A super drug that could remove Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆症)，heart disease and diabetes (糖尿病) and help people live to 100 is being developed by scientists. Their research is based on the identification of three genes that help prolong lives and prevent diseases which occur in old age. Medically controlling the proteins made by the “ longevity genes” will allow millions to live longer, predicts Dr Nir Barzilai.
Those whose DNA strongly features the three genes are 80 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The genes also fight against the deadly impact of smoking, poor diet, obesity and lack of exercise.
Already, several laboratories are working on a pill to imitate the benefits of the genes and Dr Barzilai thinks it could be tested within three years. The pill could remove some diseases that damage old age. “ The advantage of finding a gene that involves longevity is that we can develop a drug that will imitate exactly what this gene is doing,” he said.
Of the three longevity genes, two genes increase the production of so-called good cholesterol(胆固醇), which reduces the risk of heart disease. The third prevents diabetes. They were discovered by Dr Barzilai’s team while studying the DNA of 500 Ashkenazi Jews with an average age of 100. The chances of living that long are one in 10,000 but the group, which shared relatively few common ancestors, was 20 times more likely to hit the entury. Dr Barzilai said: “ 30 percent of them were obese or overweight and 30 percent smoked two acks of cigarettes a day for more than 40 years, however they can live to 100.”
But Andrew Ketteringham of the Alzheimer’s Society said: “Alzheimer’s disease, a most common disease, is likely to be caused by a combination of genetic disosition(遗传倾向), lifestyles and life events. Many genes are probably involved.
1.Some people are able to live to 100 years because of ______.
A. a magical medicine B. three special genes C. good living habits D. longevity proteins
2.Why does the discovery of the longevity genes mean a lot?
A. Because it can bring great benefits to scientific labs.
B. Because it can help people change their unhealthy genes
C. Because it helps produce a drug that can make people live longer.
D. Because it will help scientists build up a new branch of biology.
3.From Paragraph 4 we can infer that ________.
A. longevity genes can create good cholesterol.
B. the volunteers share some common ancestors
C. bad habits are likely to have no effect on the volunteers
D. longevity genes protect the volunteers against bad habits
4.What is Andrew Ketteringham’s attitude toward the study?
A. Positive B. Negative C. Critical D. Cautious
The church seems cold this morning, even after all the people, friends and family, fill the benches. I sit here in silence, in shock and denial. This was not supposed to happen. What about our dreams, or our plans? We were going to raise our children, travel the world, and grow old together. I’m only 37, a typical housewife. I don’t know if I can do all this alone—two children, no father. What do I do or say?
The faces of so many people confuse me as they come to pay their last respects. Some have real sorrow; I can see it in their eyes. The others seem to just say, “I told you so.” Those famous last words: I-told-you-so. How I can’t stand them. And the pointing fingers as so-called family and so-called friends pick me out of the crowd for others to see. I want to scream and wake up but I can’t do anything but sit there. How can they be so blind? I fell in love with a man. Love knows no boundaries .
He was a good man, hardworking, caring and kind. He was retired from the Navy and a gentleman. He was sensitive to others’ needs, the kind of man that knew what to do or say, how to humor any situation and calm everyone’s fears. I remember our first child was a big surprise to both of us. I remember when I told him the news. He fell off his chair, saying over and over in disbelief, “But I’m almost sixty.” After a few months he started planning our next and even doing his famous little dance whenever he discussed the idea.
A man, thirty years older than I, lies in a coffin. Flowers, the American flag and his VFW comrades surround him, paying tribute（颂词）to him as the man he really was. And I sit alone here, with our two children, in silence, praying that this cold morning at church is only a nightmare and I will awake to his loving arms again.
1.What can we know from the passage about the writer?
A. She married a man much older than she.
B. She is going to give birth to their second child.
C. She lost her husband, who was as old as she.
D. She lost her father, whom she loved deeply.
2.From Paragraph Two, we can see ______.
A. the writer didn’t really love the man
B. some of her family members didn’t understand her
C. some of her family members and friends were blind
D. she thought her marriage to the man was a mistake
3. Which of the following can best replace the underlined words “But I’m almost sixty”?
A. I can’t believe it.
B. That’s a lot of trouble.
C. That should have happened long ago.
D. It can’t be my child.
4.Which of the following can’t be used to describe the writer’s feelings for the man?
A. Sad. B. Loving. C. Inseparable D. Complaining.
Mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years I would 1 at the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought 2 very important to us, so I said, “My ears, mum.” She said, “No, many people are 3 . But think about it and I’ll ask you again.”
Since making my first 4 , I had often thought over the question. So the next time I told her, “Mum, it must be our eyes.” She said, “You are 5 fast, but the answer isn’t correct because there are blind people.”
6 the years, mother asked me a couple more 7 and always her response was, “No, but you are getting 8 , dear.” Last year, my Grandpa 9 . Everybody was heartbroken, crying. When it was our __10 to say our final good-bye to Grandpa, Mum asked me, “Do you know the important body part yet, my dear?”
I was 11 when she was asking me. I always thought this was a 12__ between us. She saw the __13 look on my face and told me “This question’s very important. It shows you have really 14 your life.” I saw her eyes full of tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your 15 .” I asked, “Is it because they hold up your head?” she replied, “No, it is 16 on them a crying friend or a loved one can __17 their head. I hope you’ll have a shoulder to cry 18 when you need it.”
Then and there I understood the most important body part is not a 19 one. It is being sympathetic(同情的) to the pain of 20 .
1.A. guess B. believe C. doubt D. notice
2.A. love B. health C. sight D. sound
3.A. blind B. invisible C. deaf D. thoughtful
4.A. discovery B. decision C. advice D. attempt
5.A. thinking B. learning C. growing D. changing
6.A. Over B. Till C. Beyond D. Before
7.A. times B. things C. questions D. ways
8.A. stronger B. taller C. nicer D. smarter
9.A. left out B. got ill C. passed away D. got wounded
10.A. turn B. duty C. pity D. chance
11.A. satisfied B. shocked C. interested D. excited
12.A. test B. secret C. match D. game
13.A. worried B. regretted C. puzzled D. pained
14.A. lived B. found C. disliked D. enjoyed
15.A. feet B. shoulders C. hands D. hair
16.A. how B. why C. because D. whether
17.A. put B. carry C. leave D. rest
18.A. on B. by C. above D. for
19.A. valuable B. selfish C. useful D. precious
20.A. Grandpa B. the deaf C. others D. the blind
Jack has had no ________experience of this kind of job，but he got the job offer just due to his honesty.
A．previous B．obvious C．cautious D．precious
--- We don’t think we’ll be able to go mountain-climbing tomorrow.
---______ the weather turns out fine?
A. How come B. How about C. What if D. Why not
It is high time, I think, that you got down to ______ something in class.
A. do B. did C. doing D. does
