考研英语历年真题来源报刊阅读100篇I.docx

考研英语历年真题来源报刊阅读100篇I.docx

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考研英语历年真题来源报刊阅读100篇I

考研英语历年真题来源报刊阅读100篇 Text 1

Decliningpopulations：

Incredibleshrinkingcountries

　　Duringthesecondhalfofthe20thcentury,theglobalpopulationexplosionwasthebigdemographicbogey.RobertMcNamara,presidentoftheWorldBankinthe1970s,comparedthethreatofunmanageablepopulationpressureswiththedangerofnuclearwar.Nowthatworryhasevaporated,andthiscenturyisspookingitselfwiththeoppositefear:

theonsetofdemographicdecline.

　　TheshrinkageofRussiaandeasternEuropeisfamiliar,thoughnotperhapsthescaleofit:

Russia'spopulationisexpectedtofallby22%between2005and2050,Ukraine'sbyastaggering43%.Nowthephenomenoniscreepingintotherichworld:

Japanhasstartedtoshrinkandothers,suchasItalyandGermany,willsoonfollow.EvenChina'spopulationwillbedecliningbytheearly2030s,accordingtotheUN,whichprojectsthatby2050populationswillbelowerthantheyaretodayin50countries.

　　Demographicdeclineworriespeoplebecauseitisbelievedtogohandinhandwitheconomicdecline.Attheextremesitmaywellbetheresultofeconomicfactors:

pessimismmaydepressthebirthrateandpushupratesofsuicideandalcoholism.But,inthemain,demographicdeclineistheconsequenceofthelowfertilitythatgenerallygoeswithgrowingprosperity.InJapan,forinstance,birthratesfellbelowthereplacementrateof2.1childrenperwomaninthemid1970sandhavebeenparticularlylowinthepast15years.

　　Butifdemographicdeclineisnotgenerallyaconsequenceofeconomicdecline,surelyitmustbeacause?

Inacrudesense,yes.Aspopulationsshrink,GDPgrowthwillslow.Someeconomiesmayevenstarttoshrink,too.Theresultwillbealossofeconomicinfluence.

　　GovernmentshatetheideaofashrinkingpopulationbecausetheabsolutesizeofGDPmattersforgreatpowerstatus.Thebiggertheeconomy,thebiggerthemilitary,thegreaterthegeopoliticalclout:

annualGDPestimateswerefirstintroducedinAmericainthe1940saspartofitswareffort.Companiesworry,too:

theydonotliketheideaoftheirdomesticmarketsshrinking.Peopleshouldnotmind,though.WhatmattersforeconomicwelfareisGDPperperson.

　　ThecrucialquestionisthereforewhattheeffectofdemographicdeclineisonthegrowthofGDPperperson.Thebadnewsisthatthislookslikelytoslowbecauseworkingagepopulationswilldeclinemorerapidlythanoverallpopulations.Yetthisneednothappen.ProductivitygrowthmaykeepupgrowthinGDPperperson:

aslabourbecomesscarcer,andpressuretointroducenewtechnologiestoboostworkers'efficiencyincreases,sotheproductivityoflabourmayrisefaster.Anyway,retirementagescanbeliftedtoincreasethesupplyoflabourevenwhenthepopulationisdeclining.

　　Peoplelovetoworry-maybeit'sasymptomofageingpopulations-butthegloomsurroundingpopulationdeclinesmissesthemainpoint.Thenewdemographicsthatarecausingpopulationstoageandtoshrinkaresomethingtocelebrate.Humanitywasoncecaughtinthetrapofhighfertilityandhighmortality.Nowithasescapedintothefreedomoflowfertilityandlowmortality.Women'scontroloverthenumberofchildrentheyhaveisanunqualifiedgood-asistheaverageperson'senjoyment,inrichcountries,oftenmoreyearsoflifethantheyhadin1960.Politiciansmayfearthedeclineoftheirnations'economicprowess,butpeopleshouldcelebratethenewdemographicsasheraldingagoldenage.

Pressure

n.①压（力）；②强制，压迫，压强；v.强制，迫使

［真题例句］Theycanhopethat,ifoneprovinceincludesadrugonitslist,thepressure（n.①）willcauseotherstoincludeitontheirs.［2005年新题型］

［例句精译］他们可能会认为如果一个省把一种药包括在一个药品名录单上，就会迫使其他省把这种药也包括在药品名录单上。

opposite

a.（to）对面的，对立的，相反的；n.对立面，对立物；prep.在......的对面

shrink

v.①起皱，收缩；②退缩，畏缩

［真题例句］SomehugeAmericanindustries,suchasconsumerelectronics,hadshrunk（①）orvanishedinthefaceofforeigncompetition.［2000年阅读1］

［例句精译］面对国外竞争，一些大型的美国工业，如消费电子产业，已经萎缩或渐渐消失。

extreme

a.①末端的，尽头的；②极度的，极端的；n.①极端；②最大程度；③极度（状态）

［真题例句］ShipperswhofeeltheyarebeingoverchargedhavetherighttoappealtothefederalgovernmentsSurfaceTransportationBoardforraterelief,buttheprocessisexpensive,timeconsuming,andwillworkonlyintrulyextreme（a.②）cases.［2003年阅读3］

［例句精译］如果客户感到他们被多收费，他们有权上诉到联邦政府的"陆路运输委员会"以争取价格下调，但这个过程耗财、耗时，并且只有在真正极端特殊的情况下才有作用。

［真题例句］（73）Itleadsthediscussiontoextremes（n.①）attheoutset:

itinvitesyoutothinkthatanimalsshouldbetreatedeitherwiththeconsiderationhumansextendtootherhumans,orwithnoconsiderationatall.［1997年翻译］

［例句精译］（73）这种说法从一开始就将讨论引向两个极端。

它使人们认为应当这样对待动物：

要么像对人类自身一样关心体谅，要么完全冷漠无情。

prosperity

n.繁荣，兴旺

［真题例句］Americansstoppedtakingprosperityforgranted.［2000年阅读1］

［例句精译］美国不再视繁荣为理所当然之事。

Decline

v./n.①下倾，下降，下垂，衰落；②斜面，倾斜；v.拒绝，谢绝

［真题例句］Couldthebadolddaysofeconomicdecline（n.①）beaboutto