2022年考博英语-安徽大学考前提分综合测验卷（附带答案及详解）套卷31

2022年考博英语-安徽大学考前提分综合测验卷（附带答案及详解）1. 单选题Shopping in the United States is always a pleasant experience. There are different types of shops that operate to cater to your different needs. To buy groceries, you can go to the convenience store, the supermarket or the mass merchandiser (such as Wall Mart). To buy some clothes and big-ticket items you can go to the mall or factory outlets.Every grocery store has promotions on different kinds of products every week. Usually you can find a store weekly newspaper with featured promotions for that particular week. I am a bargain hunter, forward buying a lot of daily products if I feel I need them in the future. Once, I saw a featured promotion on Pantene 2 in 1 shampoo plus conditioner(护发素). Although I did not need it at that time, I felt it was a great deal. So I decided to buy 2 bottles. However, I could not find any such Pantene on the shelf. I went to a sales clerk and asked if he could find any for me. He told me that the store was out of the stock and it would not have any in until the next week. The unfortunate thing was that by then the promotion would be over. However, the clerk told me that I could go the customer service counter and I would be given a rain check, which would guarantee the promotion price for me on that particular item.A shopping mall in the States is composed of many individual specialty shops and nationwide chain stores, such as Sears and JC Penny. What impresses me most when shopping is its return policy. No matter what you buy, shoes, pants or big-ticket items such as JV and VCR, if you find some problems with them or simply do not like them any longer, you can return them within 30 days. You wont be challenged at the customer service counter as long as you have your receipt. Of course there are some people who might take advantage of this return policy, especially when they need something for a momentary use. Thats why you can find a long line of people waiting to return their goods right after Christmas.5. What does the word “big-ticket” (Para. 1) most probably mean?6. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the author（ ）.7. According to the author, the return policy of the mall（ ）.8. The author thinks many people return their goods after Christmas because（ ）.问题1选项A.A large amount of.B.Name-brand.C.Highly price.D.Huge space occupied.问题2选项A.could buy Pantene in the following week at the promotion priceB.bought what he wanted with the help of the sales clerkC.didnt buy Pantene shampoo for he didnt need it at that timeD.wouldnt buy Pantene the next week for the promotion would be over问题3选项A.is as good as promotions of grocery storesB.is impressive but not pleasingC.benefits the customersD.is taken advantage by poor people问题4选项A.there are some problems with their goodsB.they dont like the goods any longerC.they are challenged at the customer service counterD.they just want to use them for a very short time【答案】第1题:C第2题:A第3题:C第4题:D【解析】5. 词义推测题。