2003-T4

文章¶

第一段¶

It is said that in England death is pressing, in Canada inevitable and in California optional. Small wonder. Americans’ life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century. Failing hips can be replaced, clinical depression controlled, cataracts removed in a 30-minute surgical procedure. Such advances offer the aging population a quality of life that was unimaginable when I entered medicine 50 years ago. But not even a great health-care system can cure death—and our failure to confront that reality now threatens this greatness of ours.

第二段¶

Death is normal; we are genetically programmed to disintegrate and perish, even under ideal conditions. We all understand that at some level, yet as medical consumers we treat death as a problem to be solved. Shielded by third-party payers from the cost of our care, we demand everything that can possibly be done for us, even if it’s useless. The most obvious example is late-stage cancer care. Physicians—frustrated by their inability to cure the disease and fearing loss of hope in the patient—too often offer aggressive treatment far beyond what is scientifically justified.

normal → adj. 正常的，标准的
be programmed to do sth. → 被设定去做某事
disintegrate → v. 崩溃，瓦解；破裂
integrate → v. 使结合为整体
perish → v. 死亡，灭亡
at some level → 在某种程度上
shield → v. 保护，防护，防御
late-stage → 末期；后期；晚期
frustrate → v. 使懊恼，使沮丧

第三段¶

In 1950, the US spent $12.7 billion on health care. In 2002, the cost will be $1,540 billion. Anyone can see this trend is unsustainable. Yet few seem willing to try to reverse it. Some scholars conclude that a government with finite resources should simply stop paying for medical care that sustains life beyond a certain age—say 83 or so. Former Colorado governor Richard Lamm has been quoted as saying that the old and infirm "have a duty to die and get out of the way", so that younger, healthier people can realize their potential.

unsustainable → adj. 无法持续的；（生态）破坏生态平衡的，不可持续的
reverse → v. 反转，颠倒，逆转
finite → adj. 有限的
infinite → adj.无限的，无穷的；无数的
sustain → v. 维持，保持，使继续；承受，支撑
infirm → adj. 病弱的，体弱的

第四段¶

I would not go that far. Energetic people now routinely work through their 60s and beyond, and remain dazzlingly productive. At 78, Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone jokingly claims to be 53. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is in her 70s, and former surgeon general C. Everett Koop chairs an Internet start-up in his 80s.These leaders are living proof that prevention works and that we can manage the health problems that come naturally with age. As a mere 68-year-old, I wish to age as productively as they have.

I would not go that far → 我不会走那么远（本文的意思是作者的观点不会那么极端）
Energetic → adj. 精力充沛的，充满活力的
dazzlingly → adv. 耀眼地，炫目地；令人赞叹地，给人深刻印象地
productive → adj. 多产的，丰饶的；有效益的，富有成效的
These leaders are living proof that prevention works 中的 works 是动词，指的是有效果！

第五段¶

Yet there are limits to what a society can spend in this pursuit. As a physician, I know the most costly and dramatic measures may be ineffective and painful. I also know that people in Japan and Sweden, countries that spend far less on medical care, have achieved longer, healthier lives than we have. As a nation, we may be overfunding the quest for unlikely cures while underfunding research on humbler therapies that could improve people’s lives.

overfund → v. 对 ... 提供资金过多
unlikely → adj. 不大可能发生的；未必真实的
underfund → v. 对 ... 提供资金不足
fund → n. 基金，专款；资金，钱款；基金会；储备量 v. 资助，为……提供资金
humble → adj. 谦虚的，简单而使用的，平常的
while 在这里表示的是前后对比。

题目¶

36¶

What is implied in the first sentence?

[A] Americans are better prepared for death than other people.

[B] Americans enjoy a higher life quality than ever before.

[C] Americans are over-confident of their medical technology.

[D] Americans take a vain pride in their long life expectancy.

一定要和原文对比，一一对应！！！
反向干扰；
偷换概念，范围不对！
正确；
盲目骄傲不正确（这个期望是真实存在的），混淆对象。

37¶

The author uses the example of cancer patients to show that .

[A] medical resources are often wasted

[B] doctors are helpless against fatal diseases

[C] some treatments are too aggressive

[D] medical costs are becoming unaffordable

unaffordable → adj. （普通人）付不起的；高价的
在例子的前后找观点。
正确；
例证题例子本身往往为混淆项；
例证题例子本身往往为混淆项；
无中生有。

38¶

The author’s attitude toward Richard Lamm’s remark is one of .

[A] strong disapproval

[B] reserved consent

[C] slight contempt

[D] enthusiastic support

reserved → adj. 寡言少语的，内敛的；保留的
consent → n. 许可，允许；同意，赞同
contempt → n. 轻视，蔑视

39¶

In contrast to the U.S., Japan and Sweden are funding their medical care .

[A] more flexibly

[B] more extravagantly

[C] more cautiously

[D] more reasonably

In contrast to ... → 与 ... 相对比
extravagantly → adv. 挥霍无度地

40¶

The text intends to express the idea that .

[A] medicine will further prolong people’s lives

[B] life beyond a certain limit is not worth living

[C] death should be accepted as a fact of life

[D] excessive demands increase the cost of health care

单词记忆¶

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