Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die." is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."
Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.
Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.
Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.
Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".
Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.
With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers. From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______.
| A．being active at 102 is achievable for everybody |
| B．Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s help |
| C．social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior |
| D．being fit in old age is a matter of luck and character |
How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?” in paragraph 5, Heesters shows us he ________.
| A．wants to sit or lie in comfort |
| B．is waiting for people to pick him up |
| C．is willing to work till he dies |
| D．prefers to give performance at home |
In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.
| A．old age is a big problem if you want tosucceed |
| B．old age can not prevent a great person from achieving a lot |
| C．old people should never think of themselves as old |
| D．as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic |
In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.
| A．pessimistic | B．intelligent |
| C．positive | D．diligent |
One of the main decisions you must make when traveling is deciding where to stay. A good place to stay can often make a holiday. Whether you are looking for a classy hotel or a night under the stars, we can guide you through your different options.
Bed and Breakfast
An English invention, bed and breakfasts offer exactly what they suggest, a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. People who hate the anonymity of hotels but want more luxury than a hostel often choose to stay at bed and breakfasts. “B&B’s”, usually someone’s private home, are often found in the countryside.
Hostels
For those traveling on a tight budget, hostels are the best accommodation option. Informal places usually with a friendly youthful vibe(氛围), they offer dormitory beds for rent. Bathrooms are usually down the hall.
Remember to check reviews by previous guests online before you book your hostel.
Couch Surfing
An unusual but interesting option, couch surfing is a growing trend among young internationals. The idea is that you become a member of the online couch-surfing community (www. couchsurfing. com) and then when you travel, look up other members in that country and ask to stay on their couch (沙发). Most hosts will suggest sightseeing trips and take you out in the evening, making it a great way to see things that aren’t in your guidebook. And remember, it may be free but don’t forget to offer to buy your host a drink or dinner.
Camping
Sleeping under the stars! For budget travelers staying at camping grounds is the cheapest way to travel. The drawback is that you have to carry a tent with you. Camping grounds can be found across Europe, America and Australia. However, if you intend on camping in busy cities, check first where the nearest campsite is. More often than not, they are on the outskirts, which can mean lengthy bus rides into town when you want to eat or see the sights.
Hostels are popular among budget travelers because they provide _____.
| A．a friendly atmosphere |
| B．dormitory beds for sale |
| C．reviews by previous guests |
| D．beds and bathrooms as well |
Which of the following information is true?
| A．The host will charge you for sightseeing |
| B．You can have a couch to sleep on when camping. |
| C．If you choose couch surfing, you can explore the nightlife there |
| D．You don’t have to pay any money living in hostels |
The disadvantage of camping is that you have to ______.
| A．sleep in the open air |
| B．take some extra articles |
| C．camp near big cities for safety |
| D．take a long distance bus to the campsites |
New York — Wednesday, October fifteenth, is the first Global Hand Washing Day. Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
Global Hand Washing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing with Soap. The goal, they say, is to create a culture of hand washing with soap. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs (病菌). They say the correct way to wash hands is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Then, rinse well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth.
The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the likelihood that people will wash again.
It also says washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea (痢疾), which is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year, by almost half.
The most suitable title for the text would be _____.
| A．Hand Washing Brings Good Health |
| B．Hand Washing Gets a Day of Its Own |
| C．It Is Soap That Matters |
| D．Partnership for Hand Washing Takes Action |
The Partnership creates Global Hand Washing Day to _____.
| A．call on people to wash hands |
| B．help the developing countries |
| C．promote the importance of soap in hand washing |
| D．make a culture of hand washing in the third world |
The following facts can explain why soap is important EXCEPT that _____.
| A．soap gives people a longer hand washing time |
| B．soap helps to get rid of more germs off hands |
| C．soap attracts people to do more hand washing |
| D．soap gets people into the habit of washing hands |
According to the last paragraph, diarrhea is a disease that _____.
| A．kills half of the kids in developing countries |
| B．causes the greatest number of child deaths |
| C．can be prevented by washing hands with soap |
| D．makes soap stand out in hand washing |
In the summer of 1978 an English farmer was driving his tractor through a field of wheat when he discovered that some of his wheat was lying flat on the ground. The flattened wheat formed a circle about six meters across. Around this circle were four smaller circles of flattened wheat. The five circles were in a formation like five dots. During the following years, farmers in England found the strange circles in their fields more and more often.
