She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday.
When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder. 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. 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 Miller | D.George Martin |
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 |
With only about 1,000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone the animal and save these in a dangerous situation. That's a move similar to what a Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called "Noah's Ark".
Noah's Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of these animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M's College of Veterinary, Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.
It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds and reptiles will probably become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.
This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.
The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.
"The nuclear transfer of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available panda eggs could be a major problem," Kraemer believes. "They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it's difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort," adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A& M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.
"They are trying to do something that's never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah's Ark. We're both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there's a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. The cooperation between us is very much needed."
1. The aim of "Noah's Ark" project is to__________.
A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas
B. save endangered animals from dying out
C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study
D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another
2. According to Professor Kraemer, __________.
A. The long time lasting cloning research could be successful.
B. The eggs transfers immediately result in having a baby.
C. The lack of nuclear transfer could be a major problem to have new pandas.
D. If species should die out, basic building blocks would heal them.
3. The best title for the passage may be__________.
A. China's Success in Pandas Cloning
B. Helping Ways to Avoid Extinction
C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas
D. The Practice in Noah's Ark
4. From the passage we know that __________.
A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog
B. scientists try to implant a panda's egg into a rabbit
C. about two thousand of species are to die out in a century
D. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches
Western New Bridge Library Announcement
Shortened Library Hours for Spring Break
Library Hours have been shortened to 7 hours a day(9:00 a.m.—4:00p.m.)for Spring Break from
March 24 to March 30.
Coming Events
·On Monday, March 24,at 10:30 a.m.,Scott Sutton,a children’s writer, will tell stories to kids over
seven.Sutton’s attractive style will surely inspire everyone present!
·At 1:00 p.m., on March 26,the Geogetown Musicians will present an Irish Folk Concert,which will be entertaining for the entire family.Come for the music and stay to check out some relevant books for the rest of the week!
·On Thursday, March 27,at 2:00 p.m., the annual Children’s Gathering will take place in Room 201,
the second.floor.Pick up an invitation in the Children’s Room and return your RSVP(回复)to reserve
your seat at the table by 3:00 p.m.on Tuesday, March 25.Only children are allowed in the Gathering.
·At 10:30 a.m.on Friday, March 28,Enzo Monfre of the hit kid’s science show, ENZOology, will bring Fossils Live! Surely Enzo will take the audience back in time,deep beneath the surface of the earth to uncover the mysteries of killer dinosaurs,and more.Enzo recently appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show--come and see him at the library!
Please note:In case of emergency, please call the Help Desk at 926—3736 and follow the procedures
outlined on the voice message.The call-down service is staffed 24 hours a day,7 days a week for emergencies.The Help Desk supplies service to you all the year around! For questions about all these, please contact hltm@wnbl.org.
Come for the great Fun;Stay for the relevant Books!
1. To attend the annual Children's Gathering, one has to__________.
A. buy a ticket B. apply in advance
C. make a reservation D. contact the call-down service
2. According to the passage, Enzo Monfre will__________.
A. show the children around a zoo
B. tell stories to children over seven
C. be present at the science show in person
D. lead the children to the Ellen DeGenerse Show
3. The Help Desk in this library supplies service__________.
A. only during the daytime B. in case of emergency
C. till the end of the Spring Break D. after 22:00 p.m. every day
4. We can learn from the passage that children can__________
A. attend all the activities with their parents
B. enjoy reading some relevant books in the activities.
C. participate in the activities from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
D. choose only one of the activities according to their interest
Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place "Tomesha"-- the land of fire. Death Valley's present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and colorful parts of Death Valley is the Devil's Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from dreams. Sand sculptures stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.
1. The name of the valley comes from__________ .
A. an Indian name B. the death of the miners
C. the local people D. a National Movement
2. From the passage we can learn that__________.
A. no one had ever known the desert before the miners
B. it's still not easy to travel across the desert
C. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert
D. people have changed the natural sight of the desert
3. The Devil's Golf Course is famous for__________ .
A. the terrible sightsB. the moon-like sights
C. dream-like sights D. the ever-changing sights
4. From the passage we can see that the writer__________the Death Valley.
A. appreciates B. is fearful of C. dislikesD. is tired of
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题:每小题2分,满分40分)
阅读下面短文,从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中,选出最佳选项。
"BANG!" the door caused a reverberation(回声). It was just standing there, with Father standing on one side, and I on the other side.
