Arthur Miller (1915—2005) is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. Miller's father had moved to the USA from Austria-Hungary, drawn like so many others by the “Great American Dream”. However, he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.

　　Miller's most famous play, Death of a Salesman, is a powerful attack on the American system, with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth. In Willy Loman, the hero of the play, we see a man who has got into trouble with this system. Willy is “burnt out” and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment: if he can't do the work, then he is no good to his employer, the Wagner Company, and he must go. Willy is painfully aware of this, and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success. He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.

　　When it was first staged in 1949, the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and it won the Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.

　　Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on the evening of February 10, 2005, the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.

1.Why did Arthur Miller's father move to the USA?

A．He suffered from severe hunger in his home country.

B．He was attracted by the “Great American Dream.”

C．He hoped to make his son a dramatist.

D．His family business failed

2.What can we learn about Willy Loman?

A．He treats his employer badly.

B．He runs the Wagner Company.

C．He is a victim of the American system.

D．He is regarded as a hero by his colleagues.

3.After it was first staged, Death of a Salesman________.

A．achieved huge success

B．won the first Tony Award

C．was warmly welcomed by salesmen

D．was severely attacked by dramatists

4.What is the text mainly about?

A．Arthur Miller and his family.

B．The awards Arthur Miller won.

C．The hardship Arthur Miller experienced.

D．Arthur Miller and his best-known play.

 

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 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, ”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

 

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 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, ”he says with a smile.
【小题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.

【小题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

【小题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

【小题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

Arthur Miller (1915—2005) is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. Miller's father had moved to the USA from Austria-Hungary, drawn like so many others by the “Great American Dream”. However, he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.
　　Miller's most famous play, Death of a Salesman, is a powerful attack on the American system, with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth. In Willy Loman, the hero of the play, we see a man who has got into trouble with this system. Willy is “burnt out” and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment: if he can't do the work, then he is no good to his employer, the Wagner Company, and he must go. Willy is painfully aware of this, and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success. He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.
　　When it was first staged in 1949, the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and it won the Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.
　　Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on the evening of February 10, 2005, the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.
【小题1】Why did Arthur Miller's father move to the USA?

A．He suffered from severe hunger in his home country.

B．He was attracted by the “Great American Dream.”

C．He hoped to make his son a dramatist.

D．His family business failed

【小题2】What can we learn about Willy Loman?

A．He treats his employer badly.

B．He runs the Wagner Company.

C．He is a victim of the American system.

D．He is regarded as a hero by his colleagues.

【小题3】After it was first staged, Death of a Salesman________.

A．achieved huge success

B．won the first Tony Award

C．was warmly welcomed by salesmen

D．was severely attacked by dramatists

【小题4】What is the text mainly about?

A．Arthur Miller and his family.

B．The awards Arthur Miller won.

C．The hardship Arthur Miller experienced.

D．Arthur Miller and his best-known play.

Every day，the news of the world reaches people by over 300 million copies of daily papers，over 400 million radio sets，and over 150 million television sets.　Additional news is 　1　by　motion（动作） pictures，in theatres and cinemas all over the world.　As more people learn what the important events of the day are，　2　still only care for the events of their own household.　Nearly four hundred years ago the English writer John Donne said，“No man is an island.”This 　3　is more appropriate（恰当的）today　than it was 　4　Donne lived.　In short，wherever he lives，a man 　5　to some society；and we are becoming more and more aware（清楚的） that ?　6　happens in one particular society affects，somehow，the life of mankind.?

Newspapers have been published in the 　7　world for about four hundred years.　Most of the newspapers 　8　today are read in Europe and North America.　However,　　9　they may be read in all parts of the world，　10　to the new inventions that are changing the techniques of newspaper 　11　.?

Electronics and automation（自动化） have made it 　12　to produce pictures and texts far more quickly than before.　Photographic（照相的） copying doesn't 　13　to use type（铅字） and printing machines.And fewer specialists（专家），　14　type?setters，are needed to produce a paper? or magazine by the 　15　method.　Therefore，the publishing of newspapers and magazines can 　16　more money.　Besides，photocopies can be sent over great 　17　now by means of ?television　channels and satellites such as Telstar.　Thus（因此），　18　can be brought to the public　more quickly than before.?

Machines that prepare printed texts for photocopies are being used a great deal today.　Film，　 19 　 light and small，can be sent rapidly to other places and used to print copies of the text 　20　they are needed.　Film pictures can also be projected（投影） easily on a movie or television screen.?

1.A.　taken　　　　 B.　shown　　　　 C.　seen　　　　 D.　known

2.A.　fewer　　　　 B.　higher　　　 C.　lower　　　　 D.　less?

3.A.　study　　　　 B.　argument　　 C.　knowledge　　 D.　idea?

4.A.　that　　　 B.　while　　　　 C.　when　　　　 D.　then?

5.A.　moves　　　 B. goes　　　　 C.　belongs　　　　 D.　comes?

6.A.　it　 　　　 B.　whatever　　 C.　something　　 D.　anything?

7.A.　common　　 B.　modern　　　 C.　ordinary　　 D.　usual?

8.A.　bought　　 B.　printed　　　　 C.　found　　　　 D.　discovered?

9.A.　fast　　　 B.　suddenly　　 C.　immediately　　 D.　soon?

10.A.　has　　　 B.　brings　　　 C.　thanks　　　 D.　imagines?

11.A.　delivering B.　making　　　 C.　selling　　　　 D.　publishing

12.A.　clear　　 B.　possible　　 C.　bright　　　 D.　successful?

13.A.　want　　　　 B.　need　　　　 C.　like　　　　 D.　hope?

14.A.　including B.　besides　　　　 C.　such as　　　　 D.　except?

15.A.　advanced　　 B.　easy　　　　 C.　unusual　　　　 D.　suitable?

16.A.　make　　　　 B.　earn　　　　 C.　save　　　　 D.　get?

17.A.　places　　 B.　distances　　　 C.　cities　　　 D.　villages

18.A.　pictures　　 B.　newspapers　　　 C.　letters　　　　 D.　words?

19.A.　becoming　　 B.　feeling　　　　 C.　turning　　　　 D.　being?

20.A.　where　　 B.　there　　　　 C.　which　　　　 D.　because of