Question

    A recent study questions whether placing attention on economic growth is the best way to improve child nutrition in low-and middle-income countries. Subu is a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Massachusetts. He says there is a common belief on the best way to improve child health in developing countries. He puts it this way: “Let’s just go after economic growth and then everything else will just follow.” But he says that is not always true.

Take India for example. A common measure of a country’s economic health is GDP (gross domestic product). India’s GDP has been growing by more than five percent a year. That is a higher growth rate than most Western countries. Yet more than two-fifths of India’s children are underweight. And Subu says, the percentage of underweight children has changed little since the early 1990s. He and other researchers asked a question, “Was economic growth failing to benefit children in countries other than India?” They looked at health surveys carried out since 1990 in 36 low-and middle-income countries, mostly South of Africa’s Sahara Desert. The researchers compared the effect of GDP growth and signs of child malnutrition-like physical weakness, slow growth and being underweight. But the researchers found only a small relationship.

The group reported their findings in the Journal Lancet Global Health. Subu says money should be spent on clear water, waste-treatment system and other programs. “Without these directing measures, what we are seeing is that economic growth by itself is not making much difference,” said Subu.

But that is not how Lawrence Haddad sees the case. He is head of the Institute of Development Studies in Britain. Lawrence Haddad says malnutrition has dropped sharply over the past 20 years in countries like Vietnam, Ghana or Brazil. He says economic growth was responsible for half of those declines. “The other half is because of improvements in water, health systems and nutrition programs,” said Haddad.

1.Why does the author take India for example?

A.To stress the importance of GDP.

B.To arouse reader’s interest in the topic.

C.To prove economic growth can’t improve child nutrition.

D.To show India has a higher growth rate than most Western countries.

2.What does the underlined word “malnutrition” in paragraph 2 mean?

A.Lacking nutrition. B.Getting nutrition.

C.Providing nutrition. D.Wasting nutrition.

3.Which statement is true according to the passage?

A.Two-fifths of India’s children are underweight.

B.Economic growth only fails to benefit children in India.

C.Lawrence Haddad looked at health surveys carried out since 1990.

D.Subu believed economic growth itself could hardly make a difference.

4.What is Lawrence Haddad’s attitude toward Subu’s findings?

A.Supportive. B.Disapproving.

C.Unconcerned. D.Doubtful.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.B

【解析】

本文为说明文。文章介绍了一项新的研究，该研究对关注经济增长是否是改善中低收入国家儿童营养的最佳途径提出了质疑。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段中的He puts it this way: “Let’s just go after economic growth and then everything else will just follow.” But he says that is not always true.(他是这样说的：“我们只要追求经济增长，其他一切就会随之而来。”但他说，事实并非总是如此)可推知，第二段中以印度为例，是为了证明经济增长并不能改善儿童营养。故选C。

2.词义猜测题。根据划线词后的like physical weakness, slow growth and being underweight.(如身体虚弱、生长缓慢和体重不足)可推知，这些都是儿童营养不良的迹象。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Without these directing measures, what we are seeing is that economic growth by itself is not making much difference,” said Subu.(他说：“如果没有这些直接的措施，我们看到的是，经济增长本身不会产生多大的影响。”)可知，苏布认为经济增长本身几乎不会带来什么变化。故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的But that is not how Lawrence Haddad sees the case.和 Lawrence Haddad says malnutrition has dropped sharply over the past 20 years in countries like Vietnam, Ghana or Brazil. He says economic growth was responsible for half of those declines. “The other half is because of improvements in water, health systems and nutrition programs,” said Haddad.(但劳伦斯·哈达德却不这么认为……他说，在过去20年里，营养不良在越南、加纳和巴西等国家急剧减少，经济增长只是一半原因，另一半是由于水、卫生系统和营养方案的改善。)可推知，劳伦斯•哈达德并不支持苏布的研究发现，经济增长是改善儿童营养的有效措施。故选B。