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课时跟踪检测（二） Introduction & Reading — Language Points
Ⅰ.根据提示写出单词的正确形式
1．As the economy develops, the natural income goes up with a leap (飞跃)．
2．These foreigners have put forward a proposal for a joint (联合的) venture.
3．The word “explode” means “to burst (爆炸) with a lot of force and loud noise”．
4．Will you act as witness (见证人) to the agreement between us
5．Over 3 million viewers tune (收看) in to our show daily.
6．He is familiar with all the important historic (history) events.
7．The ancient Egyptians had advanced (advance) civilizations.
8．After waiting for an hour, I was beginning to run out of patience (patient)．
9．Not accustomed (accustom) to associating with business people, she decided to be a teacher after graduation.
10．How could you make an assumption (assume) about her without meeting her
Ⅱ.选词填空
at the very beginning of， set foot on， be accustomed to， ever since， in shock， be aware of， in spite of， make it
1．I haven't heard from him ever_since last year.
2．Everybody is_aware_of the importance of the skill.
3．They elected him monitor at_the_very_beginning_of the term.
4．He remains excellent in his studies at school in_spite_of having to do part time jobs every now and then.
5．Since entry into high school the students have been_accustomed_to staying up late in the evening and getting up early in the morning.
6．Work hard, and you'll make_it eventually.
7．He was still in_shock from what had happened earlier in the afternoon.
8．Nobody has ever set_foot_on that island.
Ⅲ.完成句子
1．她一听到这个悲伤的消息，就失声痛哭起来。
Scarcely had she heard the sad news when she burst_out_crying/burst_into_tears.
2．两个故事我都不喜欢，因为这个故事并不比那个故事有趣。
I like neither of the two stories. For this story is no_more_interesting_than that one.
3．我习惯于在睡觉前听一些轻音乐。
I am_accustomed_to_listening_to some light music.
4．他夹着一大本书，走出了图书馆。
He came out of the library, a_large_book_under_his_arm.
5．你的作业下周一必须上交。
Your homework is_to_be_handed_in next Monday.
Ⅳ.阅读理解
A
Saturn's icy moon Enceladus could theoretically be home to methane producing (产甲烷的) alien life, NASA said. Researchers made the announcement based on data from 2015, when the spacecraft Cassini detected the presence of hydrogen during a flight through a cloud of gas and ice erupting from Enceladus' south pole. The hydrogen could be a sign of methanogenesis, a form of breath in which microbes (微生物) produce methane.
“This is a very significant finding because the hydrogen could be a potential source of chemical energy for any microbes that might be in Enceladus' ocean，” Linda Spilker, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labor atory, said at a press conference. “We now know that Enceladus has almost all of the ingredients you would need to support life as we know it on Earth.” The findings were published in the journal Science.
“This is the closest we've come, so far, to identifying a place with some of the ingredients needed for a habitable environment，” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement. “These results demonstrate the nature of NASA's science missions that are getting us closer to answering whether we are indeed alone or not.”
NASA also announced that the Hubble Space Telescope observed what may have been water vapor emerging from the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa in 2014, and again around the same area in 2016.
Confirming the existence of Europa's gas would allow researchers to study that moon's chemical makeup without having to dig through miles of icy crust (表面). The Cassini and Hubble discoveries related to these “ocean worlds” will help scientists plan NASA's Europa Clipper mission, set to launch in the 2020s. The plan is for the unmanned spacecraft to orbit Jupiter and perform a detailed investigation of Europa.
“These discoveries are coming just at the perfect time，” Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, said. “It enables us to make the right set of observations that can tell us much more about these ocean worlds, Europa in particular.”
语篇解读本文是说明文。飞船探测到气体，表明土卫二可能存在外星生命。
1．The new discovery made the scientists feel more ________.
A．confident B．doubtful
C．worried D．confused
解析：选A 细节理解题。由第二段中的“This is a very significant finding”，第三段中的“This is the closest we've come”及最后一段中的“These discoveries are coming just at the perfect time”可知，新的发现让科学家们对探测外星生命的任务更加有信心。
2．According to the text, NASA's science missions aim to ________.
A．make space travel a reality
B．analyze Jupiter's chemical makeup
C．find out whether life exists outside Earth
D．explore the resources on Saturn's icy moon
解析：选C 细节理解题。由第三段中的“These results demonstrate the nature of NASA's science missions that are getting us closer to answering whether we are indeed alone or not”可知，NASA科学任务的本质是弄清是否只有地球上存在生命。
3．Which would be a suitable title for the text
A．There is life outside Earth
B．Enceladus could harbor alien life
C．A new study about Saturn begins
D．NASA is planning a landing on Jupiter
解析：选B 标题归纳题。本文重点在于告诉我们最近发现土卫二南极有氢气，这个迹象可能是外星生命存在的证明。故B项最适合作文章标题。
B
The oddness of life in space never quite goes away. Here are some examples.
