Đề kiểm tra chất lượng ôn thi THPT Quốc gia môn Tiếng Anh Lớp 12 - Năm học 2017-2018 - Đề số 301

 SỞ GD&ĐT VĨNH PHÚC
TRƯỜNG THPT LIỄN SƠN
(Đề thi gồm: 05 trang)
ĐỀ KTCL ÔN THI THPT QUỐC GIA NĂM 2017-2018
Môn: TIẾNG ANH – ĐỀ SỐ 301
Thời gian làm bài: 60 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề
Họ và tên thí sinh:. SBD:
Find the word whose underlined part (marked A, B, C, or D) is pronounced differently from the others of the same group.
Question 01. A. loves 	B. cooks 	C. joins 	D. spends	
Question 02. A. weighed 	B. laughed 	C. helped 	D. missed
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose stress pattern is different from that of the rest in each of the following questions.
Question 03. A. experimental	B. geothermal	C. elementary	D. geographical
Question 04. A. attendance	B. compulsory	C. geography	D. similar
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction.
Question 05. The wave lengths of ultraviolet light are short than those of visible light but longer than those of X-rays.
	A. lengths 	B. short 	C. those 	D. but
Question 06. Hundreds of parts to complete fossil skeletons of Triceratops have been gather in North America from rocks of the late Cretaceous period.
	A. Hundreds of	B. to complete	C. gather	D. rocks
Question 07. By measuring the rate of decay of potassium isotopes in volcanic ash, scientists can date the layers of volcanic ash and any human remain in they.
	A. measuring	B. can date	C. remain	D. they
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 08. We___________ won the game if we’d had a few more minutes.
A. have	B. will	C. had	D. could have
Question 09. A number of political prisoners____________ since Independent Day.
A. have been released	B. have released	C. was released 	D. has been released
Question 10. The street is very noisy, ____________ makes sleeping difficult.
A. which	B. what	C. that	D. it
Question 11. You need a passport to cross the_________ between Mexico and the United States.
A. edge	B. line	C. border	D. rim
Question 12. When you________ your destination, your tour guide will meet you at the airport.
A. arrive	B. get	C. reach	D. achieve 
Question 13. Rachel is mad____________ the Eurovision.
A. about	B. for	C. from	D. against
Question 14. We are pleased to announce that Keith Danish____________ replace Susan Williams as Operations Manager from 24th September.
A. does	B. is about to 	C. is to	D. is due
Question 15. Make sure you mix the ingredients well, _______ you might get lumps in your cake.
A. unless	B. otherwise	C. provided	D. supposing
Question 16: He managed to keep his job_________ the manager had threatened to sack him.
 	A. therefore	 	B. Although C. unless 	D. despite
Question 17: It is possible__________ may assist some trees in saving water in the winter.
 	A. to lose leaves 	B. that the loss of leaves 
C. the leaves are lost 	D. when leaves have lost
Question 18. Dr. Parker gave my mum a lovely____________ for spaghetti carbonara.
A. receipt	B. recipe	C. prescription 	D. paper
Question 19. I glanced at the newspaper and saw that the____________ said “President Resigns”.
A. headline	B. heading 	C. subtitle	D. chapter
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions
Question 20: No one but the experts was able to realize that the painting was an imitation. It greatly resembled the original.
A. It was obvious that only a person with great talent could fake a painting so successfully.
B. It was hard for ordinary people to judge between the fake painting and the real one, but not for the experts.
C. It was almost impossible for amateurs to realize that the painting was not authentic, though the experts could judge it quite easily.
D. The painting looked so much like the authentic one that only the experts could tell it wasn't genuine.
Question 21: The new restaurant looks good. However, it seems to have few customers.
A. In order to get more business, the new restaurant should improve its appearance.
B. The new restaurant would have more customers if it looked better.
C. If it had a few more customers, the new restaurant would look better.
D. In spite of its appearance, the new restaurant does not appear to attract much business.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Question 22: A house in that district will cost at least $ 100,000.
