China has announced it's abolishing its one-child policy. What difference has it made, statistically speaking? 400 million births prevented The one-child policy, officially in place since 1979, has prevented 400 million births. Parents have faced fines and other punishments for having more children.

The majority of the decrease in China's fertility(生育)rate happened in the 1970s. It dropped from 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1978. Despite the one-child policy the rate had only fallen to 1.7 by 2013.21:28 baby death rate Since the one-child policy was introduced, baby girls have become more likely to die than boys.

In the 1970s, according to the United Nations, 60 males per l,000 live births died under the age of one. For girls the figure was 53. In the 1980s, after the one-child policy became official, the rate for both was 36. By the 1990s, 26 males per l,000 live births died before the age of one-and 33 girls. The 2000s saw 21 boys per l,000 live births dying and 28 girls. 1.16 boys born for every girl

Sexually selective abortions have been considered as a major cause of China's unusual sexual imbalance. Gietel-Basten, associate professor in social policy at Oxford University, says the births of many girls are not registered if parents have broken the rule by having two children, adding officials often turn a blind eye. It's estimated there are now 33 million more men than women in China.

4：2：1 families

With the ageing of China's population and the continuation of the one-child policy, a “4: 2 : 1”home is the description given to households in which there are four grandparents cared for by two working age parents, who themselves have one child.

By 2050, it's predicted that a quarter of China's population will be 65 or older. The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.

1. When was the baby death rate for both boys and girls equal?

A．In the 1970s.	B．In the 1980s.
C．In the 1990s.	D．In the 2000s.

2. What makes the one-child policy abolished according to the passage?

A．The decline of birth rate.

B．The rise of baby death rate.

C．The change of family structure.

D．The decline of working age people.

3. The passage sums up the one-child policy by ___ .

A．number	B．example
C．contrast	D．analysis

Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first long­span bridge to carry motor traffic, and it quickly became the model for the great suspension bridges of the following century. Spanning New York's East River, it provided the first traffic artery （要道）between Manhattan Island and Brooklyn. Before that, the only transportation was by ferries, which were slow and could be dangerous in winter.
The construction of a bridge over the EastRiver had been discussed since the early 19th century, but the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 deflected all consideration of the project. When the war ended in 1865, the bridge became an important issue once more. In 1867, the New York State passed an act setting up the New York Bridge Company for the purpose of constructing a bridge between Manhattan Island and Brooklyn.
John Augustus Roebling was chosen to design the bridge. Born in Germany in 1806, he held aggressive views as a student and was listed by the German police as a dangerous figure. He emigrated to America in 1830 to escape political discrimination.
Roebling proposed a bridge with a span of 1,500 feet (465 m), with two towers in the East River serving as the main piers. The bridge that was actually built is longer—1,597 feet (486 m), the longest suspension bridge at that time.
4. What was the purpose of building the Brooklyn Bridge?

A．To replace an old bridge.

B．To set up a model for bridge construction.

C．To build a long­span bridge for the Civil War.

D．To provide faster and safer transportation than boats.

5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “deflected” in the second paragraph?

A．blocked	B．developed
C．deserved	D．indicated

6. Which of the following is TRUE about the Brooklyn Bridge?

A．It was built in 1865.

B．It is shorter than originally planned.

C．It was first proposed after the Civil War.

D．It was built by the New York Bridge Company.

7. According to the passage, which of the following correctly describes John Augustus Roebling?

A．He participated in the Civil War and was seriously wounded.

B．He was the first person to propose the construction of the bridge.

C．He was chosen to design the bridge because of his aggressive views.

D．He moved to America because he was discriminated against in his home country.

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8. The Smiths，a retired couple，would probably call ________ for several quiet starry nights.

A．762­3473	B．1­877­344­7117
C．(866) 388­2877	D．1­800­760­6934

9. The Johnsons (aged 9—68)，adventure lovers，are more likely to check ________ for more
information.

A．www.minnewankaboattours.com

B．www.rockiesairtours.com

C．www.brewster.ca

D．www.insideoutexperience.com

10. What kind of activities do the five tours all provide?

A．Outdoor activities.

B．Adventurous activities.

C．Educational activities.

D．Free activities.

11. Where can the passage be probably found?

A．In a tour brochure.	B．In science fiction.
C．In a textbook.	D．In a TV guide.

Your friends' lives may look more exciting than yours on Facebook，but new research shows that is because they are faking(伪造)it.
A recent survey has found around two­thirds of people on social media post images(图像) to their personal information to make their lives seem more adventurous.And more than three quarters of those asked said they judged their peers(同龄人)based on what they saw on their Instagram，Snapchat or Facebook pages.
The British survey，by smartphone maker HTC，found that，in order to make our own pages and lives appear more exciting，six percent also said they had borrowed items to include in the images in order to pass them off as their own. More than half of those surveyed said they posted images of items and places purely to show off，causing_jealousy among friends and family.
Behavioural psychologist Hemmings said the trend was unsurprising due to the rise of social media.“We're living in a world of instant communication.”she said.“Fashion and style used to live and die in magazines；now people are in search of authentic （真实的），peer­to­peer recommendations as well，making social media an equal power house to magazines and newspapers.”
“With images being shared in an instant we desire to know what our friends are wearing，or what super stars are buying, as soon as they have got them.” Such is the influence of social media sites like Instagram,76 percent of those asked also said seeing items on social media influences them to buy them，with men more likely to take style advice and buy what they see.
12. How do some people make their lives appear more exciting?

A．By buying pictures.

B．By posting images.

C．By making up stories.

D．By risking their lives.

13. What does the word “jealousy” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Envy.

B．Conflict.

C．Adventure.

D．Misunderstanding.

14. What can we learn from Jo Hemmings?

A．The trend reflects the development of social media.

B．Fashion and style no longer exist in magazines.

C．Magazines and newspapers are less important.

D．The trend is beyond people's expectation.

15. Which of the following best describes social media like Instagram?

A．Persuasive.

B．Creative.

C．Positive.

D．Honest.