阅读理解。
Have you ever imagined what the world will be like in the near future? A recent study shows that the
world in 2100 will be more crowded, more polluted and less stable ecologically than the world we live in
now. Visible ahead is serious stress involving population, resource and environment. Despite greater food
output, people in the world will be poorer in many ways than they are today.
For hundreds of millions of the extremely poor, the outlook for food and other necessities of life will
be no better, for many it will be worse.
While the economies of the developing countries are expected to grow at a faster rate than those of
the industrialized nation, the total national product per head in most less developed countries remains low.
The existing gap between the rich and poor nations will further widen.
World food production is estimated to increase by 90 percent from 2000 to 2100. Most of that increase
goes to the countries that already have relative higher per-head food consumption. Mean-while, per-head
consumption of food in the developing countries will scarcely improve or will actually fall far below the
present inadequate level. What is worse is that prices for food are expected to double.
As a result, many less developed countries will have increasing difficulties meeting energy needs. For
the one quarter of mankind that depends primarily on wood for fuel, the outlook is not hopeful.
Regional water shortage will become more severe. In the 1970-2100 period population growth will
require twice as much water as it does today in nearly half the world. Still greater increases would be needed
to improve standards of living. Development of new water supply will become more costly.
1. According to the passage, in 2100 although output of food will be greater, _____.
A. people will have sufficient food supplies
B. the resource will become more than enough
C. in most developing countries people will have less food than they have today
D. the living standards of the world's population will improve greatly
2. According to the author, in 2100 for many poor people, _____.
A. things will get even worse
B. things will be a little better
C. it will be necessary for them to improve their housing
D. it will be impossible to obtain enough necessities of life
3. In the 2000-2100 period, the large proportion of global increase of food production goes _____.
A. to 90 percent as estimated
B. to any country in the world that needs it
C. to developing countries
D. to those countries that already have high per-head consumption
4. The passage is mainly concerned about _____.
A. the future problems in the world
B. water and air pollution
C. water and food shortages
D. food production and consumption
