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Test Four
1
Running a fever was once thought to be the prerogative of warmblooded creatures, whose internal temperatures are indpendent of the weather. But, as Matthew Kluger reported in “The Importance of Being Feverish” (January 1976), lizards can also develop fevers, even though there is no question that they are coldblooded. They raise their temperatures by moving into the sun or, in the case of Kluger’s experiments, under a sun lamp. And it seems to do them some good. Sick lizards kept in cages at feverish temperatures fare much better than their counterparts in normal and cool environments.
Now, fever has spread to invertebrates(无脊椎动物). Recent studies have shown that crayfish and scorpions can develop fevers. Crayfish injected with bacteria and scorpions injected with prostaglandins(前列腺素) swam and scuttled to hot areas. (Prostaglandins are hormones thought to be instrumental in the development of a fever.)
Evidence is also mounting that moderate fevers have their benefits, which might explain why the fever process is so widespread. Leukocytes, white blood cells that are active in fighting bacterial infections, are more mobile at febrile temperatures. And fevers reduce the amount of iron available to bacteria. That reduction, combined with high temperatures, has been shown to inhibit bacterial growth.
1. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
A. Coldblooded animals can develop fevers.
B. There are benefits to developing fevers.
C. Fevers inhibit bacterial growth.
D. Lizards can develop fevers.
2. Fevers cause ____.
A. prostaglandins to be formed
B. iron to be made available to bacteria
C. leukocytes to be more mobile
D. lizards to be coldblooded animals
3. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Developing fever is the privilege of warmblooded animals, so sick lizards can not run a fever.
B. Invertebrates also have the ability to raise their temperature.
C. The internal temperatures of warmblooded creatures are independent of the weather, so are the coldblooded animal.
D. Sick lizards move into the sun to develop fever.
4. The passage implies that ____.
A. the fever process is widespread because moderate fevers have benefits
B. the reduction of fevers can inhibit bacterial growth
C. man can use sun lamp to raise lizards’ temperature
D. Crayfish injected with bacteria have a purpose for moving to hot areas
5. Scorpions injected with prostaglandins move to hot areas to ____.
A. engage in greater activity
B. seek out a moreiron environment
C. demonstrate that they are ill
D. develop a fever and fight bacterial infections
2
In the Caucasus region of the Soviet Union, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100. By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Soviet old 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 Soviet Georgians, aged 110 to 140, work in the fields beside their great greatgrandchildren. 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 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 begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. He remembers his life experiences: 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. Mamedov has no intentions 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 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 of 5,000 to 12,000 feet (1,660 to 4,000 meters) above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollutionfree. This reducedoxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger.
Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society.
Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longestlived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. 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. The Hunzas, Vilcabambans, and Soviets 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 pressures and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all contribute to the health and remarkable long life of all these people.
6. What is the main subject of this passage?
A. Mr. Mamedov’s life.
B. A description of several societies where people live a long time.
C. Suggestions for how you can live a long life.
D. Hard physical work is a good way to live a long time.
7. The description of Mr. Rustam Mamedov is ____.
A. an example of a typical long life among these people
B. an example of an unusual long life among these people
C. an explanation of why he is still healthy
D. an explanation of what way of life we should take
8. The subject of paragraph 7 is ____.
A. isolation B. inherited factors
C. food and diet D. animal meat
9. This article concludes that ____ contribute to the remarkable long life of these peoples.
A. moderate diets B. clean mountain air
C. daily hard work D. all the above factors
10. How do you think the author feels about these longlived people?
A. He is impressed with them.
B. He doesn’t care.
C. He doesn’t like them.
D. He cares little about them.
3
A university student in Nairobi, Kenya, was stopped for a traffic violation the other day. The policeman took out his ticket book and asked, “What tribe are you?” In Lusaka, Zambia, a young man applying for a job was told to see the manager. He leaned over the receptionist’s desk and asked,“What tribe is he?” When the receptionist told him that the manager was a Mashona, the applicant replied,“Then I’ll never get the job.”
This phenomenon is called tribalism. There are more than 2,000 tribes in black Africa. Each has its own language, customs, names, and physical characteristics that make its members almost immediately recognizable to a person from another tribe. To the Westerner, tribalism is one of the most difficult of African customs to understand. It makes many people think of savagery, warfare, or oldfashioned customs.
However, to most Africans, tribalism simply means very strong loyalty to one’s ethnic group. It is a force that can be both good and bad. By definition tribalism means sharing among members of the extended family. It makes sure that a person is taken care of by his own group. To give a job to a fellow tribesman is not wrong; it is an obligation. Similarly, for a politician or military leader, it is considered good common sense to choose his closest advisers from people of his own tribe. This ensures security, continuity, authority. Tribal loyalty may mean a quick promotion—from sergeant to captain, from clerk to manager—within a very short time.
Modern African politicians publicly speak out against tribal divisions. Yet it remains perhaps the most powerful force in daytoday African life. As evidence of tribalism, in 1977 in Kenya, President Jomo Kenyatta’s Kikuyu tribe controlled business and politics. Eight of the 21 cabinet posts, including the most important four, were filled by Kikuyus. In Uganda in the same year, the President’s small Kakwa tribe filled almost all the highest government and military positions. In Angola, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, the fighting in the past ten years can be partly explained by disagreements among tribes.
One country that has largely avoided tribal problems is Tanzania. Some observers say this is partly because Tanzania has so many tribes (about 120) that none has been able to become a major force.
11. Why did the applicant reply“Then I’ll never get the job?”
A. Because he was a Mashona.
B. Because he was not a Mashona.
C. Because he could do the job.
D. Because he had no such ability.
12. The two situations in paragraph 1 are examples of ____.
A. typical young men in Africa
B. unusual problems
C. the importance of tribalism
D. the application of job
13. According to the article, what is the definition of tribalism?
A. Giving a job to a fellow tribesman.
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