First consider something as simple as sleep. Its position presents its own challenges. The main question is whether you want your arms inside or outside the sleeping bag. If you leave your arms out, they float free in zero gravity, often giving a sleeping astronaut the look of a funny ballet (芭蕾) dancer. “I'm an inside guy，” Mike Hopkins says, who returned from a six month tour on the International Space Station. “I like to be wrapped up.”
On the station, the ordinary becomes strange. The exercise bike for the American astronauts has no handlebars. It also has no seat. With no gravity, it's just as easy to pedal violently. You can watch a movie while you pedal by floating a microcomputer anywhere you want. But station residents have to be careful about staying in one place too long. Without gravity to help circulate air, the carbon dioxide you exhale (呼气) has a tendency to form an invisible (隐形的) cloud around your head. You can end up with what astronauts call a carbon dioxide headache.
Leroy Chiao, 54, an American retired astronaut after four flights, describes what happens even before you float out of your seat. “Your inner ear thinks you're falling. Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you're standing straight. That can be annoying — that's why some people feel sick.” Within a couple of days — truly terrible days for some — astronauts' brains learn to ignore the panicky signals from the inner ear, and space sickness disappears.
Space travel can be so delightful but at the same time invisibly dangerous. For instance, astronauts lose bone mass. That's why exercise is considered so vital that National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) puts it right on the workday schedule. The focus on fitness is as much about science and the future as it is about keeping any individual astronaut healthy. NASA is worried about two things: recovery time once astronauts return home, and, more importantly, how to maintain strength and fitness for the two and a half years or more that it would take to make a round trip to Mars.
语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。在太空中的生活有多神秘？这可能是你想象不到的。本文从不同角度介绍了在太空中生活时你要面对的各种挑战。
4．What is the major challenge to astronauts when they sleep in space
A．Deciding on a proper sleep position.
B．Choosing a comfortable sleeping bag.
C．Seeking a way to fall asleep quickly.
D．Finding a right time to go to sleep.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第二段第二句“Its position presents its own challenges.”可知合适的睡觉姿势对于太空中的宇航员是主要的挑战。
5．The astronauts will suffer from a carbon dioxide headache when ________.
A．they circle around on their bikes
B．they use microcomputers without a stop
C．they exercise in one place for a long time
D．they watch a movie while pedaling
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据文章第三段最后三句可知在一个地方时间太长就会引起头疼。
6．Some astronauts feel sick on the station during the first few days because ________.
A．their senses stop working
B．they have to stand up straight
C．they float out of their seats unexpectedly
D．their brains receive contradictory messages
解析：选D 推理判断题。根据第四段的“Your inner ear thinks you're falling. Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you're standing straight. That can be annoying — that's why some people feel sick.”可以推知由于他们的大脑接收到相反的信息而引起了他们的恶心。
7．One of NASA's major concerns about astronauts is ________.
A．how much exercise they do on the station
B．how they can remain healthy for long in space
C．whether they can recover after returning home
D．whether they are able to go back to the station
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据文章最后一句可知NASA关心他们如何在太空中长时间保持健康。
Ⅴ.阅读七选五
Five simple things that are actually complex
?The proof for “1＋1＝2” is 300 pages long
__1__ In the early 20th century, Bertrand Russell wanted to prove that mathematics worked, so he decided to start with the simplest concept and prove 1＋1＝2. However, it took the mathematician and philosopher 372 pages of complex sums.
?Defining the word “the” is really difficult
The word “the” is one of the most common words in English.__2__ For example, why do we say, “I have the flu，” but not “I have the headache？” In the Oxford English Dictionary, there are almost two dozen different ways the word can be used in a sentence correctly.
?Yawning
Some people say we yawn to keep us alert (警觉的) by taking in oxygen. However, various experiments have shown that yawning actually cools down the brain.__3__ As for why yawning is contagious (感染性的), no one knows that either.
?Left and right have been confusing philosophers for years
Would you explain the concept of left and right in terms of your relative position to a well known landmark (地标性建筑) __4__ It's a question that has been puzzling philosophers for years because, without a point of reference, it's difficult to define what left and right actually are.
?__5__
You'd think that the reason we enjoy things is because it feels good in some way, but it's only half the story. There's a famous experiment where wine experts were fooled into thinking a cheap bottle of wine was an outstanding one just by switching the labels. Their enjoyment of the product wasn't based on appreciation of wine — it was based on the fact that they were told it was good wine.
A．What you feel may not be the truth
B．We enjoy things for reasons other than enjoyment
C．But what if you were talking to one who couldn't see
D．We all know that one plus one equals two, but do you know why
E．In fact, there is no universally agreed theory for why we actually yawn.
