（苏州市，2001）
(A)
Many different kinds of birds can copy the sounds of language. African parrots（鹦鹉）are the birds best known for this.
Every December in London, the Bird Show tries to find the best "talking" bird in the world. One bird named Prudle stood out among the "talking birds". She won this prize（奖）for 12 years.
Prudle was taken from Africa in 1958. She was sold to Iris Frost in England. Prudle knew almost 800 words in English. Prudle was also the oldest bird in the world that lived in a cage. Iris Frost took care of the bird until prudle died in 1994. Prudle was 35 years old.
A different kind of bird, not a parrot, named Puck was tested（试验）in 1993. People found that Puck knew more English words than Prudle knew. Puck knew more than 1,700 words.
(1) What kind of birds usually speak the best?
A. African parrots. B. The Bird Show.
C. Birds found in the zoos. D. English parrots.
(2) What is Prudle?
A.A prize B.A cage C. A test D. A bird
(3) How many years did Prudle win the speaking contest（比赛）for birds?
A. 12 B. 35 C.36 D.47
(4) Why was Puck better than Prudle?
A. He was bigger. B. He spoke faster.
C. He knew more words. D. He was younger.
(5) Iris Frost was ________.
A. an English teacher B. a cage maker
C. Prudle's owner D. Puck's owner
(B)
How old is "old"? The answer has changed over the years. Two hundred years ago, you were old at 35. At the beginning of the 20th century, the average life span（平均寿命）was 45. In 1950, 70 -year - olds were really old. Today, a healthy 70- year- old is still thought young.
So, how old is old? The answer is one you've heard many times, from all kinds of people. "You are as old (or young) as you feel." Your age simply tells you how many years you have lived. Your body tells you how well you've lived.
"Nobody grows old by living a number of years,' wrote a writer. "People grow old when they don't have their ideas（理想）." People shouldn't have the wrong ideas about aging, Sometimes, older minds can be as bright as young minds. Alice Brophy once said, "It makes me unhappy when people say, 'You look young for your age.' What does that mean? You know you can die old at 30 and live young at 80."
(6) About 100 years ago, the average life span was ________.
A.35 B.45 C.70 D.80
(7) The meaning of the word "aging" is ________.
A. growing old B. staying young
C. keeping healthy D. feeling unhappy
(8) According to（根据）the passage, which of the following is true?
A. Older people are not as bright as young people.
B. All older people are healthy and strong.
C. Aging does not mean you become unhealthy.
D. Most older people are unhealthy and poor.
(9) Which question is not answered in the passage?
A. Can older people be as bright as young people?
B. What tells you how well you've lived?
C. How old is "old"?
D. What is the average life span today?
(10) The passage is mainly（主要地）about ________.
A. the average life span B. aging
C. the 20th century D. older people and young people
Key: (1) — (5) ADACC (6) — (10) BACDB
