______ the flood has receded, people can move back into their homes.
A.Due to
B.So that
C.Although
D.Now that

If the level of VAT is ______this year, small businesses will be affected.
A.raised
B.risen
C.arisen
D.raising

The world's population is ______ to be over 7 billion by 2010.
A.blamed
B.reached
C.claimed
D.

______ millions of women want to limit the size of their families, they know of no safe way to have fewer children.
A.Because
B.When
C.Despite
D.Although

Most of the fresh water is ______ at the North and South Poles.
A.flowed
B.boiled
C.run
D.frozen

China is one of the most ______ populated areas in the world.
A.perfectly
B.completely
C.wastefully
D.

Like many other baby birds, ducklings are blind _______ birth.
A.of
B.on
C.at
D.from

The rapid growth of population led to an acute _______ of housing.
A.shortfall
B.shortage
C.shortcoming
D.shortcut

One third of the world's population _______ two thirds of the world's resources.
A.
B.consumes
C.absorbs
D.

Choose the word which is stressed differently from the rest.
A.average
B.method
C.decrease
D.resource