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  3. There’s good news and bad news about life in modern cities— first, the bad. People who study population growth predict a nightma

There’s good news and bad news about life in modern cities— first, the bad. People who study population growth predict a nightma

admin2019-07-19  41
问题
    There’s good news and bad news about life in modern cities— first, the bad. People who study population growth predict a nightmare by the year 2025: the global population will be more than 8 billion, and almost 4 billion of these people will be living in cities in developing countries such as India and Nigeria. Population growth is already causing unbelievable overcrowding. Nairobi, Kenya, has basic services for 200,000 people but has a population of 5 million. Mexico City is home to almost 25 million people. By the year 2025, population experts predict, 660 million people will be living in cities in India. Due to overcrowding, these cities have problems with air pollution, disease, and crime. People spend hours in gridlock—that is, traffic so horrible that it simply doesn’t move—when they commute daily from their homes to their work and back. There isn’t enough water, transportation, or housing. Many people don’t have access to health services or jobs. Now the good news: in some cities, instead of worsening, urban life is actually getting much better.
    It might not be a surprise to find that life in affluent cities is improving. But what about cities that aren’t rich? The city of Curitiba, Brazil, proves that it’s possible for even a city in a developing country to offer a good life to its residents. The mayor of Curitiba for twenty-five years, Jaime Lem-er, was an architect and a very practical person. Under his leadership, the city planners established a list of priorities—in other words, a list of what was most important to work on. They decided to focus on the environment and on the quality of life. With an average income of only about $ 200 per person per year, Curitiba has the same problems as many cities. However, it also has some creative solutions.
    One creative solution is the method of garbage collection. In neighborhoods that garbage trucks can’t reach, poor people bring bags of trash to special centres. At these centres, they exchange the trash for fresh produce—such as potatoes and oranges—or for bus tickets. At a recycling plant, workers separate bottles, plastic, and cans from other trash. Two-thirds of Curitiba’s garbage is recycled , which is good for the environment. And the plant gives hobs to the poorest people, which improves their lives.
    Due to careful planning, Curitiba does not have the same traffic problems that most cities have. The statistics are surprising. The population has grown—now twice the size it was in 1974— but traffic has actually decreased 30 percent. Curitiba needed a mass—transit system but couldn’t afford an expensive subway. City planners began, instead, with an unusual system of buses in the centre lanes of five wide major streets. At each bus stop, there is a forty-foot-long glass tube. Passengers pay before they enter the tube. Then they get on the bus "subway style" —through wide doors. This allows people to get on and off the bus quickly and efficiently. People don’t crowd onto the bus: loading and unloading takes only thirty seconds. This makes commuting more pleasant and also helps to solve the problem of air pollution.
    Then there is the problem of street children. To help solve this problem, Jaime Lerner talked seriously with owners of factories and stores. Each factory and store owner agreed to take care of a few street children—to give them a meal every day and a small amount of money. In exchange, the children do small, simple jobs in the garden or office. In addition, the city hired teenagers to keep the public parks clean.
    Clearly, overcrowding in big cities worldwide is the cause of serious problems. However, the example of Curitiba provides hope that careful planning and creative thinking can lead to solutions to many of them. Curitiba is truly, as Lewis Mumford once said of cities in general, a " symbol of the possible".
Questions 71 to 75
Complete the summary below with information from the passage, using no more than three words for each blank.
    There’s good news and bad news about life in modern cities. Researchers have estimated that the【E1】______will be more than 8 billion. 4 billion of these people will be living in cities in developing countries such as India and Nigeria. It will cause【E2】______. By the year 2025, with big population living in Indian cities, people will face problems of air pollution, disease and crime. The good news is that in some cities, urban life is actually getting much better.
    Curitiba proves that it is possible for a city in developing countries to offer good life to its residents. The mayor of Curitiba, Jaime Lerner, has come up with lots of solutions to problems ahead of Curitiba. One creative solution is the method of【E3】______. People bring their trash to special centres and exchange it for something useful. The trash is then recycled and put to use again. Besides , Curitiba’s city planners install a forty-foot-long glass tube at each bus stop for passengers to pay the fare before getting on the bus. This not only saves time but also helps to reduce【E4】______. Jaime Lerner also makes effort to help street children. He asks the owners of factories and stores to allow these children to do simple jobs in exchange for【E5】______or some money. In addition, the city hires them to keep the public parks clean.
【E4】
选项
答案air pollution
解析 (根据上下文，此处说到另一个解决方法，就是城市乘车系统。根据原文倒数第三段最后一句“This makes commuting more pleasant and also helps to solve the problem of air pollution”可知，此方法不仅让上下班乘车更舒适，还帮助解决空气污染问题。因此此处填air pollution。)
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本试题收录于： A类竞赛（研究生）题库大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）分类
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大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）

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