At the age of twelve years

AttheageoftwelveyearsAttheageoftwelveyears,thehumanbodyisatitsmostvigorous.Ithasyettoreachitsfullsizeandstrength,anditsownerhisorherfullintelligence;butatthisagethelikelihoodofdeathisleast.Earlier,wewereinfantsandyoungchildren,andconsequentlymorevulnerable;later,weshallundergoaprogressivelossofourvigorandresistancewhich,thoughimperceptibleatfirst,willfinallybecomesosteepthatwecanlivenolonger,howeverwellwelookafterourselves,andhoweverwellsociety,andourdoctors,lookafterus. Thisdeclineinvigorwiththepassingoftimeiscalledageing.Itisoneofthemostunpleasantdiscoverieswhichweallmakethatwemustdeclineinthisway,thatifweescapewars,accidentsanddiseaseweshalleventually"dieofoldage",andthatthishappensataratewhichdifferslittlefrompersontoperson,sothatthereareheavyoddsinfavorofourdyingbetweentheagesofsixty-fiveandeighty.Someofuswilldiesooner,afewwilllivelonger—onintoaninthortenthdecade.Butthechancesareagainstit,andthereisavirtuallimitonhowlongwecanhopetoremainalive,howeverluckyandrobustweare. Normalpeopletendtoforgetthisprocessunlessanduntiltheyareremindedofit.Wearesofamiliarwiththefactthatmanages,thatpeoplehaveforyearsassumedthattheprocessoflosingvigorwithtime,ofbecomingmorelikelytodietheolderweget,wassomethingself-evident,likethecoolingofahotkettleorthewearing-outofapairofshoes.Theyhavealsoassumedthatallanimals,andprobablyotherorganismssuchastrees,oreventheuniverseitself,mustinthenatureofthings"wearout". Mostanimalswecommonlyobservedoinfactageaswedo,ifgiventhechancetolivelongenough;andmechanicalsystemslikeawoundwatch,orthesun,doinfactanoutofenergyinaccordancewiththesecondlawofthermodynamics(热力学)(whetherthewholeuniversedoessoisamootpointatpresent).Butthesearenotanalogoustowhathappenswhenmanages.Arun-downwatchisstillawatchandcanberewound.Anoldwatch,bycontrast,becomessowornandunreliablethatiteventuallyisnotworthmending.Butawatchcouldneverrepairitself—itdoesnotconsistoflivingparts,onlyofmetal,whichwearsawaybyfriction.Wecould,atonetime,repairourselves—wellenough,atleast,toovercomeallbutthemostinstantlyfatalillnessesandaccidents.Betweentwelveandeightyyearswegraduallylosethispower;anillnesswhichattwelvewouldknockusover,ateightycanknockusout,andintoourgrave.Ifwecouldstayasvigorousasweareattwelve,itwouldtakeabout700yearsforhalfofustodie,andanother700forthesurvivorstobereducedbyhalfagain. 1.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisINCORRECT? A.Ourfirsttwelveyearsrepresentthepeakofhumandevelopment. B.Peopleusuallyareunhappywhenremindedofageing. C.Normallyonlyafewofuscanlivetotheeightiesandnineties. D.Peopleareusuallylesslikelytodieattwelveyearsold. 2.Theword"it"inthelastsentenceofParagraphTworefersto A.remainingaliveuntil65. B.remainingaliveafter80. C.dyingbefore65orafter80. D.dyingbetween65and80. 3.Whatisageing? A.Itisusuallyaphenomenonofdyingatanoldage. B.Itisafactthatpeoplecannotliveanylonger. C.Itisagraduallossofvigorandresistance. D.Itisaphasewhenpeopleareeasilyattackedbyillness. 4.Whatdotheexamplesofwatchshow? A.Normallypeoplearequitefamiliarwiththeageingprocess. B.Allanimalsandotherorganismsundergotheageingprocess. C.Thelawofthermodynamicsfunctionsintheageingprocess. D.Human'sageingprocessisdifferentfromthatofmechanisms. 5.Whichofthefollowingbestfitsthestyleofthispassage? A.Argumentation. B.Exposition. C.Narration. D.Description.Thisyear,likelotsofotherpeople,I'mgoingtotrytomakemyownChristmaspresents.It'snotthefirsttimethatI'vepromisedmyselfthis.Beingamilliner,andanall-roundcraftytype,I'veoftenthoughtIshouldputmymoneywheremymouthis.ButthisyearI'mreallygoingtosticktoit.It'spartlythatI'mshortofcash,butalsothatI'verecentlyreturnedfromaninspiringtriparoundBritain,lookinginto"makedoandmend"forBBC2'sNewsnight. Idreamedupthetripafewmonthsago.Thethoughtoftravelingthecountry--makingthingsasIwent,meetingartistsandcraftspeople--soundedliketheperfectwaytospendthesummer.I'dpackatentandasewingmachineandoffI'dgo.ButbythetimeIfinalizedmyplansandhittheroad,leaveswerealreadycrunchingunderfoot.Itseemedcrazytocampwithwinterontheway;instead,Newsnightviewersofferedmeboardandlodginginreturnforhelpwithacrafttask.Therewasanoverwhelmingresponse. Mytasksrangedfromdarning(缝补)amoth-eatenmonk'sjumpertomakingtrousersforastiltwalker.TextilestudentsinHarpendenofferedtopayformypetrolinreturnforatalkabouthats.InDerby,Amyneededhelptotransformanoldpairofcurtains. Iwasreallystruckbypeople'sgrowingenthusiasmformakingthings.IaskedaWIgroupinSheffieldhowmanycouldsew,andonlyafewputuptheirhands.ButwhenIaskedwhowantedtolearn,nearlyeveryonerespondedpositively.AttheTextileWorkshopinNottingham,thenumberofclassesonofferhasdoubledinayear,andaknittingclubinLeedsisgrowingbytheweek. Craftisdefinitelyfashionableatthemoment.Butoverandabovefashion,we'relearningtoappreciateeffortandqualityagain.Perhapsoncepeoplerediscoverthepleasuretobegainedfrommakingsomethingunique,itmaystick. SuePilchardiscurator(管理者)ofquiltsattheV&A,wherenextspringshe'llbeputtingonthemuseum'sfirstmajorquiltingexhibition.Suebelievesthereturntocraftingiswrappedupinhowweareredefiningourselves."There'scertainlyamovement..,towardsanewdomesticity.People,especiallywomen,arestartingtothinkaboutthewaytheylivetheirlives.It's40yearssincethefirstwomen'sliberationconferencewasheldinOxford.Sincethattimewe'vebeenintheworkplace,andwe'vehadtheopportunityofchoice.Nowwe'redeliberatelychoosingtogobackintothehome." Whetheryouagreewiththatornot,there'ssomethingaboutChristmasthatbringsouttheartisticstreakineveryone.Whetherit'sbakingmincepiesordeckingthehalls,we'reallpreparedtohaveago.Soifyoufancypushingtheboatoutandmakingafewpresents,trythesereallysimpleideas,eachinspiredbymyrecentjourney.Theymakeidealstockingfillersorsmallgifts,andtakenolongerthan30minuteseach.Playsomecarols,settledownwithasteamingcupofcocoa,andforgetthecold.You'llsaveyourselfabitofmoneyandspreadalittlebitoflovetoo! 1.TheauthorpromisedtomakeherselfaChristmaspresentthisyearmainlybecause A.shewantedtosavemoney. B.shecouldn'taffordtobuyone. C.shewasinspiredbyhertripforaBBC2program.D.Alotofpeoplemakepresentsthemselves. 2.WhichofthefollowingisCORRECTabouttheauthor'striptoBritain? A.ShemetmanyartistsandcraftsmenonherwaytoBritain. B.ShespentawholesummerinBritainmakingcrafts. C.Shewasaskedtosewclothes,pantsandcurtainsandmadeafortune. D.Manypeoplewerefoundtobeinterestedinmakingthingsthemselves. 3.WhenwastheauthorprobablyonhertriptoBritain? A.Spring. B.LateSummer. C.LateAutumn. D.Winter. 4.Accordingtothepassage,throughcraftingpeoplelearnto A.appreciatetheeffortsinmanualthings. B.keepupwithfashion. C.sticktosomethinginteresting. D.understandcraftbetter. 5.Whatistheauthor'sviewonhomemadeChristmaspresents? A.MakingChristmaspresentscanjustconveyabitofyourlove. B.ItwouldtakelongtimetoprepareaChristmaspresent. C.Youcandrinkacupofhotcocoawhenyoumakepreparations. D.PeoplecanfindtheirartistictalentinmakingChristmaspresents.Beforethemid1860’s,theimpactoftherailroadsintheUnitedStateswaslimited,inthesensethatthetracksendedatthisMissouriRiver,approximatelythecenterofthecountry.Atthepointthetrainsturnedtheirfreight,mail,andpassengersovertosteamboats,wagons,andstagecoaches.Thismeantthatwagonfreighting,stagecoaching,andsteamboatingdidnotcometoanendwhenthefirsttrainappeared;rathertheybecamesupplementsorfeeders.Eachnew“endoftrack”becameacenterforanimaldrawnorwaterbornetransportation.Themajoreffectoftherailroadwastoshortenthedistancethathadtobecoveredbytheolder,slower,andmorecostlymeans.Wagonfreighterscontinuedoperatingthroughoutthe1870’sand1880’sandintothe1890’s.Althoughoverconstantlyshrinkingroutes,andcoachesandwagonscontinuedtocrisscrosstheWestwherevertherailshadnotyetbeenlaid.Thebeginningofamajorchangewasforeshadowedinthelater1860’s,whentheUnionPacificRailroadatlastbegantobuildwestwardfromtheCentralPlainscityofOmahatomeettheCentralPacificRailroadadvancingeastwardfromCaliforniathroughtheformidablebarrieroftheSierraNevada.AlthoughPresidentAbrahamLincolnsignedtheoriginalPacificRailroadbillin1862andarevised,financiallymuchmoregenerousversionin1864,littleconstructionwascompleteduntil1865ontheCentralPacificand1866ontheUnionPacific.TheprimaryreasonwasskepticismthataRailroadbuiltthroughsochallengingandthinlysettledastretchofdesert,mountain,andsemiaridplaincouldpayaprofit.Inthewordsofaneconomist,thiswasacaseof“prematureenterprise”,wherenotonlythecostofconstructionbutalsotheveryhighriskdeterredprivateinvestment.IndiscussingthePacificRailroadbill,thechairofthecongressionalcommitteebluntlystatedthatwithoutgovernmentsubsidynoonewouldundertakesounpromisingaventure;yetitwasanationalnecessitytolinkEastandWesttogether. 