The circles are called “crop circles” because they appear in the fields of grain ― usually wheat or corn. The grain in the circles lies flat on the ground but is never broken; it continues to grow, and farmers can later harvest it. Farmers always discover the crop circles in the morning, so the circles probably form at night. They appear only in the months from May to September.
At first, people thought that the circles were a hoax. Probably young people were making them as a joke, or farmers were making them to attract tourists. To prove that the circles were a hoax, people tried to make circles exactly like the ones that farmers had found. They couldn’t do it. They couldn’t enter a field of grain without leaving tracks, and they couldn’t flatten the grain without breaking it.
Many people believe that beings from outer space are making the circles to communicate with us from far away and that the crop circles are messages from them.
Scientists who have studied the crop circles suggested several possibilities. Some scientists say that a downward rush of wind leads to the formation of the circles — the same downward lash of air that sometimes causes an airplane to crash. Other scientists say that forces within the earth cause the circles to appear. There is one problem with all these scientific explanations: crop circles often appear in formations, like the five-dot formation. It is hard to believe that any natural force could form those.In the summer of 1978, an English farmer discovered in his field that ______.
| A．some of his wheat had been damaged |
| B．some of his wheat had fallen onto the ground |
| C．his grain was growing up in circles |
| D．his grain was moved into several circles |
The underlined word "hoax" in Paragraph 3 is probably ______.
| A．an attempt made to fool people |
| B．a special way to plant crops |
| C．an experiment for the protection of crops |
| D．a research on the force of winds |
Which of the following may prove that the crop circles are not made by man?
| A．The farmers couldn’t step out of the field. |
| B．The farmers couldn’t make the circles round. |
| C．The farmers couldn’t leave without footprints. |
| D．The farmers couldn’t keep the wheat straight up. |
One explanation given by scientists for the crop circles is that they are made by _____.
| A．airplane crashes | B．air movement |
| C．unknown flying objects | D．new farming techniques |
I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call. My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company. Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets. It had rained in the night and water was dripping from the bare trees that lined the street. I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat.
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask. I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead. The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for. There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street. Next to it was the town’ s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint. I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside. He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat. I could not see his face and he did not even raise his head at the sound of my footsteps.
Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn. It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the call box door.
At what time was the story set?
| A．An early winter morning. | B．A cold winter afternoon. |
| C．An early summer morning. | D．A windy summer afternoon. |
Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?
| A．Cold and frightening. | B．Dirty and crowded. |
| C．Empty and dead. | D．Unusual and unpleasant. |
The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
| A．rushing out suddenly | B．shining brightly |
| C．flowing slowly in drops | D．appearing slowly |
Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?
| A．He was annoyed at being seen by the writer. |
| B．He was angry at being disturbed by the writer. |
| C．He was probably fast asleep. |
| D．He was probably murdered. |
EVENTS
Long March exhibition
The Shanghai History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the Long March．On show are more than 220 photos and 40 items that explain with pictures how the communist Red Army drew back from its besieged(被围困的) bases in Jiangxi Province and fought its way to northern Shanxi Province in the mid-1930s．Explanations are all in Chinese．The show will end on November 20.
Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Address: 1286 Hongqiao Road
Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese /15 yuan for foreigners
Thai elephants
Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at Changfeng Park by riding bikes, playing basketball, balancing on a pole, dancing and blowing a mouthorgan（口琴）．People are encouraged to have a tug-of-war(拔河比赛)with the animals or lie on the ground and have the elephants walk over them．The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30 am, 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm and there is an additional show at l:30 pm at weekends．The show will end on November 15．
Address: 189 Daduhe Road
Admission: 30-40 yuan
Dancing dolphins
Dolphins jumping from the water to touch a ball, swaying their bodies to music, kissing people and doing math by tapping their tails have made the dolphinarium（海豚馆） in Peace Park an attraction for children．Seals and sea lions also perform.
Hours: 10:30 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm
Admission: 20 yuan for adults and 10 yuan for children.(252 words)If you go to visit the Long March exhibition with two Australian, how much will you pay altogether for the admission?
| A．38yuan | B．20yuan | C．16yuan | D．50yuan |
Thai elephants can___.
| A．dance |
| B．do math |
| C．eat bamboos |
| D．run |
The dolphinarium in Peace Park is a hall where you can see ______.
| A．only seals and sea lions perform |
| B．only dolphins perform |
| C．not only dolphins but also seals and sea lions perform |
| D．only seals perform |
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