Our risk of cancer rises dramatically as we age. So it makes sense that the elderly should be routinely screened for new tumors — or doesn’t it?

　　While such vigilant(警觉的)tracking of cancer is a good thing in general, researchers are increasingly questioning whether all of this testing is necessary for the elderly. With the percentage of people over age 65 expected to nearly double by 2050, it’s important to weigh the health benefits of screening against the risks and costs of routine testing.

　　In many cases, screening can lead to additional biopsies and surgeries to remove cancer, which can cause side effects, while the cancers themselves may be slow-growing and may not pose serious health problems in patients’ remaining years. But the message that everyone must screen for cancer has become so ingrained that when health care experts recommended that women under 50 and over 74 stop screening for breast cancer, it caused a riotous reaction among doctors, patients and advocacy groups. 

　　It’s hard to uproot deeply held beliefs about cancer screening with scientific data. Certainly, there are people over age 75 who have had cancers detected by routine screening, and gained several extra years of life because of treatment. And clearly, people over age 75 who have other risk factors for cancer, such as a family history or prior personal experience with the disease, should continue to get screened regularly. But for the remainder, the risk of cancer, while increased at the end of life, must be balanced with other factors like remaining life expectancy(预期寿命).

　　A recent study suggests that doctors start to make more objective decisions about who will truly benefit from screening- especially considering the explosion of the elderly that will soon swell our population.

　　It’s not an easy calculation to make, but one that make sense for the whole patient. Dr. Otis Brawley said, “Many doctors are ordering these tests purely to cover themselves. We need to think about the rational use of health care and stop talking about the rationing of health care.”

　　That means making some difficult decisions with elderly patients, and going against the misguided belief that when it comes to health care, more is always better.

1.Why do doctors recommend routine cancer screening for elderly people?

A. It is believed to contribute to long life.

B. It is part of their health care package.

C. The elderly are more sensitive about their health.

D. The elderly are in greater danger of tumor growth.

2.How do some researchers now look at routine cancer screening for the elderly?

A. It adds too much to their medical bills.

B. It helps increase their life expectancy.

C. They are doubtful about necessity.

D. They think it does more than good.

3.What is the conventional view about women screening for breast cancer?

A. It applies to women over 50.

B. It is a must for adult women.

C. It is optional for young women.

D. It doesn’t apply to women over 74.

4.Why do many doctors prescribe routine screening for cancer?

A. They want to protect themselves against medical disputes.

B. They want to take advantage of the medical care system.

C. They want data for medical research.

D. They want their patients to suffer less.

5.What does the author say is the general view about health care?

A. The more, the better.

B. Prevention is better than cure.

C. Better early than late.

D. Better care, longer life.

——What about _________ job??

　——It?s too difficult _________ job for me.?

　 A. the； a 　 B. the； the  C. a； the 　 D. a； a

　　It's 7 am Kyoto (东京), Japan, and the taxi company has just called a second time to say they can't find my house.　　1　　I tell him directions. even a blind person can　　2　 , look impatiently at my watch, and wait. Only two hours remain until my　　3　　leavesand it's an hour-and-a-half trip to Osaka airport.

　　The telephone rings　　4　 .“Terribly sorry,”begins the clerk. Then I　　5　　what's happened: flooded with　　6　 , the company is too busy. I've heard this happens when the weather gets　　7　 . I shout into the　　8　　that I have a plane to catchI must be in Seoul　　9　　and I'll meet the　　10　　a few hundred meters away on a bridge over the Kamo River.

　　Standing in the heavy　　11　 , I look up and down. No　　12　　From the other direction a white car comes up, then stops. A young man opens the door, signing to me to　　13　 . Shaking with cold and　　14　 , I climb inside.

　　In the most　　15　　Japanese, the man explains to me that he is the person with whom I have spoken　　16　　this morning. He apologizes again and again, but does not explain why a taxi could　　17　　except to say they are“very, very busy”this morning.

　　A few hours later, seated into my seat as the storm-delayed 727　　18　 , I open the　　19　 . My eyes wander to the headline (标题) of a short article:“Taxi Strike Begins this Morning in　　20　 .”

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　　------Your phone number again ? I ______ quite catch it .

　　------ It’s 9568442.

　　A. didn’t B. couldn’t C. don’t D. can’t

Rising above the names

　　 I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard a young voice.

　 “Mom，come here！There's this lady here my size！”

　　 The mother rushed to her son；then she turned to me to apologize.

　　 I smiled and told her，“It's okay.”Then I talked to the boy，“Hi，I'm Darryl Kramer.How are you？”

　　 He studied me from head to toe，and asked，“Are you a little mommy？”

　 “Yes，I have a son，”I answered.

　 “Why are you so little？”he asked.

　 “It's the way I was born，”I said.“Some people are little.Some are tall.I'm just not going to grow any bigger.”After I answered his other questions，I shook the boy's hand and left.

　　 My life as a little person is filled with stories like that.I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.

　　 It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness.I stand three feet nine inches tall.I was born an achondroplasia dwarf(侏儒)．Despite this，I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.

　　 I didn't realize how short I was until I started school.Some kids picked on me，calling me names.Then I knew.I began to hate the first day of school each year.New students would always stare at me as I struggled to climb the school bus stairs.

　　 But I learned to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life.I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage.What I lacked in height，I made up for in personality.

　　 I'm 47 now，and the stares have not diminished as I've grown older.People are amazed when they see me driving.I try to keep a good attitude.When people are rude，I remind myself，“Look what else I have－a great family，nice friends.”

　　 It's the children's questions that make my life special.I enjoy answering their questions.My hope is that I will encourage them to accept their peers(a person of the same age，class，position，etc.)，whatever size and shape they come in，and treat them with respect.

1．Why did the mother apologize to the author?

A．Because the boy ran into the author.

B．Because the boy laughed at the author.

C．Because the boy said the author was fatter than him.

D．Because the mother thought the boy's words had hurt the author.

2．When did the author realize that she was too short?

A．When she grew up.

B．When she was 47 years old.

C．When she began to go to school.

D．When she met the boy in the supermarket.

3．Which of the following word can best replace the underlined word“diminished”？

A．Dismissed. 　　　　 B．Increased.

C．Decreased. 　　　　 D．Discriminated.

4．How does the author feel about people's stares?

A．Angry. 　　　　　　 B．Calm.

C．Painful. 　　　　　 D．Discouraged.