F．Maybe you'd refer to the move of the Earth or something comparably huge.
G．Most of us have probably never stopped to think about how strange a word it actually is.
语篇解读本文是说明文。文章列举了五件让人琢磨不透的简单事。
1．解析：选D 根据本段标题可知，本段是介绍“关于1＋1＝2的论证有300多页”。D项中的one plus one equals two 符合本段内容。
2．解析：选G 根据本空后的例子可知，同样是在说生病，但是有的时候用 the，有的时候不用 the，所以说 the“这个词实际上非常奇怪”，只是因为它太常见了，所以“大部分人从来没想过这回事”。
3．解析：选E 本空前两句分别介绍了关于打哈欠的两种不同理论，由此可推测“实际上，关于我们为什么打哈欠现在还没有一个一致同意的理论”。本空后一句中的 no one knows that either 也提示了大家还不知道为什么会打哈欠、打哈欠为什么会传染。
4．解析：选C 根据本空前的内容可知，我们有时会以自己与某一地标性建筑的相对位置来定义左右，“但是如果我们是与一个盲人交谈呢”，又该如何定义左右呢？这也是为什么如何定义左右困扰了哲学家很多年。
5．解析：选B 根据本段列举的例子及最后一句“Their enjoyment of the product wasn't based on appreciation of wine － it was based on the fact that they were told it was good wine”可知，“我们喜欢一样东西不是因为它能带给我们愉悦，而是因为其他的原因”。
Ⅵ.课时微写作(根据汉语提示完成小作文)
1．At_the_very_beginning_of (在……一开始时) the 1950s, China 2.set_out_to_explore (着手探索) space.In 2008 when millions of people 3.tuned_in_to_witness (收看节目来见证) Chinese first spacewalk, they 4.burst_into_cheers (突然欢呼起来)．It was acknowledged as 5.a_historic_event (历史事件), which was 6.a_big_leap (一次大的飞跃) in the history of space exploration in China.At the same time, China began its lunar exploration program and China 7.made_it (做到了). 8.In_spite_of (尽管) our great achievements, we ought to be modest and work harder.PAGE
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课时跟踪检测（三） Other Parts of the Module
Ⅰ.根据提示写出单词的正确形式
1．She swore (发誓) that she'd never seen him.
2．No one could have foreseen (预见) that things would turn out this way.
3．Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat (失败)．
4．Our feelings of happiness and sorrow (悲伤) are soon lost in the passing of time.
5．China has made a breakthrough in many fields in the past decades (几十年)．
6．Her devotion (devote) to the job left her with very little free time.
7．We are now engaged in a great and most glorious (glory) cause, never undertaken by our forefathers.
8．Don't defend him any more. It's obvious that he deliberately (deliberate) destroyed the fence of the garden even without apology.
9．I have a lot of sympathy (sympathize) for her; she has to bring up the children on her own.
10．He is my faithful (faith) friend who can share happiness and sorrow with me.
Ⅱ.选词填空
set out, in view of, depend on, have an impact on, be similar to, a series of, be consistent with, other than
1．She gave a_series_of lectures about how to become a professional interpreter last year.
2．Hardly had we got to the destination when we set_out to fulfill the tasks with great enthusiasm.
3．There is no doubt that the ads have_an_impact_on the public life.
4．The dress you are wearing is_similar_to the one that I bought last year.
5．In_view_of the shortage of time, each person can only speak for 5 minutes.
6．The recent study has shown that people's attitudes towards protecting the environment are not consistent_with their behavior in daily life.
7．In China, children, even in their twenties depend_on their parents for food and clothing.
8．You can't go there other_than by swimming.
Ⅲ.完成句子
1．他是公认的全国最优秀的诗人。
He was_generally_acknowledged_to_be/as the finest poet in the country.
2．青少年指责他们的父母误导他们。
The teens accuse_their_parents_of misleading them.
3．关于这件事，我得向经理请示一下。
I have to consult_the_manager_about the matter.
4．令我们感到宽慰的是，他的病没有我们担心得那么严重。
To_our_relief,_his illness proved not to be as serious as we had feared.
5．虽然他是个富人，但是他工作很努力。
Rich_man_as_he_is,_he works hard.
Ⅳ.完形填空
The terror attacks are occurring worldwide.They have aroused countless thoughts __1__ me down.What can I do for those __2__ people, the very victims and refugees
Yesterday I boarded a train and took my seat __3__ the carriage so I would be facing forward. Soon, a mother and her three children, two boys and a little girl, __4__ into the row of seats in front of me.The woman was wearing clothes that were __5__.I don't think you could ever find any __6__ of the clothes at any store.I was __7__ by the beautiful simplicity of these garments.They weren't expensive, fancy, or from a famous designer, __8__ they were priceless.
