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  When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter(炼铜厂), and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest.One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area.Paul knocked him down.From then on, something happened inside him.

  Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office.He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back.The answer from that big industry was“No”.

  Paul then went to college to study the science of plants.Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds.It would be a waste of his life to try to do it.Everyone knew that, he was told.Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn't get his idea accepted.

  Paul later got married and had some kids.But his dream would not die.And then one night he did what he could with what he had.As Samuel Johnson wrote,“It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote.Attainable good is often ignored by minds busied in wide ranges.”Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting.

  And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass.For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense.Slowly rabbits appeared.Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing.

  Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has.It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow he made to himself as a child.

(1)

When Paul was a boy, ________.

[  ]

A.

he had decided never to leave his hometown

B.

the economy of Utah depended wholly on the copper smelter

C.

no laws were made to protect the environment against pollution

D.

he had determined to stop the copper smelter polluting the area

(2)

Why did Paul go to college to study the science of plants?

[  ]

A.

Because he wanted to find out the best way to save the area himself.

B.

Because he was interested in planting trees since he was young.

C.

Because he wanted to get more knowledgeable people to help him.

D.

Because he thought his knowledge would make his advice more persuasive.

(3)

What does the underlined phrase“the plain common sense”probably refer to?

[  ]

A.

That it was impossible for trees to grow on the wasteland.

B.

That his normal work and life would be greatly affected.

C.

That no one would like to join him in the efforts.

D.

That he had to keep everything he did secret.

(4)

The company hired Paul to plant trees and grass because ________.

[  ]

A.

they realized the importance of environmental protection

B.

What Paul was doing moved them

C.

Paul persuaded them to help him

D.

they had legal pressure

(5)

The message of the passage is that ________.

[  ]

A.

action speaks louder than words

B.

perseverance(持之以恒)will work wonders

C.

God helps those who help themselves

D.

many hands make light work

答案:1.C;2.D;3.A;4.D;5.B;
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科目:高中英语 来源:设计必修一英语北师版 北师版 题型:050

阅读理解

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.

  Whe n 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 it,”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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