Is there a limit to the number of years that a person can expect to live? Can changes in life-style add years to one’s life? Throughout history people have sought answers to these questions and others.
Various myths offer the hope of great longevity. In the imaginary land of Shangri-La, for example, people are said to lead a charmed existence for a thousand years. The Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was convinced that he would find the Foundation of Youth in what is now the state of Florida. According to the Bible, Methuselah lived to be more than 900 years old.
The subject of longevity is fascinating, and scientists study individuals such as Jeanne Calment to learn about the aging process. Calment died in 1997 in Arles, France, at the age of 122. She never married, and she lived in her own apartment until moving to a retirement community when she was 109.
Most scientists agree that bodies will last, at best, about 125 years. This potential has changed little since modern human beings appeared more than 100 thousand years age. Recent improvements in medicine and the environment have extended life expectancy, especially for those from poorer parts of the world. It is not clear, however, whether such improvements will lengthen life expectancy beyond a certain point.
Life expectancy is the number of years an infant can be expected to live, given the conditions into which it is born. Life expectancy, therefore, is affected by nutrition, medical care, and social and political circumstances. An individual’s genetic makeup is also an important factor. Children from long-lived families can hope to enjoy long lives themselves. According to recent data, the average life expectancy worldwide in 1998 was 67 years. This can be compared with an average life expectancy of 77 in the United States.
In 1970 the average life expectancy worldwide was 61 years, or 6 years less than it was in 1998. This same period saw a drop in infant mortality -— the death of a child before the first birthday-—from 80 births out of 1,000 to 54 births out of 1,000. According to some researchers, the rise in the average life expectancy is due primarily to the drop in infant mortality. It is not so much that adults are living to an older age. It is, rather, that more people are living into adulthood because more children are surviving beyond their first birthdays.
【小題1】Infant mortality is defined as ________ .
| A．the number of children born alive |
| B．the kinds of behavior typical of very young children |
| C．the number of children, out of 1,000 births, who die before their first birthday |
| D．the typical and obvious thoughts of very young children |
| A．it is more difficult to affect the rate of infant mortality |
| B．it is unlikely that one will be able to extend the potential life span of human beings in general |
| C．the process of evolution is extending the potential life span beyond 125 years |
| D．the potential that bodies will last, at best, about 125 years has changed much since modern human beings appeared |
| A．people live longer in the state of Florida |
| B．a(chǎn) long life is a burden rather than a blessing |
| C．it is possible to find a way to live for centuries |
| D．life expectancy is affected by a couple of factors |
| A．the aging process can be stopped. |
| B．the aging process is inevitable. |
| C．life expectancy in the United States will soon reach 125 years. |
| D．the average life expectancy worldwide is decreasing |
【小題1】C
【小題2】B
【小題3】C
【小題4】B
解析試題分析：人的壽命有局限嗎？改變生活方式可以延長壽命嗎？自古以來，古今中外的人們都在試圖破解生命之謎，尋找長壽之方。然而科學家們卻認為人的壽命除了受營養(yǎng)、醫(yī)療、社會和政治環(huán)境影響外，人的遺傳基因也起著非常重要的作用，所以人的壽命不是可以無限延長的。
【小題1】C 詞意猜測題。根據(jù)末段infant mortality -— the death of a child before the first birthday-—from 80 births out of 1,000 to 54 births out of 1,000.可知infant mortality指的是嬰兒死亡率，故C選項正確。
【小題2】B根據(jù)文章第四段內(nèi)容可知人的壽命受多種因素影響，比如營養(yǎng)、醫(yī)療、社會和政治環(huán)境而且人的遺傳基因也起著非常重要的作用，由此推斷人們的壽命不可能全部延長，所以B為正確選項。
【小題3】C細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第二段的內(nèi)容可知人們曾認為某些地方的人們能活到將近一千年，由此可知C選項正確。
【小題4】B推理判斷題。根據(jù)文中Most scientists agree that bodies will last, at best, about 125 years.以及下文Life expectancy, therefore, is affected by nutrition, medical care, and social and political circumstances.可知無論怎樣想方設(shè)法延長壽命，人的死亡是不可避免的，所以B選項正確。
考點：考查社會知識類短文閱讀。
科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Some say the Internet will kill off papers. Others say not so fast.
Are newspapers dying?
That’s the heated debate these days. Many say the disappearance of the daily paper is just a matter of time. The future of journalism is in news websites, not newsprint.
However, others say, newspapers have been with us for hundreds of years, and while all news may be online some day, papers can exist for some time.
So who’s right? I’ll outline the arguments on both sides, and then you can decide.
Newspapers Are Dead
Newspapers are in trouble. Circulation is dropping, display and classified ad income is drying up, and the industry has experienced a hard time. Big metro papers like the Rocky Mountain News have stopped operating, and even bigger newspaper companies like the Tribune Co. go bankrupt（破產(chǎn)）.
