阅读理解 With 950 million people, India ranks second to China among the most populous(人口多的) countries. But since China launched a family planning program in 1971, India has been (47) the gap. Indians have reduced their birth rate but not nearly as much as the Chinese have. If current growth rates continue, India''s population Will (48) China''s around the year 2028 at about 1.7 billion. Should that happen, it won''t be the (49) of the enlightened women of Kerala, a state in southern India. While India as a whole adds almost 20 million people a year, Kerala''s population is virtually (50) . The reason is no (51) : nearly two thirds of Kerala women practice birth control, compared with about 40% in the entire nation. The difference lies in the emphasis put on health programs, including birth control, by the state authorities. And an educational tradition and matrilineal (母系的) customs in parts of Kerala help girls and boys get (52) good schooling. While one in three Indian women is (53) , 90% of those in Kerala can read and write. Higher literacy rates (54) family planning. "Unlike our parents, we know that we can do more for our children if we have fewer of them," says Leila Cherian, 33, who lives in the village of Kudamaloor. She has limited herself to three children—one below the (55) average of four. That kind of restraint (抑制；克制) will keep Kerala from putting added (56) on world food supplies. WORD BANK [A] stable [F] flexible [K] foster [B] widening [G] closing [L] mystery [C] educated [H] exceed [M] national [D] pressure [I] equally [N] advocate [E] fault [J] general [O] officially

【正确答案】 G

【答案解析】开篇句指出中国人口最多，印度次之，隐含的意思是两国之间有差距；空格所在句中But语义转折，指出中国于1971年开始实行计划生育，导致的结果肯定是中国人口增加速度在减慢，这样印度就在缩小与中国人口之间的差距，故选[G] closing“缩小”而不是[B] widening。本题同时提醒大家注意dose／widen与gap的搭配关系，可以与gap搭配的动词还有narrow，bridge等。

【正确答案】 H

【答案解析】本空需要填入一个及物动词。联系上文，第一段一直在将印度人口与中国人口数量做比较，上一句已经指出，印度对人口出生率虽有控制，但不如中国那么有成效。本句假设的情况是“如果按现在的人口出生率继续增长下去”，推测导致的结果可能就是印度的人口会在2028年超过中国，故选[H] exceed“超过”。

【正确答案】 E

【答案解析】本题需要与50题联系起来解答，同时从语篇角度分析。本段转入对Kerala州人口增长状况与全国人口增长状况的比较。联系下文可看出，此州的人口状况比全国的人口增长稳定，因此空铬所在句说明，即使印度的人口再飞速增长，也不是因为这个州妇女的过错，因为该州人口增长并不快，故选[E]。

【正确答案】 I

【答案解析】本空需要填入一个副词，equally与officially均可以入选，但从语义上分析，但根据句内隐含的因果关系，既然Kerala州有教育的传统和母系氏族的习俗，就不难判断出，此州的女孩能得到和男孩同样好的教育，所以选equally“相等的，平等的”，排除officially“官方地，正式地”。

【正确答案】 A、K

【答案解析】本题考查词语的搭配关系，所填词的主语是higher literacy rates，宾语是family planning，更高的文化水平自然有助于进行人口控制，所以选foster“培养，鼓励”。干扰项[N] advocate“提倡，鼓吹”与主观性名词搭配，即多以人作为主语，而不能是要句中的higher literacy rates。