（選自2008年衛(wèi)生類b/c級閱讀理解考題）
第4部分：閱讀理解(第31～45題，每題3分，共45分)
下面有3篇短文，每篇短文后有5道題。請根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，為每題確定1個最佳選項。
第一篇
u．s．life（壽命） expectancy（期望） hits（到達） new（新的） high(高處)
life expectancy rates in the united states are at an all-time（空前的） high（高點/高處），with people born in 2005 projected（被預(yù)計） to live for nearly 78 years，a new federal study finds(發(fā)現(xiàn)) .
the finding（調(diào)查結(jié)果） reflects （反映）a continuing（持續(xù)的） trend（趨勢） of increasing （越來越多的）life expectancy that began（開始） in 1955，when the average american lived to be 69．6 years old． by 1 995，life expectancy was （是）75.8 years，and by 2005，it had risen to 77.9 years，according to the report released(被發(fā)表) wednesday．
“this is good news，”said report co-author donna hoyert ，a health scientist at the national center for health statistics．“it’s even been news that it is a continuation of trends，so it is a long period of continuing improvement.”
despite the upward trend，the united states still has a lower life expectancy than some 40 other countries，according to the u．s．census(人口普查)bureau. the country with the longest life expectancy is andorra at 83.5 years，followed by japan，macau，san marino and singapore．
much of the increase owes to(由于) declining death rates from the three leading causes of death in the country—heart disease，cancer and stroke.
in addition，in 2005，the u．s．death rate dropped to an all—time low of less than 800 deaths per 100,000.
dr．david katz, director of the prevention research center at yale university school of medicine，said， “news that life expectancy is increasing is, of course，good．but the evidence we have suggests that there is more chronic disease than ever in the u.s．”
adding years to life is a good thing，katz said．“but adding vital life to years is at least equally important. if we care about living well，and not just longer，we still have our work cut out for us.”he said.
31. since 1 955, life expectancy rates（數(shù)值）in the u.s. have
a. moved up and down（一直呈現(xiàn)出起伏變化）． b. been declining（一直在下降）
c. been on the rise（一直在上升）． d. remained（保持） steady（穩(wěn)定的）
32. compared with(被與有最長壽命的國家相比) the country with the longest life expectancy，the u.s. is
a. nearly 3 years behind． b. nearly 4 years behind．
c. nearly 8 years behind． d. nearly 6 years behind．
33.the increase in （在...方面的增加）the u.s. life expectancy is mostly（主要地） due to（因為）
a. increasing life expectancy rates in some other countries。
b. declining death rates from heart disease．cancer and stroke
c. a rise in the rate of chronic disease．
d. a declining birth rate．
34. which of the following（下列的） statements（陳述） is not true（真實的）?
a. the u.s.1ife expectancy is at a，n all-time high.
b. the u.s. death rate was at an all：time low in 2005
c. the annual death rate in the u.s. is over 800 deaths per 100,000
d. chronic disease appears to be at an all—time high in the u.s.
35. the expression（結(jié)構(gòu)） “adding vital life to years” in the last paragraph（段落） means
a. living well. b. living longer．
c. living longer and well. d living at any cost.