And where are newspaper readers going? To the Web. A recent study has found that Internet users read online newspapers for an average of 53 minutes per week in 2008. That’s highest level recorded in the eight years when the study has been done.
The study found that 22 percent of users said they stopped their subscription（訂閱）to a printed paper or magazine because they could access the same content online.
Some people say the Internet is just a better place to get the news. “On the Web, newspapers are live, and they can supplement（增補）their coverage with audio, video, and the valuable resources of their vast contents,” says Geffrey I. Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future.
【小題1】How does the author present the topic to be discussed?
| A．By presenting others’ prediction |
| B．By asking a question |
| C．By providing opposite opinions |
| D．By talking about the background |
| A．try to draw a general conclusion |
| B．encourage readers to use their judgment |
| C．compare the advantages of two media |
| D．invite readers to express their opinions freely |
| A．want to save money |
| B．hope to protect the environment |
| C．don’t care about news |
| D．can read online newspapers |
| A．it provides news vividly | B．the news is more reliable |
| C．it can reach more readers | D．it is much cheaper in price |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
A new report says African governments are ill prepared to handle the growing number of people over age 65. The population in Africa as in other parts of the world, is getting older. Currently, there are 36 million people on the continent 65 years and above. which is 3.6 percent of the population. up from 3.3 percent 10 years ago. That could rise to 4.5 percent by 2030 and 10 percent by 2050. The African development Bank is raising concerns over the shortage of health insurance and pensions (養(yǎng)老金).
The African Development Bank says. "Aging is highly linked with long-term physical and mental disability and a number of long-term chronic (慢性的) conditions."
"Africa is not well prepared to care for its aging population right now. And it needs to prepare for this fact." said Professor Mthuli Ncube. the African Development Bank's chief economist. African nations spend far less on healthcare than developed nations do___ about $26per person per year. Not so many countries have well developed medical aid plans for the elderly, whether they are privately provided plans or indeed government plans. If you look at the pension plans, you will find the pension industries are not well developed in some of the countries.
Professor Mthuli Ncube said African governments failed to take action on health insurance
and pensions because they were busy with economic reforms.
Another challenge for Africa is the worsening of informal systems of social protection. That is cash and support from both the extended family and community sources.
. The African Development Bank recommends governments help carry out health insurance and pension plans. Ncube said African governments didn't have to handle the health insurance burden alone. "It is not only a must but also an opportunity for private companies to add their bit in this regard", he said. The report also recommends that African governments consider providing ways of free health services. medications and long-term health care facilities for the elderly.
【小題1】 From the first paragraph we know the facts except that ____
| A．the speed of people aging is becoming quicker |
| B．Africa has the largest aging population |
| C．African governments are not well prepared to deal with the aging population |
| D．the shortage of health insurance and pensions adds to African governments' difficulty in dealing With the aging population |
| A．Long-term physical disability. | B．Long-term mental disability. |
| C．Long-term chronic illnesses. | D．Long-term shortage of care and love. |
| A．The economic reforms. | B．Too many old people. |
| C．The shortage of land. | D．The development of the economy. |
| A．African governments should spend as much money on healthcare as developed countries |
| B．African people should save enough money to insure their health. |
| C．African governments should combine with private companies to finish health insurance and pension pains. |
| D．Private sources should take the main responsibility to help the elderly. |
| A．in a story book | B．in a newspaper | C．on a TV program | D．in a textbook |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Global financial big dogs are no match for China's "Da Ma", or housewives, who have crowded into gold stores across China, buying up 300 tons of gold over the past two weeks. No wonder gold prices have steadied after taking a dive.
During the May Day holiday, gold stores were crowded with mostly female customers. Most of them are middle-aged "Chinese housewives". This group of buyers has risen to fame recently. They are big spenders and are desperate to get their hands on a bargain. "I bought some gold jewellery and kept them as a gift for my son when he gets married," said a buyer from Shanghai.
The gold business is skyrocketing. "Our sales are growing by the day. Yesterday we sold more than ten million yuan of gold products," a gold store salesperson said. The gold rush in China started about two weeks ago thanks to a decline in global gold prices. Media reports suggest that Chinese housewives have spent about 100 billion yuan, or about 16 billion US dollars, purchasing 300 tons of gold since mid-April. That has helped support gold prices.
"Gold prices depressed since the middle of last month but have risen gradually. That is mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets," said foreign trader Zhang Chen from Industrial & Commercial Bank of China. "Some people even joked that Chinese housewives have beaten Wall Street analysts." For Chinese people, with limited investment options, the only thing better than buying gold is buying gold at discount prices.