A. If you have $ 100,000, you can buy a house in that district.
B. You won't be able to buy a house in that district for less than $ 100,000. 
C. $ 100,000 is the maximum price for a house in that district.
D. You won't be able to buy a house in that district for more than $ 100,000.
Question 23: The president offered his congratulations to the players when they won the cup.
A. The President congratulated the players on their winning the match. 
B. The President would offered the players congratulations if they won the match.
C. The President congratulated that the players had won the cup.
D. When they won the cup, the players had been offered some congratulations from the President.
Question 24: To get to work on time, they have to leave at 6.00 a.m.
A. They have to leave very early to catch a bus to work.
B. They always leave for work at 6.00 a.m.
C. Getting to work on time, for them, means leaving at 6.00 a.m. 
D. Leaving at 6.00 am, they have never been late for work.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the bold underlined part in each of the following questions. 
Question 25. Because of cutbacks in council spending, plans for the new swimming pool had to be shelved.
 	A. stopped	B. canceled	C. disapproved	D. delayed
Question 26. She is eighteen, so by law her father cannot prevent her marriage.
 	A. avoid	B. forestall	C. defeat	D. fail
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the bold underlined part in each of the following questions. 
Question 27. The International Organizations are going to be in a temporary way in the country.
A. permanent	B. guess	C. complicated	D. soak
Question 28. My little daughter would spend an inordinate amount of time in the shop, deciding exactly which 4 comics she was going to buy.  
A. excessive 	B. limited 	C. required	D. abundant
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete each of the following exchanges.
Question 29. - James: “Thank you for a lovely evening.” 	- Michael: “___________________.”
 	A. You are welcome	B. Have a good day	C. Thanks	D. Cheer	
Question 30. - Jane: “I’m sorry. It’s late. I must go now. Bye-bye.” 
 - Peter: “____________________.”
 	A. You are welcome	B. Goodbye. See you soon	
C. Not at all	D. Hello
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. 
As Christmas evolved in the United States, new customs were adopted and many old ones were reworked. The legend of Santa Claus, for example, had origins in Europe and was brought by Dutch settlers to New York in the early 18th century. Traditionally, Santa Claus - from the Dutch Sinter Klaas - was depicted as a tall, dignified, religious figure riding a white horse through the air. Known as Saint Nicholas in Germany, he was usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. In North America he eventually developed into a fat, jolly old gentleman who had neither the religious attributes of Saint Nicholas nor the strict disciplinarian character of Black Peter.
Santa’s transformation began in 1823, when a New York newspaper published the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, which Clement Clark Moore had written to amuse his daughter. The poem introduced many Americans to the story of a kindly saint who flew over housetops in a reindeer-drawn sleigh. Portraits and drawings of Santa Claus by American illustrator Thomas Nast further strengthened the legend during the second half of the 19th century. Living at the North Pole and assisted by elves, the modern Santa produced and delivered toys to all good children. By the late 19th century he had become such a prominent figure of American folklore that in 1897, when Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the New York Sun newspaper asking if Santa was real, she received a direct answer: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”.
Question 31. Who brought the legend of Santa Claus to the USA according to the passage?
A. Sinter Klaas	B. Saint Nicholas	C. A German	D. Dutch settlers 
Question 32. Santa Claus was traditionally described as a__________.
A. tall man who could walk through the air 	B. fat, jolly, old man
C. religious figure 	 D. fat man riding a white horse
Question 33. Santa Claus in North America was depicted as___________. 
A. a man with the strict disciplinarian character of Black Peter
B. a good old man with less religious character 
C. one with religious attributes of Saint Nicholas
D. a jolly man on horseback
Question 34. Who was Black Peter?
A. an elf accompanying Saint Nicholas	C. one of the disobedient children
B. an elf who rode a white horse	D. a popular traditional figure
Question 35. What word is closest in meaning to “attributes”? 
A. symbols of a person 	B. natural qualities C. effects	 D. outer appearance
Question 36. Where did the legend of Santa Claus come from?