The little girl's eyes and mine met and locked.She smiled __9__ and gazed at me.I would receive a gift I had been hoping for. I had __10__ to connect with people from a culture that was currently suffering and in my __11__ was a warm Pakistani family. We had a conversation.I used standard conversation __12__： How old are you？Where do you study？This was a child but the depth and breadth of our conversation took it to amazing __13__. What was even more remarkable was the __14__ conversation.Her smile, her gaze and her trust __15__ touched me.
Our 45 minutes together __16__ quickly but we will always be in each other's hearts.During the time, I was in the __17__ that to do something for those unlucky people, I just needed to open my door __18__ they could come in.It is amazing what happens when you __19__ to others.People come in __20__ beautiful gifts.It's likely to start with just a kind smile.
语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。作者用自身的经历告诉我们：一个人想要去关注他人，就要敞开心扉与他们交谈。
1．A.pulling B．weighing
C．breaking D．cutting
解析：选B 根据下文的“What can I do for those ... refugees”可知，恐怖袭击使作者心绪翻腾，忧心忡忡。weigh down“使忧心忡忡”，符合语境。pull down“贬低，使扫兴”；break down“破坏，消除，砸破”；cut down“杀死，砍倒”。
2．A.disabled B．confused
C．disturbed D．offended
解析：选C 根据语境及下文中的“do something for those unlucky people”可知，此处指的是作者在想自己能为那些不幸的(disturbed)人做些什么。disturbed除了常见的“心神不安的，烦恼的”这些意思外，还表示“不幸的，坎坷的，多灾多难的”。confused“糊涂的，迷惑的”；offended“被冒犯的”。
3．A.at the end of B．on the top of
C．in the center of D．in the front of
解析：选A 根据空后的“so I would be facing forward”可知，作者坐在车厢的后面。at the end of“在……后面”，符合语境。
4．A.looked B．broke
C．ran D．squeezed
解析：选D 根据“a mother and her three children”“the row of seats in front of me”可知，一位母亲和她的三个孩子的座位在作者的座位的前面，而火车上的一排座位一般可坐两至三个人，所以这位母亲和她的孩子都坐的话，显然空间是不够的，他们得挤进去。squeeze“(使)挤入，挤过，塞入”符合语境。
5．A.shabby B．different
C．funny D．fashionable
解析：选B 根据下文中的“I don't think you could ever find ... by the beautiful simplicity of these garments”可知，这位母亲的衣服是特别的、与众不同的。different“与众不同的，别致的”，符合语境。shabby“破旧的，破烂的”；funny“滑稽的，奇怪的”； fashionable“流行的，时髦的”。
6．A.inspiration B．account
C．trace D．decoration
解析：选C 作者认为你在任何一家商店都找不到这些衣服的踪迹。trace“踪迹，痕迹”，符合语境。inspiration“灵感”；account“描述”；decoration“装饰”。
7．A.struck B．shocked
C．excited D．moved
解析：选A 根据语境可知，作者被这位母亲的衣服所呈现的一种简单的美所折服。be struck by/on/with sb./sth.“迷恋(某人或某物)，被(某人或某物)打动”，符合语境。
8．A.though B．so
C．and D．yet
解析：选D 这些衣服不贵重，不高档，也不是出自著名的设计师之手，但它们是无价的。前后句之间是转折关系，故用连词yet。
9．A.broadly B．hopefully
C．occasionally D．gratefully
解析：选A 根据下文中的“a warm Pakistani family”“Her smile ... touched me”以及“start with just a kind smile”可知，此处指她的脸上露出了一个开心的微笑。smile broadly“咧开嘴笑，开心地笑”。hopefully“满怀希望地”；occasionally“偶然，偶尔”；gratefully“感激地”。
10．A.refused B．expected
C．pretended D．decided
解析：选B 作者即将收到他一直想要的一份礼物。他曾期望(expected)自己能与受苦的人们接触。上文中的“hoping for”是提示。
11．A.seat B．heart
C．life D．presence
解析：选D 在作者面前的是一个热情的巴基斯坦家庭。in one's presence“当着某人的面，在某人面前”。
12．A.techniques B．pieces
C．starters D．stoppers
解析：选C 根据上文中的“standard conversation”和下文中的“How old are you？Where do you study？”可知，作者使用了常见的谈话开场白(starters)。conversation piece“(因不寻常)成为话题的东西，谈资”；conversation stopper“噎人的话，令人瞠目结舌的话”。
13．A.heights B．facts
C．changes D．conclusions
解析：选A 虽然她只是一个孩子，但是作者与她的谈话的深度和广度让谈话达到了惊人的高度。height“高度”，符合语境。
14．A.meaningful B．unspoken
C．valuable D．casual
解析：选B 根据下文中的“Her smile, her gaze and her trust”可知，更让作者感到有意思的是他们之间无声的谈话。unspoken“未说出口的，未表达的”，符合语境。meaningful“有意义的”；valuable“很重要的”；casual“随便的”。
15．A.obviously B．suddenly
C．deeply D．eventually
解析：选C 根据空前的“Her smile, her gaze and her trust”，空后的“touched me”及下文的“we will always be in each other's hearts”可知，她的微笑、对作者的凝视及她的信任深深地触动了作者。deeply“深深地”，符合语境。
16．A.flew away B．flew past
C．came along D．came apart
