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  3. In most people’s mind, growth is associated with prosperity. We judge how well the economy is doing by the size of the Gross Nat

In most people’s mind, growth is associated with prosperity. We judge how well the economy is doing by the size of the Gross Nat

admin2014-06-13  73
问题     In most people’s mind, growth is associated with prosperity. We judge how well the economy is doing by the size of the Gross National Product(GNP), a measure, supposedly, of growth. Equally axiomatic, however, is the notion that increased pressure on dwindling natural resources must inevitably lead to a decline in prosperity, especially when accompanied by a growth in population. So, which is correct?
    What growth advocates mean, primarily, when they say growth is necessary for prosperity is that growth is necessary for the smooth functioning of the economic system. In one arena the argument in favor of growth is particularly compelling and that is with regard to the Third World. To argue against growth, other than population growth, in light of Third World poverty and degradation seems callous. But is it? Could it be that growth, especially the growth of the wealthier countries, has contributed to the impoverishment, not the advancement, of Third World countries? If not, how do we account for the desperate straits these countries find themselves in today after a century of dedication to growth?
    To see how this might be the case we must look at the impact of growth on Third World countries— the reality, not the abstract stages-of-economic-growth theory advocated through rose-colored glasses by academicians of the developed world. What good is growth to the people of the Third World if it means the conversion of peasant farms into mechanized agri-businesses producing commodities not for local consumption but for export, if it means the stripping of their land of its mineral and other natural treasures to the benefit of foreign investors and a handful of their local collaborators, if it means the assumption of a crushing foreign indebtedness, the proceeds of which goes not into the development of the country but into the purchase of expensive cars and the buying of luxurious residence in Miami?
    Admittedly, this is an oversimplification. But the point, I believe, remains valid; that growth in underdeveloped countries cannot simply be judged in the abstract; it must be judged based on the true nature of growth in these societies, on who benefits and who is harmed, on where growth is leading these people and where it has left them. When considered in this way, it just might be that in the present context growth is more detrimental to the well-being of the wretched of the earth than beneficial.
    So, do we need growth for prosperity? Only the adoption of zero growth can provide the answer. But that is a test not easily undertaken. Modern economies are incredibly complex phenomena, a tribute to man’s ability to organize and a challenge to his ability to understand. Anything that affects their functioning, such as a policy of zero growth, should not be proposed without a wan’ prudence and a self-doubting humility. But if the prospect of leaping into the economic unknown is fear-inspiring, equally so is the prospect of letting that fear prevent us from acting when the failure to act could mean untold misery for future generations and perhaps environmental catastrophes which threaten our very existence.
Which of the following statements does the author support?
选项 A、Gross National Product is a safe measure for economic growth.
B、Diminishing natural resources will prove harmful to the well-being of humanity.
C、A decline in prosperity will inevitably lead to a growth in population.
D、Growth in population will be a chief threat to economic prosperity.
答案B
解析 细节题。第一段第三句指出，同样不言自明的是，如果再给越来越少的自然资源施加压力，将肯定不可避免地影响繁荣发展，特别是再加上人口的增长因素。将这一句话与第三段第二句结合起来就能更好地理解其含义。第三段第二句话的意思是：如果增长意味着将耕地变成机械化的农业综合企业(agribusiness)，不是为本国的消费而是为出口生产商品；如果增长意味着从它们(指第三世界国家)的土地上掠夺走矿物和其他自然资源，去满足国外投资者及其少部分当地合作者的利益；如果增长意味着(第三世界国家)不得不承受巨额的海外债务，而这些债务的
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