A. the North Pole	 	B. Europe C. North America	D. New York City
Question 37. The answer “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” is an illustration for the fact that ____________.
A. the New York Sun was popular with children
B. Santa Claus was a prominent figure at that time
C. newspapers are unreliable
D. Virginia O’Hanlon was a reader of the New York Sun
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer for each of the blanks.
The tourist industry is (38)____________ to be the largest industry. Before 1950 one million people travelled abroad each year but by the 1900s the figure had rosen to 400 million every year. (39)____________ large numbers of tourists, however, are beginning to cause problems. For example, in the Alps the skiers are destroying the mountains they came to enjoy. Even parts of Mount Everest in the Himalayas are reported to be covered (40)____________ old tins, tents, and food that have been thrown away.
 	But at a time when we have (41)____________ freedom to travel than ever before, more and more people are asking how they can enjoy their holidays without causing problems by spoiling the countryside. Now there is a new holiday guide called "Holidays That Don't Cost The Earth". It tells you how you can help the tourist industry by asking your travel agent the right questions (42)____________ you go on holiday.
Question 38. A. seen	B. figured 	C. regarded	D. considered
Question 39. A. The	B. These	C. Such 	D. Those	
Question 40. A. by	B. with	C. under	D. beneath
Question 41. A. larger	B. better 	C. greater	D. bigger
Question 42. A. after 	B. before	C. when	D. as soon as
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. 
WHY SO MANY CHILDREN?
 	The rapid population growth in less developed countries is a result of high birth rates. Women in these countries have many children on average. Why do they have such large families, when feeding and caring for them can be a problem? The answer may often be that they have no choice. Many factors make it difficult for women to limit the size of their families.
 	Economics undoubtedly plays an important role. In poor countries, a large family is necessary for economic survival. More children mean more hands for work. They also mean someone to take care of the parents in old age. In industrialized countries, on the other hand, children do not increase family income. Instead, they are an expense. Furthermore, people in these countries usually do not depend on their children in their old age.
However, economics cannot entirely explain birth rates. Saudi Arabia, for example, has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world, but it also has a very high birth rate (7.0). Mexico and Indonesia also do not follow the general rule. Though they are poor countries, they have reduced their population growth by 53 percent and 25 percent in recent years.
 	Clearly, other factors are involved. These factors may relate to the economic situation, but not necessarily. Population experts now believe that the most important of these factors is the condition of women. A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.
 	This would explain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia. Traditional Arab culture gives women little education or independence and few possibilities outside the home. It also explains the decline in birth rates in Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia. Their governments took measures to improve education for women and opportunities for them outside the home. Another key factor in the birth rate is the availability of birth control. Women may want to limit their families, but have no way to do so. In Ireland, for example, birth control is illegal. Not surprisingly, Ireland has the highest birth rate in Europe. Where governments have made birth control easily available, on the other hand, birth rates have gone down. This is the case in Singapore, Sri Lanka, and India, as well as in Indonesia, Thailand, and Mexico. In these countries women have also been provided with health care and help in planning their families.
 	Yet another factor to influence birth rate is infant mortality. (Infant mortality is the percentage of babies who die in their first year.) In industrialized countries infant mortality is around 1.5 percent. In less developed countries, however, it can be 20 percent or more. Fearing the loss of some children, women are encouraged to have more.
 	Thus, an effective program to reduce population growth must work in many areas. But above all it must be aimed at women and their needs. Only then does it have any chance of success.
Question 43. This passage is about____________.
 	A. women in less developed countries 	B. how economics can influence the birth rate
 	C. population growth 	D. the main factors that influence the birth rate
Question 44. In poor countries, ____________.
 	A. the birth rate is usually low 	B. the birth rate is usually high
 	C. the per-capita income is usually high 	D. children are an expense for the family
Question 45. In industrialized countries, children____________.