解析：选B 此处指作者与小女孩在一起的45分钟转瞬即逝。fly past“(时间)逝去，过去”，符合语境。fly away“飞走”；come along“出现，进展，赶快”；come apart“破裂”。
17．A.hope B．point
C．condition D．knowledge
解析：选D 在那期间，“我”知道了，要为那些不幸的人做些什么，“我”只需打开心门，以便他们能进来。in the knowledge that 是固定用法，意为“知道，了解”。
18．A.now that B．as if
C．so that D．in case
解析：选C 参见上题解析。so that“以便”，符合语境。now that“既然”；as if “好像”；in case“以防万一”。
19．A.give over B．go over
C．open up D．make up
解析：选C 根据文中内容可知，一个人要去关注他人，就要敞开心扉与别人交谈，这种感觉很让人惊叹。open up “畅所欲言，直抒胸臆”，符合语境。go over to sb.“向某人走过去”；make up to sb.“讨好，奉承，巴结”。
20．A.packing B．bearing
C．designing D．recommending
解析：选B 根据上文的内容可知，与小女孩的交谈使作者得到了与遭遇不幸的人有所接触的机会，也帮助作者明白了他该如何帮助那些不幸的人。这些对作者来说都可称得上是“美丽的礼物”。由此可知，此处说的是人们会带着美丽的礼物进来。bear“携带，带有”，符合语境。pack“包装”；design“设计”；recommend“推荐”。
Ⅴ.阅读理解
A
Stephen Hawking Warns Humans
Must Leave Earth Soon
Professor Stephen Hawking came out with a serious warning for people. While at the Starmus Festival, a festival in Trondheim, Norway, celebrating science and the arts, Hawking warned people that the human race is in serious danger.
Hawking criticized President Donald Trump for denying climate change. Then the physicist warned the audience, “I am not denying the importance of fighting climate change and global warming, unlike Donald Trump, who may just have taken the most serious and wrong decision on climate change this world has seen.”
Hawking proposed that the leading countries should send astronauts to the Moon before 2020 to restart a movement of more exploration in space. The BBC reported that Hawking suggested that we “build a lunar base in 30 years' time and send people to Mars by 2025”．
According to the BBC, Professor Hawking said, “Spreading out into space will completely change the future of humanity.” He continued, “I hope it would unite competitive nations in a single goal to face the common challenge for us all.” The physicist shared more ideas to motivate the younger generation to continue exploring space. Hawking stated, “A new and ambitious space program would excite (young people), and stimulate interest in other areas, such as astrophysics (天体物理学) and cosmology (宇宙学)．”
Hawking also revealed his vision of other forms of energy that could move us to a new planet. He warned the audience, “The Earth is under threat from so many areas that it is difficult for me to be positive.” He continued, “Our natural resources are being drained at an alarming rate. We have given our planet the disastrous gifts of climate change, rising temperatures, reduction of the polar ice caps, deforestation (滥伐森林), and decimation (大批杀死) of animal species. We can be an ignorant and unthinking (考虑不周的) lot.”
The professor warned the audience that doing nothing would lead nowhere. He said, “If we succeed we will send a probe to Alpha Centauri within the lifetime of some of you alive today. It is clear that we are entering a new space age. We are standing at the threshold (开端) of a new era. Human colonization and moving to other planets is no longer science fiction, and it can be science fact.” Hawking advised the audience to move to other worlds because we are running out of space.
语篇解读文章引用了世界知名物理学及天文学家霍金的观点，阐明了人类必须离开地球在太空中找一处新家的原因。
1．According to Hawking, what is the first step for humans to spread out into space
A．To send people to Mars.
B．To build a lunar base.
C．To send astronauts to the Moon.
D．To change the future of humanity.
解析：选C 细节理解题。由文章第三段的第一句可知，人类要向太空扩展应在2020年之前把宇航员送到月球以重启太空探索，故选C项。
2．The underlined word “drained” in Paragraph 5 can be replaced by “________”．
A．speeded up B．stored
C．used up D．explored
解析：选C 词义猜测题。由该词前面的“natural resources”和后面的“at an alarming rate”可以推断出，drain在这里是“用完，耗尽”的意思，故选C项。
3．What is Hawking's attitude towards the Earth's future
A．Pessimistic. B．Confused.
