Even if we have an extremely healthy diet and lifestyle, the human body is programmed to wear out at a maximum of about 120 years, and usually less. We all have a biological clock inside us which determines the moment when our organs cease to function properly. This is because our cells have stopped renewing themselves and our body can no longer repair itself. This is also the moment when we are more likely to begin to suffer from the diseases of old age such as arthritis and Alzheimer’s. However, rapid advances in DNA research are beginning to throw light on the secrets of the ageing process. By the end of this century we could literally have the power of life over death.
Although it has long been accepted that humans have a fixed lifespan, it is also a fact that certain other organisms, such as reptiles and amphibians, appear to live indefinitely. The only reason we do not see 500-year-old alligators is because in the wild their lives are always in danger, from man, from pollution and from other animals. When they are kept in zoos they do not seem to age at all after they are fully grown. The same is true of some species of fish, which grow indefinitely and show no signs of ageing. The existence of animals with no fixed lifespan seems to indicate that an age gene really does exist. It is this gene which scientists are searching for, which may delay or repair damage to the body caused by ageing.
Another new area of research involves the oxidation（氧化） theory, which says that ageing is caused by the same process that makes iron rust. In controlled experiments, the lifespans of certain animals were shown to be lengthened with anti-oxidants; for example, the lifespan of mice can be increased by 30%. Antioxidants are already being used in face creams and other cosmetics, and they are likely to play an important part in keeping people physically young.
Perhaps the most immediate advance we are likely to see in the battle to halt（停止）the ageing process will be organ replacement. By the year 2020 it is likely that we will be replacing injured bones or even organs like livers and kidneys with ones “grown” in laboratories. By 2050 perhaps every organ in the body, except the brain, will have become commercially available. Recent experiments also show that it may one day be possible to “grow” new organs inside our body to replace worn-out ones, something which lizards and alligators already do.
Suddenly immortality（不死，不朽） seems within reach. We can begin to imagine a future where we are born, we grow to maturity, but we never grow old and die. But do we really want to live forever?
【小题1】 When all humans reach a certain age,         .

Even if he is not the most liked comedian in China today, his popularity certainly has risen the fastest within the last two months.
He's "Little Shenyang", who came into national fame overnight after his appearance on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. With his funny cross-dressing, unique northeastern accent and superb imitative(模仿的) skills, Little Shenyang has obvious talent to support his rise to fame.
Hundreds of video clips of his shows have been posted on YouTube and other online video sites, and his performance fees reportedly grew 50-fold in just a few weeks. He has, at the same time, become one of the most controversial of entertainers.
Many have doubted his artistic potential, pointing out that his shows were repetitive and lacked creativity, a key to continued comedic success. Others belittle (轻视) the style of humor, saying it's too crude and appeals only to less-educated people. His defenders were just as up in arms. Many media commentators and bloggers said that his quick rise to star proved the broad appeal of his art form. He became a national champion not because of his "northeastern hick(乡巴佬)" humor, they argued, but because he represented something new on TV, something with a grassroots feel that appealed to millions of ordinary people.
Now, does Little Shenyang really deserve his star status?
【小题1】 Some people belittle Little Shenyang’s humor because _________. 

Even if we have an extremely healthy diet and lifestyle, the human body is programmed to wear out at a maximum of about 120 years, and usually less. We all have a biological clock inside us which determines the moment when our organs cease to function properly. This is because our cells have stopped renewing themselves and our body can no longer repair itself. This is also the moment when we are more likely to begin to suffer from the diseases of old age such as arthritis and Alzheimer’s. However, rapid advances in DNA research are beginning to throw light on the secrets of the ageing process. By the end of this century we could literally have the power of life over death.

Although it has long been accepted that humans have a fixed lifespan, it is also a fact that certain other organisms, such as reptiles and amphibians, appear to live indefinitely. The only reason we do not see 500-year-old alligators is because in the wild their lives are always in danger, from man, from pollution and from other animals. When they are kept in zoos they do not seem to age at all after they are fully grown. The same is true of some species of fish, which grow indefinitely and show no signs of ageing. The existence of animals with no fixed lifespan seems to indicate that an age gene really does exist. It is this gene which scientists are searching for, which may delay or repair damage to the body caused by ageing.

Another new area of research involves the oxidation（氧化） theory, which says that ageing is caused by the same process that makes iron rust. In controlled experiments, the lifespans of certain animals were shown to be lengthened with anti-oxidants; for example, the lifespan of mice can be increased by 30%. Antioxidants are already being used in face creams and other cosmetics, and they are likely to play an important part in keeping people physically young.

Perhaps the most immediate advance we are likely to see in the battle to halt（停止）the ageing process will be organ replacement. By the year 2020 it is likely that we will be replacing injured bones or even organs like livers and kidneys with ones “grown” in laboratories. By 2050 perhaps every organ in the body, except the brain, will have become commercially available. Recent experiments also show that it may one day be possible to “grow” new organs inside our body to replace worn-out ones, something which lizards and alligators already do.

Suddenly immortality（不死，不朽） seems within reach. We can begin to imagine a future where we are born, we grow to maturity, but we never grow old and die. But do we really want to live forever?

1. When all humans reach a certain age,         .

A．they suffer the effects of their diet and lifestyle

B．the organs stop to perform appropriately

C．their cells continue to renew themselves

D．they develop arthritis and Alzheimer’s

2. The purpose of showing the case of alligators is to prove         .

A．alligators are in danger in the wild because of the threat from man, pollution and other animals

B．it is widely accepted that humans have a fixed lifespan

C．there exists an age gene which may control ageing

D．the age gene damages the body

3.The underlined phrase “live indefinitely” in Paragraph 2 probably mean         .