1.Theauthorreferstotheimpactofrailroadsbeforethelate1860’sas“limited”because____ A.thetrackdidnottakethedirectroutefromonecitytothenext B.passengersandfreighthadtotransfertoothermodesoftransportationtoreachwesterndestinations C.passengerspreferredstagecoaches D.railroadtravelwasquiteexpensive 2.Whatcanbeinferredaboutcoachesandwagonfreightersastherailroadexpanded? A.Theydevelopedcompetingroutes. B.Theirdriversrefusedtoworkfortherailroads. C.Theybegantospecializeinprivateinvestment. D.Therewereinsufficientnumbersoftrainedpeopletooperatethem. 3.WhydoestheauthormentiontheSierraNevadainline17 A.ToarguethatamoredirectroutetotheWestcouldhavebeentaken.? B.ToidentifyahistoricallysignificantmountainrangeintheWest. C.Topointoutthelocationofaserioustrainaccident. D.Togiveanexampleofanobstaclefacedbythecentralpacific. 4.Theword“subsidy”inline27isclosestinmeaningto_____. A.persuasionB.financingC.explanationD.penaltyOpenupmostfashionmagazinesandyouwillseeincrediblythinmodelswithimpossiblehairandwearingunreasonablyexpensive,impracticablystyledclothes.Butshouldn'tclothesbecomfortablydurableandmakeaprincipleofbeingsimplefortheindividualwhowearsthem?Whyareweconstantlytoldthatweneedtobuynewclothesandaddfreshpiecestoourcollection? Fashionschangeyearafteryearsolotsofpeoplecanmakepilesofmoney.Iffolksareconvincedthattheyneedadifferentlookeachseason,thatthisyear'ssweater'slengthandshoesstyleareimportant,theycanbepersuadedtobuy.Thefashionindustrywouldhaveyouignoreyourshortcomingsandjustmakeyoufeelbeautifulandhappy.Infactitisnotonlyaphenomenonwecanfindinpeople'sdressing. Fashioncontrolsourlives.Fashioncontrolswhatwewear,whatweeat,whatwedrink,thewaywecutourhair,themakeupWebuyanduse,thecolorofthecarswedrive.Fashionevencontrolsourideas. Youdon'tbelieveme?Howmany.Ofyourfriendsarevegetarians?Whyaretheyvegetarians?Becauseitisfashionable! Wheredoesfashioncomefrom?Oftenthereasonsarequitelogical.Scientistsandhistoriansstudythefashionsofthepastanddiscoverthesecretsofeachfashion. Whengirlsseeanattractiveguy,theirbloodpressurerisesandtheirlipsbecomeredder.That'swhyguysthinkthatgirlswearinglipstickarebeautiful. Whydoguysshavetheirheads?Inthepastsoldiersshavedtheirheadstokilltheinsectsthatlivedintheirhair.Nowguysshavetheirheadssothattheylookstrongandmasculine,likesoldiers. Peoplespendalotoftimeandmoneyonfashion.Butaretheywastingtheirmoney?Changesinfashionhelptodevelopnewtechnologies.Changesinstylecreateworkforpeopleallovertheworld.Manypeopleworkinthefashionindustry,particularlyinthefashioncapitalsofLondon,NewYork,ParisandMilan. Andfinally,fashionmakesyoufeelgood,doesn'tit?Whenyouaredressedinthelateststyle,dancingtothemostfashionablemusic,afterwatchingthelatesthitfilm,youfeelgreat,don'tyou? 1.What'stheauthor'sviewpointaboutthemodelsandtheirhairstylesandclothes? A.Unbiased. B.Indifferent. C.Critical. D.Appreciative. 2.Itisindicatedbytheauthorthatclothesshouldbe A.comfortableanddurable. B.newandfresh. C.expensiveandfashionable. D.simpleandunique 3.Thefashionindustrymakesprofitsby A.sellingtheproductsathighprices. B.creatinganeedinyou. C.helpingyougetridofyourshortcomings. D.makingyoulookmorebeautiful. 4.Theauthorthinkswhathasbeenfoundaboutfashionsbythescientistsandthe.historiansis A.incredible. B.amazing. C.reasonable. D.creative. 5.ThepassagementionstheadvantagesoffashionEXCEPTthat A.itcanhelppromotetechnologicaldevelopment. B.itenablespeopletoremainup-to-date. C.itcancreatemorejobopportunitiesforpeople. D.itcanmakepeopleachieveagreatfeeling.