【小題1】What does the author indicate(表明;預(yù)示)in the first sentence of the first paragraph?
| A．The global big dogs can’t match with Chinese housewives. |
| B．Chinese housewives spend a great deal of money on gold |
| C．China's "Da Ma" help a lot to support the global economic crisis |
| D．Chinese housewives have a better consumption idea than global financial big dogs . |
| A．China’s "Da Ma" become the largest gold buyers due to a decline in global gold prices. |
| B．China's "Da Ma" crowded into stores to get gold as the best gifts for sons when they get married. |
| C．China's "Da Ma" are bigger spenders and cleverer than global financial big dogs. |
| D．Chinese housewives are most willing to spend money in buying gold . |
| A．doubtful | B．subjective | C．objective | D．Negative |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Money and Happiness
A Guide to Living the good life
Author: Laura Rowley
Publisher: Wiley (March 1, 2005)
Laura Rowley makes us all understand the money-happiness connection in our own lives so that we spend our time and our efforts wisely. She offers insight that every reader can use to make smarter decisions that will lead to living a rich life in every possible definition of the term.
The Happiness Makeover
How to Teach Yourself to Be Happy and Enjoy Every Day
Author: M. J. Ryan
Publisher: Broadway (May 10, 2005)
Ryan’s own desire to be happier first led(引領(lǐng)) her to study what is known about happiness from brain science, psychology, and the wisdom traditions of the world. The Happiness Makeover draws on this wide-ranging knowledge and presents a plan that will help you:
Clear away happiness hindrances(障礙物) like worry, fear, envy, and grudges
Discover happiness boosters like meaningful work, challenge, and gratitude
Learn to think optimistically(樂觀地)（it is really possible!）
Find daily ways to truly enjoy, even relish, the moments of your life Happiness
The Science Behind Your Smile
Author: Daniel Nettle
Publisher: Oxford University Press (July 1, 2005)
This is the first book to look thoroughly at what happiness is and how it works. Nettle examines whether people are basically happy or unhappy, whether success can make us happy, why some people are happier than others, and much more.
Hormones（荷爾蒙）, health, and Happiness
Author: Steven F. Hotze
Publisher: Forrest Publishing (April, 2005)
Dr Steven Hotze is leading a wellness revolution that advances a new model of health care. In Hormones, Health, and Happiness you are shown how to reach and maintain optional cell, tissue(身體組織), and organ（器官） functioning so that you can enjoy a better quality of life.
【小題1】At least how many books are written by women according to the passage above?
| A．4 | B．3 | C．2 | D．1 |
| A．Laura Rowley | B．Ryan’s | C．Daniel Nettle’s | D．Steven F. Hotze’s |
| A．Hormones, health, and Happiness |
| B．Money and Happines |
| C．The Happiness Makeover |
| D．The Science Behind Your Smile |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Charlotte’s Web by E．B． White is a children’s book．
As the story opens,eight-year-old farm girl Fern Arable stops her father from killing a baby pig who is weaker than his brothers and sisters．The little pig,Wilbur,becomes one of the main characters in the story．Later he will be treated as a friend by Charlotte,a wise and loving spider living on the same farm．Wilbur slowly realizes that the farmer will kill him for his meat in a few months ,and Charlotte decides to help him out．She tries many things to keep Wilbur alive．She writes words in her web describing how wonderful Wilbur is and this makes the farm famous．
White creates a sort of modern animal fable（寓言）,in which animals can speak both with each other and with Fern．Also there are many great characters in this book．
The society of animals has many lessons to teach children and adults:friendship,sacrifice（犧牲），hope,determination,love,duty,fairness,respect,and many more．
Part of this novel’s success is the fact that the author makes a heroine（女主角）out of a spider,a creature that many people probably dislike．Unlike a lovely little pig or other creatures,a spider is a creature greatly different from humans．White’s Charlotte is a truly wonderful character．He tells the story of Charlotte and her friends in a special way．This is a book that no one could ever dislike．It has much to offer to children as well as to older teens and adult readers．
【小題1】According to the descripion of the book,Charlotte ______．
| A．is a nice and clever spider |
| B．often teaches her friends good lessons |
| C．a(chǎn)lways sacrifices herself for her friends |
| D．is disliked by many animals around her |
| A．That there are many animals in the book． |
| B．That the author of the book is very famous． |
| C．That the author knows children very well． |
| D．That the author makes a heroine out of a spider． |
| A．To introduce the book Charlitte’s Web |
| B．To discuss what kinds of books are good to read |
| C．To explain why Charlitte’s Web is a good book |
| D．To tell us the importance of friendship in our life |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were all started before the American Revolution made the thirteen colonies(殖民地) into states.
In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men attended colleges. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers.
