In the Caucasus region（高加索地区）, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100^th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Caucasus people aren’t alone. The Pakistani Hunzas, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Vilcabambans of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador seem to share the secret of long life too.

　　These peoples remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasus people aged 110-140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked, “At what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.” The very youngest estimate was age 60.

　　What accounts for this ability to survive (live) to such old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived peoples. They began their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam is 142 years of age. He remembers his life experience: the Crimean War of 1854; the Turkish War of 1878; the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Rustam has no plan of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why? What else would I do?” he asks. Oh, he’s slowed down a bit. Now he might quit (stop working) for the day after 6 hours in the field instead of 10.

　　All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations（海拔）of 5,000 to 12, 000 feet(1,660 to 4,000meters) above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel（血管）system stronger.

　　Another factor（因素）that may lead to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressure（压力）and worries of industrial society.

　　Inherited（遗传的） factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old age. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.

　　Finally, although these three groups don’t eat exactly the same foods, their diets are similar. All of them eat little animal meat. Their diets are full of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese and milk. They never eat more food than their bodies need.

　　It is clear that isolation from urban pressure and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all lead to the health and remarkable long life of all these people.

1. What is the main idea of this article?

A．Cause and effect of long-lived life.

B．People in the world enjoying a longer life.

C．Factors leading to the health and long life of people.

D．A description of several societies where people living a long life.

2. “The idea of aging is foreign to them” means that _________.

A．they don’t care much about their age

B．they have no idea of how old they are

C．they won’t say anything about their age until they are asked to

D．the idea of getting old has never come into their mind

3. How do you think the writer feels about these long-lived people?

A．He is much impressed with them.

B．He doesn’t care a bit about them.

C．He hopes that they will live a still longer life.

D．He doesn’t think their life is full of pressure and worries.

In the Caucasus region（高加索地区）, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100^th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Caucasus people aren’t alone. The Pakistani Hunzas, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Vilcabambans of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador seem to share the secret of long life too.
　　These peoples remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasus people aged 110-140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked, “At what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.” The very youngest estimate was age 60.
　　What accounts for this ability to survive (live) to such old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived peoples. They began their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam is 142 years of age. He remembers his life experience: the Crimean War of 1854; the Turkish War of 1878; the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Rustam has no plan of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why? What else would I do?” he asks. Oh, he’s slowed down a bit. Now he might quit (stop working) for the day after 6 hours in the field instead of 10.
　　All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations（海拔）of 5,000 to 12, 000 feet(1,660 to 4,000meters) above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel（血管）system stronger.
　　Another factor（因素）that may lead to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressure（压力）and worries of industrial society.
　　Inherited（遗传的） factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old age. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.
　　Finally, although these three groups don’t eat exactly the same foods, their diets are similar. All of them eat little animal meat. Their diets are full of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese and milk. They never eat more food than their bodies need.
　　It is clear that isolation from urban pressure and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all lead to the health and remarkable long life of all these people.
【小题1】 What is the main idea of this article?

One day an old man is selling (卖) a big elephant. A young man comes to the elephant and begins to look at it slowly. The old man goes up to him and says in his ear, “Don't say anything about the elephant before I sell it. Then I will give you twenty dollars.” “All right,” says the young man. After the old man sells the elephant, he gives the young man twenty dollars and says, “Now, can you tell me how you found the elephant's bad ears?” “I didn't find the bad ears,” says the young man. “Then why are you looking at the elephant slowly?” asked the old man. The young man answers, “Because I have never seen an elephant before, and I want to know what it looks like.”

根据短文选择正确的答案

(　 )11. ________  the elephant.

　　　 A. The young man sells     B. The old man sells

　　　 C. The two men sell        D. The old man buys

(　 )12. The young man is looking at the elephant slowly.

He wants to find out ___________.

　　　 A. which foot of the elephant is bad B. how heavy it is

　　　 C. which ear of the elephant is bad D. what it looks like

(　 )13. The young man   ______________.

　　　 A. knows the elephant has bad ears B. wants to buy the elephant

　　　 C. looks after the elephant D. gets some money from the old man

(　 )14. The young man  ______________.

　　　 A. is not interested in elephants B. knows what an elephant looks like

　　　 C. has seen some elephants before D. has never seen an elephant before

(　 )15. Hearing what the young man said, the old man will probably(很可能)be ____________.

　　　 A. angry （生气）      B. happy     C. dangerous      D. hungry

阅读理解

　　Fred began to go to school two years ago. But he's still in Grade One. He's the tallest and strongest boy in his class. He doesn't listen to the teachers in class and often fights(打架) with the children. His teachers and classmates don't like him. His parents know him well, but they don't know what to do.

　　It was a quarter past seven. The supper was ready but Fred didn't come back. His mother stood at the gate and looked. And ten minutes later she saw her son, all in black and blue(浑身青一块，紫一块).

　　“Were you in another fight?” asked the woman.

　　“No, mommy,” answered the boy. “I was just keeping a bigger boy from beating up(阻止一个大一些的男孩殴打) a smaller one!”

　　“How brave(勇敢的) you are!” the woman was happy and said. “Who was the smaller boy?”

　　“Me, mommy.”

1．Fred is still in Grade One because ________.

A．he's too small

B．he likes to play at home

C．he doesn't study hard

D．he's often late for school

2．Fred likes ________, so his class don't like him.

[　　]

A．talking in class

B．fighting with the children

C．asking some questions

D．eating something in class

3．Fred fought with a boy ________.

[　　]

4．Fred got home at ________.

[　　]

5．Which of the following is right?

[　　]

A．Fred fought with a bigger boy after school.

B．Fred is a brave boy.

C．Fred helped a smaller boy.