I’ve recently turned fifty, which is young for a tree, midlife for an elephant, and ancient for a sportsman. Fifty is a nice number for the states in the US or for a national speed limit but it is not a number that I was prepared to have hung on me. Fifty is supposed to be my father’s age, but now I am stuck with this number and everything it means.
A few days ago, a friend tried to cheer me up by saying, "Fifty is what forty used to be. "He had made an inspirational point: Am I over the hill People keep telling me that the hill has been moved, and I keep telling them that the high-jump bar has dropped from the six feet I once easily cleared to the four feet that is impossible for me now.
"Your are not getting older, you are getting better," says Dr. Joyce Brothers. This, however, is the kind of doctor who inspires a second opinion.
And so, as I approach the day when I cannot even jump over the tennis net, I am moved to share some thoughts on aging with you. I am moved to show how aging feels to me physically and mentally. Getting older, of course, is obviously a better change than the one that brings you eulogies (颂词，悼词). In fact, a poet named Robert Browning considered it the best change of all:
Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to me.
Whether or not Browning was right, most of my first fifty years have been golden ones, so I will settle for what is ahead being as good as what has gone by. I find myself moving toward what is ahead with a curious blend (混合) of both fighting and accepting my aging, hoping that the philosopher(哲学家) was right when he said, "Old is always fifteen years from now. /
When the author turned fifty, people around him ______.

A:tried to comfort him B:got inspiration with him C:were more friendly with him D:found him more talkative

Men have traveled ever since they first appeared on the earth.
In primitive times they did not travel for pleasure but to find new places where their herds could feed, or to escape from hostile neighbors, or to find more favorable climates. They traveled on foot. Their journeys were long, tiring, and often dangerous. They protected themselves with simple weapons, such as wooden sticks or stone clubs, and by lighting fires at night and, above all, by keeping together.
Being intelligent and creative, they soon discovered easier ways of traveling. They rode on the backs of their domesticated animals; they hollowed out tree trunks and, by using bits of wood as paddles, were able to travel across water.
Later they traveled, not from necessity, but for the joy and excitement of seeing and experiencing new things. This is still the main reason why we travel today.
Traveling, of course, has now become a highly organized business. There are cars and splendid roads, express trains, huge ships and jet airliners, all of which provide us with comforts and security. This sounds wonderful. But there are difficulties. If you want to go abroad, you need a passport and a visa, ticket, luggage, and a hundred of other things. If you lose any of them, your journey may be ruined.

A:talkative B:hot-headed C:enthusiastic D:unfriendly

Passage Two
Men have traveled ever since they first appeared on the earth.
In primitive times they did not travel for pleasure but to find new places where their herds could feed, or to escape from hostile neighbors, or to find more favorable climates. They traveled on foot. Their journeys were tong, tiring, and often dangerous. They protected themselves with simple weapons, such as wooden sticks or stone clubs, and by lighting fires at night and, above all, by keeping together.
Being intelligent and creative, they soon discovered easier ways of traveling. They rode on the backs of their domesticated animals; they hollowed Out tree trunks and,’ by using bits of wood as paddles, were able to travel across water.
Later they traveled, not from necessity, but for the joy and excitement of seeing and experiencing new things, This is still the main reason why we travel today.
Traveling, of course, has now become a highly organized business. There are cars and splendid roads, express trains, huge ships and jet airliners, all of which provide us with comforts and security. This sounds wonderful. But there are difficulties. If you want to go abroad, you need a passport and a visa, ticket; luggage, and a hundred of other things. If you lose any of them, your journey may be ruined.

A:talkative B:hot-headed C:enthusiastic D:unfriendly

Passage Two Men have traveled ever since they first appeared on the earth. In primitive times they did not travel for pleasure but to find new places where their herds could feed, or to escape from hostile neighbors, or to find more favorable climates. They traveled on foot. Their journeys were tong, tiring, and often dangerous. They protected themselves with simple weapons, such as wooden sticks or stone clubs, and by lighting fires at night and, above all, by keeping together. Being intelligent and creative, they soon discovered easier ways of traveling. They rode on the backs of their domesticated animals; they hollowed Out tree trunks and,’ by using bits of wood as paddles, were able to travel across water. Later they traveled, not from necessity, but for the joy and excitement of seeing and experiencing new things, This is still the main reason why we travel today. Traveling, of course, has now become a highly organized business. There are cars and splendid roads, express trains, huge ships and jet airliners, all of which provide us with comforts and security. This sounds wonderful. But there are difficulties. If you want to go abroad, you need a passport and a visa, ticket; luggage, and a hundred of other things. If you lose any of them, your journey may be ruined.

A:talkative B:hot-headed C:enthusiastic D:unfriendly

Mary evidently is the most {{U}}diligent{{/U}} student among us.

A:intelligent B:beautiful C:talkative D:hardworking

Mary evidently is the most diligent student among us.

A:intelligent beautiful B:talkative C:hardworking

Mary evidently is the most {{U}}diligent{{/U}} student among us.

A:intelligent B:beautiful C:talkative D:hardworking