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 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 year, 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 lower 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.
科目:初中英语 来源:2008年上海市初中毕业生统一学业考试英语试卷 题型:053
Reading comprehension(阅读理解):
Read the passage and fill in the blanks with proper words(在短文的空格内填入适当的词,使其内容通顺,每空格限填一词,首字母已给):
Do you have bright ideas?Ideas for inventions that change the world or, at least, make life easier for somebody?P 1 we all do sometimes, but we don’t often make the idea a real thing.Recently, there was a competition in a country, which encouraged young people to make their bright ideas come true.There were t 2 groups in the contest:Group A was for school children under 16; Group B was for those o 3 16.And there were eleven prize-winners altogether.
Neil Hunt, one of the prize-winners, was c 4 “Sunshine Superman”by one newspaper writing about his design.When people study the weather, it’s important to be able to record the sunshine accurately.We need to know how many h 5 of sunshine we have and how strong it is.Most sunshine recorders o 6 record direct(直接的)sunshine.Neil’s is more accurate and this is very important for research into ways of using solar power.Neil plans to keep inventing.
The ideas in the competition were so g 7 that we are surprised that the industry(工业界)doesn’t ask more school children for suggestions.
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科目:初中英语 来源:2012年外研版初中英语九年级下Module 7 练习卷(解析版) 题型:阅读理解
阅读理解
NEW YORK PLUMBING(管道)& HEATING
Since 1968
Plumbing and Heating Fixing
LARGE OR SMALL
24 Hours 7 Days Service
Tel: 56568833
268 Pine Street 5th Avenue
1.Which shows New York P & H (Plumber & Heating) has been in business for a long time?
A.“Since 1968” |
B.“24 Hours 7 Days Service |
C.“56568822” |
D.268 Pine Street 5th Avenue |
2. For which of the following problems would one call New York P & H?
A.Rainwater drops from the roof |
B.A refrigerator stops working |
C.The floor of the bathroom is covered with water. |
D.There’s something wrong with the furniture |
3. What will the person who needs help probably discuss with New York P & H?
A.Duties |
B.Tools |
C.Meals |
D.Costs |
4. If something is wrong with your heating, ____________.
A.you can ask them for help at once. |
B.New York P & H has known it clearly |
C.P & H will just help you by telephone |
D.you can ask for free fixing in 24 hours. |
5. Which of the following is NOT clear in the reading?
A.Where P & H is |
B.How big P & H is |
C.What P & H does |
D.When P & H was set up |
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科目:初中英语 来源:2012-2013学年湖北武汉市武昌区北片八年级上学期期中考试英语试卷 题型:单词拼写
阅读理解填词
National Day is coming. I’m going to Beijing w__1__my parents. This time I want to do s_2___Interesting. When we get to Beijing, we will find a h_3___ to live in .At night, I’m taking w__4__ on the street. Next day , I’m v_5___ Tian’anmen Square with my parents and I want to take some p__6__ with my parents. The third day , I’m going to the Great Wall after b _7__ .On October 4th, I’m going to the Summer Palace. On October 5th, I’m visiting the Palace Museun. After that, I’m going s__8__ and buy some gifts for my friends. On October 6th, I’mcoming back home because I have to finish my h__9__. Oh, this is a great vacation!I can’t w _10___.
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科目:初中英语 来源:同步题 题型:阅读理解
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科目:初中英语 来源:期末题 题型:阅读理解
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