8．The number of young people in Africa is growing．So is the number of older people in Asia．The share of the elderly-those aged sixty-five plus in total population-as well as relative to the working age population is steadily increasing across Asia．
Japan has the world's oldest population.30% of Japanese are older adults．In recent weeks，Japanese political leaders have been asked how they plan to care for the growing number of older adults．By 2030，the number of older adults in Singapore will rise 200% from current levels．This year，the government in Singapore released a song dealing with a population issue..It urges young people to produce more children to help end a drop in fertility．The song is fun，but the problem is serious．The government is offering to pay up to three thousand two hundred fifty dollars for each of the first two children．It will pay almost five thousand dollars for the third and fourth children．In Thailand，the population older than 65rose to just over 7% in 2010from 3.6% in 1975．Thailand's family planning efforts have led to much-smaller families．In the 1960s，mothers had an average of 5to 6children．Now，that number has fallen to 1.5．That is well below the number of births needed to keep the population count unchanged．
Steep population aging means an increased demand for income security，health and long-term care，which creates huge socio-economic and cultural challenges that will need to be addressed with a strong political and appropriate social policy．Other changes include reforming，social security systems in developed countries．Another is creating social safety systems in developing nations where traditional family support systems are disappearing．The most cost-effective and humane thing a society can do for its older citizens is to invest in their health so they can remain active．
47．What is the main point the author makes in the text？B
A．The population growth in Asia．
B．The population aging in Asia．
C．Population and economy in Asia．
D．Family planning policies in Asia．
48．The underlined word in the second paragraph meansA．
A．birthrate
B．economy
C．benefit
D．wealth
49．If a Singaporean couple are raising four children of their own，how many dollars will they receive from the government？C
A.6，500．
B.8，250．
C.11，500．
D.16，500．
50．The author implies in the text thatB．
A．economic productivity is falling in Asian
B．population aging can create some problems
C．Asia should learn from Africa in the population policy
D．governments should spend much money on young citizens．
分析 本文主要以日本和新加坡为例讲述了亚洲的老龄化问题，以及老龄化人口的急剧增加可能引发的各种社会问题．
解答 47-50 BACB
47．B 主旨大意题 从第一段The number of young people in Africa is growing．So is the number of older people in Asia．及全文讲解内容可知，本文讲述的是亚洲人口老龄化的问题，故答案为B
48．A 词义猜测题 根据It urges young people to produce more children to help end a drop in fertility．可知，他们催促年轻人多生孩子来结束出生率的下降，可知fertility与birthrate意思相近，故答案为A
49．C 数字计算题 根据The government is offering to pay up to three thousand two hundred fifty dollars for each of the first two children．It will pay almost five thousand dollars for the third and fourth children．可知，前两个孩子每人3250美元，第三、四个孩子总共接近5000美元，可以计算出四个孩子应该领到3250*2+5000=11500，故答案为C
50．B 推理判断题 根据最后一段Steep population aging means an increased demand for income security，health and long-term care，可知，急剧老龄化的人口会增加健康医疗收入等的需求，处理不当会增加社会问题，故答案为B
点评 做阅读时经常犯错的主要原因是，仅凭读过文章后残留在脑海中的一丝印象来勾选答案，这样便很容易掉入出题人故意设布下的题目陷阱．所谓阅读理解，对于题目的理解一定要忠实于原文，因此，每一道题都应该与原文作全面的对比与核查，再得出答案．也就是说，阅读理解的每一道题目，在原文都应该有明确的出处，我们把这一出处叫做原文相关句，（1）排除与原文相关句主题不一致的选项（2）排除与原文相关句态度相反的选项 （3）排除用于过于极端或负面的选项（4）注意结合文章主旨和主题去排除．
