Elderly people are growing healthier, happier and more independent, say American scientists. The results of a 14-year study to be announced later this month reveal that the diseases associated with old age are affecting fewer and fewer people and when they do suffer a stroke (中风), it is much later in their life.
In the last 14 years, the National Long-term Care Survey has gathered data on the health and lifestyles of more than 20,000 men and women over 65. Researchers, now analyzing the results of data gathered in 1994, say arthritis, high blood pressure and circulation problems — the major medical complaints in this age group — are troubling a smaller proportion every year. And the data confirms that the rate at which these diseases are declining continues to increase. Other diseases of old age — dementia, strokes, arteriosclerosis and emphysema — are also troubling fewer and fewer people.
"It really raises the question of what should be considered normal ageing," says Kenneth Manton, a demographer (人口学家) from Duke University in North Carolina. He says the problems doctors accepted as normal in a 65-year-old in 1982 are often not appearing until people are 70 or 75.
Clearly, certain diseases are beating a retreat in the face of medical advances. But there may be other contributing factors. Improvements in childhood nutrition in the first quarter of the twentieth century, for example, gave today’s elderly people a better start in life than their former generations.
On the downside, an increase in some cancers and bronchitis may reflect changing smoking habits and poorer air quality, say the researchers. "These may be subtle influences," says Manton, "but our subjects have been exposed to worse and worse pollution for over 60 years. It’s not surprising we see some effect."
One interesting correlation Manton uncovered is that better-educated people are likely to live longer. For example, 65-year-old women with fewer than eight years of schooling are expected, on average, to live to 82. Those who continued their education live an extra seven years. Although some of this can be attributed to a higher income, Manton believes it is mainly because educated people seek more medical attention.
The survey also assessed how independent people over 65 were, and again found a striking trend. Almost 80% of those in the 1994 survey could complete everyday activities ranging from eating and dressing unaided to complex tasks such as cooking and managing their finances. That represents a significant drop in the number of disabled old people in the population. According to Manton, slowing the trend has saved the United States government’s medicare system more than $200 billion, suggesting that the ageing of America’s population may prove less of a financial burden than expected.
But independence can have drawbacks. Scientists found that elderly people who felt emotionally isolated maintained higher levels of stress hormones even when asleep. The research suggests that older people live best when they feel independent but know they can get help when they need it.
50.What is the main topic of this passage?
A.The common health problems of elderly people in the US.
B.A healthier, happier and more independent ageing population in the US.
C.The influence of medical advances on elderly people’s health in the US.
D.The relationship between good education and the length of time one lives.
51.What makes demographers begin to wonder about the standard of normal ageing?
A.People’s growing healthier.
B.People’s living longer.
C.The abnormally increasing population.
D.More deadly diseases’ being curable.
52.Which of the following is NOT considered as a contributor to elderly people getting healthier?
A.Medical improvement. B.Good childhood nutrition.
C.Change of air quality. D.Better education.
53.What is the main reason for better-educated people to live longer according to Manton?
A.They maintain a lower level of stress.
B.They have learnt more about medical care.
C.They have a higher income to support themselves.
D.They pay much more attention to their physical health.
54.What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A.80% of elderly people in the US could handle everyday activities independently.
B.A large number of disabled old people used to be a financial burden to the US.
C.Elderly people who live independently have a more positive state of mind.
D.It is not advised for elderly people to live independently.
BACDB
什么是历史文化类阅读:
本类题型常用的方式是夹叙夹议。叙述的目的是为了议,所以要把握其议才是主要方面。阅读这类文章,先弄清其引入的话题,再弄清里面人物对其不同的看法,然后理解作者本身对话题的观点看法或思考。
历史文化类阅读技巧:
【题型说明】历史文化类阅读理解文章属高考常选材料之一。这类文章常涉及历史、文化、法制、宗教等方面的文学艺术、发明创造、文化遗产保护、宗教与文化、风俗与习惯、道德与法制、中外文学名著节选、等等。这类材料的命题点往往落在主旨大意题、事实细节题上。
【答题方法】在做这类阅读理解题时,我们应注意以下几个方面:
1、采用先题后文:先读题目,再带着问题读文章。这类阅读理解文章相对来说事实细节题稍多一点,如果带着问题读文章,有利于我们抓细节。
2、先做细节题。因为做完了局部性的事实细节题后,自然会加深我们对文章的理解,这样更有利于做主旨大意题。
3、重点敲定主旨题。主旨大意题提问的形式主要有两大类:一类是Main idea型;一类是Topic或Title型。
在解答这类试题时应注意以下几点:
a.读首句抓大意。
文化教育类阅读理解文章多采用说明文、议论文体裁,而这类文章大都采用文章段落的中心,即主题句在文章开头。因此,要寻找这类文章的主旨大意就需要研究文章的首句。
b.读尾句抓大意。
有时这类文章的主题句安排在文章的结尾,作为对全篇的总结。
c.读首段抓大意。
有些文章或段落的开头和结尾部分都有主题句。这种结构是为了突出主题思想而使用两次点题的写作方法。这两个主题句在句子结构和用词上有所不同,而且在内容上前句和后句也不重复。
d.从段落中抓大意。
有些文章或段落的主题句在文章中,这种文章或段落往往以一句话或几句话引出要表达的主题,在主题句出现后,再举例子陈述细节或继续论证。
e.归纳要点抓大意。
有些文章或段落无明显的主题句,只是暗示性地体现主题。这就要求同学们在阅读过程中根据文中所叙述的事实或线索来概括总结主旨大意。
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