C．Positive. D．Indifferent.
解析：选A 观点态度题。由文章中反复出现的“warned”以及第五段的内容可以推断出，霍金对地球的未来持悲观的态度，这也是他提出人类要离开地球的原因，故选A项。
4．The reason why humans must leave the Earth soon is that ________.
A．the Earth is under threat and the human race is in serious danger
B．humans have found other forms of energy to move to a new planet
C．a new and ambitious space program would excite young people
D．astronauts have found a better world in space than the Earth
解析：选A 细节理解题。由第一段的第二句和第五段的第二句可知，人类必须离开地球的原因是：人类处于危险之中，地球受到威胁，故选A项。
B
I would like to talk to you about space vegetables, and to show you that space vegetables are healthy and good for you.
Space vegetables are grown from seeds that have been taken to and brought back from outer space. The seeds are affected by the radiation (辐射) and low gravity in outer space. When they are brought back to Earth, these seeds produce vegetables that are bigger, healthier and more nutritious (有营养的) than normal vegetables. However, some people worry about eating space vegetables. They think that space vegetables might not be good for us and could give us cancer as a result of their exposure (暴露) to radiation in space. People should not be scared, as space vegetables are actually perfectly healthy.
Here are some facts that you should know about space vegetables：
Space vegetables are grown from seeds that are carefully selected. When seeds are brought back from space, they are tested to make sure that the vegetables they grow will be safe to eat. There are no traces (痕迹) of radiation after testing.
Space vegetables are better for you than normal vegetables. For example, space tomatoes stay fresh for twenty days, which is one week longer than normal tomatoes. Another popular space vegetable is the peppers. Space peppers contain 20 percent more vitamin C than normal peppers.
After modified (转基因) foods came onto the market, people worried that they were eating unknown things. For example, if nut genes are put inside potatoes, people allergic (过敏的) to nuts might get very sick from eating these potatoes because they do not know they are also eating nuts. Unlike genetically modified foods, space vegetables have not been genetically changed. This means that no new genes are put into the vegetables. Therefore, they won't damage your health.
语篇解读本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了太空蔬菜，并用事实证明太空蔬菜不是转基因食品，对身体无害。
5．What's the best title of the passage
A．Space Vegetables B．Space Exploration
C．Healthy Vegetables D．Modified Foods
解析：选A 标题归纳题。本文主要介绍了太空蔬菜。故选A。
6．Which of the following is NOT the advantage of space vegetables
A．Healthy. B．Nutritious.
C．Poisonous. D．Safe.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第一、二段的内容可知，太空蔬菜健康、有营养、安全并且对人有好处，所以A、B、D三项都是太空蔬菜优点，C项表示“有毒的”，当然不是优点。
7．Which of the following belongs to steps taken to ensure the quality of space vegetables
A．After being brought to the outer space, the seeds are carefully selected.
B．When being brought back from space, seeds are tested.
C．The vegetables are exposed to radiation in space.
D．The vegetables are fresher than normal ones.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第四段的内容可知，在进入太空之前，种子是经过认真挑选的，从太空回来后，这些种子要被检测。由此可知选B。
8．According to the last paragraph, we can infer ________.
A．space vegetables belong to genetically modified foods
B．many people are allergic to space vegetables
C．space vegetables are safe to eat
D．foods that are genetically changed proved healthy
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据最后一段的内容可知，太空蔬菜不是转基因食品，对身体没有害处。故选C。PAGE
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课时跟踪检测（一） Introduction & Reading — Pre?reading
阅读理解
A
NASA's New Horizons probe flew by Pluto (冥王星)this morning, sending back history's first up close looks at the vast freezing cold world. Closest approach came at 7：49 a．m. EDT. To celebrate, NASA gave out the latest photo of Pluto. It showed a reddish world with an amazing heart shaped feature on its surface.
After today's close encounter, all the nine solar system's traditionally recognized planets have now been visited by a spaceship — a huge project begun in 1962 when NASA's Mariner 2 probe flew past Venus, a planet in the solar system. More than 1,200 scientists, NASA guests and important persons, including 200 reporters, watched the flyby live at New Horizons' mission control center.
That close encounter has been a long time coming. The D|S723 million New Horizons mission was launched in January 2006 but began taking shape in 1989. “New Horizons is ‘a capstone mission’，” Glen Fountain, mission project manager told . “It is the first completion of the observations of our solar system. It's giving us a new idea about how we human beings fit into the universe.”
