At age 61, identical twins Jeanne and Susan no longer look exactly alike. Susan smoked for many years and is an admitted sun worshipper, whose habits Jeanne does not share. A new study of twins suggests you can blame those coarse(粗糙的)wrinkles, brown or pink spots on too much time in the sun, smoking, and being overweight.

       Because twins share genes, but may have different exposures to environmental factors, studying twins allows an “opportunity to control for genetic susceptibility(易受影响性),” Dr. Elma D. Baron, at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, and his colleagues explain in the latest issue of Archives of Dermatology.

       Their analysis of environmental skin-damaging factors in 65 pairs of twins hints that skin aging is related more to environment and lifestyle than genetic factors.

       But when it comes to skin cancer, the researchers say their findings support previous reports that both environment and genes affect skin cancer risk.

       Baron’s team examined facial skin of 130 twins, 18 to 77 years old, who lived mostly in the northem Midwest and Eastern regions of the US, who were attending the Twins Days Festival in Ohio in August 2002. At this time, each of the twins also separately reported how their skin burned or tanned(晒黑)without sunscreen, their weight, and their history of skin cancer, smoking, and alcohol drinking. The study group consisted of 52 fraternal(异卵双生)and 10 identical twin pairs, plus 3 pairs who were unsure of their twin status.

       From these data, the researchers noted strong ties, outside of twin status, between smoking, older age, and being overweight, and having facial skin with evidence of environmental damage. By contrast, sunscreen use and drinking alcohol appeared related to less skin damage.

       Baron and his colleagues say the current findings, which highlight ties between facial aging and potentially avoidable environmental factors—such as smoking, being overweight, and unprotected overexposure to the sun’s damaging rays—may help motivate people to minimize these risky behaviors.

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

       A.Jeanne and Susan share all the habits including smoking.

       B.Skin aging is related more to environment and lifestyle than genetic factors.

       C.Only identical twins can take part in the research.

       D.Sunscreen use cannot help people have less skin damage.

Why did Baron’s team do the research on twins?

       A.Twins are more likely to suffer from skin cancer.

       B.It may guarantee the research is not influenced by genetic factors.

       C.It gives others an opportunity to control twins’ genes.

       D.It helps find twins are exposed to different environments.

What can you infer from the last paragraph?

       A.This research makes people aware of dangerous lifestyles.

       B.The environmental factors are unavoidable.

       C.Being exposed to the sun is absolutely damaging.

       D.There is little relationship between skin aging and environment.

The passage is mainly concerned with      .

       A.skin cancer and environment

       B.identical twins research

       C.aging skin and environmental factors

       D.genes and lifestyles

How Long Can People Live?

    She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121 st birthday.

    When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond?

    Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers. “Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135, ”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.

    Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. “People can live much longer than we think, ”he says. “Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can’t we go higher? ”

    The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing. “Anyone can make up a number, ”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. “Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine. ”

    Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, “adding another 50 percent would get you to 120. ”

    So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible(有弹性的), but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. “We can get flies to live 50 percent longer, ”he says. “But a fly’s never going to live 150 years. ”Of course, if you became a new species (物种), one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds.

    Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve (进化)their way to longer life? “It’s pretty cool to think about, ”he says with a smile.

72. What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?

      A. People can live to 122.                       B. Old people are creative.

      C. Women are sporty at 85.                    D. Women live longer than men.

73. According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ______.

      A. the average human life span could be 110

     B. scientists cannot find ways to slow aging

     C. few people can expect to live to over 150

     D. researchers are not sure how long people can live

74. Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?

     A. Jerry Shay.         B. Steve Austad     C. Rich Miller     D. George Martin

75. What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?

      A. Most of us could be good at sports even at 120.

     B. The average human life span cannot be doubled

     C. Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.

     D. New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, become a record breaker on 17 October 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France, her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes here as being “more like a 90-year-old in good health” than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on the 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied, “A very short one.” She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a say, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying: “Sorry, I’m still alive!”
【小题1】 How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?

A.She feels upset and unhappy.
B.She is cheerful and humorous.
C.She likes to live much longer.
D.She feels she is going to die very soon.
【小题2】 The text seems to suggest that Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to______.
A.smoking only little every day
B.neither smoking nor drinking
C.always drinking two glasses of strong red wine a day and never smoking
D.the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises
【小题3】 Which of the following could best explain the underlined word “genes” in the third paragraph?
A.good habits of body-building.
B.Some materials that control the development of a living thing.
C.Comfortable living conditions.
D.Something necessary for a person to keep his life.
【小题4】Why did Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive!” to the local lawyer?
A.She had an agreement with the lawyer when she was 80.
B.The lawyer has not paid her enough rent yet.
C.The lawyer has paid her more money than the value of the house.
D.The house she sold to the lawyer was worth the money already paid.

Jeanne Calment, a French woman, become a record breaker on 17 October 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.

Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France, her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes here as being “more like a 90-year-old in good health” than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on the 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied, “A very short one.” She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.

So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a say, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.

A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying: “Sorry, I’m still alive!”

1. How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?

A.She feels upset and unhappy.

B.She is cheerful and humorous.

C.She likes to live much longer.

D.She feels she is going to die very soon.

2. The text seems to suggest that Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to______.

A.smoking only little every day

B.neither smoking nor drinking

C.always drinking two glasses of strong red wine a day and never smoking

D.the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises

3. Which of the following could best explain the underlined word “genes” in the third paragraph?

A.good habits of body-building.

B.Some materials that control the development of a living thing.

C.Comfortable living conditions.

D.Something necessary for a person to keep his life.

4.Why did Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive!” to the local lawyer?

A.She had an agreement with the lawyer when she was 80.

B.The lawyer has not paid her enough rent yet.

C.The lawyer has paid her more money than the value of the house.

D.The house she sold to the lawyer was worth the money already paid.

 

She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday.

      When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond?

      Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers. “Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135, ”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.

      Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. “People can live much longer than we think, ”he says. “Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can’t we go higher? ”

      The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing. “Anyone can make up a number, ”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. “Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine. ”

      Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, “adding another 50 percent would get you to 120. ”

      So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible(有弹性的), but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. “We can get flies to live 50 percent longer, ”he says. “But a fly’s never going to live 150 years. ”Of course, if you became a new species (物种), one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds.

      Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve (进化)their way to longer life? “It’s pretty cool to think about, ”he says with a smile.

1. What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?

A.People can live to 122.

B.Old people are creative.

C.Women are sporty at 85.

D.Women live longer than men.

2. According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ______.

A.the average human life span could be 110

B.scientists cannot find ways to slow aging

C.few people can expect to live to over 150

D.researchers are not sure how long people can live

3. Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?

A.Jerry Shay.                            B.Steve Austad

C.Rich Miller                            D.George Martin

4. What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?

A.Most of us could be good at sports even at 120.

B.The average human life span cannot be doubled

C.Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.

D.New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species

 

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