根据原文No matter what you buy, shoes, pants or big-ticket items such as JV and VCR, if you find some problems with them or simply do not like them any longer, you can return them within 30 days.（不管你买什么，鞋子、裤子或者是像电视和录像机这样的物品，如果你发现它们有问题，或只是不喜欢它们了，你都可以在30天内退掉它们。）big-ticket放在名词前由此可推测出它是一个形容词。前面讲的是小物件，后面指的是像电视机或者录像机价格比较贵的物品。因此C选项“价格很高的”正确，符合题意。A选项“大量的”；B选项“名牌的”；D选项“巨大占地方的”均不符题意，故选C。6. 推理判断题。定位在第二段最后一句However, the clerk told me that I could go the customer service counter and I would be given a rain check, which would guarantee the promotion price for me on that particular item.（不过，他告诉我，我可以到顾客服务台去拿一张推迟票，这张票确保我以后会以促销价买到那东西。）由此可知作者之后还是能够以促销价买到潘婷，因此A选项“可以在下周以促销价购买潘婷”正确，符合题意。B选项“在售货员的帮助下买了他想要的东西”，根据原文However, I could not find any such Pantene on the shelf.（然而，我在架子上找不到这样的潘婷。）和He told me that the store was out of the stock and it would not have any in until the next week.（他告诉我这家商店没有存货了，要到下周才能进货）可知，作者并没有立马获得，售货员的建议是拿一张推迟票，可以在下周买。表述有误，可排除。C选项“没有买潘婷洗发水，因为他当时不需要”，根据原文Although I did not need it at that time, I felt it was a great deal. So I decided to buy 2 bottles.（虽然我当时不需要它，但我觉得它真的很值。所以我决定买两瓶。），可知作者还是决定要买，表述有误，可排除。D选项“下周不会买潘婷，因为促销活动将要结束了”，干扰项，文章中只说作者有这个打算，但最后有没有买下来并未提及，可排除。故选A。7. 推理判断题。定位在第三段What impresses me most when shopping is its return policy.（退货政策让作者印象最深。）30天内可退货，而且You wont be challenged at the customer service counter as long as you have your receipt.（只要你有收据，顾客服务台就不会有人为难你。）由此可推理，退货政策是能够让顾客受益的。因此C选项“使顾客受益”正确，符合题意。A选项“和杂货店的促销活动一样好”与题意无关，可排除。B选项“令人印象深刻但不讨人喜欢”，作者对保护权益的退货政策是很满意的，只是后面说到了这个政策会被人钻空子。D选项“被穷人占了便宜”，定位到原文Of course there are some people who might take advantage of this return policy, especially when they need something for a momentary use.（当然，有些人可能会利用这种退货政策，特别是当他们需要一些暂时使用的东西时。）并没有说明占便宜的一定是穷人，可排除。故选C。8. 推理判断题。定位在第三段Of course there are some people who might take advantage of this return policy, especially when they need something for a momentary use. Thats why you can find a long line of people waiting to return their goods right after Christmas.（当然，有些人会利用这个退货政策占便宜，尤其当他们只是暂时需要某种东西的时候。这就是为什么在过完圣诞节之后，你会看到人们排着长队等着退货。）由此可知圣诞后很多人退货是因为他们只需要暂时使用，因此D选项“他们只想在很短的时间内使用它们”正确，符合题意。A选项“他们的货物有些问题”，B选项“他们不再喜欢这些商品了”，C选项“他们在客户服务柜台受到质询”，A，B，C选项均与题意不符，可排除，故选D。2. 单选题It was a scene that would stay forever in his mind: the father holding his son above the water, himself slowly（ ）in the lake, desperately awaiting rescue.问题1选项A.oversteppedB.overflowedC.subjectedD.submerged【答案】D【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项overstepped“逾越；超越”；B选项overflowed“溢出”；C选项subjected“使遭受；使从属”；D选项submerged“淹没；沉浸”。句意：这一幕将永远停留在他心中：父亲托举儿子露出水面，自己却慢慢于湖水中，绝望地等待救援。由关键信息above the water“在水面上”可以知道父亲的身体正淹没在水中。因此D选项符合题意。3. 单选题Care should be taken to decrease the length of time that one is（ ）loud continuous noise.问题1选项A.attached toB.subjected toC.filled withD.associated with【答案】B【解析】考查词组搭配辨析。A选项(be) attached to“附属于；系于”；B选项(be) subjected to“遭受；承受”；C选项(be) filled with“充满”；D选项(be) associated with“与有关”。句意：应注意缩短人们连续噪音的时间。从句中的主语是one“人”，宾语是loud continuous noise“响亮不间断的噪音”。人对噪音是难以忍受的，所以需要缩短人们承受噪音的时间。因此B选项符合题意。4. 翻译题对于多数人来讲，引起焦虑的主要原因是高昂的房价、教育的支出和医疗费用。人们生活在巨大的压力之下，但是低且增长缓慢的工资使他们看不到脱离困境的希望。有时似乎是机会多多，人们也会因此而产生焦虑。