Our planet is home to about seven billion people. Since the 1990s, population experts have predicted the number would grow to nine billion before it begins to slow down and possibly decrease.
But a new report predicts the world’s population is likely to increase to almost 11 billion by 2100. Based on the most modem statistical tools, the new report makes use of government records and considers expert predictions, including death rates, birthrates and international migration, or people moving across borders. The report says during the rest of this century, Africa’s population will grow from about 3.5 billion to 5.1 billion over the next 85 years.
John is director of the United Nations Population Division. He says that in the past, researchers thought population growth in Africa would be similar to that of other areas. They expected slower growth rates as birth control use became more widespread. But he says those ideas were wrong.
“The level of contraception use has continued to increase but slowly — more slowly than expected, and birthrate therefore has been falling less rapidly than expected, and the population therefore continues to grow somewhat more rapidly than we expected.
The new findings are based on a joint research project of the United Nations and the University of Washington,
The researchers believe the population of Asia will reach five billion by 2050. That is up from the current 4.4 billion. And then begin decline. The researchers also believe that North America, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean area will have a total population of below one billion.
John says the pressure of feeding the rising population is likely to be less than that might be expected.
“The relatively good news is that the world has been winning the race between population growth and food production. If you look back historically over the last 50 years, certainly for the world as a whole and for many, most individual countries and regions, the increase in food production has outpaced the increase of population.”
1.Which area will experience the largest increase in population at the end of the century？
A. Asia. B. Africa.
C. Europe. D. North America.
2.“Contraception use” in the fourth paragraph refers to ________.
A. a method of expert predictions
B. a way of avoiding growth in population
C. a joint research into the rising population
D. a potential technology for food production
3.Why is the pressure of feeding the rising population less than expected according to John?
A. Expert predictions are not exactly like what the facts happen.
B. Birthrates have always been falling less rapidly than we expected.
C. The population grows less rapidly than population experts expected.
D. The increase in food production has outpaced the increase of population,
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. The world’s population will increase constantly.
B. The population of Asia will rise by 5 billion by 2050.
C. John is optimistic about feeding the rising population,
D. Population growth in Africa was much slower than expected.
When you go to St. Petersburg, the number of attractions can seem large. If you are short of time, or just want to make sure to hit the highlights, these are the top must-see sights in St, Petersburg.
● The Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is one of the most important sights to see for any visitor to St. Petersburg. There are lots of different paintings by the old masters in the Hermitage. Prepare to come face-to-face with classic Western artists.
● Kizhi Island
Kizhi Island is an open-air museum of wooden architecture from the Karelia Region of Russia. These impressive structures are made entirely without nails - the wood fits together with joints and grooves (沟槽）.
● Peterhof
Peterhof is as beautiful as it is fun. You’ll be charged for admission, but go to Petethof when the fountains are working-during the day in the summer. They are shut off in winter evenings,
● The Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood
Love it or hale it, the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg is an enthralling must-see sight. The beautiful look may make y our eyes brighten, and the painting inside the church will make you say “Wow!”
● The Bronze Horseman Statue
The so-called Bronze Horseman is a part of Russian culture and a symbol of St, Petersburg. Made famous by Alexander Pushkin, this statue of Peter the Great sitting on his horse can truly show Peter the Great’s influence on the Russian idea of greatness.
1.If you are interested in paintings, you'd better go to ______
A. Peterhof arid Kizhi Island
B. the Hernatage Museum and Peterhof
C. Kizhi Island and the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood
D. the hermitage Museum and the Church of Our Savior on the Spilt Blood
2.We can learn from the passage that ______
A. visitors can visit Peterhof for free
B. the buildings of Kizhi Island are made of wood
C. the fountains in Peterhof can be seen all year round
D. the largest collection of Russian arts is in the Hermitage Museum
3.The main purpose of the passage is to ______
A. show the wonderful history of Russia
B. persuade artists to study St. Petersburg
C. recommend the famous buildings in Russia
D. introduce the must-see sights in St. Petersburg
请用英语简单地介绍一下网络好的一面和不好的一面。要点如下：
1. 可以帮助我们更好地了解外面的世界，开阔我们的视野；
2. 课后可以和老师在线交流，及时解决课堂上不明白的问题；
3. 网络上有很多不良信息，比如暴力、色情等，给学生造成不好的影响；
4. 很多学生沉迷于网络，影响了学习；
5. 长时间上网影响视力和健康。
注意：
1. 短文必须包括所有的内容要点，但不得逐句翻译；
2. 词数：120左右。
参考词汇：开阔视野broaden one’s horizons 暴力violence 色情porn 沉迷 get addicted to
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短文改错
I am a android. My owner is an eight-year-old boy. 1.
