1 .

The changing population throughout the globalizing world, in particular an increase in the aging population and a decrease in birth rates, is disturbing housing markets.

Since 1970, global average income per person has increased, with a few exceptions as in 2009 and 2015, and inequality has also widened among and within nations. The International Monetary Fund’s Global House Price Index collapsed in 2008 before climbing again to reach pre-crisis levels. Due to these population and financial trends, household structures have changed with increased preference for smaller, shared living quarters and less home ownership worldwide. Analysts increasingly focus on mapping and predicting effects of globalization on housing markets and individual decisions.

Countries at the forefront of globalization, namely the United States and China, as well as rapidly globalizing countries like India, expect their aging populations to double by the year 2050. Coupled with changes to the family structure, especially a childbirth rate nearly halved since 1950 and more two-income households, decisions involving the housing stock are more complex than ever before.

The three countries may share a common challenge: Their governments are not well prepared for rapid growth in their graying populations. Out of the three, the United States could be most affected, as the primary-mode of senior care in China and India is in-home care. If family support remains the top choice for senior care, this could prevent India and China from the possible negative effects of the inadequate public and private planning. In-home care involves family members covering the cost and accommodation of senior members. About 65 percent of US elderly in need of assistance rely on family and friends, and non-family senior care is relatively new for India and China.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph 1 and 2?

A．The housing markets are mostly affected by the decrease in birth rates and rise in death rates.

B．Inequality has widened among and within nations due to the rapid globalization of the households.

C．The population and financial trends led to increased preference for smaller, shared accommodations.

D．Analysts think globalization has decisive effects on housing markets and individual decisions.

2. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs and the illustration?

A．The aging populations of the three countries are expected to decrease by 2050.

B．Non-family senior care probably remains the best choice for the elderly in America.

C．China will probably have the largest percentage of the senior population by 2050.

D．The three giants in terms of population must avoid the challenges from their citizens.

3. The best title for the passage is ______________.

A．The challenge for the aged	B．Shelter for an aging world
C．The rapid growth of population	D．Comparison on globalization

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

How do you count 1.3 billion people in the middle of a pandemic? China, as the world's most populous country, will launch its seventh     1     ( nation) census (人口普查) on November 1.

According to state-run news agency Xinhua, the huge undertaking will see around 7 million census     2     (worker) spread out across the country,     3     ( collect) names, ID numbers, gender, marital details, as well as education and professional information.

As well as traditional methods, citizens will also     4     ( recommend) using cell phones and other digital tools     5     (declare) personal and family information.

China conducts its census every 10 years. The last survey     6     (find) the population had increased from 1.29 billion to 1.37 billion. Last year, the country's birthrate hit its     7     (low) level since the founding of the People's Republic     8     1949. The statistics also revealed that more than 250 million Chinese were over 60 years old last year,     9     make up more than 18% of the population. The figure is forecast to rise to a third of the population by 2050 — or 480 million people.

This year's census may even show a decrease in     10     total size of the population for the first time in decades, setting the stage for India to overtake China as the world's most populous country.

3 . Newly married couples can receive up to 600,000 yen to cover their rent and other costs to start a new life from next April if they live in a municipality adopting Japan's newlywed support program, government sources said Sunday.

As the nation's extremely low birth rate is mainly due to the tendency that people marry late or stay unmarried, the government will try to encourage marriages by enhancing（增强）the program to provide a larger sum and cover more couples, said the sources at the Cabinet Office.

To get the allowance, both husband and wife will have to be under age 40 at the registered date of marriage and have a combined income of less than 5.4 million yen, up from age 35 and 4.8 million yen under the current conditions for aid of up to 300,000 yen. Only 281 municipalities, or 15 percent of all cities, towns and villages in Japan, had adopted the program since July as they must shoulder half the expenses, but in a bid to increase the number, the central government will bear two-thirds from 2021, the sources said.

The program is part of government efforts to deal with the low birth rate as married couples tend to have two children，even though the average number of children a woman will bear in her lifetime was 1.6 last year with a record-low 865,000 babies born.

An economic incentive（刺激）is considered effective to encourage people to marry since 29.1 percent of single men aged 25 to 34 and 17.8 percent of single women said that lack of marriage funds was a reason they stayed unmarried in a 2015 survey by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

1. Why does the government carry out newlywed support program?

A．To pay the rent.	B．To reward singles.
C．To pay the wedding fee.	D．To encourage marriages and births.

2. What conditions must be met to apply for the 600,000-yen allowance?

A．Marriage age: < 25; combined income：< 4.8 million yen.

B．Marriage age: < 35; combined income：< 4.8 million yen.

C．Marriage age: < 40; combined income：< 5.4 million yen.

D．Marriage age: < 50; combined income:< 3.0 million yen.

3. From 2021, what percentage of the allowance will the government cover?

A．1/3.

B．2/3.

C．1/2

D．3/5.

4. What is the cause of Japan's low birth rate?

A．High rent.	B．Health level.
C．More divorce.	D．Low marriage rate.

4 . The news appeared on the poster in the streets in Shijingshan District, Beijing, on the night of Oct.27, 2020. It said on the poster that “China on Sunday will start its seventh national census (人口普查) on November 1^st,2020, with about 7 million census takers going door to door to document demographic changes (登记信息). It will last till December10^th, 2020. The census collects data including the name, ID number, gender, marital status, education, and profession of Chinese citizens.”

National census is kind of investigation and registration made within defined period (统一规定时间), by using the same method, categories and survey forms at set time. The targets for census (普查对象) are the natural persons living within the territory (领地) of the People’s Republic of China on the standard time point of census and the Chinese citizens who are outside the territory of the People’s Republic of China but have not become permanent residents of the other country. While foreigners who are making a short-term stay within the territory of the People’s Republic of China shall be excluded.

“When census takers knock on your door, you can answer the questions by registering the information directly on the smart devices (智能设备). Or, the census taker will offer you an account number and a QR code (二维码) so that you can register your information within a certain time.”

“All information collected is filled in through the internet and is directly uploaded to the national database in real-time, eliminating (消除) possible human interference. Both the mobile end and the server end have adopted highly strict technology of data encryption (数据加密) and desensitization so that personal information cannot be disclosed during the process of data transmission.”

1. According to the poster, how long “will the takers spend taking this national census”?

A．Less than one month.	B．No more than one month.
C．More than one month.	D．As long as one month.

2. In which paragraph does the poster tell us the general notes about census?

A．Paragraph 1.

B．Paragraph 2.

C．Paragraph 3.

D．Paragraph 4.

3. How many ways to register your information are mentioned in the poster?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

4. What does the last part of the poster tell us?

A．The basic knowledge of census.

B．The special ways of registering the information.

C．The announcement of starting the national census.

D．The technologies of protecting one’s personal information being disclosed.