2017年12月英语四级阅读模拟练习题及答案.docx

2017年12月英语四级阅读模拟练习题及答案

task1

?Thefuturepopulationwillbeolderthantoday,andthisinturnwill

changethepatternsofsocialdemands.However,Mexicowillstillbefar

fromtheagingsocietiesthatwillmostlikelyprevail(占优势)inthe

industrializedcountries.Inlessthan25years,thecountrywillhavetoadd

almostasmuchinfrastructureasithasalreadybuiltuptonow,simplyto

maintainservicesandproductionatthecurrentlevels.Thiswillbea

tremendouschallenge,althoughasimilaronewasfacedsuccessfullyinthe

recentpast,whenavailableinfrastructurewasdoubledintwodecadesorso.

Itisnowonderthatmuchhasbeensaidabouttheneedtoreduceor

preferablyhaltMexico#39;spopulationcontrolwhichistakenforgranted

asbothgoodandnecessary.Ithasalsogainedsupportersinthedeveloping

world,andMexicoisnoexception.Buttheargumentsaboutpopulationare

complicated,asthefollowingdiscussionillustrates.

?EvenifMexico#39;spopulationreaches125millionbytheyear

2010,itspopulationdensityisstillsmallerthanthe1985populationdensity

ofsome50countries.ByinternationalstandardsMexicowillstillnotbe

overpopulatedbytheyear2010.Ifwealthisgeneratedbypeople,themore

individualsthereare,thegreaterthewealththatpotentiallycouldbe

generated.WhyshouldMexicocontrolitspopulationatdensitylevelsbelow

thoseoftherichercountriesifmorepopulationrepresentsthepossibilityof

generatingmorewealth?

?Ontheotherhand,itisoftenpointedoutthatoncesustainability(支撑

力)limitsarenearorarereached,therearedecreasingproductivitygains

(or,perhapsmoreaccurately,increasingproductivelosses),andpeople

becomeacostratherthananasset.Ifweassumethattherearesustainability

limitsandthatweareclosetoreachingtheselimitsataworldlevel,thenitis

appropriatetocheckpopulationgrowth.

?21.Accordingtothepassage,thepopulationargumentis