 	A. are an expense for the family 	
B. help to care for their parents in old age
 	C. do not usually depend on their parents 	
D. are necessary for economic survival
Question 46. According to the passage, Saudi Arabia is a____________.
 	A. rich country with a low birth rate 	B. poor country with a high birth rate
 	C. poor country with a low birth rate 	D. rich country with a high birth rate
Question 47. We can infer from this passage that women generally prefer to____________.
 	A. work at home 	B. have no children 	
C. have smaller families 	D. have large families
Question 48. One reason for the high birth rate in Ireland is that____________.
 	A. birth control is not easily available 	B. birth control is easily available
 	C. many women work outside the home 	D. infant mortality is high
Question 49. Which is NOT a factor that influences the birth rate?
 	A. Economics 	B. Culture 	C. Infant mortality 	D. Children’s role
Question 50. According to the passage, what do Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia have in common?
 	A. They have high per-capita incomes and high birth rates. 	
B. Birth control is illegal.
 	C. Their governments give more advantages to women. 	
D. They do not fear the loss of children.
_________THE END_________
 SỞ GD&ĐT VĨNH PHÚC
TRƯỜNG THPT LIỄN SƠN
(Đề thi gồm: 05 trang)
ĐỀ KTCL ÔN THI THPT QUỐC GIA NĂM 2017-2018
Môn: TIẾNG ANH – ĐỀ SỐ 301
Thời gian làm bài: 60 phút, không kể thời gian phát đề
Họ và tên thí sinh:. SBD:
Find the word whose underlined part (marked A, B, C, or D) is pronounced differently from the others of the same group.
Question 01. A. loves 	B. cooks 	C. joins 	D. spends	
Question 02. A. weighed 	B. laughed 	C. helped 	D. missed
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose stress pattern is different from that of the rest in each of the following questions.
Question 03. A. experimental	B. geothermal	C. elementary	D. geographical
Question 04. A. attendance	B. compulsory	C. geography	D. similar
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction.
Question 05. The wave lengths of ultraviolet light are short than those of visible light but longer than those of X-rays.
	A. lengths 	B. short 	C. those 	D. but
Question 06. Hundreds of parts to complete fossil skeletons of Triceratops have been gather in North America from rocks of the late Cretaceous period.
	A. Hundreds of	B. to complete	C. gather	D. rocks
Question 07. By measuring the rate of decay of potassium isotopes in volcanic ash, scientists can date the layers of volcanic ash and any human remain in they.
	A. measuring	B. can date	C. remain	D. they
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Question 08. We___________ won the game if we’d had a few more minutes.
A. have	B. will	C. had	D. could have
Question 09. A number of political prisoners____________ since Independent Day.
A. have been released	B. have released	C. was released 	D. has been released
Question 10. The street is very noisy, ____________ makes sleeping difficult.
A. which	B. what	C. that	D. it
Question 11. You need a passport to cross the_________ between Mexico and the United States.
A. edge	B. line	C. border	D. rim
Question 12. When you________ your destination, your tour guide will meet you at the airport.
A. arrive	B. get	C. reach	D. achieve 
Question 13. Rachel is mad____________ the Eurovision.
A. about	B. for	C. from	D. against
Question 14. We are pleased to announce that Keith Danish____________ replace Susan Williams as Operations Manager from 24th September.
A. does	B. is about to 	C. is to	D. is due
Question 15. Make sure you mix the ingredients well, _______ you might get lumps in your cake.
A. unless	B. otherwise	C. provided	D. supposing
Question 16: He managed to keep his job_________ the manager had threatened to sack him.
 	A. therefore	 	B. Although C. unless 	D. despite
Question 17: It is possible__________ may assist some trees in saving water in the winter.
 	A. to lose leaves 	B. that the loss of leaves 
C. the leaves are lost 	D. when leaves have lost
Question 18. Dr. Parker gave my mum a lovely____________ for spaghetti carbonara.
A. receipt	B. recipe	C. prescription 	D. paper
Question 19. I glanced at the newspaper and saw that the____________ said “President Resigns”.
