How Long Can People Live?
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121 st birthday.
When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s record holder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span（寿命）? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150－or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers. “Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135,” says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. “People can live much longer than we think,” he says. “Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can’t we go higher?”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing. “Anyone can make up a number,” says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. “Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine.”
Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, “adding another 50 percent would get you to 120.”
So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible（有弹性的）, but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. “We can get flies to live 50 percent longer,” he says. “But a fly’s never going to live 150 years.” Of course, if you became a new species （物种）, one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds.
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve （进化）their way to longer life? “It’s pretty cool to think about,” he says with a smile.
72. What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
A. People can live to 122. B. Old people are creative.
C. Women are sporty at 85. D. Women live longer than men.
73. According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ______.
A. the average human life span could be 110
B. scientists cannot find ways to slow aging
C. few people can expect to live to over 150
D. researchers are not sure how long people can live
74. Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
A. Jerry Shay. B. Steve Austad C. Rich Miller D. George Martin
75. What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
A. Most of us could be good at sports even at 120.
B. The average human life span cannot be doubled
C. Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.
D. New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species
This week was busier than usual, and I was very tired today. All I wanted to do was to go home and enjoy a bowl of good hot soup.
But when I saw my daughter’s car, I knew that it was Bryan’s night. Since his parents separated, I had tried to have my six-year-old grandson spend a few hours with me at least once a week. I had always tried to make it a special time for him. We did many interesting things; Bryan loved all these activities, and so did I. But today I had to give up our evening. I said how tired I was feeling. “Bryan, I’m sorry. Tonight I don’t feel like having fun or playing games. We’ll have our night together some other time.” I saw the sadness in Bryan’s eyes. He said, “I like soup, Grandma.” I knew he meant “Please don’t send me away. Please let me stay.” I saw the shadow (阴影) in Bryan’s eyes. Something else was changing. Maybe he thought I wouldn’t want to have him come any more — not tonight, not next week, not ever. Finally, I said OK. I was glad to see his eyes light up. After I put the soup on the stove (炉子) and turned on the TV, I fell asleep.
When I woke up, there was a coat over my legs, and the soup was gone. Bryan was on the floor, reading a coloring book and watching a television show at the same time. The poor boy must have been so bored (烦躁的)! When he found I was awake, he ran over and gave me a big hug. “I love you, Grandma,” he said. “Haven’t we had a nice time together?” His big smile and happy eyes told me that this time he meant exactly what he was saying. That was the keyword — together. We had done nothing exciting or special. But we were together.What does the underlined part (in Paragraph 2) mean?
| A．It was time to cook hot soup for Bryan that night. |
| B．This was the evening when Bryan stayed with his grandma. |
| C．Bryan would have a good rest that night. |
| D．Bryan would stay with his parents that night. |
Why didn’t the author want to stay with her grandson that night at first?
| A．She was too tired to have fun or play games with him. |
| B．She was sick and wanted to have a good rest. |
| C．She was too busy and had to work overtime that night. |
| D．She had to prepare soup for the whole family. |
How many times did the author describe Bryan’s eyes?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
From the passage, we can infer that _____.
| A．Bryan’s parents separated so he had to live with his grandma |
| B．Bryan was sad that night because his grandma didn’t play with him |
| C．the author wouldn’t want to stay with her grandson any more |
| D．the author and her grandson loved each other very much |
阅读表达 （满分 10 分）
(1)The half-empty coffee cups, still standing next to their plates, tell of a morning like others. And yet, that grey covering of dust that everything wears tells a different story: it tells of screams, tears, confusion, terror and blood.
(2)Now the restaurant in the World Trade Center will never again serve breakfast. And never again will all those people go there to eat or work --- those people of America whose faces have entered our hearts. So many people whose faces we associate with life and liveliness _______ tonight. So many words remain unsaid, and so much happiness has been destroyed. In their places are tear-stained faces. My generation has seen this. On Monday, a fight with my sister and a bad grade seemed to be the biggest problems in the world. Tonight, so many people across the country know that America’s pain is at its worst ever. We have read about World War II, and we have seen the black-and-white pictures. But to most students, that’s an event on a textbook page that would never happen today.
