In the Caucasus region（高加索地区）, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100^th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Caucasus people aren’t alone. The Pakistani Hunzas, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Vilcabambans of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador seem to share the secret of long life too.

　　These peoples remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasus people aged 110-140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked, “At what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.” The very youngest estimate was age 60.

　　What accounts for this ability to survive (live) to such old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived peoples. They began their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam is 142 years of age. He remembers his life experience: the Crimean War of 1854; the Turkish War of 1878; the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Rustam has no plan of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why? What else would I do?” he asks. Oh, he’s slowed down a bit. Now he might quit (stop working) for the day after 6 hours in the field instead of 10.

　　All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations（海拔）of 5,000 to 12, 000 feet(1,660 to 4,000meters) above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel（血管）system stronger.

　　Another factor（因素）that may lead to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressure（压力）and worries of industrial society.

　　Inherited（遗传的） factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old age. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.

　　Finally, although these three groups don’t eat exactly the same foods, their diets are similar. All of them eat little animal meat. Their diets are full of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese and milk. They never eat more food than their bodies need.

　　It is clear that isolation from urban pressure and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all lead to the health and remarkable long life of all these people.

1. What is the main idea of this article?

A．Cause and effect of long-lived life.

B．People in the world enjoying a longer life.

C．Factors leading to the health and long life of people.

D．A description of several societies where people living a long life.

2. “The idea of aging is foreign to them” means that _________.

A．they don’t care much about their age

B．they have no idea of how old they are

C．they won’t say anything about their age until they are asked to

D．the idea of getting old has never come into their mind

3. How do you think the writer feels about these long-lived people?

A．He is much impressed with them.

B．He doesn’t care a bit about them.

C．He hopes that they will live a still longer life.

D．He doesn’t think their life is full of pressure and worries.

Perhaps　the　only　test　score　that　I　remember　is　the　55　when　I　was　in　high　school.

    The　test　was　the　final　for　a　course.　I　remember　waiting　anxiously　as　my　teacher　Mr.　Right　passed　out　our　papers　one　by　one.　It　was　a　rather　difficult　test.　I　heard　my　classmates　groaning,　and　I　could　tel　by　the　groans　that　the　scores　weren’t　looking　good.

    Mr.　Right　put　my　paper　on　my　desk.　There　in　big　red　numbers,　circled　to　draw　attention,　was　my　score,　55!

    I　lowered　my　head,　and　covered　the　score　up　quickly.　A　55　is　not　something　that　you　wanted　your　classmates　to　see.“The　scores　were　not　very　good,　none　of　you　passed,”Mr.　Right　said.　“The　highest　score　in　the　class　was　a　55.”

    A　55.　That’s　me!

    Suddenly　my　sad　look　didn’t　look　so　bad.　I　had　the　highest　score.　I　felt　a　lot　better.

    I　walked　home　alone　that　day　with　the　low　but　high　score.　My　father　knew　that　I　had　a　big　test　that　day　and　asked　me　as　soon　as　I　got　home,　“How　did　you　do　in　your　test？”“I　made　a　55,”I　said.

    A　frown（皱眉）now　stood　on　my　father’s　face.　I　knew　I　had　to　explain　immediately.　“But　Dad,　I　had　the　highest　score　in　the　calss,”I　proudly　stated.　I　thought　that　explanation　would　make　a　difference.“You　failed!”my　father　replied.“But　it’s　the　highest!” I　insisted.“I　don’t　care　what　scores　others　had,　but　you　failed.　What　matters　is　what　you　do!”my　father　firmly　said.

    For　years,　my　father　was　always　that　way.　It　didn’t　matter　what　others　did,　it　only　mattered　what　I　did　and　that　I　did　it　excelently.

    We　often　don’t　understand　the　wisdom（智慧）of　good　parents　until　we　ourselves　stand　in　the　parents’shoes.　My　father’s　words　have　carried　me　throughout　life.

   1.　The　word　groaning　is　the　closest　in　meaning　to　_____.

    A.　singing　　　　B.　laughingC.　complaining　　　　D.　quarreling

    2.　In　class,　to　hide　my　score　from　my　classmates,　I　_____.

    A.　lowered　my　head　　　　B.　covered　my　score　up

    C.　walked　home　alone　D.　explained　immediately

    3.　A　frown　stood　on　my　father’s　face　because　he　thought　_____.

    A.　I　did　a　bad　job　in　the　test

    B.　I　gave　a　good　excuse

    C.　I　became　the　worst　student

    D.　I　stood　in　his　shoes

   4.　We　can　infer　from　the　passage　that　_____.

    A.　the　father　was　strict　with　his　child.

    B.　the　writer　was　always　poor　in　tests.

    C.　Mr.　Right　was　worried　about　the　writer

    D.　the　writer　was　always　happy　with　his　scores

   5.　Which　is　the　best　title　of　the　passage？

    A.　The　Final　Test　　　　B.　That’s　Me!

    C.　My　strict　Teacher　　　　D.　Scores,　Important？

People of Burlington are being disturbed by the sound of bells. Four students from Burlington College of Higher Education are in the bell tower of the church and have made up their minds to    15   the bells nonstop for two weeks as a protest（抗议） against heavy trucks which run    16   through the narrow High Street.“They not only make it    17   to sleep at night, but they are doing damage（损害） to our houses and shops of historical   18  ,”
said John Norris, one of the protesters.
“ 19  we must have these noisy trucks on the roads,” said Jean Lacey, a biology student, “why don’t they build a new road that goes round the town? Burlington isn’t much more than a  20    village. Its streets were never meant for heavy traffic”.
　　Harry Fields also studying    21    said they wanted to make as much noise as possible to force the government officials to realize what everybody was having to stand. “Most of them don’t live here anyway,” he said, “they come in for meetings and the Town Hall is soundproof（隔音的）, so they probably don’t    22   . It’s high time they realized the problem.” The fourth student, Liza Vernum, said she thought the public were mostly on their side, and even if they weren’t they soon would be.
　　I asked if they were    23    that the police might come to stop them.
　　“Not really,” she said, “actually we are suitable bellringers. I mean we are assistant bellringers for the church. There is no    24    against practising.”
I left the church with the sound of the bells ringing in my ears.