What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in bio-technology(生物技术). With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today’s leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells(细胞) are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond l20 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs ( The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.)
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.
1.According to the passage, human death IS now mainly caused by____.
A. diseases and aging B. accidents and war
C. accidents and aging D. heart disease and war
2.In the author’s opinion, today’s most important advance in technology lies in____.
A. medicine B. the Internet C. brain cells D. human organ
3.Humans may live longer in the future because_____.
A. heart disease will be far away from us
B. human brains can decide the final death
C. the basic materials of cells will last forever
D. human organs can be repaired by new medicine
4.We can learn from the passage that ______.
A. human life will not last more than 120 years in the future
B. humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now
C. much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life
D. we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells
5.What will people in 2113 mainly die of /from?
A. Aging B. Accidents C. Cancer D. Heart disease
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually did. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced（影响）us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A. The man’s job was bike racing.
B. It was their only possession.
C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.
D. They used it for work and daily life.
2.We can infer from the text that _________.
A. the couple worked 60 hours a week
B. people were busy before Christmas
C. the stranger brought over the bike
D. life was hard for the young family
3.How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
A. From radio broadcasts. B. From a newspaper.
C. From TV news. D. From a stranger.
4.What do the couple learn from their experience?
A. Strangers are usually of little help.
B. One should take care of their bike.
C. News reports make people famous.
D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.
5.Which one do you think is NOT TRUE according to the text?
A. The couple will never steal bikes in revenge.
B. The couple will try their best to help others in trouble.
C. Trevor bought a new Kona immediately after someone stole his old one.
D. The couple got some help from several people in their area.
People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms(体育馆). Here, people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb, you need special shoes and a harness(保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes(绳索)tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the harness and the ropes hold you, and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb, both your mind and your body can become stronger.
1.What can we infer from the passage?
A. People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays.
B. It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing.
C. People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors.
D. It is always easy to see holding places in climbing.
2.The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is _______.
A. to tie ropes to your harness B. to control your fear
C. to move away from the wall D. to climb straight up
3. The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means _________.
A. settlement B. exercise
C. excitement D. tiredness
4.Why does the author write this passage?
A. To tell people where to find gyms.
B. To prove the basic need for climbing
C. To encourage people to climb mountains.
D. To introduce the sport of wall climbing
5.Where do you suppose this text comes from?
A science book B. A sports magazine
C. A research report D. A sports history book
The True Story of Treasure Island
It was always thought that Treasure Island was the product of Robert Louis Stevenson's imagination. ____, recent research has found the true story of this exciting work.
Stevenson, a Scotsman, had lived ____ for many years. In 1881 he returned to Scotland for a . With him were his American wife Fanny and his son ___.
Each morning Stevenson would take them out for a long over the hills. They had been ___ _ this for several days before the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse. Kept indoors by the heavy rain, Lloyd felt the days ____. To keep the boy happy, Robert asked the boy to do some ___ _.
One morning , the boy came to Robert with a beautiful map of an island. Robert _ _ that the boy had drawn a large cross in the middle of ___ . "What's that?" he asked. "That's the _ _ treasure," said the boy. Robert suddenly _ ___something of an adventure story in the boy’s _ _ . While the rain was pouring, Robert sat down by the fire to write a story. He would make the _ _ a twelve-year-old boy, just like Lloyd. But who would be the pirate(海盗)?
Robert had a good friend named Henley, who walked around with the __ __ of a wooden leg. Robert had always wanted to ____ such a man in a story. _ __ Long John Silver, the pirate with a wooden leg, was _ ___.
So, thanks to a___ ___ September in Scotland, a friend with a wooden leg, and the imagination of a twelve-year-old boy, we have one of greatest _ ____ stories in the English language.
1.A. However B. Therefore C. Besides D. Finally
2.A.alone B. next door C. at home D. abroad
3.A. meeting B. story C. holiday D. job
4.A. Lloyd B. Robert C. Henley D. John
5.A. talk B. rest C. walk D. game
6.A. attempting B. missing C. planning D. enjoying
7.A. quiet B. dull C. busy D. cold
8.A. cleaning B. writing C. drawing D. exercising
9.A. doubted B. noticed C. decided D. recognized
10.A. the sea B. the house C. Scotland D. the island
11.A . forgotten B. buried C. discovered D. unexpected
12.A. saw B. drew C. made D. learned
13.A. book B. reply C. picture D. mind
14.A. star B. hero C. writer D. child
15.A. help B. problem C. use D. burden
16.A. praise B. produce C. include D. accept
17.A. Yet B. Also C. But D. Thus
18.A. injured B. born C. hired D. written
19.A. rainy B. sunny C. cool D. windy
20.A. news B. love C. humorous D. adventure
The growing speed of a plant is influenced by a number of factors, ________ are beyond our control.
A. most of them B. most of which C. most of what D. most of that
--I wonder why everybody looks at me strangely when I cross the road.
--In this city, you have to wait for a walk _____ to cross the road.
A. signal B. symbol C. mark D. status
