I find it pleasant to be alone the greater part of the time; to be in company, even with the best, is soon tiresome and wasteful, and I never found a companion so companionable as solitude (独处).
We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad than when we stay in the meeting-rooms, for solitude is not measured by the miles of space between a man and his fellows.
The farmer, who can work alone all day without feeling lonesome, but must do something with others to get pleasure at night, wonders how the student can sit alone at night; he does not realize that the student, though in the house, is actually at work in his field and cutting his wood as the farmer was in his.
Society is commonly too cheap：We meet at very short intervals (间隔) ,not having had time to get any new value for each other; we meet at meals three times a day and give each other a new taste of that unpleasant old cheese; we live thick and are in each other’s way, and I think that we thus lose some respect for one another.
We have had to agree on a certain set of rules, called etiquette and politeness, to make this frequent meeting tolerable (可忍受的); certainly less frequency would be enough for all important and hearty communications between men.
It would be better if there were but one to live within a square mile, as where I live ,for as the value of a man is not in his skin, we need not touch him.

1. 1.

   The writer uses the example of the farmer and the student to show that _____.

   1. A.
      men need to do something for pleasure after their work.
   2. B.
      men are not lonely when they are working.
   3. C.
      solitude is necessary for a student.
   4. D.
      people have different ideas of solitude.
2. 2.

   When the writer says：“Society is commonly too cheap” he means that ______.

   1. A.
      we meet not frequently enough so we don’t understand each other well.
   2. B.
      we eat cheap food and live a simple life so we don’t feel very happy.
   3. C.
      our lives are too regular for us to find any happiness in them.
   4. D.
      people don’t have enough hearty communication to realize the value in others
3. 3.

   The writer’s opinion on the value of a man is that _____.

   1. A.
      it is made too low by the rules of etiquette and politeness.
   2. B.
      it can be discovered through frequent physical touch.
   3. C.
      it can be found in a man’s appearance.
   4. D.
      it doesn’t lie in physical touch.
4. 4.

   The writer almost believes that ______.

   1. A.
      a student and a farmer have no idea of solitude.
   2. B.
      the same life we live every day is the cause of man’s loneliness.
   3. C.
      etiquette and politeness are rules that make frequent meetings tolerable.
   4. D.
      less frequent meetings can make us more clear about the value of men.

The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet (彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our plant, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.

On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.

Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million remain alive.

Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?

1.What is mainly described in the passage?

A. A historic discovery.               B. An event of imagination.

C. A research on space.               D. A scientific adventure.

2.A. an earthquake                     B. damages to cities  

C. an Earth explosion                 D. huge waves

3.Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?

A. Because the land is covered with water

B. Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth.

C. Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero.

D. Because wars break out among countries.

4. By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove_____________.

A. animals could not live in the cold climate

B. what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story

C. the human beings will die out in 2094  

D. the Earth could be hit by other objects in space

5.We may guess that the writer is ______________.

A. worried        B. practical        C. a scientist       D. full of imagination

Like distance runners on a measured course，all of us will move through time in a roughly predictable pattern．
In the first stage of our lives，we develop and grow, reaching toward the top of physical vitality(活力)．
After we grow up，however, the body begins a process of gradually wearing out．
A new awareness of physical fitness may help lengthen our years of health and vitality，yet nothing we do will work to stop the unavoidable force of aging．
Most of the changes of aging take place deep inside the body．The lungs become less able to take in oxygen．Powerful muscles gradually lose their strength．The heart loses power and pumps less blood．Bones grow easier to break．
Finally, we meet a stress，a stress that is greater than our physical resistance．Often，it is only a minor accident or chance infection(a disease caused by virus)，but this time，it brings life to an end．
In 1932，a classic experiment nearly doubled the lifetime of rats，simply by cutting back the calories in their diet The reason for the effect was then unknown．
Today, at the University of California at Berkley, Dr．Paul Seagle has also greatly lengthened the normal lifetime of rats．The result was achieved through a special protein limited diet，which had a great effect on the chemistry of the brain．Seagle showed that within the brain，specific chemicals control many of the signals that influence aging．By changing that chemical balance，the clock of aging can be reset．
For the first time, the mystery of why we age is being seriously challenged．Scientists in many fields are now making striking and far-reaching discoveries．
An average lifetime lasts 75 years，yet in each of us lies a potential for a longer life．If we could keep the vitality and resistance to disease that we have at age twenty, we would live for 800 years．
【小题1】What does the underlined word “it” refer to?

请阅读下列短文，从每题 所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。

A

  One morning more than thirty years ago. I entered the Track Kitehen, a reandeant where everyone from the humblest (卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed and empty chair next to an elderly. Unshaven man, who looked somewhat  disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone, I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.

  We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concemed that he might are no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee , I asked.

  “ May I get you something ? ”

  “ A coffee would he nice . ”

  Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and beaded for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked.

  “ How did yountre to know Mr.Galbreath? ”

  “ XXX ? ”

  “ The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs. ”

  I could hardly believe it . I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men ! ”

  My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect .no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and XXX.

56. wint ar underhand word “dishevcled mean?

  A.ybtendly

  B.unndy

  C.centle

  D.kned

57.The author beght coffce for the old man because ______.

  A.he wought the old man was poor

  B.he wanted to start a conserstion

  C.he intended to how his politeness

  D.he would like to thank the old man

58.How did the auther probably feel after he talked with his friend?

  A.Proud

  B.Pitiful

  C.Surpricd

D.Rectful

59.What is the inegge mainly expressed in the story?

  A.we should learn to he generous

  B.It is honorable to help those in need.

  C.People in high postans are not like what we expect[来源:学&科&网Z&X&X&K]

  D.We should avoid judging people by their appearances.

Say you meet with difficulty, what’s the first thing you do? Call your best friend and ask for help? It turns out that doing this may be better for you than you think. Researchers find that friendship has a big influence on your health, well-being and business.

One study from scientists recently found that older people with a large circle of friends were 22% less likely to die during a 10-year period than those with fewer friends. Other researchers discovered that having a strong social network could improve brain health as we age.

Even more interesting, feeling close to your friends may give you a different view on things. Researchers gathered 34 college students out side and asked them to estimate the steepness(估计陡峭程度) of a hill after climbing it. Those standing with friends gave lower estimates, and the longer the friends had known each other, the less steep the hill appeared.

What is the reason that friends can make obstacles seem less difficult? “People with stronger friendship networks feel that there is someone they can turn to,” said Karen A. Roberto, director of the center of the hospital at Virginia Tech. “Friendship is a valued resource (宝贵的资源).”

It is truly the fact. Friends make your life better. They provide support in hard times. They inspire you to make changes in your life, encourage you to set goals and cheer you on every step of the way until you reach them.

Want to find out more about the power of friendship? Read “Be a Better Friend”, “Make New Friends” and “Keep the Old”.

1. According to the author, if you’ve lost your job you should        .

A. turn to your best friend      B. ask for advice from your teacher

C. face it bravely by yourself    D. ask your parents for help

2. We can learn from the study in Paragraph 2 that        .

A. people with a lot of friends can stay away from illnesses

B. people with many friends may enjoy a longer life

C. 22% of the people who have fewer friends have a short life

D. those who have fewer friends may die 10 years earlier.

3. The underlined word “obstacles” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to some thing___________

A. that you are hoping to achieve by a plan

B. that happens to you when you are working

C. that makes it difficult for us to achieve something

D. that you have been trying to do

4. The fifth paragraph was written to tell us that        .

A. we should make many friends  B. true friendship lives long

C. friend ship has changed us     D. friendship should be valued