Happy birthday! Do birthdays really make people happy? Of course they do. Birthdays celebrate the day we were born. Besides, that extra candle on the cake suggests another year of growth and maturity(成熟)－or so we hope. We all like to imagine that we’re getting wiser and not just older. Most of us enjoy seeing the miracle(奇跡) of growth in others, as well. For instance, seeing our children develop and learn new things makes us feel proud. For Americans, like people in most cultures, growing up is a wonderful process(過程). But growing old? That’s a different story.

Growing old is not exactly pleasant for people in youth-oriented(以年輕人為中心) American culture. Most Americans like to look young, act young and feel young. As the old saying goes, “You’re as young as you feel.” Older people joke about how many years young they are, rather than how many years old. People in some countries value the aged as a source of experience and wisdom. But Americans seem to favor those that are young, or at least “young at heart.”

Many older Americans find the “golden years” to be anything but golden. Economically, “senior citizens” often struggle just to get by. Retirement(退休) at age 65 brings a sharp decrease in personal income. Social security(安全) benefits usually cannot make up the difference. Older people may suffer from poor nutrition(營養(yǎng)), medical care and housing. Some even experience age discrimination. In 1987, American sociologist Pat Moore dressed up like an older person and wandered city streets. She was often treated rudely－even cheated and robbed. However, dressed as a young person, she received much more respect.

Unfortunately, the elderly population in America is increasing fast. Why? People are living longer. Fewer babies are being born. And middle-aged “baby boomers” are rapidly entering the groups of the elderly. America may soon be a place where wrinkles(皺紋) are “in”. Marketing experts are already noticing this growing group of consumers.

59．Growing up is a wonderful thing because ___________.

       A．people can celebrate their birthdays

       B．people can become more mature and wiser

       C．people can receive many presents

       D．people will feel younger at heart

60．We can infer from the second paragraph that ___________.

       A．young people lack experience and wisdom

       B．American older people often joke about their old age

       C．American culture is very young

       D．different countries have different opinions on the old age

61．The underlined sentence (in Paragraph 3) means “_______.”

       A．The golden years can make the old earn lots of money and receive good medical care

       B．The old people in America are leading a hard life without good nutrition, medical care or

       housing

       C．The old in America have to retire at the age of 65

       D．American social security benefits are not good

62．From the last paragraph we know that the underlined word “in” can be replaced by ________.

       A．serious                                               B．bad                    

       C．disappearing slowly                              D．growing fast

As the only physician in a small local clinic and hospital, Katrina Poe sees dozens of patients on any given day. She’s on call at the hospital in Kilmichael every day, and she gets little time with her sons, aged 3 and 3 months. But the country doctor doesn’t complain about her job. It’s the one she chose for herself 25 years ago while she was a fifth-grader in Kilmicahael.

The daughter of two workers in a town that had produced only two other doctors, Poe might not have been expected to go to college at all, let alone medical school. But it was a challenge at first, being the town’s first female and first black doctor. She even had patients who refused to see her at first. But a lot of those patients who were unwilling in the beginning are now some of her most favorite patients and have accepted her, finally. Many patients, in fact, now refuse to seek health care elsewhere.

Though she’s working at least 80 hours a week, Poe is sorry that she sometimes has to turn patients away. “I just can’t see everybody,” she says. “I’m seeing patients after hours, so it’s just very busy.”

In addition to her work at the hospital and clinic, Poe cares for all residents of the local nursing home and the local mental health facility during monthly visits. “This town and the little hospital are fortunate to have her,” says Calvin Johnson, Poe’s husband. He says it is without a doubt “the love and support of the people” that make living in Kilmichael worthwhile for the family.

In recognition of her services to rural medicine, the Texas-based physician staffing firm Staff Care Inc. named Poe, 35, the “2005 Country Doctor of the Year.”

56．Which of the following statements is NOT true?

       A．Poe is too busy to spare time for her family.

       B．Poe decided to be a doctor when she was in Grade 5.

       C．There are three doctors in Poe’s family.

       D．Poe’s husband takes pride in her.

57．When Katrina Poe began her work at the beginning, it was difficult because __________.

       A．she was not accepted by the local people

       B．she was poor in medical skills

       C．there were few patients in the town

       D．the town had other good hospitals

58．What would be the best title for the passage?

       A．The Only Physician in A Town

       B．A Black Doctor Popular with Patients

       C．A Hard-working Doctor in a Town

       D．Doctors in Great Need in Kilmichael

He finds his daughter is quite different from _________ she was five years ago.

       A．who                    B．what                   C．how                    D．which

Strong typhoons hit this area very _______. Normally, they form and come here between July and August every year.

       A．generally             B．regularly              C．usually                D．suddenly

She is in a poor _______ of health, which worries her mother a lot.

       A．position              B．situation              C．state                   D．condition

The media today can draw public attention to situations _______ help is actually needed.

       A．why                    B．while                   C．where                 D．whose

It looks as if they are going to _________ us 3,000 dollars for the concert hall.

       A．want                   B．cost                    C．demand               D．charge

Coming into the room, I found them ________ at the table, _________ chess.

       A．seated; playing                                     B．seating; playing

       C．seat; play                                            D．seated; played

－What was the trouble with you the day before yesterday?

－When I practiced running on the playground, my strength _________ and I fell onto the ground.

       A．gave away           B．gave in                C．gave off              D．gave out

A wide range of postcards and other souvenirs are _______ sale in the visitors’ center.

       A．on                      B．a(chǎn)t                        C．in                       D．of