A、It has been shrinking. B、It has been local. C、It depends on import. D、It relies on the government. C

Cities in sub-Saharan Africa are growing rapidly. But will this lead to economic growth? According to a recent World Bank report, the low level of regional and international trade is one of the main reasons why African cities are relatively poor. The report suggests that trade in these cities has remained local because most countries in sub-Saharan Africa depend on natural resource exports, leaving urban economies without tradable goods and turning them into “consumption cities. ” Spatial disorganization is also a key factor; due to inadequate public transport and infrastructure, these cities are some of the costliest places in the world to live and do business. The report urges African policymakers and governments to act quickly to reform land markets and regulations. Early and coordinated infrastructure investments that improve urban transport and allow interdependence among sites, structures, and basic services could help build more connected, productive, and prosperous African cities.
    Another recent World Bank report says that urbanization in Africa “has been late, but it has been fast. ” In many Ffrican countries, national institutions are weak, and industrialization, funding, and services are low. To build a sustainable urban space, the authors call for more environmentally friendly urban planning and an improved understanding of urbanization’s impact on the environment. Developing innovative financial planning schemes, such as payments for ecosystem services, would enable cities to recover the costs of more sustainable urban environment from those who benefit the most from using these resources. The report urges us to address these knowledge and technical gaps soon, because once the ecosystem is degraded, the value of the services it provides may be lost forever.
    Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
    12. What does the speaker say about cities in sub-Saharan Africa?
    13. What does the report say about trade in poor African cities?
    14. What does the first report appeal to African policymakers and governments to do?
    15. What is the purpose of environmentally friendly urban planning?