In the Caucasus region of Russia, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Russian old people aren’t alone. The Pakistanis, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains seem to share the secret of long life, too.
These people remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians aged 100 to 140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked “at what age does youth end?”most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.”
What accounts for this ability to survive to such old age, and to survive so well？First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr . Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Mamedov has no intention of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why？What else would I do？”he asks. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations of 1,660 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced-oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel(血管) system stronger.
Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived people had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.
1.The example of Mr. and Mrs. Mamedov implies that some Caucasians aged 100 to 140 ____.
A．become weak and hopeless
B．are too old to work in the fields
C．benefit from physical work
D．are still working in the fields
2.What is the main way of life for all of these long-lived people?
A．Retiring from their lives as farmers.
B．Having been married for 90 years.
C．Hard physical work.
D．Having no intentions.
3.Which of the following factors isn’t helpful to people’s health and long life?
A．Clean mountain air.
B．Daily hard work.
C． Good genes
D． Stress and pressure.
“A” for Attitude
English was always my favorite subject. In my freshman year of high school, I could write a killer composition. In my second year, my teacher me to give spelling tests to the class. I had a time of my junior year. Mrs Alexander me to sit at her desk and take over the class when she had to leave the room. Only my senior English class was , as we had a teacher right out of college who expected work. Every student received a "C" or "D" grade the first quarter. But English was still my favorite subject.
I graduated from high school, early and had children. about my English, I often helped my kids with their English homework. And I wrote long articles and beautiful poetry as a columnist for a newspaper. Fifteen years later, I went to college, and because I had been an "A" student, I remained an "A" student. I up to my own expectations.
Yesterday, I my high school report cards when I was reading old papers. That bundle of report cards back the old days. I remembered sitting in my advisor's office, explaining that I had always be at English, and recommending that I did not deserve a '"D" from that inexperienced teacher of my senior year. The advisor was but unable to change a（an） . Reading through my old report cards revealed something else too. I wanted to them or hide them. I was not an "A" student in high school English! Somehow, I had myself of this, when the grades clearly reflected an average student with an "A" or "B" but mostly "C” S.
Had I lived up to those grades and myself according to those letters, I would have never confidently sought my writing career. Had I my early grades instead of myself, I would have allowed my fear of failure to enthusiasm and damage my creativity. Instead, I my younger self as an "A" English student, except for that undeserved "D".
1.A. scolded B. allowedC. ordered D. reminded
2.A. badB. complexC. terribleD. wonderful
3.A. approved B. appointed C. expected D. urged
4.A. flexible B. creativeC. disappointing D. controversial
5.A. college-level B. basedC. difficultD. easy
6.A. married B. workedC. succeeded D. progressed
7.A. Sad B. Confident C. AnxiousD. Curious
8.A. added B. lived C. grew D. went
9.A. counted B. remembered C. approachedD. discovered
10.A. brought B. turned C. heldD. kept
11.A. nervous B. excelled C. poorD. terrible
12.A. impolite B. impatientC. inexperienced D. sympathetic
13.A. grade B. figureC. paperD. entry
14.A. tearB. fire C. cryD. escape
15.A. warned B. reminded C. informedD. convinced
16.A. average B. enthusiastic C. outstanding D. occasional
17.A. considered B. definedC. reflected D. described
18.A. abandoned B. given C. believed inD. doubted
19.A. change B. riskC. defeat D. reminded
20.A. looked B. viewedC. sang D. criticized
—Why are you crying? Today is your birthday!
—____________. I am so excited with so many friends surrounding me.
A. Just can’t help itB. Don’t mention it
C. None of your businessD. That’s all right
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 ___________ course and turned back toward Kuala Lumpur -- but there were no indications from the pilot that he was doing so.
A. must have changed B. could have changed
C. might have changed D. should have changed.
— 2013 was a successful year for us China.
— ___________, and ________.
A. So it was; so 2014 willB. So was it; so 2014 will
C. So was it; so will 2014D. So it was; so will 2014
_________at the cafeteria before, Tina didn’t want to eat there again.
A. Having eaten B. To eat C. Eat D. Eating
