单选题
America put more people in prison in the 1990s than in any decade in its history. That started a debate over the wisdom of spending billions of dollars to keep nearly 2 million people locked up. According to statistics, the United States ends 1999 with 1983084 men and women in prisons. That shows an increase of nearly 840,000 prisoners during the 1990s and makes the United States the country with the highest prisoner population in the world. With the cost of housing a prisoner at about ＄20,000 a year the cost in 1999 for keeping all these prisoners behind bars is about ＄ 39 billion. Some experts argue that the money is well spent, saying the cost of keeping prisoners behind bars doesn't seem much in comparison in the 1990s coincided with (与……相一致) a steady drop in the US crime rates. It is reported that serious crime has decreased for seven years in a row. "There are noticeable number of people who don't do crimes because they don't want to go to prison," they say.
单选题
There is a heated debate among American experts because ______. A. America has put 2 million people in prison B. the cost for housing a prisoner keeps rising C. billions of dollars has been spent on prisoners D. the prisoner population is the largest in the world
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】此处为因果关系，根据第一段第一句，America put more people in prison in the 1990s than in any decade in its history作出该项选择。
单选题
From the first paragraph, we learn that ______. A. the number of prisoners in America is increasing B. America has the largest prison in the world C. crime in America is getting much more serious D. it is easy for a person to be locked up in America
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】根据第一段第四句，That shows an increase of nearly 840, 000 prisoners during the 1990s and makes the United States the country with the highest prisoner population in the world作出该项选择。选项B“the largest prison”与原文不符；选项C“crime is getting much more serious”与原文不符；选项D“easy”不恰当。
单选题
In 1999, the government spent about ＄ 39 billion to ______. A. improve the prison conditions B. keep men and women in prison C. build houses for prisoners D. maintain the prisons
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】根据第一段最后一句，the cost in 1999 for keeping all these prisoners behind bars is about ＄39 billion作出该项选择。these prisoners指men and women。
单选题
Some experts argue that the money is well spent because ______. A. crime will cost more money to society B. the government can well afford the money C. the number of prisoners is not really large D. prisoner population decreased in the 1990s
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】根据第二段第一句，saying the cost of keeping prisoners behind bars doesn't seem much in comparison in the 1990s coincided with a steady drop in the US crime rates作出该项选择。选项C和D与原文不符，选项B文中未提及。
单选题
The author's attitude towards the government's policy is ______. A. negative B. doubtful C. positive D. unknown