【答案】For most people, the main causes of anxiety are the high cost of housing, education and health care. People are living under enormous pressure, but they see little hope for escape as their incomes are low and their increases are slow. At a time that seems to be full of opportunities people live with many anxieties.5. 单选题The directions were so（ ）that it was impossible to complete the assignment.问题1选项A.ingeniousB.notoriousC.ambitiousD.ambiguous【答案】D【解析】考查形容词辨析。A选项ingenious“机灵的；心灵手巧的”；B选项notorious“声名狼藉的；臭名昭著的”；C选项ambitious“有雄心的；野心勃勃的”；D选项ambiguous“模糊不清的；模棱两可的”。句意：这些指示太不明确了，以致不可能完成任务。因此D选项符合题意。6. 单选题Weather（ ）, we would like to have a picnic together by the meadow.问题1选项A.permitsB.permittedC.permitD.permitting【答案】D【解析】考查独立主格结构。前后部分主语分别是Weather和we，不一致，因此是独立主格结构，在句中作条件状语。weather 和permit这个动作之间为主动关系，表示“天气允许的话”，相当于If weather permits。 句意：如果天气允许的话，我们明天去野餐。因此D选项符合题意。7. 单选题Only after he has acquired considerable facility in speaking（ ）.问题1选项A.then he learns reading and writingB.does he learn to read and writeC.finally comes reading and writingD.he began to read and to write【答案】B【解析】考查部分倒装。Only+副词/介词短语/状语从句位于句首时，主句要用部分倒装。即需要将be动词/助动词/情态动词放在主语前，句中的实义动词位置不变。句意：他只有在获得相当多的说的能力之后，才学会读和写。AD选项都没有使用倒装，可以排除，C选项倒装后句中缺少主语，故选B。8. 单选题The sewage system of the city（ ）the water so that swimming was forbidden.问题1选项A.dilutedB.culminatedC.contaminatedD.diverted【答案】C【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项diluted“稀释；削弱”；B选项culminated“使结束；达到顶点”；C选项contaminated“污染；弄脏”；D选项diverted“转移；使转向”。句意：城市的污水系统了这片水域，因此游泳被禁止。关键词sewage“污水”和后面的结果swimming was forbidden“游泳被禁止了”，由此可知是污水会污染这片水域。本句使用的是过去式，因此空格内应填入谓语动词的过去式。因此C选项符合题意。9. 单选题The expression “haste makes waste” does not（ ）to reading.问题1选项A.affectB.attendC.adoptD.apply【答案】D【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项affect“影响；感染”；B选项attend“出席；参加”；C选项adopt“采取；接受”；D选项apply“应用；适用”。句意：“欲速则不达”这句话不于阅读。AC选项不能与to连用，可排除。B选项attend to意为“照顾；照料”，不符合句意，故选D。10. 单选题In Western countries people have been using the installment(分期付款) since the first half of the twentieth century.（1）indicate that more than 60 percent of the yearly retail sales(零售) in the U.S. are credit transaction. About three fourths of the credit sales are made on the installment plan. More than half of the automobiles,（2）, and house-hold appliances are purchased on the installment plan.Many families can save enough to make major purchases;（3）, they are able to purchases without cash on the installment plan. The price of goods bought in this way is always（4）than the price that would be paid（5）cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer will have to pay a proportion（6）, perhaps one-quarter or one-third, of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes（7）payments, weekly or monthly, until the（8）price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the（9）until the final payment has been made.Some economists believe that selling goods to consumers on an installment plan is one of the major factors in（10）the high standard of living possible. They（11）that installment selling increases the consumption of goods, which in（12）increase production and thus tends to lower costs.However, government officials, and businessmen express（13）about