高考英语阅读训练-23.docVIP

高考英语阅读训练（023）

Brazilhasbecomeoneofthedevelopingworld’sgreat

successesatreducingpopulationgrowth－butmorebyaccident

thandesign.WhilecountriessuchasIndiahavemadejoint

effortstoreducebirthrates,Brazilhashadbetterresult

withoutreallytrying,saysGeorgeMartineatHarvard.

Brazil’spopulationgrowthratehasdroppedfrom2.99%ayear

between1951and1960to1.93%ayearbetween1981and1990,

andBrazilianwomennowhaveonly2.7childrenonaverage.

Martinesaysthisfiguremayhavefallenstillfurthersince

1990,anachievementthatmakesittheenvyofmanyother

ThirdWorldcountries.

Martineputsitdownto,amongotherthings,soapoperas

(通俗电视连续剧)andinstallment(分期付款)plansintroducedinthe

1970s.bothplayedanimportant,althoughindirect,rolein

lowering,thebirthrate.Brazilisoneoftheworld’sbiggest

producersofsoapoperas.Globo,Brazil’smostpopular

televisionnetwork,showsthreehoursofsoapssixnightsa

week,whilethreeothersshowatleastonehouranight.Most

soapsarebasedonwealthycharacterslivingthehighlifein

bigcities.

“Althoughtheyhaveneverreallytriedtoworkinamessage

towardstheproblemsofreproduction,theydescribemiddleand

upperclassvalues－notmanychildren,differentattitudes

towardssex,womenworking,”saysMartine.“Theysentthis

imagetoallpartsofBrazilandmadepeopleconsciousof

otherpatternsofbehaviorandothervalues,whichwereput

intoa