It has been forecast that, by the middle of the twenty-first century _____.

Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct answers

The dramatic growth of the world's population in the twentieth century was on a scale without parallel in human history. Most of this growth had occurred since 1950 and was known as the population 'explosion'. Between 1950 and 1980 the world population increased from 2.5 to over 4 billion, and by the end of the twenty century the figure had risen to about 6.6 billion. Growth of this size cannot continue indefinitely. Recent forecasts suggest that the total population will level out at between 10 and 15 billion in the mid twenty first century. Already there are encouraging signs that the rate of increase in many less developed countries is beginning to slow down.

It has been forecast that, by the middle of the twenty-first century _____.

• A. various measures will have been taken to encourage population growth
• B. the world population will be stabilized at around 10 to 15 billion
• C. the population growth rate in less developed countries will be much higher
• D. the rate of population increase will have doubled the 1950 rate