excessive purchasing on the installment plan. If many people on the installment plan（14）their jobs, they would probably not be able to make their payments. There is possibility（15）businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a（16）profit, the possibilities of having a（17）are increased. This is（18）, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by（19）the proportion of the down payment and the succeeding installment to discourage people（20）buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.问题1选项A.EvacuatesB.EvaluatesC.EvaporatesD.Estimates问题2选项A.bedsB.chairsC.desksD.furniture问题3选项A.thereforeB.thenC.howeverD.thus问题4选项A.lowerB.higherC.moreD.less问题5选项A.inB.forC.withD.on问题6选项A.laterB.lastC.firstD.then问题7选项A.swiftB.regularC.quickD.slow问题8选项A.completeB.fundamentalC.highD.full问题9选项A.sellerB.buyerC.consumerD.family问题10选项A.takingB.doingC.makingD.increasing问题11选项A.analyzeB.assureC.reasonD.convince问题12选项A.factB.shapeC.returnD.turn问题13选项A.satisfactionB.concernC.angerD.groan问题14选项A.lostB.gotC.didD.accepted问题15选项A.whichB.andC.whoseD.that问题16选项A.satisfactoryB.eligibleC.disastrousD.elementary问题17选项A.expressionB.impressionC.depressionD.suppression问题18选项A.becauseB.thatC.howD.why问题19选项A.payingB.fixingC.havingD.adopting问题20选项A.intoB.fromC.withD.by【答案】第1题:D第2题:D第3题:C第4题:B第5题:A第6题:C第7题:B第8题:D第9题:A第10题:C第11题:C第12题:D第13题:B第14题:A第15题:D第16题:A第17题:C第18题:D第19题:B第20题:B【解析】1. 考查词性辨析。A选项Evacuates“疏散；撤退”，动词；B选项Evaluates“评价；评估”，动词；C选项Evaporates“蒸发；消失”，动词；D选项Estimates“评价；估量”，可作动词也可作为名词使用。句意：表明每年零售额的60%以上零售在美国是信用交易。由空格后的动词indicate可知应填入一个名词的复数形式作句子的主语。因此D选项符合题意。2. 考查逻辑关系。A选项beds“床”；B选项chairs“椅子”；C选项desks“桌子”；D选项furniture“家具”。句意：一半以上的汽车、和家用电器是用分期付款的方式购买的。根据并列词and可知中间应该填入一个名词。前面的automobiles“汽车”和后面的house-hold appliances“家用电器”都是一类事物的统称，因为furniture“家具”可以进行统一概括。因此D选项符合题意。3. 考查逻辑关系。A选项therefore“因此”；B选项then“然后；那么”；C选项however“然而；但是”；D选项thus“因此”。句意：许多家庭可以存足够的钱来购买商品，他们可以用分期付款的方式购物。空格前一句Many families can save enough to make major purchases说到许多家庭可以存足够的钱来购买物品，后一句they are able to purchases without cash on the installment plan说到的却是他们可以用分期付款的方式购物。前一句说可以现金购买，后一句谈及了另一种付款方式。由此可知，两句之间存在转折。因此C选项符合题意。4. 考查语义逻辑。A选项lower“更低”；B选项higher“更高”；C选项more“更多”；D选项less“更少”。句意：用这种方法购买的商品价格总是用现金支付的价格。由此可知，空格内应填入修饰价格的形容词。由此可排除C，D选项。看到后一句There is a charge for interest.这种方式会收取利息，所以价格会更高。因此B选项符合题意。5. 考查固定搭配。A选项in“在里面；以方式”；B选项for“为了；对于”；C选项with“具有；和在一起”；D选项on“在上面”。句意：用这种方法购买的商品价格总是高于用现金支付的价格。固定搭配in cash“用现金（购买）”。因此A选项符合题意。6. 考查逻辑关系。A选项later“稍后”；B选项last“最后”；C选项first“首先”；D选项then“然后”。句意：买方在收到货物时须支付一定比例的货款，也许是四分之一或三分之一，作为定金。由关键词down payment“预付定金”，接着下一句接用上了then“然后”。由此可知分期付款的方式是拿到物品后先付一部分定金，接下来可选择按周或者按月偿还。因此C选项符合题意。7. 考查形容词辨析。A选项swift“迅速的；敏捷的”；B选项regular“有规律的；定期的”；C选项quick“快的；迅速的”；D选项slow“慢的；减速的”。句意：然后他会付款，每周或每月的。根据关键信息weekly or monthly“每周或者每月”是一个固定的周期，可知他需要定期支付。因此B选项符合题意。8. 考查固定搭配。A选项complete“完整的；完全的”；B选项fundamental“基本的；根本的”；C选项high“高的”；D选项full“完全的；完整的”。句意：然后他定期付款，每周或每月，直到付清。由分期付款的原则可知可以定期还款，直到还清全部的费用。固定搭配full price“全额”，因此D选项符合题意。9. 考查名词辨析。A选项seller“卖方”；B选项buyer“买方”；C选项consumer“消费者”；D选项family“家庭”。句意：在付清最后一笔货款之前，货物的所有权属于。根据常识可以知道，在未付完全款前，意味着商品的所有权还在卖家手中。因此A选项符合题意。10. 考查动词辨析。A选项taking“拿；取下”；B选项doing“做”；C选项making“制作”；D选项increasing“增加”。