C

Sometimes, something that is considered to be negative turns out to be an advantage on the job. Though he is only l8 years old and blind, Suleyman Gokyigit is among the top computer technicians and programmers at InteliData Technologies Corp., a large software company with several offices across the United States.

“After our company united with another one last October, two different computer networks were driving us crazy,” recalls Douglas Braun, the InteliData president. “We couldn’t even send e-mail to each other.” In three weeks Mr. Gokyigit created the software needed to connect the two networks. “None of the company’s 350 other employees could have done the job in three months,” says Mr. Braun. “Suleyman can ‘see’ into the heart of the computer.”

Mr. Gokyigit’s gift, as Mr. Braun calls it, is an unusual ability to form an idea of the inside of a machine. “The computer permits me to reach out into the world and do almost anything I want to do,” says Mr. Gokyigit.

The young programmer is at home with hardware as well, thanks partly to a highly developed sense of touch. Mitzi Nowakowski, an office manager at InteliData, remembers how he easily disconnected and reconnected their computer systems during a move last year. “Through feel, Suleyman can find the position of connectors, pins and wires much faster than most other people with sight,” he says.

Much of the student programmer’s speed comes from his ability not to be interrupted while at the computer. When typing, he listens carefully to the synthesizer(合成器). His long, thin fingers fly over the keyboard. “Nothing seems to shake his attention, says Mrs. Nowakowski, his boss.

Mr. Gokyigit is the only company employee who is available(可找到的) 24 hours a day. “We consider him our top problem solver,” says Mr. Braun.

63. According to Mr. Braun, Suleyman _______.

A. can work wonders on computer         

B. is the best technician in the world

C. has done a hard job in three months    

D. has united InteliData Technologies Corp. with another computer company

64. The underlined part is “at home with hardware” (paragraph 4 ) means _________.

A. is good at dealing with computer hardware                      

B. is fond of computer hardware

C. works with computer hardware at home                         

D. feels comfortable when working with computer hardware

65. Suleyman was quick while at the computer mostly because of _______.

A. his blindness      B. his attention on the synthesizer

C. his long, thin fingers                          D. his ability not to be interrupted

66. What does the text mainly tell us?

A. Computer technicians are more likely to be gifted.

B. One’s disadvantages may prove to be advantages.

C. The disabled can also play an important role in society.

D. Top computer scientists have unusual abilities to form ideas of computers.

 

D

Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.

“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),” said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that’s a conservative estimate(保守的估计).”

At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(纳米技术) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”

However, many scientists who specialize in ageing are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.

Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live. “It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know, could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life? said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. “At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”

67. By saying “we are knocking at the door of immortality”, Michael Zey means _______.

A. they believe that there is no limit of living                        

B. they are sure to find the truth about long living

C. they have got some ideas about living forever                  

D. they are able to make people live past the present life span

68. Donald Louria’s attitude towards long living is that _______.

A. people can live from 120 to 180         

B. it is still doubtful how long humans can live

C. the human body is designed to last past about 120 years   

D. it is possible for humans to live longer in the future

69. The underlined “it” (paragraph 4) refers to ________.

A. a great push

B. the idea of living beyond the present life span

C. the idea of living from 200 to 300 years

D. the conservative estimate

70. What would be the best title for this text?

A. Living Longer or Not

B. Science, Technology and Long Living

C. No Limit for Human Life

D. Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living