A. headline	B. heading 	C. subtitle	D. chapter
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions
Question 20: No one but the experts was able to realize that the painting was an imitation. It greatly resembled the original.
A. It was obvious that only a person with great talent could fake a painting so successfully.
B. It was hard for ordinary people to judge between the fake painting and the real one, but not for the experts.
C. It was almost impossible for amateurs to realize that the painting was not authentic, though the experts could judge it quite easily.
D. The painting looked so much like the authentic one that only the experts could tell it wasn't genuine.
Question 21: The new restaurant looks good. However, it seems to have few customers.
A. In order to get more business, the new restaurant should improve its appearance.
B. The new restaurant would have more customers if it looked better.
C. If it had a few more customers, the new restaurant would look better.
D. In spite of its appearance, the new restaurant does not appear to attract much business.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Question 22: A house in that district will cost at least $ 100,000.
A. If you have $ 100,000, you can buy a house in that district.
B. You won't be able to buy a house in that district for less than $ 100,000. 
C. $ 100,000 is the maximum price for a house in that district.
D. You won't be able to buy a house in that district for more than $ 100,000.
Question 23: The president offered his congratulations to the players when they won the cup.
A. The President congratulated the players on their winning the match. 
B. The President would offered the players congratulations if they won the match.
C. The President congratulated that the players had won the cup.
D. When they won the cup, the players had been offered some congratulations from the President.
Question 24: To get to work on time, they have to leave at 6.00 a.m.
A. They have to leave very early to catch a bus to work.
B. They always leave for work at 6.00 a.m.
C. Getting to work on time, for them, means leaving at 6.00 a.m. 
D. Leaving at 6.00 am, they have never been late for work.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the bold underlined part in each of the following questions. 
Question 25. Because of cutbacks in council spending, plans for the new swimming pool had to be shelved.
 	A. stopped	B. canceled	C. disapproved	D. delayed
Question 26. She is eighteen, so by law her father cannot prevent her marriage.
 	A. avoid	B. forestall	C. defeat	D. fail
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the bold underlined part in each of the following questions. 
Question 27. The International Organizations are going to be in a temporary way in the country.
A. permanent	B. guess	C. complicated	D. soak
Question 28. My little daughter would spend an inordinate amount of time in the shop, deciding exactly which 4 comics she was going to buy.  
A. excessive 	B. limited 	C. required	D. abundant
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete each of the following exchanges.
Question 29. - James: “Thank you for a lovely evening.” 	- Michael: “___________________.”
 	A. You are welcome	B. Have a good day	C. Thanks	D. Cheer	
Question 30. - Jane: “I’m sorry. It’s late. I must go now. Bye-bye.” 
 - Peter: “____________________.”
 	A. You are welcome	B. Goodbye. See you soon	
C. Not at all	D. Hello
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. 
As Christmas evolved in the United States, new customs were adopted and many old ones were reworked. The legend of Santa Claus, for example, had origins in Europe and was brought by Dutch settlers to New York in the early 18th century. Traditionally, Santa Claus - from the Dutch Sinter Klaas - was depicted as a tall, dignified, religious figure riding a white horse through the air. Known as Saint Nicholas in Germany, he was usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. In North America he eventually developed into a fat, jolly old gentleman who had neither the religious attributes of Saint Nicholas nor the strict disciplinarian character of Black Peter.
Santa’s transformation began in 1823, when a New York newspaper published the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, which Clement Clark Moore had written to amuse his daughter. The poem introduced many Americans to the story of a kindly saint who flew over housetops in a reindeer-drawn sleigh. Portraits and drawings of Santa Claus by American illustrator Thomas Nast further strengthened the legend during the second half of the 19th century. Living at the North Pole and assisted by elves, the modern Santa produced and delivered toys to all good children. By the late 19th century he had become such a prominent figure of American folklore that in 1897, when Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the New York Sun newspaper asking if Santa was real, she received a direct answer: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”.