句意：一些经济学家认为，用分期付款的方式向消费者销售商品是提高生活水平的主要因素之一。由前面的介词in可知空格内应填入一个动词的ing形式，后面的the high standard of living是动词的宾语，而possible是宾补，所有选项中只有make能够接复合宾语。因此C选项符合题意。11. 考查动词辨析。A选项analyze“分析；解析”；B选项assure“保证；担保”；C选项reason“推论；推理”；D选项convince“说服；使信服”。句意：他们分期付款，销售增加了商品的消费，消费增加了，反过来促进了生产，因此有利于降低成本。这是对分期付款带来影响的一个完整的推理。而analyze一般是指为了发现本质特征或意义，仔细考虑并进行分析，而在本句中并没有细分成几个方面进行分析。因此C选项符合题意。12. 考查固定搭配。A选项fact“事实”；B选项shape“形状”；C选项return“返回；归还”；D选项turn“转弯；变化”。句意：商品的消费增加了，促进了生产。是在说消费反作用于生产力。in turn“反过来”，因此D选项符合题意。13. 考查名词辨析。A选项satisfaction“满意；满足”；B选项concern“担心；忧虑”；C选项anger“愤怒”；D选项groan“呻吟；叹息”。句意：然而，政府官员和商人对过度的分期付款购物表示。根据关键词汇excessive“过多的”。任何事情都需要有一个度，太多了会适得其反。由此可知政府官员和商人会对过度的分期付款有些担忧。因此B选项符合题意。14. 考查动词辨析。A选项lost“失去；丢掉”；B选项got“得到；明白”；C选项did“做”；D选项accepted“接受；接纳”。句意：如果许多人用分期付款的方式他们的工作了，他们可能就无法支付款项。根据后面的not be able to make their payments“没能力付清款项”，一般在他们没了收入来源后，会没有能力偿还，所以此处应该是失去了他们的工作。因此A选项符合题意。15. 考查语法结构。A选项which“哪一个”；B选项and“和；而且”；C选项whose“谁的”；D选项that“那个”。句意：商人们有可能收不回债务，因此蒙受损失。前面的句子结构完整（主系表），后面的也是个完整的句子，因此此处需要填入that引导从句作possibility的同位语。16. 考查名词解析。A选项satisfactory“满意的”；B选项eligible“合格的；符合条件的（一般指某人有资格做某事）”；C选项disastrous“灾难性的；损失惨重的”；D选项elementary“基本的；初级的（一般表示处于或与学习课程的第一阶段有关的或者是简单的）”。句意：如果商人赔钱或没有赚到利润。前面说的是lose money“赔钱”与or连接，表并列，一般为不好的结果。做生意最差的结果就是亏了或者没有获得满意的利润。BCD在这里不符合语境，因此A选项符合题意。17. 考查名词辨析。A选项expression“表现；表情”；B选项impression“印象；效果”；C选项depression“沮丧；不景气”；D选项suppression“抑制；镇压”。句意：如果商人赔钱或不能获得基本的利润，经济的可能性会增加。由句意可知，当行情不好的时候，可能会产生经济萧条的现象。因此C选项符合题意。18. 考查语法结构。A选项because“因为”；B选项that“由于；以至于”；C选项how“如何”；D选项why“为什么”。句意：“这是，在一些国家，政府控制分期付款。前面说到了当人失业后，可能就无法偿还款项。商人也因此蒙受亏损，更有可能引起经济萧条，所以政府控制分期付款。也即是解释政府为什么会控制分期付款的原因，因此D选项符合题意。19. 考查动词辨析。A选项paying“支付”；B选项fixing“固定；解决”；C选项having“有；拥有”；D选项adopting“采取；接受；收养”。句意：这就是为什么在一些国家，政府通过首付与以后分期付款的比例来控制分期付款计划。根据关键信息controls the installment plan“控制分期付款计划”可以知道政府是想要固定好首付和分期付款的比例，从而避免过大的亏损。因此B选项符合题意。20. 考查固定搭配。A选项into“到里面；朝”；B选项from“来自；使免遭”；C选项with“和一起；具有”；D选项by“通过；借由”。句意：这就是为什么在一些国家，政府通过控制首付与以后分期付款的比例控制分期付款计划来劝阻人们不要在分期付款时购买超出他们支付能力的东西。固定搭配discourage sb. from sth.“阻止某人做某事”。因此B选项符合题意。11. 单选题He could（ ）shadowy figure of a man standing among the trees.问题1选项A.disguiseB.discernC.disinterestD.discover【答案】B【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项disguise“掩饰；假装”；B选项discern“察觉出；识别”；C选项disinterest“使不关心；使没兴趣”；D选项discover“发现；发觉”。句意：他能够站在树与树之间的人的模糊身影。根据关键词shadowy figure of a man“一个人的模糊身影”，在句中他有这个能力识别出那个模糊的身影。因此B选项符合题意。12. 单选题To（ ）a room is to keep it supplied with fresh air.问题1选项A.blazeB.ventilateC.boastD.violate【答案】B【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项blaze“燃烧；怒视”；B选项ventilate“（使）通风”；C选项boast“吹嘘；以有而自豪”；D选项violate“违反；侵犯”。句意：就是使它充满新鲜空气。后文的fresh air“新鲜空气”，想在室内呼吸到新鲜空气就需要给房间通风。因此B选项符合题意。13. 单选题The boy who is talking with your teacher is（ ）an athlete.问题1选项A.anything butB.none butC.all butD.something but【答案】A【解析】考查词组搭配。A选项anything but“根本不；绝不”；B选项none but“只是；仅”；C选项all but“几乎；差不多”；D选项something but没有此类搭配。句意：和你老师正在说话的那个男孩绝不是一个运动员。A选项词组更加贴合句意逻辑，故选A。14. 单选题On top of the barren hill（ ）a pagoda, which wasnt really that tall when seen on level ground. Viewed at the foot of the hill, however, it sure seemed like a little Tower of Babel.