(3) After all, this was a time of peace and wealth --- the United States was powerful and successful. There would be no more wars, and we were lucky to live in such a time. But when those planes hit; when firefighters with terror on their faces ran among the parts of the buildings that had fallen; when people screamed for their family members; when history was unfolding before our eyes, in full, clear colour ---- then we knew the world had been changed.
(4) Everything that had happened in the past seemed to take on new life through September 11, 2001. And when they say this is the worst wound in American soil, I say, I thought this place was an empire. And I say, I thought this was a time of peace. And I say, I thought we were safe.
(5) Knowing how many human beings turned to ashes in a second, and seeing some jumps from the buildings, I know that my generation is growing up in a world where mankind can still be evil. But seeing those heroes risk lives among the castle-like ruins, and seeing the eager blood donors at the hospitals, my generation has learned that tears are allowed, that mankind can also be beautiful, and that the ghost of evil will never defeat the spirit of good.Why was the passage written? (no more than 7 words)
List two things that make the writer believe the world is still beautiful. (no more than 15 words)
What does the underlined word “it” refer to? (no more than 8 words)
Fill in the blank with proper words. (no more than 3 words)
What event of the past did September 11 remind the writer of? (no more than 5 words)
Almost a decade ago, the federal government dropped $10 million for an Earth-monitoring satellite that never made it into space. Today it sits in a closet in Maryland. Cost to taxpayers for storing it: $1 million a year. And that's just what's hiding in one closet. Who knows what's in the rest of them?
Because we think the government should be held to at least the same standards as a publicly traded company, and because as taxpayers, we're America's shareholders, we performed an audit （财务检查）of sorts of the federal books. We're not economists, but we do have common sense. We tried to get help from Congressional staffers from both parties, as well as various watchdog groups and agencies. In the end, we found that the federal government wastes nearly $1 trillion every year.
That's roughly equal to the amount collected annually by the Internal Revenue Service in personal income taxes. Put another way, it's also equal to about one-third of the country's $2.9 trillion total annual budget. And reclaiming that lost trillion could help wipe out the country's annual budget deficit（赤字）, improve education, and provide health insurance for those who don't have it.
So how do you define "waste"? David Walker of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a federal watchdog agency, calls it "the government's failure to give taxpayers the most for their money." For our part, we used the kind of household test you would use on a piece of meat sitting in your refrigerator: If it smells rotten, it's waste. Our government regularly pays for products and services it never gets, wildly overpays companies to do things it could do more cheaply itself, loses money outright due to lax（不严格的）accounting and oversight, and spends money randomly on unnecessary programs.
How exactly does the federal government waste your hard-earned tax dollars? We've identified what we consider ten of the worst ways.The underlined sentence in Paragraph1 really means.
| A．there are many other closets | B．there are some other satellites |
| C．there is something else in the closets | D．the waste may be quite amazing |
Which of the following can best describe the feeling of the author?
| A．Annoyed. | B．Calm. | C．Surprised. | D．Not concerned. |
Which of the following statements may be right?
| A．The country’s annual budget is usually decided by the public. |
| B．The government failed in launching the satellite. |
| C．The government is only wasting money in space experiments. |
| D．The amount collected annually in personal income taxes is equal to the country’s budget. |
The best title for the passage would be.
| A．Protecting Our Rights! |
| B．Our Country Is In Danger! |
| C．The Government Is Wasting Our Tax Dollars! |
| D．How to Prevent Government from Wasting Money! |
What might be talked about if the passage is continued?
| A．The government’s taking some steps to stop wasting taxes. |
| B．Presenting people’s feelings against the government’s wasting taxes. |
| C．Giving suggestion to help the government solve the financial problem. |
| D．Listing how the government is wasting taxes. |
Are you a media addict who would go mad after two hours without TV, friend requests, exciting online games and your mobile – or would you easily survive?
Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos, a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. The experiment is now over but he doesn’t yet know the full findings. However, during the experiment, Dr Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said: “They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms(症状), overeating, feeling nervous, isolated and disconnected.” During their 24-hour painful experience, three of the experiment’s guinea pigs had to endure one intrusion(侵扰) from the media: a BBC reporter plus cameraman who followed them around for the day. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline, but of course, they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops. Elliot Day wrote: “Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.” From Caroline Scott, we read: “I didn’t expect it, but being prevented from the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual… I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to, but it’s not something I would like to do again!” And Charlotte Gay wrote: “I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile; not only is it a social tool, it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. And a recent study by Nielson found that on average, US teenagers send and receive over 3,000 texts per month ---that’s about six texts per waking hour. So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?
| A．To ask for information. | B．To entertain the readers. |
| C．To lead to the topic. | D．To present an idea. |
About Dr. Roman Gerodimos’ experiment, we know that ________.
| A．volunteers felt uncomfortable in it. |
| B．volunteers didn’t want to eat anything. |
| C．the experiment was still going on. |
| D．volunteers were allowed to take their laptops. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Three pigs were included in the experiment. |
| B．A BBC reporter discussed the experiment. |
| C．During the 24 hours’ experiment the volunteers wrote out their experiences. |
| D．The lecturer had expected sweat would suddenly appear on the volunteers through fear. |
What does the sentence “…was thrown up into the air” most probably means?
| A．went on normally. | B．was completely disturbed. |
| C．turned out perfect. | D．was badly designed. |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．Surviving without the Media. | B．Unplugging Your Life. |
| C．Valuing Social Communication. | D．Setting Aside Time for Sleep. |
Now let us look at how we read. When we read a printed text, our eyes move across a page in short, jerky movement. We recognize words usually when our eyes are still when they fixate. Each time they fixate, we see a group of words. This is known as the recognition span or the visual span. The length of time in which the eyes stop ---the duration of the fixation ----varies considerably from person to person. It also varies within any one person according to his purpose in reading and his familiarity with the text. Furthermore, it can be affected by such factors as lighting and tiredness.
Unfortunately, in the past, many reading improvement courses have concentrated too much on how our eyes move across the printed page. As a result of this misleading emphasis on the purely visual aspects of reading, numerous exercises have been devised to train the eyes to see more words at one fixation. For instance, in some exercises, words are flashed on to a screen for, say, a tenth or a twentieth of a second. One of the exercises has required students to fix their eyes on some central point, taking in the words on either side. Such word patterns are often constructed in the shape of rather steep pyramids so the reader takes in more and more words at each successive fixation. All these exercises are very clever, but it’s one thing to improve a person’s ability to see words and quite another thing to improve his ability to read a text efficiently. Reading requires the ability to understand the relationship between words. Consequently, for these reasons, many experts have now begun to question the usefulness of eye training, especially since any approach which trains a person to read isolated words and phrases would seem unlikely to help him in reading a continuous text.The time of the recognition span can be affected by the following facts except ________ .
| A．the length of a group of words. |
| B．lighting and tiredness. |
| C．one’s familiarity with the text. |
| D．one’s purpose in reading. |
The author may believe that reading ______.
| A．demands an deeply-participating mind. |
| B．demands more mind than eyes. |
| C．requires a reader to take in more words at each fixation. |
| D．requires a reader to see words more quickly. |
What does the author mean by saying “but it’s one thing to improve a person’s ability to see words and quite another thing to improve his ability to read a text efficiently.” in the second paragraph?
| A．The reading exercises mentioned can’t help to improve an efficient reading. |
| B．The reading exercises mentioned has done a great job to improve one’s ability to see words. |
| C．The ability to see words is not needed when an efficient reading is conducted. |
| D．The reading exercises mentioned can’t help to improve both the ability to see or comprehend words. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The emphasis on the purely visual aspects is misleading. |
| B．The eye training will help readers in reading a continuous text. |
| C．The visual span is a word or a group of words we see each time. |
| D．Many experts began to question the efficiency of eye training. |
The tune of the author in writing this article is ________.
| A．pessimistic | B．optimistic | C．critical | D．neutral |