（江蘇版）2019屆高考英語一輪復(fù)習(xí) 第一部分 基礎(chǔ)考點聚焦 Unit 4 Public transport知能演練輕松闖關(guān) 牛津譯林版選修7

《（江蘇版）2019屆高考英語一輪復(fù)習(xí) 第一部分 基礎(chǔ)考點聚焦 Unit 4 Public transport知能演練輕松闖關(guān) 牛津譯林版選修7》由會員分享，可在線閱讀，更多相關(guān)《（江蘇版）2019屆高考英語一輪復(fù)習(xí) 第一部分 基礎(chǔ)考點聚焦 Unit 4 Public transport知能演練輕松闖關(guān) 牛津譯林版選修7（14頁珍藏版）》請在裝配圖網(wǎng)上搜索。

1、 Unit 4 Public transport A卷 單項填空 1．If you want to own the newest iPhone ahead, you’ll have to make a(n)________， or you will wait for some time. A．preservation　　　　　　 B．reservation C．order D．a(chǎn)pplication B　解析：句意：如果你想提前擁有最新的蘋果手機(jī)， 你必須預(yù)定， 否則你要等一段時間。 preservation “保護(hù)”； reservation “預(yù)定”； or

2、der “訂購”； application “申請”。 2．As we know, the purpose of communication is to ________ your thoughts and ideas to others effectively. A．pass B．send C．convey D．show C　解析：convey 意為“傳達(dá)； 表達(dá)(想法， 感受)等”。 pass作“傳遞， 交流”講時， 后接表示“具體的物品或眼色， 信號， 評論等”。 send意為“發(fā)送”； show意為“流露(感情等)”。 根據(jù)句意 “正如我們所知， 交流的目的是把你的

3、想法有效地傳遞給他人?！笨芍鸢笐?yīng)選C項。 3．An increasing number of cars on the road ________ traffic. That was the reason why they failed to get there on time. A．choked back B．choked down C．choked off D．choked up C　解析：choke back “抑制； 強(qiáng)忍住”； choke down“吞咽； 抑制； 強(qiáng)忍住”； choke off“阻礙”； choke up“對……苦惱”。 根據(jù)句意可判斷此處

4、是“路上越來越多的車輛阻礙了交通”。 故答案為C項。 4．(2018·南京四校聯(lián)考) — ________ no ad during TV plays. —Great move! I cannot tolerate those annoying ads appearing every several minutes. A．There is said to have B．It is said to have C．There is said to be D．It is said to be C　解析：There is said to be“據(jù)說有……”。 5．T

5、he best method to ________ this goal is to unite as many people as possible. A．undertake B．conduct C．perform D．a(chǎn)ccomplish D　解析：考查動詞。 句意：完成這個目標(biāo)的最好的途徑是團(tuán)結(jié)的人越多越好。undertake “承擔(dān)”；conduct “指揮”；perform “表演， 操作”；accomplish “完成”， 根據(jù)詞義可知是完成目標(biāo)， 故選D項。 6．(2018·南京高三調(diào)研)A global villag

6、e has indeed ________ among the teenage generation, who share common values and attitudes. A．set up B.speeded up C．risen up D.sprung up D　解析：句意：地球村的確在青少年一代出現(xiàn)了， 他們分享共同的價值觀和生活態(tài)度。 spring up“發(fā)生； 萌芽； 出現(xiàn)”。 7．Five minutes earlier ________ we could have avoided the accident. A．or B．but

7、C．so D．a(chǎn)nd D　解析：句意：早五分鐘， 我們可能就會避免那次事故。 此題考查的是“祈使句＋and＋簡單句”結(jié)構(gòu)。 Five minutes earlier相當(dāng)于一個祈使句， 后面的簡單句表示結(jié)果。 8．He was rejected for the job vacancy because he couldn’t be ________even for the interview. A．responsible B.beneficial C．punctual D．regular C　解析：句意：他沒有得到那個職位空缺， 因為他甚至連面試都不能準(zhǔn)時。

8、responsible“負(fù)責(zé)的”； beneficial“有益的”； punctual“準(zhǔn)時的”； regular“有規(guī)律的”。 9．(2018·南京師大附中模擬) —Excuse me, sir. My visa is due at the end of this month. Can I ________ it? —Sure. You can just go to the Public Security Office in our city to fill in some forms. A．expand B.extend C．postpone D．confirm B

