Jeanne Calment, a French woman, become a record breaker on 17 October 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France, her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes here as being “more like a 90-year-old in good health” than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on the 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied, “A very short one.” She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a say, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at her age, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying: “Sorry, I’m still alive!”
1. How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
A．She feels upset and unhappy.
B．She is cheerful and humorous.
C．She likes to live much longer.
D．She feels she is going to die very soon.
2. The text seems to suggest that Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to______.
A．smoking only little every day
B．neither smoking nor drinking
C．always drinking two glasses of strong red wine a day and never smoking
D．the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises
3.Which of the following could best explain the underlined word “genes” in the third paragraph?
A．good habits of body-building.
B．Some materials that control the development of a living thing.
C．Comfortable living conditions.
D．Something necessary for a person to keep his life.
4. Why did Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive!” to the local lawyer?
A．She had an agreement with the lawyer when she was 80.
B．The lawyer has not paid her enough rent yet.
C．The lawyer has paid her more money than the value of the house.
D．The house she sold to the lawyer was worth the money already paid.
完形填空(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
A little boy invited his mother to attend his school’s first teacher-parent meeting. To the little boy’s ___35___, she said she would go. This ___36___ be the first time that his classmates and teacher met his mother and he felt ___37___of her appearance. Although she was a beautiful woman, there was a severe scar(疤痕)that ___38___nearly the entire right side of her face. The boy never wanted to ___39___why or how she got the scar.
At the meeting, the people were ___40___by the kindness and natural beauty of his mother in spite of the scar, but the little boy was still embarrassed(尴尬)and ___41___ himself from everyone. He did, however, get within ___42___of a conversation between his mother and his teacher.
The teacher asked___43___, “How did you get the scar on your face?”
The mother replied, “When my son was a baby, he was in a room that caught fire. Everyone was___44___afraid to go in because the fire was___45___, so I went in. As I was running toward his bed, I saw a long piece of wood coming down and I placed myself over him trying to protect him. I was knocked___46___ but fortunately, a fireman came in and saved both of us.” She touched the burned side of her face. This scar will be___47___, but to this day, I have never ___48___what I did.
At this point, the little boy came out running toward his mother with tears in his eyes. He held her in his arms and felt a great___49___of the sacrifice(牺牲)that his mother had made for him. He held her hand tightly for the rest of the day.
1. A．enjoyment B．disappointment C．surprise D．excitement
2. A．would B．could C．should D．must
3. A．sick B．ashamed C．afraid D．tired
4. A．included B．passed C．covered D．shaded
5. A．talk about B．think about C．care about D．hear about
6. A．impressed B．surprised C．excited D．comforted
7. A．hid B．protected C．separated D．escaped
8. A．understanding B．reminding C．hearing D．learning
9. A．carefully B．seriously C．nervously D．anxiously
10. A．so B．much C．quite D．too
11. A．out of control B．under control C．in control D．over control
12. A．helpless B．hopeless C．senseless D．useless
13. A．ugly B．lasting C．serious D．frightening
14. A．forgot B．recognized C．considered D．regretted
15. A．honor B．sense C．happiness D．pride
——What a fine day! Shall we go picnicking?
——______. But we need to be home before six o’clock for the football match.
A．Have a nice time B．Pardon me C．That’s great D．You are right
It was freezing last night, so they had the fire___ all night long.
A．to burn B．burned C．burn D．burning
Astronomers and scientists think that a black hole is a region of space ______ which matter has fallen and _______ which nothing can escape.
A．into; from B．towards; towards
C．out of; from D．through; through
There’s no ________ from my bedroom window except for some factory chinmneys.
A．view B．scene C．sight D．scenery
