ______. 这篇文章的作者打算______。
A. warn people against the population explosion in the near future A. 警告人们在不久的将来要注意人口剧增
B. compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650 B. 将过去的人口增长模式与1650年之后的人口增长模式进行比较
C. find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years C. 找出近年来人口快速增长的原因
D. present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth D. 向我们展示一幅清晰而完整的人口增长图景
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】通读文章可知，文章开头把人口增长比喻为一根细长的火药导火索，第二段描述了人口趋势的历史，第三段解释了近年来人口迅速增长的原因，最后一段则通过统计的数字展示了人口历史增长的两个主要时期；综合理解可知，这篇文章的作者向我们展示了一幅清晰完整的人口增长图，故该题选择D项“向我们展示一幅清晰而完整的人口增长图景”。
【干扰项排除】
A项“警告人们在不久的将来要注意人口剧增”在文中没有依据，该项属于无中生有；
B项“将过去的人口增长模式与1650年之后的人口增长模式进行比较”和C项“找出近年来人口快速增长的原因”只是文章其中两段的内容，这两项属于以偏概全。
第5题:
【选项释义】
The word “demographic” in the first paragraph means ______. 第一段中的“demographic”一词的意思是______。
A. statistics of human A. 人类统计
B. surroundings study B. 环境研究
C. accumulation of human C. 人力积累
D. development of human D. 人类发展
【考查点】词义推测题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位至第一段最后一句“把demographic的增长比喻为‘一根细长的火药导火索，稳定而断断续续地燃烧，直到最后到达炸药并爆炸’”，根据前文提到人口问题，可推测demographic growth在这里是指“人口增长”，demographic表示“人口的”，也就是“人类数量统计”，故A项“人类统计”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】B项“环境研究”、C项“人力积累”和D项“人类发展”在文中没有提及，这三项属于无中生有。
