练习英文专八阅读练习

In New York, as much as in most communities in America, basketball is a more religious

rite

than

sport.(2)Kids

are

at

the

playground

as

long

as

ten

hours

a

day,

actually

playing

as

early

as

six.(3)Seventeen-and eighteen-olds already have

rheumatoid

knees from

the constant pounding

of their feet on the hard road. (4)They play in the heat of the afternoon with not much more to fuel

them than a can of soda and a store- bought pastry, and they play at night in the dim illumination of

nearby street lights and flashing neon.(5) In a single summer, typical city ballplayers will wear out

four

or

five

pairs

of

sneakers.(6)They

play

even

in

the

dead

of winter

,

bundled

in

jackets

and

sweaters and

belching up

little puffs of steam, as they bang away at the net’s rims.

This type of instrument is called

meteorologica

l balloon, which is used to measure the wind speed

and direction in the sky.

The study of primitive peoples has discovered such a diversity of customs, values, feelings, and

thoughts that many

anthropologists

arrived at the concept that man is born as a blank sheet of

paper on which each culture writers its text.

Example: (05

’

)

When former President Ronald Reagan fell and broke his hip at the age of 89 , he joined a group

of

more

than

350,000

elderly

Americans

who

fracture

their

hips

each

year.

Suffering

from

advanced Alzheimer's disease, Reagan is in one of the highest-risk groups for this type of accident.

The incidence of hip fractures not only increases after age 50 but doubles every five to six years as

the

risk

of

falling

increases.

Slipping

and

tumbling

are

not

the

only

causes

of

hip

fractures;

weakened bones sometimes break spontaneously. But falling is the major cause, representing 90%

of all hip fractures.

These

injuries

are

not

to

be

taken

lightly.

According

to

the

American

Academy

of

Orthopedic

Surgeons, only 25% of those who suffer hip fractures ever fully recover; as many as 20% will die

within 12 months. Even when patients do recover, nearly half will need a cane or a walker to get

around.

When it comes to hip fractures, the most dangerous place for elderly Americans, it turns out, is

their homes; nearly 60% of these dangerous spills will occur in or around the patient’s domicile.

This isn’t all bad news, however, because a few modifications cou

ld prevent a lot of accidents.

The first thing to do is to get rid of those throw rugs that line hallways and entrances. They often

fold over or bunch up, turning them into booby traps for anyone shuffling down the hall.

Entering

and

leaving

the

house

is

a

particularly

high-risk

activity,

which

is

why

some

experts

suggest removing any doorsills higher than 1/2 in. If the steps are bare wood, you can increase

traction by applying non-slip treads.

Because many seniors suffer from poor balance (whether from neurological deficits or from the

inner-ear

problems

that

increase

naturally

with

aging),

it

also

helps

to

install

grab

bars

and

handrails in bathrooms and along hallway.

The bedroom is another major hazard area that can be made much safer with a few adjustments.

Avoid stain sheets and comforters, and opt for non-slip material like wool or cotton. Easy access

to devices is important, so place a lamp, telephone and flashlight near the bed within arm’s reach.

Make

sure

the

pathway

between

the

bedroom

and

bathroom

is

completely

clear,

and

install

a

night-light along the route for those emergency late-night trips.

It’s a good idea to rearrange the furniture throughout the house, so that the paths between rooms

are

free

of

obstructions.

Also,

make

sure

telephone

an

d

appliance

cords

aren’t

strung

across

common walkways, where they can be tripped over.

In addition to these physical precautions, there are the health precautions every aging body should

take. Physical and eye examinations, with special attention to cardiac and blood- pressure problems,

should be performed annually to rule out serious medical conditions. Blood pressure that’s too low

or an irregular heartbeat can put you at risk for fainting and falling. Don’t forget to take calcium

and vitamin D, two critical

factors in developing strong bones. Finally, enrolling in an exercise

programme

at

your

local

gym

can

improve

agility,

strength,

balance

and

coordination

—

all

important skills that can keep you on your feet and off the floor.

17. The following are all specific measures to guard against injuries with the EXCEPTION of

________.

A. removal of throw rugs.

B. easy access to devices

C. installation of grab bars

D. re-arrangement of furniture

18. In which paragraph does the author state his purpose of writing?

A. The third paragraph

B. The first paragraph

C. The last paragraph

D. The last but one paragraph

19. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. offer advice on how to prevent hip fractures

B. emphasize the importance of health precautions

C. discuss the seriousness of hip fractures.

D. identify the causes of hip fractures.

TEXT D

From

Namche

Bazaar,

the

Sherpa

capital

at

12,000

feet,

the

long

line

threaded

south,

dropping 2,000 feet to the valley floor, then trudged down the huge Sola-Khumbu canyon until it

opened out to the lush but still daunting foothills of Central Nepal.

It

was

here

at

Namche

that

one

man

broke

rank

and

leaned

north,

slowly

and

arduously

climbing

the

steep

walls

of

the

natural

amphitheater

behind

the

scatter

of

stone

huts,

then

past

Kunde and Khumjong.

Despite wearing a balaclava on his head, he had been frequently recognized by the Tibetans,

and treated with the gravest deference and respect. Even among those who knew nothing about

him, expressions of surprise lit up their dark, liquid eyes. He was a man not expected to be there.

Not only was his stature substantially greater than that of the diminutive Tibetans, but it was