A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International. Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time (01:55GMT) in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies. The United Nations estimated that on Monday 31 October, the world's population would reach seven billion.

Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia. At the same time, low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages.

Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October 1999. They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century. China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest. India is second at 1.2 billion. But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025.

India will also have one of the world's youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. Also, the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India's children under the age of five are malnourished（营养不良）.

Michal Rutkowski, the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. He says, "I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to become really, really serious about sex equality and about access to services -- to fight against malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water and schooling."

36. What is true about the world's seven billionth person?

A. Baby Nargis is not the only child chosen as the seven billionth baby.

B. Baby Nargis has been chosen carefully so it is exactly the seven billionth baby

C. Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all declared Baby Nargis as the seven billionth baby.

D. The United Nations declared Baby Nargis born in India's Uttar Pradesh state as the world's seven billionth person.

37. Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about?

A. Labor shortage.

B. Poor health care

C. Not enough jobs

D. schooling of poor quality

38. According to population experts, how long will it take for population to grow from six billion to nine billion?

A. About 12 years.

B. About 40 years.

C. About 50 years.

D. About 110 years.

39. What does the underlined phrase “demographic dividend” in the fourth paragraph refer to?

A. Possibility of lower birth rate.

B. Benefit gained by working age people

C. Chances for more employment.

D. Disadvantages caused by aging population.

40. Which of the following public policies does Michal Rutkowski call on?

A. To encourage late marriage.

B. To reduce world’s population.

C. To gain economic equality.

D. To improve health and education.

E

Would you believe that the first outstanding deaf teacher in America was a Frenchman? His name was Laurent Clerc. He became a friend of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and together they founded America' s first school for the deaf,

Laurent Clerc was born in a small village near Lyons, France, on December 26, 1785. When he Was one year old, he fell into a fire, losing both his hearing and his sense of smell.

At 12, Laurent entered the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris where he excelled in his studies. After he graduated, the school asked him to stay on as an assistant teacher.

Meanwhile, in America, Thomas Hopkins Gallandet was studying to be a minister. He was very concerned about the lack of educational opportunities for the deaf. Therefore, in 1815, Gallaudet sailed to London, England to seek ideas on how to teach deaf people. While he was there, he met a French educator of the deaf who invited him to go to Paris to spend three months learning at the Royal Institution for the Deaf, the school where Laurent Clerc was teaching. Gallaudet accepted the offer. The two worked and studied well together. When the time came for Gallaudet to return, he asked Clerc to come with him. Clerc accepted on one condition: that he would stay in America only a short time.

The two men set sail on June 18, 1816. The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took 52 days; however, Clerc and Gallaudet put the time to good use. Clerc studied English, and Gallaudet studied sign language. They discussed the school for the deaf which they planned to open. On the long trip, they had many conversations about education and deafness. The year after they arrived, they founded a school for the deaf in Harford, Connecticut.

At the school, Clerc led a busy life. He taught signs to Principal Gallaudet; he taught the pupils; and he taught hearing men who came to the school to study deaf education.

In 1819, Clerc married Eliza Crocker Boardman, one of his pupils. They had six children. He retired from teaching in 1858. Although he had intended to return to France, he never did. He died on July 18, 1869 in the United States.

72. Why did Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet sail to London?

A. He needed to finish his studies to become a minister.

B. It was the easiest way to get to France.

C. He wanted to study their system of deaf education.

D. He wanted to marry Alice Cogswell.

73. From the information in this passage we can infer that ________.

A. Laurent Clerc was an intelligent man

B. Clerc had difficulties learning language

C. Clerc married Eliza in order to get his Green Card

D. Clerc was paid well because he made such important contributions to society

74. On their trip from Paris to America, Clerc and Gallaudet ________.

A. played cards and socialized

B. studied and discussed their plans for a deaf school

C. founded a school for the deaf

D. Gallaudet studied English and Clere studied Sign Language

75. Which is the right order of the things Clerc did?

A. Met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married, went to school in Paris.

B. Met Gallaudet, went to school in Paris, moved to America, got married,

C. Went to school in Paris, met Gallaudet, moved to America, got married.

D. Got married went to school in Paris met Gallaudet moved to America.