閱讀-政治經濟

閱讀----政治經濟Passage15Morethan8billionpeopleinaworldthatalreadyishavingtroublesupportingabout6billion-thatistheprospectnowbeingheldoutbypopulationexperts，anditfrightensthem.AnewprojectionbytheUnitedNationsshowsthat，ifthepresentgrowthrateof2percentperyearcontinues，today'sworldpopulationof6billionwillhit8billionbytheyear2020．What'smore，thegreatbulkofthegrowth-9ofevery10peopleaddedtotheearth'spopulation-willbeinthepoorer，undevelopedcountries.Thesearethenationswherefeedingbillionsofpeoplealreadyisprovinganearinsurmountablechallenge．Bytheyear2020，today's“havenot”nationswillhaveacombinedpopulationof6.5billionpeople，comprisingnearlyfourfifthsoftheworld'spopulation.Foodisn'ttheonlyproblemthatsuchapopulationexplosionpresents.Themorepeoplethereareandthemorecrowdedtheirlivingconditions，authoritieswarn，thegreatergrowsthelikelihoodofviolenceandupheaval.Toputthisgrowthinperspective，let'shaveaquickreviewofthehistoryofmankind．AtthetimeofChrist，millionsofyearsaftermanfirstappearedontheearth，demographersestimatetherewere250millionpeople.In1830，worldpopulationreached1billion.Ittookonly100moreyearstoaddanotherbilliontoworldpopulation；just30moretoaddathirdbillion.Thegrowthratewasexponential，andnowwehave6billionpeople.Actually，theworld'sbirthrateisonadecline.Butsoaredeathrates，asmedicaladvanceshaveincreasedlifespansandreducedinfantmortality.It'smainlyinadvancednationsthatpopulationgrowthisbeingcurbed.Theoutlookinthefuturecenturyisevenmorethreatening.Unlesspopulationgrowthiscurtailed，aworldpopulationof12billionisforeseeninacentury.Onequestionraisedbydemographers：Istheearthcapableofprovidingadecentlifefor12billionpeople？1．Ifthepresentannualgrowthratecontinues，theworldpopulationin2020willbemorethantoday's.A．8billionB．2percentC．2,000millionD．6billion2．AccordingtothepassagethatpopulationexplosionwillaffectallEXCEPTA．foodsupplyB．socialstabilityC．undevelopedcountries'livingconditionD．developedcountries'economy3．Thepopulationintheyearof1960is＿．A．1billionB．2billionC．3billionD．4billion4．Whatdoes“curbed”inthelastparagraphmean？A．Limited.B．Curtailed.C．Cut.D．Accelerated.5．WhichofthefollowingstatementisNOTtrue？A．Thegrowthofpopulationispartlyduetomedicaladvances.B．Humanbeing'sdeathratesaredecreasing.C．Inacentury，theworld'spopulationwillincreaseby12billion.D．Inmostadvancedcountriesthebirthrateisonadecline.Passage16WhydidtheUnitedStatesbecomesodeeplyimmersedintheVietnamquagmire？Threedifferentexplanationshavebeenproposed.Thefirst，appraisingVietnaminthecontextoftheColdWar“containment”policy，portraystheSoutheastAsianwarassimplyanotherinstanceofAmericanresponsetothemenaceoftheCommunist"monolith（獨塊巨石）．”HadtheUnitedStatesrefusedtoresisttheene哪inVietnam，othernationsofthefreeworldwouldhavelostfaithinAmerica'swillandwouldeventuallyhavefeltlike“dominoes"intotheSovietbloc（政治集團）．