42. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. the number of OCPs will rise in the future

B. the number of OCPs will drop in the future

C. the OCPs are not quite ready for raising their young

D. more NOCPs prefer doing a job to raising children

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C★★

What is the color of the universe? Astronomers had not answered this question until two months ago. That is when two American astronomers reported on their study of all the light in the universe. They said that the universe would appear to the human eye to be a light greenish color, called turquoise(青绿色).

Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, reported their finding in January. They presented the research at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society. They said that finding the color of the universe was not part of their serious scientific research. They did it for fun.

However, earlier this month, the scientists admitted to making a mistake. They said their finding was much more colorful than it should have been. They now say the light from our universe is closer to white. It is more like a milky or creamy white color.

Their study attempted to show what people might see if they could observe the universe from far away. The scientists found the average color by combining light from about two-hundred-thousand star systems. Their information came from an observatory in New South Wales, Australia.

These scientists and color engineers attempted to reproduce the result. Mark Fairchild of the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York was the first person to identify a mistake. He discovered a mistake in the computer software program used by the Johns Hopkins scientists.

When the mistake was corrected, the results changed. The new color of the universe is much less colorful. It is very close to white. The scientists have apologized for the mistake. They are now working with the Rochester Institute of Technology to produce more images of the color of the universe. They also asked for suggestions for a name for the new color of the universe.

41. How many young parents in the survey are the only child?

A. 1800.　　　　 B. 800.　　　　　　　　　 C. 1982.　　　　　　　　　　　 D. 720.　

40. Which of the following is mainly discussed in the passage above?

A. The only-child generation problem.　

B. How to raise children of the only-child generation.

C. Differences between OCPs and NOCPs.　

D. Little emperors and queens.　　　　　　　

39. Which of the following best describes the problem mentioned in the passage?

A. There are more old people and fewer young people in the work force.

B. There are more young people and fewer old people in the work force.

C. European countries and Japan have lost people because of wars.

D. Women are losing the ability to give birth to children. 　 　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B★

The “only child” generation is coming of age, as they become parents, according to a recent survey. The young parents tend to be better prepared for raising their children than older generations, despite previously having been criticized as “little emperors and queens” during their childhood, an expert says.

The survey, conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, found some 40 per cent of 1,800 young parents aged 20 to 40 are the only child in their families. The figure is expected to reach a peak in the next five to six years, as a census(人口普查) in 1982 indicated that more than 81 per cent of children born that year are the only child at home.

“Differences are obvious in many aspects between only-child parents (OCP) and non-only-child parents (NOCP),” said Bao Leiping, a doctor with the Institute of Youth and Juvenile Studies under the social sciences academy.

Approximately 17 per cent of OCPs preferred a career when asked to choose between a career and children. The figure for NOCPs is about 11 percent. “The only-child-turned parents put more emphasis on themselves than NOCPs, and are more dependent,” said Bao.

More than 45 per cent of OCPs live with their parents compared with 28 percent among NOCPs. “The grandparents shoulder a lot of responsibilities for OCPs, which allows them more time and energy to explore new ways to educate their babies,” she said.

Some 46 per cent of OCPs have used the Internet to search for information about education, 7.2 per cent higher than NOCPs. In addition, OCPs put more emphasis on educating their children on values, manners and social conduct.

38. Russia and France are used as examples in the sixth paragraph to show that _____.

A. they are trying to increase birthrate　 B. the problem will never be solved

C. they are very rich countries　　　　 　　 D. women in those countries are luckier

37. Which is NOT a reason for a country’s declining of population?

A. Suffering from natural disasters.　 　

B. Women’s stopping to have enough children.

C. Being at war with other countries.　 　　　 D. The attack by certain diseases.

36. The underlined word in the fourth paragraph can be replaced by _____.

A. increase　　　　　　 B. rise　　　　　　　　　 C. expand　　　　　　　　　　 D. decrease

34. A. position　　　　 B. difference　　　　　　　　 C. relationship　　　　 D. situation

33. A. do　　　　　　　　　　　 B. help　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. give　　　　　　　　　 D. take