近年来，虽然有少数国家的人口下降了，但还有很多国家的人口在高速增长，所以世界总人口仍在稳步增加。这给全球的可持续发展带来了巨大挑战。
Global population approaching 8 billion
by Erin Davis & Brandon Griggs
It took thousands of years for the global population to hit 5 billion, which happened in 1987. Some 32 years later, we're closing in on 8 billion.
global /ˈɡləʊb(ə)l/ adj. 全球的、全世界的
hit /hɪt/ v. 达到
billion /ˈbɪljən/ n. 十亿
some /sʌm/ adv. 大约（用在数字之前）
close in 逼近
This explosive growth concerns leaders at the United Nations, who created World Population Day in 1989 to raise awareness about the problems caused by overpopulation. The holiday is observed annually on July 11.
explosive /ɪkˈspləʊsɪv/ adj. 爆炸般的、激增的
growth /ɡrəʊθ/ n. 增长
concern /kənˈsɜːn/ v. 使担心、使担忧
awareness /əˈweənəs/ n. 认识、意识（由aware加后缀-ness变成名词）
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成
overpopulation /ˌəʊvəˌpɒpjuˈleɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 人口过多（由population加上表示过度的前缀over-）
observe /əbˈzɜːv/ v. 庆祝、纪念
annually /ˈænjuəli/ adv. 一年一度地（由annual加后缀-ly变成副词）
The planet's population today is 7.7 billion. How mind-bogglingly huge is that number? If you started now and ticked off 7.7 billion seconds, you wouldn't be done until the year 2263. And by 2050, the world is projected to add another 2 billion people. If we have issues with overpopulation now, just imagine the future impact on the planet.
mind-bogglingly /ˈmaɪndˌbɒɡ(ə)lɪŋli/ adv. 难以置信地、难以理解地
tick off 勾选（列表中的一项）
project /prəˈdʒekt/ v. 预计
imagine /ɪˈmædʒɪn/ v. 想象
impact /ˈɪmpækt/ n. 显著影响
Here's a closer look at some global population trends. According to the UN, 27 countries or areas have seen their populations shrink by 1 percent or more since 2010. This drop is caused by sustained lower levels of fertility, most notably in countries like China and Japan.
shrink /ʃrɪŋk/ v. 收缩、缩小
sustain /səˈsteɪn/ v. 持续、使持续
level /ˈlev(ə)l/ n. 水平、数量
fertility /fəˈtɪləti/ n. 生育
notably /ˈnəʊtəbli/ adv. 特别、显著地
In fact the global fertility rate fell from 3.2 births per woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019 and is projected to decline further. But these shrinkages are dwarfed by population booms in other regions.
rate /reɪt/ n. 率、比率
decline /dɪˈklaɪn/ v. 下降、减少
shrinkage /ˈʃrɪŋkɪdʒ/ n. 收缩、缩小（由shrink加后缀-age变成名词）
dwarf /dwɔːf/ v. 使显得矮小、使相形见绌
boom /buːm/ n. 繁荣、激增
The population of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, is projected to double by 2050. And nine countries – India, Nigeria（尼日利亚）, Pakistan（巴基斯坦）, the Democratic Republic of the Congo（刚果）, Ethiopia（埃塞俄比亚）, Tanzania（坦桑尼亚）, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States – will make up more than half the projected growth of the global population between now and 2050, according to a 2018 study.
sub-Saharan 撒哈拉沙漠以南的
double /ˈdʌb(ə)l/ v. 加倍、翻倍
India /ˈɪndiə/ n. 印度
democratic /ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/ adj. 民主的
republic /rɪˈpʌblɪk/ n. 共和国
Indonesia /ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ n. 印度尼西亚（东南亚国家）
Egypt /ˈiːdʒɪpt/ n. 埃及（非洲国家）
make up 组成、构成
Global life expectancy is expected to increase from 72.6 years to 77.1 years in 2050. But life expectancy at birth in the least developed countries lags 7.4 years behind the global average. The UN says this is largely because of high levels of child and maternal mortality along with the HIV epidemic and violence in areas torn by conflict.
life expectancy /ɪkˈspekt(ə)nsi/ 预期寿命
lag /læɡ/ v. 落后、滞后
largely /ˈlɑːdʒli/ adv. 基本上、在很大程度上
maternal /məˈtɜːn(ə)l/ adj. 孕妇的、产妇的
mortality /mɔːˈtæləti/ n. 死亡数量、死亡率
along with 加上、连同
HIV 艾滋病病毒
epidemic /ˌepɪˈdemɪk/ n. （传染病）爆发、大流行
violence /ˈvaɪəl(ə)ns/ n. 暴力
torn by 被…破坏
conflict /ˈkɒnflɪkt/ n. 冲突、武装冲突
Many of these countries are growing too crowded. And overpopulation can contribute to such social and environmental problems as global warming, resource depletion（消耗）, pollution, overcrowding, malnutrition（营养不良）, gender inequality and the spread of deadly disease.
contribute /kənˈtrɪbjuːt/ to something 是某事的原因之一
environmental /ɪnˌvaɪr(ə)nˈment(ə)l/ adj. 环境的（由environment加后缀-al变成形容词）
resource /ˈriːsɔːs/ n. 资源
overcrowding /ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ/ n. 过度拥挤
gender /ˈdʒendə(r)/ n. 性别
inequality /ˌɪnɪˈkwɒləti/ n. 不平等（由equality加上表示否定的前缀in-）
spread /spred/ n. 传播、扩散
deadly /ˈdedli/ adj. 致命的、致死的
Our population patterns also show another alarming trend: We're aging. In 2018, we hit another milestone – for the first time ever, people over 65 globally outnumber children under 5. By 2050, one in four people living in Europe and North America could be 65 or over. Because of increasing life expectancy and falling fertility rates, people are reproducing less and living longer.
pattern /ˈpæt(ə)n/ n. 模式
alarming /əˈlɑːmɪŋ/ adj. 令人担心的
age /eɪdʒ/ v. 变老
milestone /ˈmaɪlstəʊn/ n. 里程碑
globally /ˈɡləʊb(ə)li/ adv. 全球地、全世界地（由global加后缀-ly变成副词）
outnumber /aʊtˈnʌmbə(r)/ v. 数量超过
reproduce /ˌriːprəˈdjuːs/ v. 生育、繁殖
This seems like it would be an all-around good deal. But it's bad for the global economy because there are proportionally（按比例地） fewer working-age people and more elderly people, who drive up health care costs.
all-around 全面的、全方位的
deal /diːl/ n. 交易、买卖
economy /ɪˈkɒnəmi/ n. 经济
drive up 推高（价格等）
health care 健康照护、医疗服务
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