Young drivers are over-represented in alcohol--related driving accidents. In recent years, people aged 16 to 24 were involved in 28 percent of all alcohol--related driving accidents, although they make up only 14% of the U. S. population. Young people are also over--represented in drinking driver injuries and deaths. Even when their blood alcohol contents (BACs) are not high, young drinkers are involved in driving accidents at higher rates than older drivers with similar BACs.

Fortunately, driving accidents have been declining among young people, just as they have among the general population. And deaths associated with young drinking drivers (those 16 to 24 years of age) are down, having dropped 47% in a recent 15--year period.

In contrast to popular belief, drinking among young people is dropping and has been doing so for many years. For example, statistics demonstrate that within a period of about 20 years, the proportion of American high school seniors who have ever consumed alcohol is down 13%；the proportion of those who have consumed alcohol within the previous year is down 15%.

Exaggerating the degree of drinking problems of young people may create an unexpected problem. When young people go to college falsely believing that most others are drinking heavily, then they may try to follow suit. Thus, those who exaggerate the problem of alcohol abuse actually contribute to the problem and make it worse. However, when students find out that most others don’t drink as much as they incorrectly believed, they are very likely to drink less and even give up. So, honest accuracy rather than dishonest exaggeration is the most effective way to reduce alcohol abuse and the problems it causes.

60. We can learn from the first paragraph that ____.

A. in the U. S. people aged 16 to 24 caused half of the alcohol--related driving accidents

B. young drinkers are more likely to cause accidents than adult drinkers

C. young drinkers are able to keep calm when their BACs are not high

D. people aged 16 to 24 make up a quarter of the U. S. population

61. It can be inferred from Para. 3 that ____.

A. high school seniors turn to alcohol to get rid of their pressure

B. it’s a fact that young people are drinking more nowadays

C. the number of high school students in the U. S is dropping

D. most people believe more and more young people are becoming addicted to drinking

62. The underlined phrase “follow suit” in the last paragraph means ____.

A. stop drinking

B. wear the same suit as others do

C. start drinking

D. hate what others do

63. Which of the following statements does the author agree to?

A. Driving should be forbidden among people aged 16 to 24.

B. Many young people in the U. S. are acting totally irresponsibly.

C. The drinking problems of young people are turning for the better.

D. Students will stop drinking if they believe most others are drinking heavily.

 

During the twentieth century, cars, electric lights, space travel and amazing advances in medicine changed people’s lives. So what might this new century bring? There are hundreds of predictions flying around — let’s have a light-hearted look at some of them.

In a recent UK survey, teenagers were asked to make predictions about the year 2020. One of the most common predictions was that school uniforms won’t be around. They also predicted that both girls and boys will wear make-up more often, and more than 75% of men will wear skirts regularly. My dad is 65 next Saturday — I think I’ll buy him a skirt as a birthday present and tell him he’ll soon be in fashion!

Other predictions involve changing roles of men and women. By 2017, some people say that single men of working age will form more than 10% of all families. It is also predicted that washing powder advertisements will include more men because more of them will do housework. I’ll tell that to my husband when he gets home and see how keen he is to wash the dishes!

Many predictions are about crime and safety problems. Some people think that crime will improve and the world will become a more peaceful place. Others believe that crime is going to worsen and that people will stay at home becoming completely dependent on the Internet for shopping and work. It is also predicted that you will need an electronic card to get into parks as parents demand safe play areas for their children. This is old news for me --- our local government is going to introduce one this summer.

Technology is predicted to play an even more important role in our lives in the future. Some parents might have cameras at home so they can keep an eye on their children while they are out. Quick, kids, turn off the TV and do your homework!

Here’s another prediction. Researchers have concluded that cultural activity may add years to your life. The cinema, theatre and concerts may give us a longer life because they encourage strong feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?

Let’s finish up with my favourite prediction. In the future, elderly people are going to make up a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before. In Britain, an estimated 100,000 people now in their thirties may live to be 100. And that includes me! I’ll have a big, big party, I promise!

1. The writer’s father ________ .

   A. has just turned sixty-five

   B. wears skirts

   C. is very fashionable

   D. is about to turn sixty-five

2.Why might more men do housework in the future?

   A. Washing powder advertisements suggest it.

   B. Men won’t want to work in offices any more.

   C. Traditional roles of men and women will change.

   D. Women will refuse to wash the dishes.

3.According to the passage, people might ________ , if crime worsens.

   A. need electronic cards to get into their homes

   B. stay at home and depend on the Internet

   C. help to make the world a more peaceful place

   D. work harder and make more money

4.Which of the following is NOT true？

   A. It’s likely that the writer is to live to be 100.

   B. The writer promises that she is going to hold a big, big party soon.

   C. Without an electronic card, you can’t get into a park freely in the future.

   D. The writer holds a positive attitude towards the changes in the new century.

5.From the passage, we may infer that the writer is probably ____ .

   A. a professional news reporter.

   B. a young and attractive sales girl.

   C. a middle-aged British housewife.

   D. a responsible government official.

 

Thousands of dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in an Arkansas town on New Year’s Eve after massive injuries, tests by Arkansas officials concluded on Monday. Some 5,000 birds mysteriously fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas after dark on New Year’s Eve. “The birds suffered from acute physical injuries leading to internal hemorrhage（大量出血） and death. There was no sign of infectious disease,” the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said in a statement. The birds were otherwise healthy, it said.

One theory is that birds were frightened by New Year's fireworks and flew into buildings or other objects. “Loud noises were reported shortly before the birds began to fall from the sky,” the statement said, adding that blackbirds have poor night vision and seldom fly at night.

　　Another theory was that severe weather such as lightning accounted for the loud noises but this was discounted because the violent weather had already left the area. “We’re leaning more toward a stress event," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens.

The commission also is trying to determine what caused the deaths of up to 100,000 fish over a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near a dam in Ozark, 125 miles west of Beebe. The fish were discovered on December 30. Stephens said the commission expected results on the fish tests in probably a month. Since almost all the fish were one species -- bottom-feeding drum, Stephens said, the test was very important. Stephens also said: “The events do not appear related.” Both that section of the river and the air at the site of the bird deaths were tested for toxins(毒素). Beebe is a town of about 4,500 people located 30 miles northeast of the state capital.

What is NOT the probable reason why the dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky?

A. Internal hemorrhage                B. Fireworks

C. Lightning weather                          D. Murder

In the third paragraph, the underlined word discounted probably mean________.

A. not to reduce cost                           B. not to believe

C. to make up a part                          D. to explain mystery

According to Stephens, we can infer the probable cause of the dead fish is _________.A. cold weather                                  B. poor management  

C. disease                                         D. lack of food

The passage is mainly developed by __________.

A. analyzing causes                           B. making comparisons

C. examining differences                    D. following the time order

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 121 st birthday.

    When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s record holder. 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.

72. 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.

73. 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

74. 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

75. 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

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 121^at birthday.

When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s record holder. 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, 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, 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．

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．

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

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 Miler      D．George Martin

What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?

       A．Most of us could be good at sports even at 150．

       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