We were both in great anger. "Never set foot in this house again!" stormed Father. With tears welling up in my eyes, I rushed out of the flat and ran along the street.
The street lights were shining rather desolately(凄凉的). I wandered aimlessly.
A young father who held a child in his arms walked past me. I felt as if I saw my childhood from another space: happy and harmonious.
But now... I don't know whether it is because I have grown up or because dad is getting old. We differ in our ways of thinking. He always forces his opinions and codes of behavior on me. Whenever I do something wrong, he never turns a blind eye to it. We are just like two people coming from two different worlds. It feels like there is an iron door between us that can never be opened.
I wandered the streets, without a destination in mind. My heart was frozen on this hot summer night. As I walked on there were fewer and fewer people on the streets, until I had only the street lights to keep me company. When I finally reached the high-rise apartment block in which I lived, I saw that the light was still on.
In fact, it was nothing. Perhaps, dad was throwing away some of his old stamps. Perhaps he thought they were useless. I never had the courage to tell him that I liked collecting stamps. I can't stand his outrageous(蛮横的) words: " I can throw you away, let alone these old papers."
All the lights were off except father's.
Dad was always like this. Maybe he didn't know how to express himself. After shouting at me, he never showed any mercy or any moments of regret. After an argument he has the habit of approaching in my sleep and then covering me with the quilt.
This was how he always was. He has been a leader for so long that telling everyone else what to do has become his second nature.
The light was still on. "Am I wrong?" I whispered, maybe... With the key in hand, I was as nervous as I had ever been. At last, I decided to open the door. As soon as I opened the door, tears ran down my cheeks. I suddenly realized that the iron door that I had imagined between us did not exist at all. Love-is second to none.
1. Decide which is the best order of the following according to what happened in the passage.
a. I opened the door and entered the house.
b. Sadly I ran out into the street.
c. I reached the place where I lived and saw my house still brightly lit.
d. I thought of my father's kindness towards me.
e. I walked about in the street without any aim.
A. b, e, d, c, a B. b, e, c, d, a C. b, e, a, c, d D. b, e, c, a, d
2. What made the writer think of his childhood?
A. The sight of the desolate street lights.
B. The sight of the empty street.
C. The sight of a father with a child in his arms.
D. The sight of light in his own house.
3. Why do you think the father often shouts at his son?
A. Perhaps the father is getting older and older.
B. Perhaps the son has already grown up.
C. Perhaps they never agree with each other.
D. Perhaps the father has got used to doing that.
4. What conclusion can you draw after reading the passage?
A. The father is actually kind to his son.
B. The father treats his son in an unfair way.
C. The father is neither kind nor cruel to his son.
D. The father is always finding fault with his son.
The African elephant,the largest land animal remaining on earth ,is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统).Unlike other animals,the African elephant is to a great degree the builder of its environment.As a big plant-eater,it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna(大草原)surroundings in which it lives,therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat(栖息地).
It is the elephant's great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat.In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day,it kills small trees and underbushes,and pulls branches off big trees.This results in many open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas.In these open spaces are many plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example.In their natural state,the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor.By pulling down trees and eating plants,elephants make open spaces,allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor.In such situations,the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species.If the elephant disappears,scientists say,many other animals will also disappear from large areas of forest and savanna,greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem. What is the passage mainly about?
A.Disappearance of African elephants. |
B.Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants. |
C.The effect of African elephants' search for food. |
D.The eating habit of African elephants. |
What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?
A.Fixing the time. | B.Worsening the state. |
C.Improving the quality. | D.Deciding the conditions. |
What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?
A.They result from the destruction of rain forests. |
B.They provide food mainly for African elephants. |
C.They are home to many endangered animals. |
D.They are attractive to plant-eating animals of different kinds. |
The passage is developed mainly by________..
A.showing the effect and then explaining the causes |
B.pointing out similarities and differences |
C.describing the changes in space order |
D.giving examples |