III.  Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

People with a positive attitude toward aging can adjust very well when individual circumstances change. Their positive outlook allows them to   50   to the inevitable physical and biochemical changes of the body that are associated with the natural   51   of aging. With a healthy outlook on the golden years, even unpredictable setbacks and disabilities can be managed   52  .

Individual genetic makeup (基因构造) explains the great   53   in the aging rate. Some seniors experience more challenges than others of the same age, and some seniors continue to function better than many younger people. But genetics only   54   about 30 percent of aging. Most of the changes we associate with age   55   factors such as diet and exercise habits; lifestyle issues, including over   56   of alcohol and tobacco, and psychological traits.

We can make healthy lifestyle choices by staying   57   both physically and mentally and by   58   a healthy diet. Some of the setbacks associated with advancing age such as   59   eyesight, loss of hearing, forgetfulness, weakness can be forestalled with some active intervention（干预）.

Growing older does not always mean you see poorly. Many older people have   60   good eyesight well into their eighties and beyond. However, the single greatest contributor to vision loss is a lifetime of   61   to damaging ultraviolet (紫外线) radiation in sunlight.

Carotenoids（类胡萝卜素）, a nutrient found in brightly colored vegetables and fruits, are powerful protectors against free-radical damage. Research shows that simply eating leafy greens and other foods rich in these protective nutrients can   62   vision loss.

Problems with hearing can create   63   and insecurity in later years. One of the major causes of age-related hearing loss is damage to the hair cells in the inner ear that transmit sounds to the brain. These hair cells and their nerve endings can be damaged by infections, genetic diseases, or treatment with certain drugs. The most common cause,   64  , is loud noise.

50.   A. stick                B. devote               C. adapt                D. lead

51.   A. progress            B. process              C. program            D. project

52.   A. successfully       B. purposefully      C. unwillingly        D. carefully

53.   A. surprise             B. variation           C. increase             D. possibility

54.   A. relies on            B. accounts for       C. results from              D. lies in

55.   A. involve in         B. relate to            C. combine with     D. substitute for

56.   A. reputation         B. enjoyment               C. consumption      D. encouragement

57.   A. active               B. calm                 C. efficient            D. diligent

58.   A. maintaining              B. feeding             C. surviving           D. controlling

59.   A. keen                B. failing               C. sharp                D. remote

60.   A. generally           B. frequently         C. relatively           D. occasionally

61.   A. contribution      B. introduction       C. explanation        D. exposure

62.   A. cure                  B. relieve                     C. reduce               D. suffer

63.   A. communication  B. isolation            C. competition              D. occupation

64.   A. therefore           B. otherwise          C. moreover          D. however