说明
the population of ... is/are
核心问题
（1）The population of the earth ____ increasing very fast.
A. are B. have been C. had been D. is
(2) One third of the population here ____ workers.
A. was B. were C. are D. is(《高中英语语法练习手册》,外研社,p.10)
试题(1)的答案为 D(is)，而试题(2)的答案却为 C(are)。这使我感到莫名其妙。
词典解答
试题(1)只能选D(is)。而试题(2)却有两个正确答案C(are)和D(is)，可见后一试题不够恰当。详情见 population ，percent 。