A．live for a period of time without a fixed end

B．live without a clear aim

C．live in an uncertain way

D．live without being fully grown

4.It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that         .

A．by 2050 we might have most of our worn-out organs replaced with new ones commercially

B．never can the ageing process be avoided

C．livers and kidneys are sure to be grown in laboratories by the year 2020

D．lizards and alligators grow new organs inside their body to replace worn-out ones

5. What is the main topic of this passage?

A．DNA researches show how our cells renew themselves.

B．Anti-oxidants are likely to play an important part in keeping people young.

C．How our biological clock works?

D．Eternal（永恒的） youth: new developments in anti-ageing research.

6.By saying “But do we really want to live forever”, the author may probably mean         .

A．a future where we are born, we grow to maturity, but we never grow old and die is on its way

B．he is uncertain whether we can live forever

C．it remains to be seen whether immortality is a blessing or a curse

D．immortality is no longer a dream

Ⅲ．完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Once there were two men, who lived in the same hospital room. One man’s bed was next to the room's only window. ___36__, the other man, since his illness was more  ___37__, had to spend all his time in bed. When the man in the bed by the window could  ___38__ up, he would tell his roommate all the things he could see ___39__ the window. He said the window ___40___ a park with a lovely ___41__. Ducks played on the __42___ while children sailed their model boats. Old trees grew and beautiful flowers were in bloom. What a fine ___43__! The man in the other bed would be  ___44__ by the beautiful colors of the world outside.
Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse found the man by the window had ___45__ peacefully in his sleep. She called the hospital attendants to take the body ___46__. As everything was done, the other man asked if he could be  ___47__ next to the window.  The nurse said OK and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him ___48__.
Slowly and painfully, he tried to take his _49___ look at the world outside. He thought he would be ___50__ to see it by himself. But to his surprise, he saw nothing but a white ___51__. The man asked the nurse ____52   his roommate ___53__  to him and said there were wonderful things outside this window. The nurse told him his roommate was blind and could not even ___54__  the wall.
She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to ___55__  you. He only hoped you could live in a colorful world and got better quickly. "
36. A. Unluckily      B. Happily        C. Surprisingly   D. Angrily
37. A. common       B. occasional      C. serious        D. light
38. A. stand          B. sit            C. jump         D. wake
39. A. across         B. above          C. behind       D. Outside
40. A. built          B. stood          C. faced         D. placed
41. A. hill           B. lake            C. house        D. tower
42. A. sand          B. grass           C. water         D. tree
43. A. look          B. sight            C. form         D. view
44. A. impressed     B. moved          C. reminded    D. disappointed
45. A. missed        B. died            C. come        D. passed
46. A. up           B. away           C. off           D. on
47. A. moved        B. forced          C. brought       D. lifted
48. A. alike          B. alone          C. aloud         D. alive
49. A. single         B. last            C. first          D. only
50. A. pleased        B. excited         C. crazy         D. sad
51. A. wall           B. picture         C. river        D. Window
52. A. when          B. why         C. how          D. Where
53. A. led           B. got            C. lied          D. left
54. A. hear          B. touch          C. see          D. describe
55. A. please        B. encourage       C. control       D. Advice

Ⅲ．完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

    阅读下面短文，从短文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。

Once there were two men, who lived in the same hospital room. One man’s bed was next to the room's only window. ___36__, the other man, since his illness was more  ___37__, had to spend all his time in bed. When the man in the bed by the window could  ___38__ up, he would tell his roommate all the things he could see ___39__ the window. He said the window ___40___ a park with a lovely ___41__. Ducks played on the __42___ while children sailed their model boats. Old trees grew and beautiful flowers were in bloom. What a fine ___43__! The man in the other bed would be  ___44__ by the beautiful colors of the world outside.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse found the man by the window had ___45__ peacefully in his sleep. She called the hospital attendants to take the body ___46__. As everything was done, the other man asked if he could be  ___47__ next to the window.  The nurse said OK and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him ___48__.

Slowly and painfully, he tried to take his _49___ look at the world outside. He thought he would be ___50__ to see it by himself. But to his surprise, he saw nothing but a white ___51__. The man asked the nurse ____52   his roommate ___53__  to him and said there were wonderful things outside this window. The nurse told him his roommate was blind and could not even ___54__  the wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to ___55__  you. He only hoped you could live in a colorful world and got better quickly. "

36. A. Unluckily      B. Happily        C. Surprisingly   D. Angrily

37. A. common       B. occasional      C. serious        D. light

38. A. stand          B. sit            C. jump         D. wake

39. A. across         B. above          C. behind       D. Outside

40. A. built          B. stood          C. faced         D. placed

41. A. hill           B. lake            C. house        D. tower

42. A. sand          B. grass           C. water         D. tree

43. A. look          B. sight            C. form         D. view

44. A. impressed     B. moved          C. reminded     D. disappointed

45. A. missed        B. died            C. come        D. passed

46. A. up           B. away           C. off           D. on

47. A. moved        B. forced          C. brought       D. lifted

48. A. alike          B. alone          C. aloud         D. alive

49. A. single         B. last            C. first          D. only

50. A. pleased        B. excited         C. crazy         D. sad

51. A. wall           B. picture         C. river        D. Window

52. A. when          B. why          C. how          D. Where

53. A. led           B. got            C. lied          D. left

54. A. hear          B. touch          C. see          D. describe

55. A. please        B. encourage       C. control       D. Advice