New global estimates, based on improved data, show about 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, including an estimated 2.5 million children under 15 years old. About 5 million people were infected in 2003 and more than 3 million have died.

Peter Piot, head of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, (UNAIDS) said: "The AIDS epidemic continues to expand; we haven´t reached the limit yet. More people have become infected this year than ever before and more people have died from AIDS than ever before. It is the first cause of death in Africa and the fourth cause of death worldwide."

China has stepped up its battle against HIV/AIDS in recent months, pledging free drugs to people in the countryside and poor urban residents who have the disease. China´s ministry of health has warned that if stronger HIV/AIDS prevention measures are not taken, 10 million people could be HIV-positive by 2010.

According to the UNAIDS, as much as 40 per cent of the population - approximately five-hundred million persons - don´t know how to protect themselves against the virus. In some areas, up to 10 per cent were HIV-positive and they estimated that 8.5 million people have sexually transmitted infections in the same year. 206

1. Which of the following accounts for the biggest amount of HIV/AIDS?

A. Children under 15. B. Adults.

C. People were infected in 2003.  D. The died.

2. From Peter Piot remark we know that the AIDS epidemic

A. continues to expand in Africa.  B. will continues to expand worldwide.

C. is the first cause of death worldwide. D. can never be stopped.

3. What does “step up” mean? (Para. 3)

A. walk close to B. come up with

C. increase in size or speed  D. climb onto

4. “The population” in the last paragraph refer to

A. the world population B. the Chinese population

C. the HIV/AIDS population D. five-hundred million persons

5. What is the tone of the passage?

A. optimistic  B. pessimistic

C. subjective D. objective

答案：C B C C D