共用题干

共用题干
第一篇

Why So Many Children

In many of the developing countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.The reason for
this is simple.Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from 3.0 to 7.0 children per woman.The
majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources to care for their families.Why do they have so
many children?Why don't they limit the size of their families?There are several reasons for this.
One reason is economic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families are helpful.Having more
children means having more workers in the fields and someone to take care of the parents in old age.In an
industrial economy,the situation is different.Many children do not help a family;instead,they are an ex-
pense.Thus,industrialization has generally brought down the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,which was
industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of the twentieth century,Italy was a poor,largely
agricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War II,Italy's economy was rapidly modernized and
industrialized. By the end of the century,the birth rate had dropped to 1.3 children per woman,the world's lowest.
However,the economy is not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia,for exam-
pie,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birth rate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia,on the other hand,are
poor countries,with largely agricultural economies,but they have recently reduced their population growth.
Clearly,other factors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.A high birth
rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.This would explain the high
birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture gives women little education or independence and few
possibilities outside the home.On the other hand,the improved condition of women in Mexico,Thailand,and
indonesia explains the decline in birth rates in these countries.Their governments have taken measures to
provide more education and opportunities for women.
Another key factor in the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families but have no
way to do so.In countries where governments have made birth control easily available and inexpensive,birth
rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,Sri Lanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,
Mexico,and Brazil.In these countries,women have also been provided with health care and help in planning
their families.These trends show that an effective program to reduce population growth does not have to de-
pend on better economic conditions.

Saudi Arabia is mentioned because it shows that_________.
A:the most important factor influencing birth rate is the economy
B:women who have a high income usually have few children
C:the birth rate depends on per capita income
D:factors other than the economy influence birth rate