9、　解析：問句句意：——打攪一下， 先生。 我的簽證月底到期。 我能再延長一下它嗎？extend“延長， 延伸”； expand“膨脹， 擴(kuò)張”； postpone“延期， 推遲”； confirm“證實； 批準(zhǔn)； 確定”。 10．If the equipment is not up to the agreed specifications and quality, we will ________ to replace it. A．undertake B.force C．overcome D．a(chǎn)pply A　解析：句意：如果設(shè)備達(dá)不到商定的規(guī)格和質(zhì)量， 我們保證進(jìn)行調(diào)換。

10、 undertake to do...“保證做……”。 11．Many road accidents ________ from careless driving, according to the recent reports from the police. A．involve B.reduce C．a(chǎn)rise D．increase C　解析：考查動詞辨析。 句意：根據(jù)警方最近的報告， 很多道路交通事故是由粗心駕駛造成的。 arise是不及物動詞， 意思是“(由……)引起， (因……)產(chǎn)生”， 符合句意。 12．(2018·濱海中學(xué)期中)Nowadays worki

11、ng women bear a lot more pressure ________ them from families and careers. A．put on B.put down C．put aside D.put away A　解析：考查動詞短語辨析。 這里表示家庭和自己的事業(yè)給她們的壓力， 用put sth.on sb.。 13．________ the satellite launch drew near, the research workers put their hearts to the test and always stayed up la

12、te. A．As B.Because C．With D．While A　解析：句意：隨著衛(wèi)星發(fā)射的臨近， 研究人員全身心地投入到測試中， 常常熬夜。 as和with都可表達(dá)“隨著……”的意思。 as 用作連詞， 引導(dǎo)的是一個時間狀語從句。 with介詞， 后接名詞短語作賓語。 分析句子結(jié)構(gòu)可知答案應(yīng)為A項。 14.One thing that most organically grown food products seem to have in common is that they cost more than ________ grown foods. A．a(chǎn)p

13、parently B．contradictorily C．conventionally D．punctually C　解析：考查副詞辨析。 句意：大多數(shù)有機(jī)食品有一個共同點， 那就是它們比用傳統(tǒng)方式種植的食品成本更高。 這里用 conventionally表示“依照傳統(tǒng)地”， 與前面的organically呼應(yīng)。 apparently“明顯地”； contradictorily“相互矛盾地”； punctually“按時地， 準(zhǔn)時地”。 15．—Shall I give you a ride as you live so far away? —Thank you

14、. ________． A．It couldn’t be better B．Of course you can C．If you like D．It’s up to you A　解析：考查情景對話。 句意：——你住得這么遠(yuǎn)我送你吧！——謝謝你。 那再好不過了。 It couldn’t be better，否定＋比較級表示最高級， 意為：沒有比那更好的了。 閱讀理解 A “OK，” I said to my daughter as she bent over her afternoon bowl of rice. “What’s going on with

15、you and your friend J．？” J．is the leader of a group of third-graders at her camp—a position Lucy herself occupied the previous summer. Now she’s__the__one__on__the__outs, and every day at snack time, she tells me all about it, while I offer the unhelpful advice all summer long. “She’s fond of giv

16、ing orders，” Lucy complained. “She’s turning everyone against me. She’s mean. She’s bad at math. She’s terrible at kickball. And she’s fat.” “Excuse me，” I said, struggling for calm.“What did you just say？”“She’s fat，” Lucy mumbled(含糊地說) into her bowl. “We’re going upstairs，” I said, my voice cold.

17、“We are going to discuss this.” And up we went. I’d spent the nine years since her birth getting ready for this day, the day we’d have to have the conversation about this horrible word. I knew exactly what to say to the girl on the receiving end of the teasing(嘲笑), but in all of my imaginings, it n

18、ever once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word—Fat. My daughter sat on her bed, and I sat beside her. “How would you feel if someone made fun of you for something that wasn’t your fault？” I began. “She could stop eating so much，” Lucy mumbled, mouthing the simple ad

19、vice a thousand doctors and well-meaning friends and relatives have given overweight women for years. “It’s not always that easy，” I said. “Everyone’s different in terms of how they treat food.” Lucy looked at me, waiting for me to go on.I opened my mouth, and then closed it. Should I tell her tha

