Question

China has announced it’s abolishing its one-child policy. What difference has it made, statistically speaking?

400 million births prevented

The one-child policy, officially in place since 1979, has prevented 400 million births. Parents have faced fines and other punishments for having more children.

The majority of the decrease in China’s fertility rate happened in the 1970s. It dropped from 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1978. Despite the one-child policy the rate had only fallen to 1.7 by 2013.

21:28-baby deaths rate

Since the one-child policy was introduced, baby girls have become more likely to die than boys.

In the 1970s, according to the United Nations, 60 males per 1, 000 live births died under the age of one. For girls the figure was 53. In the 1980s, after the one-child policy became official, the rate for both was 36. By the 1990s, 26 males per 1,000 live births died before the age of one - and 33 girls. The 2000s saw 21 boys per 1,000 live births dying and 28 girls.

1.16 boys born for every girl

Sexually selective abortions have been considered as a major cause of China's unusual imbalance.

Gietel-Basten, associate professor in social policy at Oxford University, says the births of many girls are not registered if parents have broken the rule by having two children, adding officials often turn a blind eye. It's estimated there are now 33 million more men than women in China.

4: 2: 1 families

With the ageing of China's population and the continuation of the one-child policy, a “4: 2 :1” home is the description given to households in which there are four grandparent, cared for by two working age parents, who themselves have one child.

By 2050, it’s predicted that a quarter of China's population will be 65 or older. The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.

1.When was the baby deaths rate for both boys and girls equal?

A. In the 1970s.   B. In the 1980s.

C. In the 1990s.    D. In the 2000s

2.What makes the one-child policy abolished according to the passage?

A. The decline of birth rate.

B. The rise of baby deaths rate.

C. The change of family structure.

D. The decline of working age people.

3.The passage sums up the one child policy by ________________.

A. number   B. example     C. contrast    D. analysis

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文通过四组数字回看我国的独生子女政策。

1.B推理判断题。根据第二部分的第二段In the 1980s, after the one-child policy became official, the rate for both was 36可知正确答案。故选B。

2.D细节理解题。根据文章的最后一句The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.可知让政府废除独生子女政策的原因是The predicted decline in the number of people of working age。故选D。

3.

考点：考察社会生活类短文阅读

【名师点睛】

关于细节理解题

用细节定位法：细节理解题属直接解答性问题，是阅读理解题中最简单的一种，多数属中低难度的送分题。但由于高考所占的比例很大，应特别引起注意。事实和细节题的命题特点是：把某词语、某个句子或某具体事实用不同于原文的另一方式或句型表达，即同义改写。解答这类题的窍门是：A)注意掌握英语的多种表达法；B)正确分析词语在句中的作用；C)熟练运用英语的句型转换；D)读懂题干所提出的问题，并准确地找到文中涉及该问题的句子。

比如文章第22题，就需要快速定位在文章的最后一句The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.可知让政府废除独生子女政策的原因是The predicted decline in the number of people of working age。这样就可选出正确答案为D。