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