New Horizons “faced a crazy number of challenges”. Stern, a driving force behind New Horizons said, “So many people stuck with this for so long. They got knocked down; they stood up. They got knocked down again; they stood up again.”
In a coincidence, today's close approach falls on the 50th anniversary of the first flyby of Mars, another planet, which was completed by NASA's Mariner 4 spaceship.
There are no longer nine officially recognized planets, of course.The International Astronomical Union regarded Pluto as “a dwarf planet” in 2006 in a decision that remains controversial (有争议的) today.
语篇解读：NASA新视野号探测器飞掠冥王星使人类第一次看到了冥王星的清晰照片。
1．Which statement is TRUE according to the passage
A．Ideas still vary in the identity of Pluto.
B．Only scientists could watch the flyby live.
C．Mars is the first planet visited by a spaceship.
D．New Horizons mission aimed to observe the solar system.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据最后一段中的“The International Astronomical Union regarded Pluto as ‘a dwarf planet’ in 2006 in a decision that remains controversial (有争议的) today” 可知，A项正确。故选A。
2．Glen Fountain may probably agree that ________.
A．it is the most difficult to land on Pluto in the solar system
B．New Horizons mission is a long and troublesome project
C．their strong determination leads to the successful flyby
D．people are likely to find new ways to fit into space
解析：选D 推理判断题。根据第三段中的“It is the first completion of the observations of our solar system. It's giving us a new idea about how we human beings fit into the universe”可知，新视野号探测器从冥王星附近飞过，这是第一次完成对太阳系的探测考察，它给了我们一个关于人类应如何融入宇宙的新想法。由此可推知，人们可能会寻找新的方法以融入宇宙。故选D。
3．Which is the best title for the passage
A．A New Horizons Probe
B．NASA's Huge Project
C．Pluto, a Controversial Planet
D．A Close Approach to Pluto
解析：选D 标题归纳题。NASA新视野号探测器飞掠冥王星，这是历史上第一次近距离地观察冥王星，是人类历史上的突破。故“近距离地接触冥王星”作标题最佳。故选D。
B
Giant kites could supply green energy without the need for taxpayer funded subsidies (津贴) within years. Kite Power Solutions expects to open the U．K.'s first kite power plant in March 2017 in Scotland. It hopes to roll out the technology onshore and at sea, building systems with the capacity to produce “hundreds of megawatts” of power within the decade. The company believes the technology could reduce the cost of wind energy. And it predicted that kite power would cost so little that developing countries would be more likely to use it to free themselves off polluting carbon heavy energy sources.
A spokesman Ainsworth for Kite Power Solutions said the technology could decrease the cost of offshore wind energy, meeting the need for governments' efforts to reduce carbon emissions. He said the technology was easy to fix and maintain, meaning it could be used in deep water, on floating structures far from shore. “If we do that, it opens up a global deep water offshore wind market，” he said.
The technology could control rising CO2 emissions in the developing world, where the need to save money forces people to resort to polluting technologies such as diesel. The company has tested the technology on a small scale in Essex and will move its headquarters to Glasgow to prepare for next year's launch. It has won planning permission for a 500 KW demonstration system.
The U．K.'s green energy trade body, RenewableU.K., welcomed the technology but warned it was not a_silver_bullet. The deputy chief executive Maf Smith said，“This is an ambitious project to develop wind power at extraordinary heights and it shows the level of new ideas within the renewable industry. Kite power is at an early stage of development and it will take time to see how the technology progresses. Anyway, we will need a wide range of energy sources in the future to meet our needs in an environmentally friendly way.”
语篇解读：本文主要介绍了风筝发电这项新技术的优势，即成本低、易于安装和维护等，但有人提出相反观点。所以依靠风筝发电技术解决我们的能源需求问题仍有很长的路要走。
4．What is the most important advantage of kite power
A．Its low costs. B．Its high qualities.
C．Its great usefulness. D．Its wide using areas.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据文章第一段最后两句“The company believes the technology could reduce the cost of wind energy. And it predicted that kite power would cost so little that ...”可知，风筝发电最重要的优点是成本低。故选A项。
5．In the eyes of Ainsworth, his company's technology ________.
A．will solve the problem of air pollution
B．can be convenient and powerful to use
C．will change how people explore the ocean
D．can deal with the shortage of water worldwide
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据文章第二段中的“He said the technology was easy to fix and maintain, meaning it could be used in deep water, on floating structures far from shore. ‘If we do that, it opens up a global deep water offshore wind market，’ he said.”可知，这项技术易于安装和维护，如果真的那么做，这会开拓出一个新市场。由此可知，安斯沃思认为这项技术便于使用且效能很高。故选B项。
6．The underlined phrase “a silver bullet” probably means that using this technology to meet our needs is not ________.
