Comprehension , [ 20 ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

20  - ] Comprehension 

Upper Intermediate & Advanced

Read the following passage , then answer the questions below . Do not look back at the passage . Compare your answers to the Answer Key . Check any incorrect answers by reading the passage .

               The population of the earth is growing fast . In 1950 , it was 2.5 billion . By 1992 ,it had jumped to 5.5 billion . By the year 2050 , it will probably reach 10 billion . The worldwide trend is clearly towards rapid population growth . However , it is not happening in all parts of the world .

                The population of industrialized countries has almost stopped growing . But in less-developed countries , it continues to grow at a very fast rate . Every year , about 97 million people are added to the world population . About 90 percent of these are in less-developed countries .

                 The reason for this difference in population growth lies in the birth rate . ( The birth rate is the average number of children per woman of child-bearing age . ) Population increases or decreases according to the birth rate .When the birth rate
is over 2.0 , the population grows . When it is less than 2.0 the population decreases .

               In industrialized countries , a very low birth rate has caused population growth to slow down or stop altogether . Italy has the lowest birth rate in the world - only 1.3 . In most European countries and in Japan , the birth rat is under 2.0 . The birth rate in the United States is just 2.0 .

While birth rates have been declining in these countries , life expectancy ha been increasing . ( Life expectancy is the average length of a person’s life . ) In almost all the industrialized countries , life expectancy is now well over 70 years of age . This means that the percentage of older people in the population is increasing . In Italy , for example , one quarter of the Italians was over 65 years old in the year 2015 .

                In less-developed countries , the situation is completely different . The birth rate in many places is extremely high . It is over 7.0 in many African countries and as high as 8.3 in Rwanda . At the same time , life expectancy in these countries is very low . For example , the life expectancy of an Ethiopian is less than 40 years . The population , on average ,is very young , which means a high percentage of women of child-bearing age . Thus , even if birth rates decline , the population will continue to increase for many years .      

                 Rapid population growth also partly explains why less-developed countries remain much poorer than industrialized countries . There is already an enormous difference in wealth . The average annual income per person in industrialized countries is about $ 16,500 . In less-developed countries , it is only $ 750 . As the population increases , so do the problems . Crowding on the land means that water , food , and firewood become ever more difficult to find . Hunger and disease kill millions , especially children . And , as a result , people flood to the cities , or to other countries to look for a better life .

                          Thus , the population explosion is another global problem that needs a global solution .

Circle the best answers to the following questions . Do not look back at the passage .

1. This passage s about

( A ) population growth in less-developed countries .

( B ) birth rates around the world .

( C ) population growth in different parts of the world .

( D ) life expectancy in industrialized countries .

2 . Population growth is

( A ) fastest in less-developed countries .

( B ) slowest in less-developed countries .

( C ) happening everywhere at the same rate .

( D ) slowing down around the world .

3 . Population generally grows fastest when

( A ) life expectancy increases .

( B ) the birth rate increases .

( C ) average income increases .

( D ) the birth rate declines .

4 . The birth rate in industrialized countries is  

( A ) about 1.3 .

( B ) generally high .

( C ) rapidly increasing .

( D ) around 2.0 or less .

5 . We can infer from this passage that life expectancy in Italy

( A ) is lower than in Japan .

( B ) is under 70 years .

( C ) is over 70 years .

( D ) will decline in a few years .  

6 . In some less-developed countries , the birth rate is

( A ) as high as 8.0 .

( B ) generally around 2.0 .

( C ) slowly decreasing .

( D ) lower than in the industrialized countries .

7 . The population in less-developed countries is very young because of a

( A ) high life expectancy and low birth rate .

( B ) low life expectancy and high birth rate .

( C ) low average annual income .

( D ) high percentage of women of child-bearing age .

8 . Many less-developed countries stay poor because of

( A ) their low annual income .

( B ) the crowded cities .

( C ) hunger and disease .

( D ) the rapidly increasing population .

Answer Key

1 . C 2 . A 3 . B 4 . D 5 . C 6 . A 7 . B 8 . D