新视野第三册 unit5 选词和完型

As a surgeon, I have seen a lot of deaths. I am rarely astonished by anything. The other day , however ,one humorous and slightly odd story I heard touched me. A doctor told me that a very old woman he was treating was lying motionless on her pillow face down.He thought she was dead ,but when he approached, he noticed she was breathing. Her hospital gown exposed her back bare, so he put a cover over her. Just then she sat up slowly, startling the doctor. She seemed quite alive. “I thought you were nearly gone,” the doctor said . “Your breathing was so shallow and you seemed lifeless.” “Never mind that , doctor, I’ve been waiting for you,” the old woman said quite confidently as if she were his mother. She had been a good mother to four, but she had survived them all. She gracefully handed the doctor a jar of strawberry jam."take the lid off and try some,"she said.He sampled a little and told her it was delicious.
“Good,” she said ,handing him a piece of paper with writing. “This is how to make it .” He understood what a(n) privilege she had given him and took it with thanks and then left. The old woman lay back down and died soon after his departure .
Cloze
Aging is a natural process. Although medical advancements have come up with ways to cover signs of aging, there is no stopping the process. During the closing period in the lifespan of human beings, people tend to “move away” from more desirable previous periods, often known as “usefulness”. Age sixty is usually considered the dividing line between middle and old age. It is the time where you are considered an “elderly”, meaning somewhat old or advanced beyond middle age. Period of decline comes partly from physical and partly psychological factors. The physical cause of decline is a change in the body cells due to the effects of the aging process. The psychological cause of decline has something to do with unfavorable attitudes toward oneself, other people, work and life in general. Senility, a more or less complete physical breakdown, will take place when there is mental disorganization. The individual becomes careless, absent-minded, socially withdrawn, and promptly adjusted.
Due to the unfavorable social attitudes toward the elderly, treatment toward them in American, unlike other cultures, makes them feel no longer useful and unwanted. People who come from countries where respect for the elderly is customary usually treat elder people with more consideration and respect. In fact, old people are a treasure of experience to society. It is expected that old people will play an increasingly active role in social and community affairs as well as in the business and professional worlds. Because of the reduction in the number of roles the elderly are able to play , it is very likely that they will develop a feeling of inferiority. It is our duty to make them better realize value and help them lead a life of comfort.