Passage　6

The　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　a　large　population　have　long　been　a　subject　of　discussion　among　economists¹.It　has　been　argued　that　the　supply　of　good　land　is　limited.To　feed　a　large　population,inferior　land　must　be　cultivated　and　the　good　land　worked　intensively.Thus,each　person　produces　less　and　this　means　a　lower　average　income　than　could　be　obtained　with　a　smaller　population.Other　economists　have　argued　that　a　large　population　gives　more　scope　for　specialization　and　the　development　of　facilities　such　as　ports,roads　and　railways,which　are　not　likely　to　be　built　unless　there　is　a　big　demand　to　justify²　them.
One　of　the　difficulties　in　carrying　out　a　world-wide　birth　control　program　lies　in　the　fact　that　official　attitudes　to　population　growth　vary　from　country　to　country　depending　on　the　level　of　industrial　development　and　the　availability　of　food　and　raw　materials.In　the　developing　country　where　a　vastly　expanded　population　is　pressing　hard　upon　the　limits　of　food,space　and　natural　resources,it　will　be　the　first　concern　of　government　to　place　a　limit　on　the　birthrate,whatever　the　consequences　may　be.In　the　highly　industrialized　society　the　problem　may　be　more　complex.A　decreasing　birthrate　may　lead　to　unemployment　because　it　results　in　a　declining　market　for　manufactured　good.When　the　pressure　of　population　on　housing　declines,prices　also　decline　and　the　building　industry　is　weakened.Faced　with　considerations　such　as　these,　the　government　of　a　developed　country　may　well　prefer　to　see　a　slowly　increasing　population,rather　than　one　which　is　stable　or　in　decline.


A　small　population　may　mean　_____　.[ANSWER]
A)higher　productivity,but　a　lower　average　income
B)lower　productivity,but　a　higher　average　income
C)lower　productivity,and　a　lower　average　income
D)higher　productivity,and　a　higher　average　income


According　the　the　passage,a　large　population　will　provide　a　chance　for　developing　_____　.[ANSWER]
A)agriculture
B)transport　system
C)industry
D)national　economy


In　a　developed　country,people　will　perhaps　go　out　of　work　if　the　birthrate　_____　.[ANSWER]
A)goes　up
B)is　decreasing
C)remains　stable
D)is　out　of　control


According　to　the　passage　slowly　rising　birthrate　perhaps　is　good　for　_____　.[ANSWER]
A)a　developing　nation
B)a　developed　nation
C)every　nation　with　a　big　population
D)every　nation　with　a　small　nation


It　is　no　easy　job　to　carry　out　a　general　plan　for　birth　control　throughout　the　world　because　_____　.[ANSWER]
A)there　too　many　underdeveloped　countries　in　the　world
B)underdeveloped　countries　have　low　level　of　industrial　development
C)different　governments　have　different　views　of　the　question
D)even　developed　countries　may　have　complex　problems