AFamous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking（未来派的）buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers.41. From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______.A. being active at 102 is achievable for everybodyB. Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s helpC. being fit in old age is a matter of luck and characterD. social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior42. How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?A. 4B. 5C. 6D. 743. By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?", Heesters shows us he ________.A. wants to sit or lie in comfortB. is waiting for people to pick him upC. is willing to work till he diesD. prefers to give performance at home44. In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.A. old age is a big problem if you want to succeedB. as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimisticC. ole people should never think of themselves as oldD. old age can not prevent a great person from achieving a lot45. In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.A. sympathyB. pessimisticC. positiveD. diligentBFrom earliest times, the English, for instance, have believed in certain symbols and customs which could bring good fortune as well as ward off evil spirits. Old customs seldom die, so don’t be surprised because some of these customs are still practiced daily in today’s society. Below are symbols of luck from a popular culture magazine.Old BootIn ancient days, old boots or shoes were said to hold the good spirit and courage of their owners. Therefore, it was a common belief that an old boot was a good luck charm. For instance,if a fisherman caught himself an old boot instead of fish, it is believed that at the end of the day hewould be able to catch and take home a huge amount of fish. In north England, the wives of sailors would usually throw old boots or shoes at the departing(离开) ships to ensure theirhusbands' safe journey. Old boots were also left on the roofs of old houses to drive off evil spirits.◆WoodBack in pagan (异教徒) times, touching the tree was a sign of respect to the gods after a favor has been requested, or thanks to the gods for a request that had been fulfilled. Later, theBritish still held their belief that wood is holy as Christ died on a wooden cross. Even now, peoplestill have the habit of trying to touch or knock on wood after talking bad things about other people, and so on, so that the action will get rid of any bad luck during the day.◆HorseshoeThe horseshoe is considered a lucky symbol in English customs. It is similar to the othersymbols associated with good fortune in other cultures such as “U”. “U” shape is often said to be the symbol of fertility and also possesses power to drive away evil spirit. As it is made of iron and used for horses, horseshoes are also linked to strength and power. As a result, combining all these signs of good luck, the horseshoe is regarded as a powerful device to bring fortune and keep evil spirits away. It is usually nailed to the front door to protect the household from uninvited visitors like witches and evils. However, the horseshoe must be placed in a standing “U” position so thatthe good fortune will be held by the household.◆Rabbit’s FootIn the old English custom, the hare (not rabbit) was said to have an evil eye, whose glancecan only be countered by people who own a hare’s foot. In the old days, it was said that the warrior Queen Boadicea of Norfolk, East Britain, brought a hare with her to ensure luck in battleagainst the Romans who had invaded her kingdom. This brought people to believe that the hare had magical powers. However, the pagan practice of worshiping the hare eventually stopped aftermost British began to believe in Christianity in the 6th century. Nevertheless, many British carried hare’s feet in their pocket or purse. Later, rabbits were introduced in Britain from the otherEuropean countries, and since rabbits can be caught more easily than har es, the rabbit’s footreplaced the hare’s foot as a lucky charm.◆CoinCoins, especially gold coins, were said to bring good fortune to the person who possessed them. Gold, like in any other culture, was always a symbol of wealth. In the past, "lucky" goldcoins were turned into rings to be worn as a cure for many types of illness. Sometimes, brides put them in a shoe to ensure a good married life. The English also dropped coins into wells to make awish in the hope that their dreams would come true. This is due to the fact that people at that time believed there were good spirits who lived in the wells, fountains or springs.46. Which symbol of luck is seen as a sign of strength and power?A. HorseshoeB. Old bootC. WoodD. Rabbit’s foot47. To get rid of bad luck after speaking ill of other people, the English are likely to___________.A. drop gold coins into wellsB. carry hare’s feet in their pocketC. touch or knock on woodD. throw old boots at the sailing ship48. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?A. Coins and old boots could be thrown to ensure a happy married life.B. Rabbit’s foot as well as wood is related to some religious belief.C. Both wood and coins could be touched to show thanks to the gods.D. Old boots and horseshoes should be put on the roof to drive away evils.49. What is the passage mainly about?A. The origin of five symbols of luck around the world.B. Some lost customs about good fortune in the English culture.C. The differences of five symbols of luck in the English culture.D. An introduction to some symbols of luck in the English culture.CA woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself."What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a… ""Of course I have a job," responded Emily. "I'm a mother.""We don't list mother as an occupation ... Housewife covers it," said the recorder emphatically.I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title . “Wha t is your occupation?" she asked.What made me say it. I do not know ... The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire."Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field? "Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole damned family), and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally showed me to the door.As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (依托) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants--aged 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6- month- old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.I felt proud! