单选题
It is often observed that the aged spend much time thinking and talking about their past lives, rather than about the future. These reminiscences are not simply random or trivial memories, (1) is their purpose merely to make conversation. The old person's recollections of the past help to (2) an identity that is becoming increasingly fragile: (3) any role that brings respect or any goal that might provide (4) to the future, the individual mentions their (5) as a reminder to listeners, that here was a life (6) living. (7) , the memories form part of a continuing life (8) , in which the old person (9) the events and experiences of the years gone by and (10) on the overall meaning of his or her own almost completed life. As the life cycle (11) to its close, the aged must also learn to accept the reality of their own impending death. (12) this task is made difficult by the fact that death is almost a (13) subject in the United States. The mere discussion of death is often regarded as (14) . As adults, many of us find the topic frightening and are (15) to think about it and certainly not to talk about it (16) the presence of someone who is dying. Death has achieved this taboo (17) only in the modern industrial societies. There seems to be an important reason for our reluctance to (18) the idea of death. It is the very fact that death remains (19) our control; it is almost the only of the natural processes (20) is so.
【答案解析】[解析] 考查动词辨析。preserve“保留”(=keep sth. for further use)，如：preserve traditional culture(保留传统文化)；conserve“保存，保藏，保重”，如：conserve one's strength“保存力量”；conserve one's health“保重健康”。resume“(停顿后又)重新开始”，如：resume work“继续工作”；assume“假设；承担”，如：assume a hard task“承担一项艰巨的任务”。A项符合题意。
单选题
A. performing B. playing C. undertaking D. lacking
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 考查动词辨析。perform a role意为“起作用，承担角色”。play a role意为“起作用”。undertake意为“承担，担任”。从冒号前的fragile“脆弱的”来判断，此处应选lacking“缺少”，以对其形成呼应。
单选题
A. orientation B. implication C. succession D. presentation
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 考查名词辨析。orientation意为“方向”；implication意为“含义”；succession意为“连续”；presentation意为“赠送，提出”。由前面的goal判断，此处应选用orientation与后面的future搭配，orientation to the future意为“对未来的定位”，故A项符合题意。
【答案解析】[解析] 考查短语搭配。be worth doing sth. 意为“值得”，如：The book is worth reading; be worthy of意为“够得上，值得”，如：be worthy of remembrance = be worthy of being remembered = be worthy to be remembered“值得纪念”。worthless意为“无价值的”，如：a worthless book。worthwhile意为“值得花时间的，值得做的”，如：a worthwhile experiment。根据形式，B项为正确答案。
单选题
A. In a word B. In brief C. In addition D. In particular
单选题
A. integrates B. incorporates C. includes D. interacts
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 考查动词辨析。本句意为：在生活回顾中，老人可以把逝去岁月的事件和经历——。integrate意为“把……集成，综合；使……完整”，符合题意。incorporate意为“结合，合并，编入”，如：incorporate new ideas into a book“把新思想编入书内”，不符合题意；include“包括”，interact (with)“与……交往”亦不合题意。