单项选择题
| In its most extreme form, poverty is a
lack of basic human needs, such as adequate and nutritious food, clothing,
housing, clean water, and health services. Extreme poverty can cause terrible
suffering and death, and even poverty can prevent people from realizing many of
their desires. The world’s poorest people--many of whom live in developing areas
of Africa, Asia, Latin America. and Eastern Europe--struggle daily for food,
shelter, and other necessities. They often suffer from severe
malnutrition(营养不良), infectious disease outbreaks, famine, and war. In wealthier
countries--such as the United States, Canada, Japan, and those in Western
Europe--the effects of poverty may include poor nutrition, mental illness, drug
dependence, crime, and high rates of disease. Extreme poverty, which threatens people’s health or lives, is also known as destitution or absolute poverty. Relative poverty is the condition of having fewer resources or less income than others within a society or county, or compared to worldwide averages. The reasons for poverty are not clear. Some people believe that poverty results from a lack of adequate resources on a global level--resources such as land, food, and building materials--that are necessary for the well-being or survival of the world’s people. Other see poverty as an effect of the uneven distribution Of resources around the world on an international or even regional scale. This second line of reasoning helps explain why many people have much more than they need to live in comfort, while many others do not have enough resources to live. |