20、t, in teasing a woman’s weight, she’s joined the long, proud tradition of critics who go after any woman with whom they disagree by starting with “you’re ugly” and ending with “no man would want you and there must be something wrong with any man who does”？ Should I tell her I didn’t cry when someone

21、 posted my picture and commented, “I’m sorry, but aren’t authors who write books marketed to young women supposed to be pretty？” Does she need to know, now, that life isn’t fair? I feel her eyes on me, waiting for an answer I don’t have. Words are my tools. Stories are my job. It’s possible she’ll

22、remember what I say forever, and I have no idea what to say. So I tell her the only thing I can come up with that is absolutely true. I say to my daughter, “I love you, and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you. But I’m disappointed in you right now. There are plenty of reasons

23、 for not liking someone. What she looks like isn’t one of them.” Lucy nods, tears on her cheeks.“I won’t say that again，” she tells me, and I pull her close, pressing my nose against her hair. We are both quiet, and I don’t know if I have said the right thing. So as we sit there together, shoulder

24、to shoulder, I pray for her to be smart. I pray for her to be strong. I pray for her to find friends, work she loves, a partner who loves her, and for the world not to deprive(剝奪) her of the things that make her who she is, for her life to be easy, and for her to have the strength to handle it when

25、it’s not. And still, always, I pray that she will never struggle as I’ve struggled, and that weight will never be her cross to bear. She may not be able to use the word in our home, but I can use it in my head. I pray that she will never get fat. 【解題導(dǎo)語】　面對犯錯的女兒， 作者努力尋找恰當(dāng)?shù)恼Z言指正孩子的錯誤， 最終以愛感化和教育了女兒。 在與

26、女兒并肩坐著的時候， 作者心中滿是對女兒美好的祈禱和祝愿。 1．The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 indicates that Lucy ________． A．often makes fun of her friend J. B．has turned against her friend J. C．gets along well with her friend J. D．has begun to compete with her friend J. B　解析：句意理解題。 根據(jù)第一段可知， J．成了夏令營隊長， 而去年的隊長是Lucy;

27、 根據(jù)第二段可知， Lucy一直抱怨J.。 由此可知， 該句暗示了Lucy已經(jīng)反對她的朋友J.了。 2．Why does the author want to discuss with Lucy? A．Because she wants to offer some other helpful advice. B．Because she has prepared the conversation for nine years. C．Because she is really shocked at Lucy’s rudeness. D．Because she decides to tel

28、l Lucy a similar story of her own. C　解析：推理判斷題。 根據(jù)第二段可知， Lucy抱怨J.并說J.胖； 根據(jù)第三段中的“we’d have to have the conversation about this horrible word...it never once occurred to me that my daughter would be the one who used the F word—Fat”可知， 作者沒想到Lucy會用“胖”這個詞來嘲笑別人， 因此覺得有必要和她談?wù)劇? 3．What does the author want t

29、o tell her daughter? A．It is not easy to take the doctors’ advice to eat less. B．People shouldn’t complain because life is unfair. C．She herself was once laughed at for her appearance. D．People shouldn’t be blamed for their appearance. D　解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。 根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段的最后兩句“There are plenty of reasons for no

30、t liking someone. What she looks like isn’t one of them.”可知， 作者想告訴女兒人們不應(yīng)該因為他們的外貌而受到責(zé)備。 4．It can be inferred from the passage that ________． A．the author earns a living by writing stories B．the author is a fat but good-looking woman C．the author will stop loving her daughter for what she said D．

31、the author’s daughter agreed with her from the very beginning A　解析：推理判斷題。 根據(jù)倒數(shù)第三段中的“Words are my tools. Stories are my job.”可推知， 作者以寫故事謀生。 5．We can learn from the last paragraph that ________． A．Lucy was deeply moved by her mother’s prayer B．a(chǎn) mother’s prayer will shape her daughter’s attitude

32、towards life C．the author allows her daughter to use the F word in her head D．the author hopes her daughter will never have weight trouble　 D　解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。 根據(jù)最后一段的最后一句“I pray that she will never get fat.”可知， 作者希望她的女兒永遠(yuǎn)不會變胖， 永遠(yuǎn)沒有體重問題。 6．The author’s attitude towards her daughter can be best descri

33、bed as ________． A．loving but strict B．indifferent but patient C．satisfied and friendly D．unsatisfied and angry A　解析：作者態(tài)度題。 通過作者對女兒說的話以及為女兒的祈禱可知， 作者深愛自己的女兒； 通過作者對女兒不當(dāng)行為的指正可知， 作者對女兒要求很嚴(yán)格。 因此選A。 B Kung Hei Fat Choy means Happy New Year! Welcome to our Chinese New Year/Lunar New

