雅思(IELTS)阅读练习题一：生物体衰老死亡原因
阅读段落
Thus ageing and death should not be seen as inevitable, particularly as the organism possesses many mechanisms for repair. It is not, in principle, necessary for a biological system to age and die. Nevertheless, a restricted life span ageing, and then death are basic characteristics of life. The reason for this is easy to recognise: in nature, the existent organisms either adapt or are regularly replaced by new types. Because of changes in the genetic material (mutations) these have new characteristics and in the course of their individual lives they are tested for optimal or better adaptation to the environmental conditions. Immortality would disturb this system—it needs room for new and better life. This is the basic problem of evolution.
段落大意
本段主要分析了生物体寿命的有限性，以及生物体存在衰老死亡的原因。
阅读笔记
Organism possesses mechanisms for repair → ageing and death not inevitable,
NEVERTHELESS
Basic characteristic of life：restricted life span is
Basic problem of evolution：Immortality disturb system—it needs room for new and better life
逻辑关系
1. 因果(逻辑连接词: BECAUSE OF)
Because of changes in the genetic material (mutations)
These have new characteristics and in the course of their individual lives they are tested for optimal or better adaptation to the environmental conditions.
雅思(IELTS)阅读练习题二：生物寿命的差异
阅读段落
Every organism has a life span which is highly characteristic. There are striking differences in life span between different species, but within one species the parameter is relatively constant. For example, the average duration of human life has hardly changed in thousands of years. Although more and more people attain an advanced age as a result of developments in medical care and better nutrition, the characteristic upper limit for most remains 80 years. A further argument against the simple wear and tear theory is the observation that the time within which organisms age lies between a few days (even a few hours for unicellular organisms) and several thousand years, as with mammoth trees.
段落大意
本段介绍了不同生物之间寿命的差异，以及同类生物寿命长度的相对稳定性。
阅读笔记
Life span differs between different species <> within one species parameter is Relatively constant
E.g. human life
Argument against the simple theory—— observation
逻辑关系
1. 对比(逻辑连接词: ALTHOUGH)
More and more people attain an advanced age as a result of developments in medical care and better nutrition.
The characteristic upper limit for most remains 80 years.
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