His mother buys me from a store last month and 2.
gave me to him for a birthday present. He likes me 3.
very much, so I can do a lot of things. For example, 4.
I can tell him stories and helps him with his homework. 5.
When he feels alone, I play with him. However, 6.
there was a problem now. He has become lazy. 7.
He likes asking me questions instead thinking by himself. 8.
I’m really worried about that. I do think he should 9.
learn how to solve the problem on his own. Only in this way 10.
will he really master what he has learnt.
My Grandpa has arthritis (关节炎), and it’s getting harder and harder for him to do certain things.
When I was a little girl, my grandpa would play this game with me. He would tell me to hold out my hand, and in it he would place a shiny silver quarter. Wow, I thought I had the world sitting in my hand. He would tell me that if I could keep it away from him, I could have it. I knew that I couldn’t keep it away from him, but I would always try. Then he would tell me that if I could get it away from him, then he would give it back to me.
I remember feeling so small compared with him, and I also remember feeling embarrassed because I knew there was no way that I could get that quarter from him. But I tried. I would climb down from my chair, with defeat weighing heavily on my back.
“Bug?” he’d say.
“Ya Grandpa?” I’d reply, trying to sound as sad as possible.
“Here.”
There in his outstretched hand would be my quarter. It always ended the same. He would always hand it over. I always knew that I would have to wait until the game was over to get my quarter, because he had so much pride and self-worth that he couldn’t lose to a 4-year-old girl. After I grew up, when we played the game again, I never wanted to defeat him. I just wanted to be with him. I loved to hear him tell me what I did wrong, and how to get it right the next time, and I loved the pride in his voice.
1.In which order did the following things happen during the game?
a. Grandpa placed a shining silver quarter in my hand.
b. Grandpa told me if I could get it away from him, I could keep it.
c. He gave the quarter over to me and I got it.
d. Grandpa told me if I could keep it away from him, I could keep it.
A. a d b c B. a b c d
C. a b d c D. a c d b
2.This passage is mainly about _______.
A. the writer’s grandpa’s serious arthritis
B. the writer’s deep feeling for her Grandpa
C. games between the grandpa and the writer
D. grandpa’s success in all games
3.Why didn’t the writer want to defeat her grandpa?
A. She couldn’t defeat her grandpa.
B. She liked to see his pride.
C. She didn’t want to shame her grandpa.
D. She was afraid that Grandpa wouldn’t play with her.
A home computer not only helps children master the old ways of learning, but also opens up possibilities that simply aren’t available in traditional education. Some software, for example, allows kids to make decisions and see the results in different situations. The World Wide Web encourages young minds to move easily from link to link, topic to topic. The best software draws children into learning by making them curious — what if I click on this picture, drag this over here, visit that website?
Knowing how to use a computer also encourages a child’s confidence. Kids figure out quickly that computers are powerful, and mastering the machine makes them feel grown-up. In turn, feeling confident on a computer often translates to academic (学术的) confidence. Researchers have found that attitudes toward writing, for example, improve when students write on a computer.
Perhaps most importantly, computers can enrich family life. Forget the idea that computer kids are separated. Children like to use the computer with adults and other kids, asking questions and comparing results. “The Internet is a unique opportunity to bring resources home,” notes Susan Haugland, PhD, Cape Girardeau, Mo., author of Ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒｓ ａｎｄ Ｙｏｕｎｇ Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ： Ａ Ｗｏｒｌｄ ｏｆ Ｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｙ.
Although the benefits of computers are real, they have disadvantages, too. Kids can lose their way, wasting hours on mindless software or violent games. Just as parents have always helped children make good choices about everything from friends to food, books to TV, now we must make sure they get the best out of computers.
1.The passage is mainly talking about _____.
A. the disadvantages of children’s using computers
B. the advantages of children’s using computers
C. the development of computers
D. the fact using computers makes children lose their way
2.Which of the following is NOT an advantage of a home computer?
A. It provides new ways of learning.
B. It encourages children’s confidence.
C. It can enrich family life.
D. Kids can play violent games on it.
3.What effects do computers have on family life?
A. They reduce the connection between family members.
B. They destroy the relationship between parents and kids.
C. They provide more opportunities of communication.
D. They make all the family members study together.
4.According to the last paragraph, we can learn that we should _____.
A. let children use computers freely
B. forbid children to use computers in their spare time
C. permit children to use any software they like
D. help children make good use of the computers