34、 Year pages! We’ve got a huge collection of fun activities for you to explore and enjoy with your kids, both at home or in the classroom. You can learn about the current year—Year of the Rooster—or just enjoy our general Chinese New Year content (including original colouring pages, crafts, puzzles,

35、worksheets, printables of all sorts)．..but be warned, there’s probably enough here to last you until next Chinese New Year! Nine Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year with public holidays and variations on the activities you will find described below. About 1/5 of the world’s population will

36、 be enjoying the festival, and New Year’s Eve is the world’s biggest annual migration, with over 200 million people making every effort to get home for a big celebratory dinner with their extended families. On 16th February 2018 we welcome in a new Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dog！For lots of

37、new colouring pages, puzzles, worksheets and other printables, click here: Year of the Dog. Lots NEW! 【解題導(dǎo)語】　本文是一篇說明文，主要介紹了一個網(wǎng)頁上關(guān)于中國新年的內(nèi)容。 7．Where will this writing be found? A．On TV. B．In a newspaper. C．In a booklet. D．On the Internet. D　解析：文章出處題。根據(jù)文章第一段第二句和文章最后一句可推知，文章應(yīng)該是出自網(wǎng)站上的一個網(wǎng)頁。故選D。

38、8．Who is the writing intended for? A．Web page designers. B．School teachers. C．Folk-custom researchers. D．Students in the first grade. B　解析：推理判斷題。根據(jù)第一段第三句可推知，這篇文章應(yīng)是寫給學(xué)校老師或?qū)W生父母的。故選B。 B卷 完形填空 Payeng’s tree-planting project began when he was 16, when flooding wiped away a large pa

39、rt of forest. Wild life were left without enough __1__ , and Payeng watched __2__ creatures begin to die off from heat. Deeply __3__， Payeng determined to grow trees all his life. “I __4__ the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees on the sandbar(沙洲). They said nothing woul

40、d __5__ there. __6__ , they asked me to try growing bamboo.It was __7__， but I did it. What’s more, there was nobody interested to help me，” Payeng said. Payeng started his forest by __8__ bamboo saplings (幼樹) every morning and evening. He even brought red ants to the sandbar to help __9__

41、 the soil. When his bamboo trees grew, Payeng decided to slowly __10__other species of trees into the sandbar. Through his __11__ act, Payeng changed the sandbar into a thick, green forest that __12__ numerous birds, and wild animals. Payeng’s forest went largely __13__ until 2008, when a team of

42、state officials __14__it. “We were surprised to find such a big __15__ on the sandbar，” Gunin Saikia, Assam’s Assistant Conservator of Forests, said. “We are __16__ at Payeng. He has been at it for 30 years.” Now, Payeng makes a __17__ with his family in the forest he planted by raising cows an

43、d selling milk, and he has his __18__ set on planting a second forest on another 1，300-acre sandbar. “It may take another 30 years, but I am __19__ about it，” Payeng said __20__． 【解題導(dǎo)語】　本文是一篇記敘文。文章講述了環(huán)保人士Payeng堅持種樹30年，在沙洲里創(chuàng)造了一片令人驚嘆的森林。 1．A.food B．water C．shade D．space C　解析：A

44、項意為“食物”；B項意為“水”；C項意為“陰涼處，(樹)蔭”；D項意為“空間”。結(jié)合上文可知，洪水沖走了一大部分森林。由下文“...creatures begin to die off from heat”可推知，野生生物沒有足夠的樹蔭。故選C。 2．A.dangerous B．helpless C．a(chǎn)imless D．fierce B　解析：A項意為“危險的”；B項意為“無助的”；C項意為“沒有目標(biāo)的”；D項意為“兇猛的”。聯(lián)系上下文可知，野生生物因為沒有足夠的樹蔭而死于炎熱，所以此時它們應(yīng)該感到很無助。故選B。 3．A.moved

