Throughout history, people have been the victims of pickpockets. Today, pickpocketing is one of the most rapidly increasing crimes. Pickpockets are increasing in number and developing better methods to apply their skill. Approximately, one million Americans lose money to pickpockets every year, and no one is really safe from a skilled pickpocket. His victims, or "marks" as they are called, can be rich or poor, young or old.
During the 18th century, pickpockets were hanged in England. Large crowds of people would gather to watch the hanging which was supposed to be a warning to other pickpockets. However, in time the practice was continued. The reason: while people were concentratively watching the hanging of a pickpocket other pickpockets skillfully stole the money of the spectators!
Police officials say that most efficient pickpockets come from South America. Many of these expert pickpockets are trained in special schools called "Jingle Bell School". A pickpocket graduates from a J. B. S. when he is able to steal a wallet from a dressed dummy (mannequin) that has bells inside its pockets.
Even the most well-dressed, respectable person may be a pickpocket. Some of the favorite places of pickpockets are banks, airports, racetracks, supermarkets, elevators, and train and bus stations. Usually a pickpocket will work with another pickpocket as his partner. Another kind of pickpocket works outside or inside bars and specializes in stealing from persons who have had too much alcohol to drink. The pickpocket that specialized in stealing from women is called a "purse snatcher".
To avoid being the victim of a pickpocket, it is important to be very cautious and alert when in the midst of large gatherings of people.
A. Banks and supermarkets.
B. Trains and bus stations.
C. Post offices and hospitals.
D. Elevators and airports.
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The world’s population keeps growing. There now are about 4 billion of us on earth. That could reach 6 billion by the end of the century and 11 billion in a further 75 years. Experts have long been concerned about such a growth. Where will we fund the food, water, jobs, houses, schools and health to care for all these people
A major new study shows that the situation may be changing. A large and rapid drop in the world’s birth rates has taken place during the past 10 years. Families generally are smaller now than they were a few years ago. It is happening in both developing and industrial nations.
Researchers said they found a number of reasons for this. More men and women are waiting longer to get married and are using birth control devices and methods to prevent or delay pregnancy. More women are going to school or working at jobs away from home instead of having children. And more governments, especially in developing nations, now support family planning programs to reduce population growth.
China is one of the nations that have achieved great progress in reducing its population growth. China has already cut its rate of population growth by about one half since 1970.
Each Chinese family is now urged to have no more than one child. And the hope is to reach a zero population growth with the total number of births equaling the total number of deaths by the year 2003.
Several nations in Europe already have fewer births than deaths. Experts said that these nations could face a serious shortage of workers in the future. And the persons who are working could face much higher taxes to help support the growing number of retired people.
A. There has been a slower population growth in the past ten years.
B. The world’s rate is higher than ten years ago.
C. Families are as large as before.
D. Birth control has been carried out well all over the world.
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