When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like：“If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right．” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself：“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life．Because almost everything－all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure－these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important．Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose．
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer．It clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas．The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months．
I lived with that diagnosis all day．Later the doctor got a few cells from the tumor．I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery．I had the surgery and I'm fine now．
No one wants to die．Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there．And yet death is the destination we all share, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life．It clears out the old to make way for the new．Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away．Your is living with the results of other people’s thinking．Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice．And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition．They somehow already know what you truly want to become．Everything else is secondary．
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation．On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kin d you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you wee so adventurous．Beneath it were the words：“Stay Hungry．Stay Foolish．” I have always wished that for myself．And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you．Stay Hungry．Stay Foolish．
(1)
According to the passage, what makes the author change himself when making a big choice?
[ ]
A．
Reading a quote in the morning
B．
Reminding himself that he’ll be dead soon
C．
The author was diagnosed with cancer
D．
The Whole Earth Catalog
(2)
Why did the doctor start crying when they viewed the cells under a microscope?
[ ]
A．
Because the author is somebody．
B．
Because the author’s illness is incurable．
C．
Because the cancer can be cured with surgery．
D．
Because it turned out to be a very rare from of pancreatic cancer．
(3)
What’s the author’s attitude towards the death?
[ ]
A．
optimistic
B．
pessimistic
C．
indifferent
D．
overjoyed
(4)
By saying “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish．”, what does the author really mean?
[ ]
A．
Stay foolish and hungry or you will be cheated．
B．
Stay foolish and hungry and you will be a wise man．
C．
Have the courage to follow your hear and intuition
D．
Never be satisfied and always hungry for success and achievements．
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．
