19．Urbanization
Until relatively recently，the vast majority of human being lived and died without ever seeing a city．The first city was probably founded no more than 5，500years ago．（36）EIn fact，nearly everyone lived on farms or in tiny rural （乡村的） villages．It was not until the 20th century that Great Britain became the first urban society in history-a society in which the majority of people live in cities and do not farm for a living．
Britain was only the beginning．（37）DThe process of urbanization-the migration （迁徙） of people from the countryside to the city-was the result of modernization，which has rapidly transformed how people live and where they live．
In 1900，fewer than 40% of Americans lived in urban areas．Today，over 82% of Americans live in cities．Only about 2% live on farms．（38）BLarge cities were impossible until agriculture became industrialized．Even in advanced agricultural societies，it took about ninetyfive people on farms to feed five people in cities．（39）AUntil modern times，those living in cities were mainly the ruling elite （精英） and the servants，laborers and professionals who served them．Cities survived by taxing farmers and were limited in size by the amount of surplus（过剩）food that the rural population produced and by the ability to move this surplus from farm to city．
Over the past two centuries，the Industrial Revolution has broken this balance between the city and the country．（40）FToday，instead of needing ninetyfive farmers to feed five city people，one American farmer is able to feed more than a hundred nonfarmers．
A．That kept cities very small．
B．The rest live in small towns．
C．The effects of urban living on people should be considered
D．Soon many other industrial nations became urban societies．
E．But even 200years ago，only a few people could live in cities．
F．Modernization drew people to the cities and made farmers more productive．
G．Modern cities have destroyed social relations and the health of human beings．
分析 本文为说明文，介绍了城市化的形成与发展．第一座城市很可能建于5500年以前，甚至是在200年以前，也只有少数的人生活在城市里．英国是第一个成为城市化社会的国家，许多别的工业国家也开始效仿英国，成为城市化的社会．在过去的两百年里，工业革命打破了城乡之间的平衡．现代化把更多的人吸引到城市里来，使得农民更加多产．
解答 36．E 推理判断题．根据前一句"The first city was probably founded no more than 5，500 years ago"可知，此处讲的是以前城市的情况，即第一座城市仅仅是5500年才出现的，甚至200年前，也只有很少一部分人生活在城市中．其他几个选项没有关于以前城市的描述．故选择E．
37．D 推理判断题．根据前一句的"Britain was only the beginning"可知，英国只是个开始，关键词beginning，因此后面出现的是soon，句意为，英国只是个开始，很快，其他工业国家也变成了城市化社会．
38．B 推理判断题．根据前一句的"Today，over 82% of Americans live in cities．Only about 2% live on farms"目前，超过82%的美国人住在城市，只有2%的人住在农场，剩下大约16%的人住在哪里呢？因此可以推断出，下一句讲述的是the rest即，其余的人住在什么地方．故选B，意为其余的人住在城镇里．
39．A 推理判断题．根据前一句的"It took about ninety-five people on farms to feed five people in cities"可知，要有95个人在农场里工作，才能养活5个城市里的人，因此城市里居住的人肯定要少，规模肯定很小，因此选择A项，意为这种原因导致了城市规模很小．
40．F 推理判断题．前一句提到Over the past two centuries，the Industrial Revolution has broken this balance between the city and the country：在过去的两百年里，工业革命打破了城乡之间的平衡．后一句提到：现在的情况不是需要95个农民养活5个城市人，在美国1个农民就能养活100多个非农民．那中间只能填F项：现代化把更多的人吸引到城市里来，使得农民更加多产．
点评 题目涉及多道细节理解题，做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析，推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案，切忌胡乱猜测，一定要做到有理有据．