45、 B．hurt C．a(chǎn)ttracted D．saddened D　解析：根據(jù)上文可知，森林遭到破壞，野生生物因為沒有足夠的樹蔭而感到無助。Payeng應(yīng)該對此感到悲傷。D項意為“使悲傷，使難過”，符合題意。故選D。 4．A.informed B．blamed C．disturbed D．contacted D　解析：A項意為“通知”；B項意為“責(zé)備”；C項意為“打擾”；D項意為“聯(lián)系”。根據(jù)語境可知，Payeng應(yīng)該是聯(lián)系林業(yè)部門，反映情況。故選D。 5．A.grow

46、 B．live C．occur D．work A　解析：根據(jù)語境可知，林業(yè)部門認(rèn)為沒有什么可以在沙洲中生長。A項意為“生長”，符合題意。故選A。 6．A.Therefore B．Instead C．Otherwise D．Fortunately B　解析：A項意為“因此”；B項意為“反而，卻”；C項意為“否則”；D項意為“幸運地”。根據(jù)上文可知，林業(yè)部門認(rèn)為樹木無法在沙洲中生長。因此他們反而建議Payeng種植竹子。故選B。 7．A.pleasant

47、 B．hopeful C．meaningful D．painful D　解析：根據(jù)語境可知，Payeng是環(huán)保人士，由此可推知，當(dāng)他聽到無法通過種樹來改變沙洲環(huán)境時，他的感覺應(yīng)該是痛苦的。D項意為“痛苦的”，符合題意。故選D。 8．A.watering B．cutting C．counting D．observing A　解析：A項意為“澆水”；B項意為“切下”；C項意為“計算”；D項意為“觀察”。根據(jù)常識及語境可知，Payeng通過每天早晚為竹子幼苗澆水開始創(chuàng)造森林。故選A。 9．A.change

48、 B．destroy C．a(chǎn)dd D．improve D　解析：根據(jù)上文Payeng將紅蟻帶到沙洲中可知，他希望就此改良土壤。D項意為“改善，提高”，符合題意。故選D。 10．A.throw B．introduce C．put D．send B　解析：根據(jù)語境可知，竹子開始生長之后，Payeng決定引入一些其他的樹種。introduce...into為固定用法，意為“將……引進(jìn)，加入”。故選B。 11．A.unique B．ridiculous C

49、．strange D．stubborn A　解析：A項意為“獨特的，唯一的”；B項意為“荒謬的”；C項意為“奇怪的”；D項意為“固執(zhí)的”。根據(jù)上文可知，Payeng通過種植竹子來創(chuàng)造森林，因此他的方法是獨特的。故選A。 12．A.bears B．includes C．shelters D．hides C　解析：A項意為“忍受”；B項意為“包括”；C項意為“給……提供遮蔽”；D項意為“隱藏”。根據(jù)下文中“numerous birds，and wild animals”可知，綠色的森林可以為小鳥和野

50、生動物提供遮蔽處。故選C。 13．A.unaccepted B．unnoticed C．discovered D．disapproved B　解析：A項意為“不被接受的”；B項意為“未被注意的”；C項意為“發(fā)現(xiàn)”；D項意為“不支持”。根據(jù)上下文可知，Payeng的森林直到2008年才被注意到。not...until為固定短語，意為“直到……才”。故選B。 14．A.studied B．researched C．came from D．came across D　解析：根據(jù)語境可知，Payeng的森

51、林一直未被注意到，直到一些官員偶然發(fā)現(xiàn)它。短語come across意為“偶然遇到”，符合語境。故選D。 15．A.forest B．hero C．bamboo D．tree A　解析：根據(jù)語境可知，官員驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)沙洲里居然有這么一大片森林。故選A。 16．A.sorry B．disappointed C．a(chǎn)mazed D．mad C　解析：根據(jù)上文中的“surprised”可知，官員不只是對沙洲里的森林感到驚訝，對它的創(chuàng)造人也感到驚訝。be amaze

52、d at為固定短語，意為“對……感到驚訝”，符合語境。故選C。 17．A.living B．difference C．wonder D．plan A　解析：根據(jù)下文“by raising cows and selling milk”(靠養(yǎng)牛和賣牛奶)可知，Payeng和他的家人靠在森林里養(yǎng)牛和賣牛奶謀生。make a living為固定短語，意為“謀生”，符合題意。故選A。 18．A.company B．home C．limits D．goals D　解析：根

