Many of the world’s pollution problems have been caused by the crowding of large groups of people into cities. Supply for the __1__ of the people leads to__2__ pollution by industry. If the __3__ increase in human population __4__ at the present rate, there may be much greater harm. Some scientists speak of the __5__ in number of people as “population pollution”.

　　About 2000 years ago, the world__6__ was probably about 250 million. __7__ reached a billion in 1850. By 1930 the population was two billion. It is __8__ three and a half billion. It is __9__ to double by the year 2000. If the population continues to grow at the same __10__, __11__ would be 25 billion people in the world a hundred years from now.

　　Man has been using the earth’s__12__ more and more rapidly over the years. Some of them are almost __13__. Now many people believe that man’s greatest__14__ is how to control the growth of his population. The __15__ in the world will not support the human population, in time to come, if the __16__ rate of increase continues. __17__ there is overcrowding in the __18__ and hunger in some countries. Can man’s rate of increase continue? Many people believe that human survival (幸存者) in the future__19__ on the answer __20__ the question.

　　1. A. needs B. satisfies

　　C. service D. lacks

　　2. A. farther B. less

　　C. further D. better

　　3. A. harmful B. small

　　C. slow D. rapid

　　4. A. stops B. continues

　　C. slows down D. speeds up

　　5. A. increase B. reduce

　　C. quality D. quantity

　　6. A. people B. situation

　　C. population D. land

　　7. A. TheyB. You C. We D. It

　　8. A. now B. in the past

　　C. in the future D. then

　　9. A. hoped B. expected

　　C. wished D. looked forward to

　　10. A. place B. time

　　C. rate D. result

　　11. A. it B. thereC. they D. that

　　12. A. coal B. oil

　　C. mines D. resources

　　13. A. missed B. rich

　　C. gone D. enough

　　14. A. problem B. power

　　C. plan D. idea

　　15. A. food B. electricity

　　C. energy D. materials

　　16. A. past B. present

　　C. future D. slow

　　17. A. Already B. Yet

　　C. Still D. Often

　　18. A. villages B. mountains

　　C. cities D. farms

　　19. A. grows B. lives

　　C. keeps D. depends

　　20. A. in B. of C. to D. with

　　[答案与解析]

　　1. A。供应人们必需品,应选needs。2. C。导致进一步或更大程度的污染,应选further。3. D。从后文increase和present rate来看应选速度。4. B 5. A。根据本文重点词“人口增长”的重复,重述应选increase。6. C 7. D。根据上下文的指代关系此处应用It。8. A。这一节主要讲过去的人口状况、现在的人口状况以及未来的情况。所以,应选now。9. B。根据意义选择词汇,“预计在2000年人口要翻倍”,应选expected。10. C。根据上文的at the present rate,本题应选rate。11. B。此处为there be句型。 12. D。人类一直在使用地球的资源,而不仅仅是石油和煤,应选resources。13. C 14. A。根据下文“怎样控制人口的增长”应选problem,因为这的确是最大难题。15. D。不仅仅是食物、电和能源而且还有许多东西不能满足人口的增长,应该选materials。16. B 17. A 18. C 19. D。depend on意为“依靠、依赖”。20. C。to表示所属关系,常与answer, entrance等名词连用。

　　(文/王振祥 英语辅导报高三年级版2004-2005学年第24期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)