When I was 17 years old I had surgery because of a disease．The day after the surgery, I awoke to find a friend of mine sitting in a chair across from my bed．I don't remember much about his visit．But I will not forget that he visited me on that day, and sat there for I don't know how long, while I was under the influence of a morphine drip(输液)．We benefit greatly from our close friendships, but they are not a matter of calculable gain or loss．
Our age, what we might call the age of economics, is strongly influenced by two types of relationships that reflect the lives we are encouraged to lead．There are consumer relationships, those that we participate in for the pleasure they bring us．They are focused on the present．It is what brings immediate pleasure that matters．And there are entrepreneurial(商业的)relationships, those that we invest in, hoping they will bring us some return．
Aristotle thought that there were three types of friendship：those of pleasure, those of usefulness, and true friendship．In pleasure friendships, he said, “It is not for their character that men love ready-witted people, but because they find them pleasant．” About the usefulness friendships, he said, “Those who love each other for their utility(效用)do not love each other for themselves, but because of some good which they get from each other．”
Although we benefit from our close friendships, these friendships are not a matter of calculable gain and loss．Consumer pleasures are lasting for only a limited time．They surround us for a short period and then they fade, like a drug．Entrepreneur friendship, when successful, leads to the victory of personal gain．
It is precisely this non-economic character that is threatened in a society in which each of us is offered only the choices of ownership, shopping, competition and growth．It is threatened when we are led to believe that friendships without obvious recognizable gain are, in the economic sense, irrational(不合理的)．Friendships are not without reason, perhaps, but they are certainly without that particular reason．Shared experience, not just everyday amusement or advancement, is the true basis of friendship．
(1)
The author mentions his operation in the first paragraph to ________．
[ ]
A．
recall one of his best friends
B．
advise people to visit sick friends
C．
introduce the topic of true friendship
D．
talk about the experience of surgery
(2)
Consumer relationships center on ________．
[ ]
A．
the sharing of joy and sorrow
B．
mutual support in times of trouble
C．
personal gain or personal loss
D．
immediate pleasure
(3)
The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument by ________．
[ ]
A．
explaining three types of friendship
B．
discussing questions
C．
analyzing causes and effects
D．
providing examples and facts
(4)
The author seems to support the idea that ________．
[ ]
A．
friendships are a matter of calculable gain or loss
B．
there are no specific reasons for friendship
C．
short-term pleasure is the center of friendship
D．
everyday amusement is the true basis of friendship
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．
Whe n 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 it,”he says with a smile．
(1)
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．
(2)
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
(3)
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
(4)
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．
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