2015考研英语阅读理解精读P6—历史学2015考研英语阅读理解精读P6—历史学.docVIP

2015考研英语阅读理解精读P6—历史学 　Passage 6 　　We now must address two questions: Firstly，where on Earth is the population problem the worst? It is my opinion that the world’s worst population problem is right here in the United States. This is because of our high per capita resource consumption. It has been estimated that a person added to the population of the United States will have 30 or more times the impact on world resources as will a person added to the population of an underdeveloped nation. Indeed, resource consumption in North America is roughly the same as resource consumption in the entire rest of the world. 　　Secondly，where should we apply our efforts to have the most beneficial effect in helping to solve the population problem? 　　The answer is, right here in the U.S. 　　For many people, the population problem is a problem of “those people” in distant undeveloped countries. In early 1997, many people successfully lobbied Congress to restore family planning assistance in the U.S. foreign aid programs. This was a great victory, but it treats “those people” as though they were the big problem. 　　Unchecked population growth in the Third World means depletion of water resources. It means famine. It means suffering. It pushes populations to clear rainforests. It pushes populations to go out and graze on land that cannot sustain cattle, and that leads to expansion of deserts worldwide. We all have a stake in the global environment. 　　It is so easy to blame the problem on others and to identify what other people should do to solve the problem,while we ignore our own responsibilities and avoid doing anything to reduce the population problem in the U.S.. We need to work to stop population growth in the U.S.. 　　There are two sources that contribute approximately equally to population growth in the U.S.: the excess of births over deaths, and immigration. Both of these must be addressed. 　　Let’s compare three aspects of efforts to stop population growth in other countries with