问题1选项A.promptedB.erectedC.stoodD.squatted【答案】C【解析】考查动词辨析。A选项prompted“促进；激起”；B选项erected“使直立；竖立”；C选项stood“竖立着”；D选项squatted“蹲坐”。句意：荒山顶上一座宝塔，从平地上看并不算高。然而，但是从山脚下看过去犹如一个小小通天塔。关键词pagoda“宝塔”，意思是在山顶上有一座宝塔，其中的动词还可以替换为矗立着，竖立着进行替换。因此C选项符合题意。15. 单选题You will hardly believe it, but this is the third time tonight someone（ ）me.问题1选项A.telephonedB.has telephonedC.telephonesD.should telephone【答案】B【解析】考查固定句式结构。This is the first（序数词）time that表示“第一次做某事”，后面的从句一定要用“现在完成时”，现在完成时的构成have/has done。句意：你可能不会相信，这已经是今晚第三次有人给我打电话了。has telephoned使用了现在完成时，故选B。16. 单选题In his time, he enjoyed a reputation（ ）.问题1选项A.as great as that of Mozarts if not greaterB.as great, or even greater, than MozartC.as great also greater than MozartD.greater, or as great as Mozart【答案】A【解析】考查比较级。比较级的常见搭配为n. + as + adj. + as sb/sth和某人/某物一样。空格前面的是名词reputation“声誉”，B，C，D选项不符合同级比较和比较级的语法习惯。句意：这次，他获得了如莫扎特一样高的声望（如果不是更高的话）。因此A选项符合题意。17. 单选题People had been conscious of the problem before, but the book made them aware of its（ ）.问题1选项A.manuscriptB.multitudeC.masterpieceD.magnitude【答案】D【解析】考查名词辨析。A选项manuscript“手稿；原稿”；B选项multitude“大量；群众”；C选项masterpiece“杰作”；D选项magnitude“大小；重要”。句意：人们以前只是注意到了这个问题，但是这本书让她们意识到了问题的。空格内是对问题的一个概括。问题一般可分为大问题和小问题，因此D选项符合题意。18. 单选题School children ought to be（ ）to their parents and teachers.问题1选项A.alienB.transientC.obedientD.current【答案】C【解析】考查形容词辨析。A选项alien“外国的；相异的”；B选项transient“短暂的；路过的”；C选项obedient“服从的；孝顺的”；D选项current“现在的；最近的”。句意：学龄儿童应该父母和老师。句中主语是School children，由关键信息to their parents and teachers“对其父母和老师”要服从。因此C选项符合题意。19. 单选题At the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous. It has yet to reach its full size and strength, and its owner his or her full intelligence, but at this age the likelihood of death is least. Earlier, we were infants and young children, and consequently more vulnerable; later, we shall undergo a progressive loss of our vigor and resistance which, though imperceptible at first, will finally become so steep that we can live no longer, however well we look after ourselves, and however well society, and our doctors, look after us.This decline in vigor with the passing of time is called ageing. It is one of the most unpleasant discoveries which we all make that we must decline in this way, that if we escape wars, accidents and disease we shall eventually “die of old age”, and that this happens at a rate which differs little from person to person, so that there are heavy odds in favor of our dying between the ages of sixty-five and eighty. Some of us will die sooner, a few will live longeron into a ninth or tenth decade. But the chances are against it, and there is a virtual limit on how long we can hope to remain alive, however lucky and robust we are.Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it. We are so familiar with the fact that man ages, that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigor with time, of becoming more likely to die the odder we get, was something self-evident, like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing out of a pair of shoes. They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees, or even the universe i