53、據(jù)下文“planting a second forest on another 1，300-acre sandbar”可知，此處應(yīng)指Payeng給自己設(shè)定的目標(biāo)。goal意為“目標(biāo)”，符合題意。故選D。 19．A.anxious B．optimistic C．worried D．curious B　解析：A項意為“焦慮的”；B項意為“樂觀的”；C項意為“擔(dān)心的”；D項意為“好奇的”。根據(jù)上文“but”表轉(zhuǎn)折可知，雖然種出另一片森林要花費他另一個三十年，但是Payeng對此持樂觀態(tài)度。故選B。 20．A.determinedly

54、 B．hesitantly C．calmly D．loudly A　解析：根據(jù)上文可知，Payeng對種出另一片森林充滿信心，因此此處指Payeng堅定地說道。determinedly意為“堅定地”，符合題意。故選A。 閱讀理解 A Eight years ago，back in 2010，some reports covered a story that the world’s longest railway tunnel was under construction in Switzerland.At that point it h

55、ad already been under construction for over a decade.It had been voted to be built nearly a quarter of a century ago！The idea to build it could date back to nearly 70 years ago—about as old as some of your grandparents! Yesterday，it was finally ready! It’s about 35 miles long and runs 7，500 feet b

56、eneath the Swiss Alps，a famous mountain range in Switzerland.It even runs under an old tunnel that was there before.It took a total of 17 years to build at a cost of$12 billion！28 million tons of rock were dug.Two million truckloads of earth were removed! The tunnel connects northern and southern E

57、urope.The opening of this tunnel was such a big deal that the Germany’s leader，Chancellor Angela Merkel，F(xiàn)rance’s president，F(xiàn)rancois Hollande，and Italy’s prime minister，Matteo Renzi，were all there to celebrate，as was Austria’s chancellor Christian Kern. It’s called the Gotthard Base Tunnel.Eventuall

58、y，325 freight and passenger trains will go through the tunnel，relieving a lot of traffic on the roadways there and making it a more environmentally friendly option.The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a wonder of engineering and makes us want to visit it! 【解題導(dǎo)語】　本文介紹了戈特哈德隧道的建成及其相關(guān)情況和由此帶來的意義。 1．When did peo

59、ple first have the idea of building the tunnel? A．About 70 years ago. B．Half a century ago. C．Twenty-five years ago. D．Seven years ago. A　解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段中的最后一句可知，大約70年前人們第一次有建造該隧道的想法。故選A項。 2．What can we learn about the tunnel? A．It used to be an old tunnel. B．It has just been completed. C．It

60、 connects all European countries. D．It runs over a range of mountains. B　解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第二段“Yesterday，it was finally ready！”可知，該隧道剛剛竣工。故選B項。 3．What may be the purpose of building the tunnel? A．To improve traffic. B．To increase employment. C．To attract donation. D．To stop pollution. A　解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)

61、第五段中的“relieving a lot of traffic on the roadways there and making it a more environmentally friendly option”可知，該鐵路隧道修建的目的是緩解交通壓力。故選A項。 4．What can be inferred about the tunnel? A．It will cause conflicts among countries. B．It will be of little benefit to the locals. C．It may do damage to the envir

62、onment. D．It may become a tourist attraction. D　解析：推理判斷題。根據(jù)最后一句中的“makes us want to visit it”可推知，該鐵路隧道可能會成為一個旅游勝地。故選D項。 B One of the biggest social issues in Japan is the increasingly low marriage rates among young people and the low birth rates, which lead to an aging and eventually shrinking(萎縮

63、) population. Most young Japanese women simply don’t seem interested in having many children. Now what began in Japan is happening globally. As David Brooks wrote, birth rates are becoming lower in much of the world, from Iran—1.7 births per woman—to Russian, where low birth rates connected with hi

64、gh death rates mean the population is already shrinking. And this includes the U．S., which has long had higher birth rates than most developed nations. Aging countries will face the burden of caring for large elderly populations without a larger resource of young workers. It’s true that global agin

65、g is going to present some major challenges. Who will take care of the elderly? Will an older world be less active and slower to change and adapt? It’s all true. Sometimes I worry about a coming generational war over resources, just as I worry about how I will take care of my own parents in their ol

66、d age, just as I worry about who might take care of me. But here’s the thing: an older world may have less pressure on the environment. As we all know, the environment is the real victim of overpopulation. So maybe a world that grows slower and grows older will put less pressure on the environment, and buy us a few more years to ensure our energy use, along with our birth rates, reaches a sustainable(可持續(xù)的) level. After all, we’re supposed to get smarter as we get older. Hopefully that holds t