AworldwidecycleofCommunistaggressionwouldthushavebeenencouraged，justasHitlerhadbeenencouragedbytheappeasers（綏靖者）atMunichis1938.TheofficialdefenseofAmericanpolicyatthetimeessentiallyrestedonthisexplanation.Thesecondexplanationdoesnotquestiontheanti-communistthrustofAmericanforeignpolicybutholdsthatVietnamwasamistakenapplicationofthatpolicy.Weshouldhaveknownbetter，thisargumentgoes，thantohavetakenoverfromtheFrenchtheirunwinnablewaragainstacolonialpeopleseekingtothrowoverboardWesterncontrol.Underratingofenemystrength，misguidedmilitarystrategy，andthefearofappearing“softoncommunism”haveallbeenadvancedasreasonswhyAmericanpolicymakerspursuedsuchanill-advisedcourse一ofaction.ThisviewcanbefoundintheworkofGeorgeHerringandJohnLewisGaddis.ThethirdinterpretationistheNewLeftrevisionistperspective，bestrepresentedbyGabrielKolko.ItmaintainsthattheVietnamWarwasbutthelogical（andnear-fatal）consequenceofU.S.“imperialism.”Inthisview，Americafeelsthatitmustresistallleft-leaningchallengestotheexistingworldordersoastoprotectitsaccesstooverseasmarketsandrawmaterials.Significantly，thisexplanationbearssomeresemblancetotheofficialdefenseofAmericanpolicy．ButNewLeftproponentsreversetheofficialvaluejudgmentbyholdingthatAmericaneconomicdomination，andevencapitalismitself，arenotworthpreserving.1．Whichoneofthefollowingbestsummarizesthispassage？A．VietnamWarwasaresultofmistakes.B．AmericaninvolvementinVietnamwasaresponsetoCommunistaggression.C．VietnamWarwasaconsequenceofU.S.imperialism.D．AmericaninvolvementinVietnamcanbeexplainedinthreedifferentways.2．America'sofficialexplanationforVietnamWaristhat＿．A．Communistaggressionshouldbecurbed，otherwiseitwouldbeencouragedB．theU.S.musthelpVietnamtobuilddemocracyC．theU.S.wantedtoexpatriateanti-governmentmilitantsforthepoorcountryD．theU.S.cannotbearSovietUnion'sinvasionofVietnam3．WhichoneofthefollowingisNOTsuggestedasafactorinAmerica'sdecisiontotakeactioninVietnamA．Publicsupportathome．B．Underestimatingenemystrength．C．Fearofappearingasappeaser.D．Misguidedmilitarystrategy.4．Theword“proponent”（Paragraph3）mostprobablymeans＿．A．opponentsB．componentsC．advocatesD．comrades5．ItcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatNewLeftrevisionist＿．A．isagainstCapitalismB．isagainstAmericaneconomicdominationC．isagainstimperialismD．alloftheabovePassage15文章大意：本文介紹了當今世界嚴峻的人口增長形勢。聯合國的預測表明，如果保持目前2％的年增長率，到2020年世界人口將達到80億。人口學家（demographer)擔憂，已經不堪重負的地球能否給不斷增長的人口提供像樣的生活。題目注解：1．選C。由文章第一段可知，在文章寫成之時世界總人口為60億左右，如果保持當時的人口增長率，到2020年，世界人口將達到(hit)80億。所以到2020年，人口將增長20億。而在英語里，計數單位為十億（billion）、百萬（million）和千（thousand）。2billion就是2000million，C為正確選項。2．選D。由文章第二段可知，人口爆炸會影響食物供應，人口密集還容易引發(fā)暴力事件（violence)和動亂（upheaval），也就是說會影響社會穩(wěn)定。發(fā)展中國家的人口增長更是帶來嚴重的食品問題。所以A、B、C三項都是短文中提到的會受到人口爆炸影響的方面。只有D項文中沒有提到。3．選C。根據第三段“In1830，worldpopulationreached1billion.Ittookonly100moreyearstoaddanotherbilliontoworldpopulation；just30moretoaddathirdbillion”的表述做一個簡單的加法：1830年的10億加上到1930年增長的10億，再加上到1960年增加的10億，1960年世界人口是30億。故選C。4．選A。這是一個詞匯題?？忌鸁o需知道curb的含義，仍能根據上下文猜出這個單詞的意思。5．選C。由文章最后一段可知，一個世紀后世界人口將達到120億，而不是增長（increaseby)120億。C的表述是錯誤的，所以選C。Passage16文章大意：本文提供了美國發(fā)動越南戰(zhàn)爭的三種解釋。一是為了遏制“共產主義”在全球的泛濫：如果美國對共產黨在越南的活動采取綏靖政策，其他國家將對美國失去信心，“多米諾骨牌”效應將使他們全部倒向蘇聯陣營。第二種解釋認為，發(fā)動越南戰(zhàn)爭是美國政策制定者的一個錯誤決定。第三種解釋認為，越南戰(zhàn)爭是美國推行帝國主義的結果：美國為確保其海外市場和原材料供應打壓一切左傾勢力。題目注解：1．選D。A、B、C三項分別概括了文中第二段、第一段和第三段的段落大意。D項是對全文的總結，本文主要列舉了美國發(fā)動越南戰(zhàn)爭的三種解釋。2．選A。文中第一段最后一句話寫到“TheofficialdefenseofAmericanpolicyatthetimeessentiallyrestedonthisexplanation"。這里的thisexplan