英语专四 短文听力 Passage 4-1

 短文

Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage.

Basic to any understanding of Canada in the 20 years after the Second World War is the country’s impressive population growth. For every three Canadians in 1945，there were over five in 1966. In September 1966 Canada’s population passed the 20 million mark. Most of this surging¹ growth came from natural increase. The depression of the 1930’s and the war had held back marriages, and (11) the catching-up process began after 1945. The baby boom² continued through the decade of the 1950’s，producing a population increase of nearly fifteen percent in the five years from 1951 to 1956. After the peak year of 1957，the birth rate in Canada began to decline³. It continued falling until in 1966 it stood at the lowest level in 25 years. Partly this decline reflected the low level of births during the depression and the war, but it was also caused by changes in Canadian society. (12) Young people were staying at school longer； more women were working； young married couples were buying automobiles⁴ or houses before starting families； rising living standards were cutting down the size of families. (13) It appeared that Canada was once more falling in step with the trend toward smaller families that had occurred all through the Western world since the time of the Industrial Revolution.

 

题目

Passage 4

In this section you will hear several passages. Listen to the passages carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Questions 11 to 13 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage，you will be given 15 seconds to answer the questions.

Now, listen to the passage.

11. According to the passage, when did Canada’s baby boom begin?

A. In the decade after 1911.

B. After 1945.

C. During the depression of the 1930's.

D. In 1966.

12. The author mentions all the following as causes of declines⁵ in population growth

after 1957 EXCEPT______.

A. people’s staying at school longer

B. people’s getting married earlier

C. better standards of living

D. couples’ buying houses before starting families

13. It can be inferred from the passage that before the Industrial Revolution .

A. families were larger

B. population statistics⁶ were unreliable

C. the population grew steadily⁷

D. economic conditions were bad

 

答案解析

11. B时间细节题。文中提到：20世纪30年代的经济衰退和战争抑制了婚姻，于是 在1945年之后开始了一个结婚的追赶过程。婴儿潮一直持续到50年代。故正确 答案为B。

12 B细节题。文中提到：年轻人求学时间增长、出现更多的职业妇女、新婚夫妇在养 育后代之前忙于买车或购房和减少家庭人口以提高生活水平是人口出生率下降的 原因，没有提到的是B。预读题干时，应注意ECXCEPT。

13. A推断题。文中提到：小规模家庭的趋势在工业革命后的西方国家非常普遍。故 正确答案为A。

1 surging   

n.汹涌

参考例句：

• The historical tide is surging forward with great momentum. 历史洪流气势磅礴，奔腾向前。
• Seagulls hover over the surging waves. 海鸥在惊涛骇浪上翱翔。

2 boom   

n.隆隆声；vt.发隆隆声

参考例句：

• The country is having a great boom in industry.这个国家的工业正蓬勃发展。
• Boom!Boom!Boom!A series of explosions shook the valley.轰！轰！轰！一连串爆破声震撼山谷。

3 decline   

n.衰微，跌落，下降；vt.使降低，婉谢；vi.下降，衰落，偏斜

参考例句：

• I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
• The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。

4 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 declines   

辞谢，谢绝（邀请等）( decline的第三人称单数 )； （道路、物体等）下倾； （太阳）落下； （在品格、价值上）降低

参考例句：

• As one grows older one's memory declines. 一个人的记忆力随着年老而衰退。
• Hearing sensitivity declines with age. 听觉因年老而衰退。

6 statistics   

n.统计，统计数字，统计学

参考例句：

• We have statistics for the last year.我们有去年的统计资料。
• Statistics is taught in many colleges.许多大学都教授统计学。

7 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。