Question 31. Who brought the legend of Santa Claus to the USA according to the passage?
A. Sinter Klaas	B. Saint Nicholas	C. A German	D. Dutch settlers 
Question 32. Santa Claus was traditionally described as a__________.
A. tall man who could walk through the air 	B. fat, jolly, old man
C. religious figure 	 D. fat man riding a white horse
Question 33. Santa Claus in North America was depicted as___________. 
A. a man with the strict disciplinarian character of Black Peter
B. a good old man with less religious character 
C. one with religious attributes of Saint Nicholas
D. a jolly man on horseback
Question 34. Who was Black Peter?
A. an elf accompanying Saint Nicholas	C. one of the disobedient children
B. an elf who rode a white horse	D. a popular traditional figure
Question 35. What word is closest in meaning to “attributes”? 
A. symbols of a person 	B. natural qualities C. effects	 D. outer appearance
Question 36. Where did the legend of Santa Claus come from?
A. the North Pole	 	B. Europe C. North America	D. New York City
Question 37. The answer “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” is an illustration for the fact that ____________.
A. the New York Sun was popular with children
B. Santa Claus was a prominent figure at that time
C. newspapers are unreliable
D. Virginia O’Hanlon was a reader of the New York Sun
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer for each of the blanks.
The tourist industry is (38)____________ to be the largest industry. Before 1950 one million people travelled abroad each year but by the 1900s the figure had rosen to 400 million every year. (39)____________ large numbers of tourists, however, are beginning to cause problems. For example, in the Alps the skiers are destroying the mountains they came to enjoy. Even parts of Mount Everest in the Himalayas are reported to be covered (40)____________ old tins, tents, and food that have been thrown away.
 	But at a time when we have (41)____________ freedom to travel than ever before, more and more people are asking how they can enjoy their holidays without causing problems by spoiling the countryside. Now there is a new holiday guide called "Holidays That Don't Cost The Earth". It tells you how you can help the tourist industry by asking your travel agent the right questions (42)____________ you go on holiday.
Question 38. A. seen	B. figured 	C. regarded	D. considered
Question 39. A. The	B. These	C. Such 	D. Those	
Question 40. A. by	B. with	C. under	D. beneath
Question 41. A. larger	B. better 	C. greater	D. bigger
Question 42. A. after 	B. before	C. when	D. as soon as
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions. 
WHY SO MANY CHILDREN?
 	The rapid population growth in less developed countries is a result of high birth rates. Women in these countries have many children on average. Why do they have such large families, when feeding and caring for them can be a problem? The answer may often be that they have no choice. Many factors make it difficult for women to limit the size of their families.
 	Economics undoubtedly plays an important role. In poor countries, a large family is necessary for economic survival. More children mean more hands for work. They also mean someone to take care of the parents in old age. In industrialized countries, on the other hand, children do not increase family income. Instead, they are an expense. Furthermore, people in these countries usually do not depend on their children in their old age.
However, economics cannot entirely explain birth rates. Saudi Arabia, for example, has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world, but it also has a very high birth rate (7.0). Mexico and Indonesia also do not follow the general rule. Though they are poor countries, they have reduced their population growth by 53 percent and 25 percent in recent years.
 	Clearly, other factors are involved. These factors may relate to the economic situation, but not necessarily. Population experts now believe that the most important of these factors is the condition of women. A high birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and low status for women.
 	This would explain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia. Traditional Arab culture gives women little education or independence and few possibilities outside the home. It also explains the decline in birth rates in Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia. Their governments took measures to improve education for women and opportunities for them outside the home. Another key factor in the birth rate is the availability of birth control. Women may want to limit their families, but have no way to do so. In Ireland, for example, birth control is illegal. Not surprisingly, Ireland has the highest birth rate in Europe. Where governments have made birth control easily available, on the other hand, birth rates have gone down. This is the case in Singapore, Sri Lanka, and India, as well as in Indonesia, Thailand, and Mexico. In these countries women h