In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers(律師) could receive their training in Harvard’s law school. In 1852, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German, as well as Latin and Greek. Soon it began teaching American history.
As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects that interested them.
Special colleges for women were started. New state universities began to teach such subjects as farming, engineering and business. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are divided into smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There is so much to learn that one kind of school cannot offer it all.
【小題1】 Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were the names of the _______ in America.
| A．states | B．cities | C．universities | D．colonies |
| A．everything that is known | B．many new subjects |
| C．French and German | D．farming |
| A．Famous Harvard University |
| B．American Universities |
| C．The Changing of American Universities |
| D．The American Revolution |
| A．The early schools are still much alike. |
| B．There is more to learn today than in 1636. |
| C．All the early students worked harder. |
| D．Students in modern America learn only science. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
One might expect that the ever-growing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holiday-makers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long-term future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere, and every month another rock-bound Pacific island is advertised as the “l(fā)ast paradise (天堂) on earth”.
However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of sea-side holidays, over-crowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.
Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years, Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education. Its forests, full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holiday-makers traveling through the forest land. Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent exploitation of precious trees and plants.
Not only the environment of a country can suffer from the sudden growth of tourism. The people as well rapidly feel its effects. Farmland makes way for hotels, roads and airports; the old way of life goes away. The one-time farmer is now the servant of some multi-national organization; he is no longer his own master. Once it was his back that bore the pain; now it is his smile that is exploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn’t happier in his village working his own land.
Thankfully, the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive its customers. The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support from tourist companies. At the same time, tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.
The way tourism is handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit. Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies. Increased understanding in planning world-wide tourism can preserve the market for these companies. If not, in a few years’ time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.
【小題1】What does the author indicate in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?
| A．The Pacific island is a paradise. |
| B．The Pacific island is worth visiting. |
| C．The advertisement is not convincing. |
| D．The advertisement is not impressive. |
| A．its natural resources are untouched |
| B．its forests are exploited for farmland |
| C．it develops well in health and education |
| D．it suffers from the heavy flow of tourists |
| A．The number of tourists. |
| B．The improvement of services. |
| C．The promotion of new products. |
| D．The management of tourism. |
| A．optimistic | B．doubtful | C．objective | D．negative |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
The number of accidents involving pedestrians (行人) wearing headphones is on the rise , a report suggests, causing fresh warning from road safety groups in Britain .
A US-based study found a total of 116 reports of death or injury to pedestrians wearing headphones between 2004 and 2011 , jumping from 16 in 2005 to 47 in 2011 .
Most victims were men (68%) and under the age of 30 (67%) , with around one in ten of all cases (9%) under the age of 18 .Some 89% of the cases occurred in urban areas and more than half (55%) of the victims were struck by trains .
Eighty-one of the 116 accidents (70%) resulted in the person’s death--- even though a warning was sounded in around a third of the cases .
The study concluded , “ The use of headphone may be a safety risk to pedestrians , especially in environments with moving vehicles（cars） . Further research is needed to determine if and how headphone use threatens pedestrian safety .” British road safety groups warned pedestrians to be careful.
Floor Lieshout , director of Youth For Road Safety , said, “ This study shows once more the importance of using all of our senses while we are near traffic . It is important that we find an attractive way to make youth learn about the risks of wearing headphones in traffic .”
Andrew Howard , who is the head of road safety at the Automobile Association , added that some pedestrians can be “so focused in their own little world they forget the world going on around them”.That can include headphone wearers , Howard said, but also people talking on phones.
However , Howard said that more researches needed to be done.
Earlier studies have shown that people wearing headphones or talking on phones can suffer “inattentional blindness” which makes them isolated (孤立) from the world around them .
Ian Harvey , at the charity Civic Voice , said that “ to defeat isolation and to help build a civic(文明的) society , people need to interact(交往) with each other .
He said , “ A basis for any civilized society is communication--- Surfing the web , listening to MP3s , reading blogs or sending e-mail is not interacting with a person; it’s interacting with a machine.
“If people feel socially isolated , they need to have more face-to-face interactions with other human beings and in time , will begin to feel happier and more connected to the world and place they live in .”
【小題1】What does the text mainly discuss ?
| A．Recent research on the risks to pedestrians |
| B．Safety problems caused by wearing headphones. |
| C．The advantages and disadvantages of headphones |
| D．Traffic accidents in the United States |
| A．most victims died in the accidents |
| B．most accidents were caused by cars |
| C．most accidents happened in the countryside |
| D．most victims are under eighteen |
| A．it is safe if you wear headphones in a proper way |
| B．people wearing headphones are more likely to go blind |
| C．most people wear headphones because of loneliness |
| D．it is dangerous to talk on phones while walking |
| A．beating isolation | B．communication between people |
| C．building a civilized society | D．new technologies |
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