A．scientific B．complicated
C．simple D．traditional
解析：选C 词义猜测题。根据文章最后一段中的“welcomed the technology”可知，英国可再生能源协会表示欢迎这项新技术，but表转折，再结合该组织的副首席执行官玛夫·史密斯所说的话“Kite power is at an early stage of development and it will take time to see how the technology progresses.”可知，风筝发电尚处于早期，看到这项技术如何进展还需很长一段时间。由此可推测，was not a silver bullet在此表示要想运用这项技术解决我们对能源的需求问题并不是一件简单的事情。故选C项。
7．What is the author's purpose in writing the text
A．To argue for cleaner energies.
B．To inform a new way to get energy.
C．To advertise a great energy company.
D．To compare different energy resources.
解析：选B 写作目的题。本文主要介绍了风筝发电技术的优势、发展及前景等，其目的主要是向读者介绍一种获取能源的新方式。故选B项。
C
240 BC: Greek astronomer, geographer, mathematician and librarian Eratosthenes worked out the Earth's circumference (the distance around it). His data was rough, but he wasn't far off.
Eratosthenes was an all around man. Some people then called him Pentathalos, a champion of many skills. His rich knowledge made him a natural for the post of librarian of the library of Alexandria, Egypt, the greatest repository of classical knowledge.
Eratosthenes knew that at noon on the day of the summer solstice, the sun was observed to be directly overhead at Syene (modern day Aswan): You could see it from the bottom of a deep well, and a sundial (日晷) left no shadow. Yet, to the north at Alexandria, a sundial left a shadow even at the solstice midday, because the sun was not directly overhead there. Therefore, the Earth must be round — already firmly believed by the astronomers of his day.
What's more, if one supposed the sun to be far away enough to be sending parallel (平行的) rays at Syene and Alexandria, it would be possible to figure out the Earth's circumference. Of course, his measurements were slightly off. And we don't know today the exact size of the measurement unit Eratosthenes was using when he came up with the final figure of 252,000 stades. So how big is 252,000 stades It's somewhere between 24,663 and 27,967 miles. The accepted figure for circumference today is 24,902 miles. Pretty good for a guy without modern measurement tools.
Eratosthenes went further and worked out the extension of the year as 3651/4 days. He suggested that calendars should have a leap day every fourth year, an idea taken up two centuries later by Julius Caesar.
It was known long before Columbus that the Earth was round and even how big it is. But it was just not widely known among the masses in 15th century Europe. One reason is that Eratosthenes' own library of Alexandria had been destroyed, and there was no complete backup of its data.
语篇解读：公元前240年，希腊天文学家、地理学家、数学家以及图书管理员埃拉托色尼测出了地球的周长。虽然他的数据只是近似，但也没差多少。但他的成就并不为大多数人所知。其中一个原因是他所工作的图书馆被摧毁，而他的计算数据也没有备份。
8．Why did some people call him Pentathalos
A．Because he was an astronomer and mathematician.
B．Because he worked out the Earth's circumference.
C．Because he was an expert in many skills.
D．Because he had rich knowledge as a librarian.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第二段可知，埃拉托色尼是个全面发展的人，当时一些人称他为“Pentathalos”，意思是“在很多技能上都是第一的人”。解答此题的关键是对Pentathalos后的同位语“a champion of many skills”的正确理解。故答案为C。
9．Where could the sun be seen from the bottom of a deep well at noon
A．At Syene.
B．At Alexandria.
C．To the north of Aswan.
D．To the north of Alexandria.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第三段可知，他知道在夏至的中午，西奈城(现在的阿斯旺)的太阳处在正上方：也就是说你可以从一口深井的底部看到太阳，日晷也不会有影子。故答案为A。
10．From the fourth paragraph we can learn ________.
A．his measurements of the Earth's circumference were very exact
B．stades are the measurement unit that Eratosthenes was using
C．his figure for the Earth's circumference was 24,902 miles
D．he used some modern measurement tools to draw a conclusion
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第四段可知，我们现在也不知道他当时用的是什么计量单位，只知道他最后得出的数字是“252,000 stades”。由此可判断出“stades”是他当时使用的计量单位。共他选项与第四段内容不相符。故答案为B。
11．Which of the following statements is TRUE
A．Eratosthenes was the most famous Greek astronomer in Egypt.
B．Eratosthenes and Julius Caesar lived at the same age.
C．Columbus knew the Earth was round long before Eratosthenes.
D．It's a pity that Eratosthenes' conclusion was not widely known then.
解析：选D 判断正误题。根据最后一段可知，埃拉托色尼早在哥伦布之前就知道了地球是圆的。但在15世纪的欧洲，他的成就并不为大多数人所知。其中一个原因是他所工作的图书馆被摧毁，而他的计算数据也没有备份。由此可判断出答案为D。
