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 121at 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, 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 co
urse, if you became a new species, 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．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． |
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 |
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 Miler | D．George Martin |
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
A
．Most of us could be good at sports even at 150．
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
Many of the stories written by Mark Twain take place in Hannibal, Missouri.The small wooden house where he lived as a boy still stands there.Next to the house is a wooden fence.It is the kind described in Twain's book, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," published in1876.
In that story, Tom has been told to paint the fence.He does not want to do it.But he acts as if the job is great fun.He tricks other boys into believing this.His trick is so successful that they agree to pay him money to let them finish his work."The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is considered one of the best books about an American boy's life in THE the1800s.
Tom Sawyer's good friend is Huckleberry, or "Huck," Finn.Mark Twain tells this boy's story in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."Huck is a poor child, without a mother or home.His father drinks too much alcohol and beats him.
Huck's situation has freed him from the restrictions of society.He explores in the woods and goes fishing.He stays out all night and does not go to school.He smokes tobacco.
Huck runs away from home.He meets Jim, a black man who has escaped from slavery.They travel together on a raft made of wood down the Mississippi River.Huck describes the trip: "It was lovely to live on the raft.Other places seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft...Sometimes we'd have that whole river to ourselves for the longest time... We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them---.“From the second paragraph we learn Tom Sawyer is a ______ boy.
| A．kind | B．smart | C．clumsy | D．honest |
The reason why Huck runs away from home is that ______.
| A．his family is poor | B．he wants to find a friend live with |
| C．there’s no warn in his home | D．he loves nature and likes to adventure |
The underlined word “restrictions” can be replaced by _____.
| A．limits | B．prohibition | C．forces | D．rules |
Why did Huck feel comfortable living in a raft? Because _____.
| A．Huck made the raft by himself | B．Huck could eat fresh food here |
| C．Huck could have the river there | D．Huck likes to be free |
The stories of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” are probably _____.
| A．completely imaginary | B．according Mark Twain’s experiences |
| C．Mark Twain’s autobiography(自传) | D．records from his last generation |
Jesse was a great teacher, tutor, mentor, and family member. He was a dedicated (忠诚的)volunteer in the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa. He went to a place where he knew he could make a difference and wanted to help teach children who otherwise would not have a teacher. He made friends wherever he went and touched the hearts of many.
Jesse was never one to go anywhere without making a good impression on everyone he met. His sudden death in a tragic car accident in Africa brought his family and friends together in a celebration of his life. They came from all over: Africa, Canada, the US. The church was filled with people who knew that Jesse had made a difference in their lives, in the lives of the children, and in the hearts of his loved ones.
Jesse volunteered with the Peace Corps to help educate children in Guinea, Africa. Guinea is a very poor and complex country where tribalism（种族主义） is strong. Each tribe that Jesse worked with wanted him to commit（致力于）to one or the other.
Jesse would not surrender（投降）to tribalism when he took an African name, and he wanted a tribal last name. Each of the two tribes in which he taught insisted that he choose their name. He would not choose but married the tribes' two names into one.
Jesse was a light to all who knew him. We will always remember the joy and love he brought to his work, to his family, his friends. The people who loved Jesse are planning to build a school in Guinea in his honor. So his work continues...Why were there so many people remembering Jesse?
| A．Because he was a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Guinea. |
| B．Because he was kind and helpful to people from heart. |
| C．Because he wanted to make friends with all people. |
| D．Because he loved children who needed education. |
Jesse died from _____.
| A．a tribal fight | B．a traffic accident | C．a sudden disease | D．tiredness of overwork |
The way he dealt with the tribalism was ______.
| A．giving in to one side | B．criticizing both sides |
| C．uniting both sides | D．satisfying both sides |
From this passage we can learn _____.
| A．Jesse was a person had great influence in Guinea |
| B．Jesse was a person who had religion belief |
| C．Jesse was a hero of many local people |
| D．Jesse did great contribution to local peace |
The writer wrote this passage _____.
| A．in memory of the teacher | B．in praise of a teacher |
| C．in honor of a teacher | D．in approval of a teacher |
If you want to learn anything at school, you need to listen to your teachers. Unfortunately, millions of kids can’t hear what their teachers are saying. And it’s not because these students are goofing off. Often, it’s the room’s fault. Building architecture and building design can create echo(回声)-filled classrooms that make hearing difficult.
Children with hearing impairments（损伤）suffer most from noisy classrooms. They sometimes can’t hear questions that other students ask in class. Compared with kids with healthy hearing, they have a harder time picking up new vocabulary words by hearing them in talking.
Even kids with normal hearing have a harder time in the classroom when there’s too much noise. Younger children in particular have trouble separating important sounds – like a teacher’s voice – from background noise. Kids with learning disabilities and speech impediments（障碍）and kids for whom English is a second language also have a harder time learning in noisy situations.
In recent years, scientists who study sound have been asking schools to reduce background noise, which may include loud air-conditioners and pipes. They’re also targeting outdoor noises, such as highway traffic. Noise reduction is a big deal. Why? Because quieter classrooms might make you smarter by letting you hear your lessons better.
