“I’m seventy years old, says the gray-haired lady proudly to the entertainer at

“I’m seventy years old,” says thegray-haired lady proudly to the entertainer at her Community Club dinner.

“Did you hear that, everyone?” says theentertainer. “This lovely lady is just seventy years young! And she doesn’tlook a day over fifty.” He has been careful not to use the word “old”. In asociety where youth is so admired, old age is often seen as something sad,something to fight against. Americans prefer not to say “old” people. They usethe expression “senior citizens”. They do not talk about “old people’s” homes,but “retirement” homes.

In fact, the entertainer is not so wrong.Seventy is not very old these days. People in the US are living longer andlonger. In1980, 12 percent of Americans were over sixty-five years old. By2030, 21 percent will be over sixty-five. One reason for this is that familiesare getting smaller. The average couple now has only 1.8 children. At the sametime, improved medical care means that people are living longer.

This change in the age of Americans isgoing to have serious results. For one thing, medical costs are rising. Thegovernment is unable to pay the elderly people’s medical bills that have goneup very much. Some old people have to leave hospital “sicker and quicker” thanthey should, before they are really better.

More fortunate senior citizens, though, whostill have good health, want new laws to be passed to allow them to stay atwork. In the past, the retirement age was sixty-five, but that is changing now.Older people are stronger and more energetic than ever before. Many of themrefuse to stop working just because they have reached a certain age.

There is a change, too, in the way in whichelderly people see themselves. Many are no longer happy to accept the grayhair, bald heads, and boring clothes of their own parents. They like to wearyounger-looking clothes and bright makeup（化妆品）.American women spend millions of dollars a year on operations tolift their faces and make those ugly wrinkles disappear. Men are prepared tospend even more on operations to plant new hair on their bald spots. It’s worthany money to look younger.

60. In America people try to avoid usingthe word “old” because    ____.

A. the old age is seen as something thatisn’t admired

B. it is now believed to bring bad luck toelderly people

C. the standard of getting old haschanged  

D. the change in the age has caused ahealthy problem

61. According to the passage, which of thefollowing does NOT describe the American society correctly?

A. People live longer because of improvedmedical care.

B. The government finds it difficult toafford the medical bills of the elderly.

C. People use polite expressions whentalking about old age.

D. The old patients’ time in hospital isstrictly limited.

62. Which of the following is not theresult of the changing in the age of Americans?

A. Medical costs arerising.          

B. The family becomes smaller.

C. The retirement age needs changing. 

D. Elderly people spend a lot on keepingyoung.

63. This passage is most probably takenfrom        .

A. a travel booklet    B. a magazine   

C. an advertisement    D. a medical report 

试题答案

【答案】

  60-63 ADBB

【解析】略