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

Children are keen Internet shoppers with more than half having bought something online, research has shown.
Around 53 percent of children aged between 7 and 16 said they had bought something over the Internet, 10 percent more than in 2004, according to Halifax.
Boys were more likely to be Internet shoppers than girls, with 60 percent of boys saying they had bought items online, compared with just 46 percent of girls.
Unsurprisingly, older children were more likely to use the Internet to shop than younger ones, with nearly three quarters of 12-16-year olds shopping online, compared to just 29 percent of 7-to-11-year olds who said they had bought something.
More than half of children preferred buying things over the Internet to buying them on the high street, while 61 percent of those who had bought things online said it was easier to buy certain items over the Internet than in shops.
However, boys were more likely to always prefer buying things online, while girls were more likely to still like the actual high street shopping experience.
The most common items for young people to buy over the Internet were CDs, tapes and computer games and equipment. Some children had bought DVDs and videos, while some had bought gifts.
Children spent most money on computer games and equipment, with 13 percent saying they spent more than $20 online on these items a year, followed by 12 percent who spent more than $20 a year on mobile phones and 11 percent who spent the same amounts on clothes.
Cheryl Millington, head of savings at Halifax, said, “ We are not only seeing the emergence of a generation of young consumers, but also keen cyber-consumers. While children often lead the way in Internet use within the family home, parents have an important role to play in ensuring they stay safe while online.”
73. From the passage, which of the following is NOT correct?
A. Children are keen on internet shopping          
B. Boys are more likely to buy things over the Internet than girls
C. Older children want to buy things in actual streets             
D. Children like to buy some fashionable items over the Internet
74. We can infer from the last paragraph that ________
A. Cheryl Millington is against children’s online shopping         
B. parents should play an active role in ensuring their children’s safety
C. Cheryl Millington holds a conservative (保守的) view about children’s online shopping             
D. children will become the main composition of online shopping
75. Which of the following can best show the organization of the text?
a. the number of children’s online shopping      b. items bought over the Internet
c. money spent on online shopping             d. safety problems
A. a, b, c, d       B. a, d, c, b      C. a, c, d, b       D. d, a, c, b

阅读下列短文，根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

In many parts of the world, cars play an important role in daily life and many societies would not exist without them.   1 But this is the prediction made by a team of transport researchers who are taken seriously, not only by government but also by car manufacturers(制造商).

The Human Science and Advanced Technology Institute at Loughborough in the UK is part of an international research program.   2 That will mean much saving, no accidents and better use of roads. The super-intelligent car of the 21st century will drive itself,   3 . Instead，we will have a choice of cars and change them as frequently as we change our clothing．

According to Dr．David Davis，who leads the research team，these predictions are based on the rising cost of the car culture，which had blocked up our cities，polluted our air, and caused more deaths than both world wars put together．

Davis says，cars will be fitted with some intelligent devices(装置) to regulate(调节) the distance between one car and another.   4 Computers are much safer drivers than people，so cars in a road train will be able to drive much closer together than cars driven by people.

By 2010，Dr．David Davis believes，car technology will give motorists a clear view of the road，whatever the weather conditions，by projecting an image（影像）of the road ahead on to the car’s windscreen．  5 Cars will be connected by an electronic bar to the car in front to form “road-trains”. “The front vehicle in such a train burns the normal amount of fuel.” says Davis. “ But all the others in the train would burn about ten percent of the normal amount，and so produce about ten percent of the pollution.”

A．The team there believes that by 2030 all cars will be computerized.

B．They believe that cars will become more important in 20 years.

C．And it will not be owned by one individual.

D．And by 2030, cars will travel in line, linked to each other electronically.

E．So the idea that in 20 years’ time, no one will own cars may be hard to believe.

F．Every driver will use less fuel in the car he owns.

G．The car will automatically speed up, or slow down, to match the speed of the car in front.

Rooster Morris is an author, entertainer, storyteller, musician, and composer. He has performed for over 4.5 million students in elementary schools, public libraries and museums. Rooster shares with the audience some of the stories in children’s books. Kids walk away from his performances, believing they can write, draw, perform, sing, or play a musical instrument. Most importantly, students walk away, believing reading will open the doors to every opportunity in life.

Everyone knows authors write books, but how many students actually have the opportunity to watch a published author read from their books? When a student has the advantage of meeting an author and has the opportunity to ask questions, they realize authors are people from far-away places. Rooster points out these misunderstandings and explains how he started writing.

Rooster talks of habits being one of the most important things in a person’s life. If people develop good habits, they will achieve their goals and be ready for anything. Rooster talks about how he wanted to play the fiddle（小提琴）when he was a young boy. He learns to make a habit of practicing the fundamentals. Rooster shows the kids the pay-off — he plays a song in front of the audience and brings the excitement to a new level.

Rooster will educate and entertain the audience. Many students begin writing after having seen Rooster’s program. When children hear someone they admire say, “You can do anything if you want to do it,” it motivates them into action.

Laid-Back West, Inc. has been booking authors for schools for over 13 years. We know the value of a successful author visit and can invite Rooster and other authors to visit your school.

1.After attending Rooster Morris’ performances, kids _____.

A．are asked to write an article

B．are able to play an instrument

C．are well prepared to start school

D．become more confident about themselves

2.What does Rooster Morris do during his performances?

① Read books.

② Play an instrument.

③ Give out books.

④ Teach the audience how to draw.

⑤ Perform a play.

A．①②             B．①③             C．③④             D．②⑤

3.Rooster talks about how he learnt to play the fiddle in order to prove that _________．

A．writing needs creativity

B．forming good habits is important

C．learning to play an instrument is not easy

D．people should take action to achieve their goals

4.The main purpose of the passage is to            .

A．sell Rooster Morris’ children’s books

B．persuade kids to attend Rooster Morris’ school

C．encourage children to write

D．attract customers for Laid-Back West, Inc.

Almost everyone likes to eat apples．Apples grow in nearly every part of the world．The United States produces more apples than any other country except France．The states of Washington and New York grow the most apples．1.  New York is on the east coast and Washington is on the west near Canada．

         Apples are red, yellow or green．They are very popular in the United States．2.  Most American people are often too busy or too tired to cook dinner, so they often have their dinners very simply．Apple juice is also a popular drink and apple pie is the favorite sweet dish for many Americans．

         3. The trees there produce nearly five billion apples every year—one apple for every man, woman and child in the whole world．