“It’s so obvious that we should have quiet rooms that allow for access to the lesson,” says Dan Ostergren, a hearing scientist. “Sometimes it surprises me that we spend so much time discussing this topic. I just want to go. Why is this hard for anyone to grasp?” The underlined part “goofing off” in the first paragraph can be replaced by “ ”.
| A．lazy | B．intelligent | C．sleepy | D．foolish |
Who is most affected by noisy classrooms?
| A．Children with learning disabilities. | B．Children with hearing impairments. |
| C．Children with speech impediments. | D．Children with normal hearing. |
Why should noise be reduced in classrooms?
| A．Quiet classrooms are suitable for kids to have discussions. |
| B．Quiet classrooms help kids recover from hearing impairments. |
| C．Kids can become smarter after hearing lessons better. |
| D．Kids can’t separate sounds of air-conditioners and pipes. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Noisy classrooms | B．Classroom design |
| C．The sense of hearing | D．Disabled kids |
Some mammals migrate（迁徒）. One of these is the caribou（驯鹿）. They travel to the tundra（苔原）every summer to eat the rich grasses that grow there. When the weather becomes cooler, they migrate to the warmer forests and spend the winter there. Another mammal that migrates is the humpback whale. They spend the winter in Hawaii, and the summer in the Arctic（北极的）waters. They travel to the Arctic to eat millions of small shrimp（虾）.
Anther habit that some animals have to survive the cold winter is called hibernation. Animals that hibernate, rest or sleep during the winter. While they are hibernating, their bodies use up the fat layer that they have put on by eating large amounts of food during the summer. Some animals that hibernate in the Arctic are small animals called lemmings（旅鼠）, squirrels（松鼠）and bears.
There are two habit adaptations that animals in the Arctic have all year round. These are called herding and pack life. Caribou are example of animals that live in herds. A herd is a group of animals that lives together for most, or all of their lives. A herd of caribou can have a thousand or more animals in it. They live in herds for protection. It is easier for caribou to protect themselves when they are together than it is when they are alone. This is because the meat-eaters hunt in packs.
A pack is a small group of animals that lives together. It is usually controlled by a head male and a female. All the members of the pack must obey them. Packs have a very definite social structure. Each animal in a pack has a different position, or importance. Animals in a pack are usually meat-eaters. They live together for protection and hunting purposes.According to the first paragraph, the humpback whale .
| A．travels to the Arctic for shrimp in summer |
| B．spends the winter in the Arctic |
| C．lives in Hawaii in summer |
| D．has the same living habits as the caribou |
What kind of animal doesn’t hibernate in the Arctic?
| A．The caribou. | B．The bear. | C．The squirrel. | D．The lemming. |
Caribou live in herds in order to .
| A．use up their fat layer | B．find food | C．protect themselves | D．hunt in packs |
What do we know about pack life according to the last paragraph?
| A．Animals in pack are usually grain-eaters. |
| B．All animals are in an equal position in a pack. |
| C．It is either controlled by a head mate or by a female. |
| D．Each animal has its own different role in a pack. |
Barbara and Barry Zucker – Pinchoff, both doctors from New York City, took their three daughters on a walking safari（旅行）last year in Tanzania. Barbara told about their experience in Kinbero, “It is the most remote（遥远的）place we have ever been to,” camping with a few other Americans, two Tanzanian guides, and several Hadza（哈扎人）who had time to sit and chat because they had just killed a giraffe.
About 400 members of the Eastern Hadza tribe（部落）live in Tanzania today, the only hunter-gatherers who remain in Africa. The Hadza hunt game, gather edible plants and honey, and move from place to place whenever the weather changers. Every two weeks or so, they move to a new campsite.
At the Pinchoffs’ campsite, three Hadza men stopped by to visit and ended up staying three days. One of the guides gave the men a cigarette. They took out the tobacco, put it in a pipe, and lit the pipe with fire they started.
It takes less than two hours for Hadza women to build a new camp. They make huts（茅屋）by bending branches into round structures about six feet high, and then covering them with long, golden grass. If the weather is very wet, the women may choose a dry cave to set up a camp. Some rock caves have been used over thousands of years and are decorated（装饰）with ancient rock paintings. Whether they sleep in huts, caves or in the open, the Hadza cover themselves only with thin cloths and depend on fire to keep them warm.
The Hadza refuse to be “settled” into villages or to have the life of farmers. By 1979, almost all of them had returned to their old ways. They Hadza may be the only tribe in Africa the has never paid taxes. The passage mainly tells up .
| A．one of the author’s travel experiences |
| B．the life of the Hadza tribe in Tanzania |
| C．Barbara’s walking safari in Tanzania |
| D．the efforts of the Hadza to keep their old ways |
What does the underlined word “game” ( in Paragraph 2 ) probably refer to?
| A．Part of a match. | B．Edible wild animals. |
| C．An area of work. | D．A children’s activity. |
What do we know about the life of the Hadza?
| A．They change their campsites regularly. | B．They live mainly on farming. |
| C．They keep warm using leaves at night. | D．It takes them a long time to set up a camp. |
Where do the Hadza live in wet weather?
| A．On the farm. | B．In huts. | C．In caves. | D．In the open. |