IsItaGoodIdeatoControlPopulationGrowthintheWorld?
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WhatOverpopulationFeelsLike
Wemovedslowlythroughthecityinataxiandenteredacrowdedslumdistrict(1).Thetemperaturewaswellover100(2)andtheairwasthickwithdustandsmoke.Thestreetspeoplesleeping.Peoplevisitingeachother,arguingandscreaming.Peoplepushingtheirhandsthroughthetaxiwindows,begging.Peoplerelievingthemselves.Peopleholdingontothesidesofbuses.(3)peopleleadinganimalspeople,people,people,people.Aswedroveslowlythroughthecrowd,soundingthetaxishorn,thedust,heat,noiseandgettoourhotel?Allthreeofuswere,Iadmit,frightenedSincethatnight,Iveknownwhatoverpopulationfeelslike(4).
Statisticsshowthatrapidpopulationgrowthcreatesproblemsfordevelopingcountries.Sowhydontpeoplehavefewerchildren?Statisticsfromthedevelopedcountriessuggestthatitisonlywhenpeopleslivingstandardsbegintorisethatbirthratesbegintofall(5).Therearegoodreasonsfrothis.Poorcountriescannotaffordsocialservicesandoldagepensions,andpeoplesincomesaresolowtheyhavenothingtospareforsavings(6).Asaresult,peoplelooktotheirchildrentoprovidethemwithsecurityintheiroldage(7).Havingalargefamilycanbeaformofinsurance.Andevenwhiletheyarestillquiteyoung,childrencandoalotofusefuljobsonasmallfarm.Sopoorpeopleinadevelopingcountrywillneedtoseeclearsignsofmuchbetterconditionsaheadbeforetheywillthinkofhavingsmallerfamilies(8).Buttheirconditionscannotbeimprovedunlessthereisareductionintherateatwhichpopulationisincreasing.Thiswilldependonaverymuchwideracceptanceoffamilyplanning(9)andthis,nturn,willmeanbasicchangesinattitudes.(10)
I.Listen
Listentothetextwiththehelpofthefollowingnotes.
1.Acrowdedslumdistrict:一个拥挤贫民窟地区。
2.Thetemperaturewaswellover100:气温高100度（华氏）以上。
3.Peopleholdingontothesidesofbuses:人们吊挂在公共汽车的两侧。
4.Sincethatnight,Iveknownwhatoverpopulationfeelslike:从那天晚上起，我便知道人口过剩是什么滋味了。
5.itisonlywhenpeopleslivingstandardsbegintorisethatbirthratesbegintofall:只有在人们生活水平提高时，出生率才会开始下降。
6.peoplesincomesaresolowtheyhavenothingtospareforsavings:人们的收如此之低以致于他们无钱存起来。
7.peoplelooktotheirchildrentoprovidethemwithsecurityintheiroldage:人们指望在年老时他们的孩子给他们提供生活保障。
8.poorpeopleinadevelopingcountrywillneedtoseeclearsignsofmuchbetterconditionsaheadbeforetheywillthinkofhavingsmallerfamilies:发展中国家的穷人需要看到生活明显改善的前景时才会考虑组建小型的家庭。
9.dependonaverymuchwideracceptanceoffamilyplanning:取决于（人们对计划生育政策更为广泛的接受。
10.basicchangesinattitudes:在观念上的根本变化。