阅读理解

　　Famous centenarians(百岁老人)still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire．"Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases．He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession．Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project．"You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said．When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility："It's down to mother nature．It gave to me what it took from others．"

　　Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character．Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens．

　　Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer(103), Nobel laureate Montalcini(101)and director Kurt Maetzig(100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation．

　　Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer．The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor．"The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently．He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas：After a gallbladder(胆囊)operation he composed a samba tune(桑巴舞曲)in the clinic．

　　Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters．The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works．Recently Heesters said："I want to be at least 108-years-old．" He also plans to keep performing．"Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role"．

　　Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-years-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on："Progress is created through imperfection．" In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor．She's convinced that humans grow on challenges．

　　With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers．

完形填空

　　One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods from door to door found that he only had one dime left．He was hungry so he decided to 　　1　　 for a meal at the next house．

　　However, he lost his nerve(勇气)　　2　　 a lovely young woman opened the door．Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water．She thought he looked 　　3　　 so she brought him a large glass of milk．He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I 　　4　　 you?”

　　“You don’t owe me anything,” she 　　5　　, “mother has taught me never to accept pay for a 　　6　　．” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart．” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger 　　7　　, but it also increased his faith in God and human race．He was about to give up and quit before this point．

　　Years later the young woman became critically(紧急的)ill．The local doctors were baffled(感到困惑)．They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called 　　8　　 to study her rare disease．Dr．Howard Kelly, now 　　9　　, was called in for the consultation．When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light 　　10　　 his eyes．Immediately, he 　　11　　 and went down through the hospital hall into her room．

　　　　12　　 in his doctor’s grown he went in to see her, he 　　13　　 her at once．He went back to the consultation room and 　　14　　 to do his best to save her life．From that day on, he gave 　　15　　 attention to her face．

　　After a long 　　16　　 the battle was won．Dr．Kelly 　　17　　 the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval．He looked at it and then wrote something on the side．The bill was sent to her room．She was afraid to open it because it was 　　18　　 that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off．Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her 　　19　　．She read these words：

　　“Paid in full with a glass of milk．”

　　(Signed)Dr．Howard Kelly

　　Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she 　　20　　 silently．“Thank you, God．Your love has spread through human hearts and hands．”