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy(官僚主义)! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and irreplaceable to mankind than "just another mother".Motherhood ... What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.50. What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at thebeginning of the passage?A. The recorder was impatient and rude.B. The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.C. The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.D. Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.51. How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?A. curiousB. indifferentC. puzzledD. interested52. Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author afterwards?A. Because the author cared little about rewards.B. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.C. Because she thought the author did admirable work.D. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.53. What did the author think of the job as a mother of four?A. demanding and rewardingB. satisfying and interestingC. tiring and annoyingD. disgusting and challenging54. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?A. To show that how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.B. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.C. To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.DTom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of the house where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy left him. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and moved it along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could not continue and sat down.He knew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans for the day.They would walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to work on a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.He put his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he could find some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there was nothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hour of freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up the idea.At this dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mind with a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again to whitewash.While Tom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked along the street. As he walked along it, he was making noises like the sound of a riverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding－Dong－Dong”，“Ding－Dong－Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made other strange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.Tom went on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and then said: “Hello! I'm going swimming, but you can't go, can you？”No answer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the result with the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he kept on working.Ben said, “Hello, old fellow, you've got to work, hey？”Tom turned suddenly and said, “Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing.”“Say—I'm going swimming. Don't you wish you could? But of course you'd rather work—wouldn't you? Of course you would.”Tom looked at the boy a bit, and said, “What do you call work？”“Why, isn't that work？”Tom went back to his whitewashing, and answered carelessly.“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits Tom Sawyer.”“Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it？”The brush continued to move.“Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn't like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day？”Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back to look at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Ben watched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said，“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”Tom thought for a moment, and was about to agree, but he changed his mind.“No—no—it won't do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be done very carefully. I don't think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it well enough.”“No—is that so? Oh come, now—let me just try. Only just a little.”“Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn't done right, I'm afraid Aunt Polly … ”“Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say—I'll giv e you the core of my apple.”“Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid …”“I'll give you all of it.”Tom gave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. And while Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating the apple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one came to laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold the next chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought it for a dead rat—and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures.And he had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty of company, and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run out of whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.He had discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a man or a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.55. How many characters are mentioned in this story?A. 4.B. 5.C. 6.D. 756. Why did Tom take all his bits of toys out of his pockets?A. Because he was tired and wanted to play with his toys.B. Because he wanted to throw his toys away.C. Because he wanted to give his toys to his friends.D. Because he wanted to know if he could buy help with his toys.57. Tom was about to agree to let Ben whitewash when he changed his mind because ________.A. Tom wanted to do the whitewashing by himselfB. Tom planned to make Ben give up his apple firstC. Tom was unwilling to let Ben do the whitewashingD. Tom was afraid Ben would do the whitewashing better58. We can learn from the passage that ________.A. Tom was interested in whitewashing the fenceB．Tom had a lot of friends who are ready to help othersC. Tom was unwilling to whitewash the fence, but he managed to let other boys do it for himD. Tom was good at whitewashing the fence, so he looked at the result of his work with theeye of an artist59. What made Ben Rogers eagerly give up his apple and offer to brush the fence for Tom?A. His warm heart and kindness to friends.B. His curiosity about Tom's brushing job.C. Tom's threat.D. Aunt Polly's idea.60. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?A. The Happy WhitewasherB. Tom And His FellowsC. Whitewashing A FenceD. How To Make The Things Difficult To Get第二节：下面文章有5处（第61～65题）需要添加小标题。