UNIT 4 SPACE EXPLORATION
Ⅰ.阅读理解(每题2.5分,共27.5分)
A
During space missions, astronauts can experience a loss of some of the inner structural support in their bones.For trips in space lasting at least six months, that loss is equal to about 20 years of aging.Luckily, a new study finds a year back on Earth rebuilds half of the strength lost in the affected bones.
Exercise scientist Leigh Gabel was part of a team that tracked 17 astronauts, each of whom had spent four to seven months in space.The team measured the 3-D structure of bones.They focused on the structure of the tibia (胫骨) and the lower-arm bone.The researchers took images of the bones 3 times —before spaceflight and again six months and one year later when the astronauts returned home from space.From these pictures, Gabel’s team calculated an astronaut’s bone strength and density (密度) at each of those times.
What did they find through comparison of the pictures Astronauts in space for less than six months regained their preflight bone strength after a year back on Earth.But those who stayed in space longer suffered permanent bone loss in their tibias.That loss was equal to a decade of aging.The lower-arm bones showed almost no loss.That was likely because these aren’t weight-bearing bones on Earth, Gabel explains.In fact, those arms can get a bigger workout in space than on Earth as astronauts use them to move around their craft by pushing off handles and doors.
“Increasing weight-lifting exercises in space could help alleviate (缓解) bone loss in the legs,” says Steven Boyd, also an exercise scientist.
“With longer spaceflights, we can expect bigger bone loss—and probably a bigger problem with recovery,” says physiologist Laurence Vico.“Space agencies should also consider other bone health measures, such as nutrition, to reduce bone loss and increase bone formation.”
( )1.Why did Gabel’s team take pictures at different times
[A] To offer evidence for their predictions.
[B] To show their respect for the astronauts.
[C] To compare the changes in the astronauts’ bones.
[D] To find out the proper length of staying in space for astronauts.
( )2.Which of the following may Gabel agree with
[A] A spaceflight in less than half a year does no harm to astronauts.
[B] Astronauts coming back from a spaceflight look much older.
[C] Astronauts can avoid bone loss through doing enough exercise.
[D] There is almost no difference in the astronauts’ lower-arm bones.
( )3.What can we conclude from this text
[A] People on Earth never suffer bone loss.
[B] The finding of the new study is good news for astronauts.
[C] The 17 astronauts knew the bone loss before their spaceflights.
[D] Astronauts can regain their bone strength as soon as they return to Earth.
B
Should humans explore space If you ask me,I’ll definitely give a positive answer.
The exploration of space has a direct impact on the lives of humans,as well as the state of our world.Satellites (卫星) moving around Earth enable communication across the world,connecting people of different continents and broadcasting information worldwide.The positioning system can identify our location anywhere.Furthermore,weather satellites can predict harmful weather conditions,which allows humans to prepare for deadly natural disasters and save lives.
Space programmes can also indirectly contribute to the solution to poverty and world hunger.For example,large pieces of land could be used far better if humans applied technologies.The most effective tool is the artificial (人造的) earth satellite.It can screen areas of land within a very short time,indicating useful measures such as the condition of crops,soil,rainfall,and droughts.It can then send this information to ground stations on Earth for better use.
Furthermore,access to better education means better life prospects and opportunities for human beings.Rural (乡村的) communities have disadvantaged access to education and satellite communication technologies are trying to bridge this gap.With the development of technology,students can now access any information and connect with peers and teachers in different parts of the world through video conferences and the creation of virtual classrooms.
Space exploration is something we can do for future generations.Mankind is using the resources provided on the planet,but these will run out one day.Overpopulation can be a threat for all mankind.With the development of space technology,it will be wise to use and explore the vast potential of other planets,such as the availability of mining resources on asteroids (小行星) or other planets.
For the exploration of the universe,perhaps the most advantageous of all is that it will unite us to work together for a common purpose,regardless of our differences.
( )4.What can space exploration do according to Paragraph 2
[A] Improve the traffic on Earth.
[B] Promote travel between countries.
[C] Help prevent deadly natural disasters.
[D] Help humans communicate and exchange information.
( )5.How can space programmes help with poverty and world hunger
[A] By benefiting crop production with artificial earth satellites.
[B] By transporting food worldwide more easily.
[C] By creating job opportunities for the poor.
[D] By protecting available land resources.
( )6.What does the author think of mining resources on other planets
[A] Time-wasting.
[B] Arguable.
[C] Necessary.
[D] Educational.
( )7.What would be a suitable title for the text
[A] Why Is Space Exploration Important
[B] Why Should Humankind Keep Exploring
[C] Why Should We Improve Space Technology
[D] Why Should Humans Keep Developing Technologies
C
The Federal Communications Commission of the US issued the fine for space junk.The satellite television company failed to properly deal with one of its satellites, leaving it at a lower orbit than it promised when securing its license.
Some space junk was discarded during missions—maybe an astronaut dropped his lucky penny, or released an instrument’s camera cover after it was no longer needed.Other junk, however, is the result of collisions: Even that lucky penny, traveling at 15 times the speed of a bullet, can cause huge damage—ending a satellite’s mission or, worse, breaking that satellite into pieces.
That’s obviously bad news for satellites.The solution isn’t to demand the launch of fewer satellites; these bring real benefits to people on the Earth.
And while traffic management is certainly necessary, pieces of garbage are never going to be able to follow even the most sensible rules of the orbital road.That means two things need to happen: People need to stop littering, and they need to take out some trash.
The professionals, unsurprisingly, have more carefully considered names for these processes—mitigation (减轻) and remediation (补救).Any time a company wants to put a satellite in the sky, it should have a clear plan for the instrument’s end of life.For objects in very high geostationary orbit (地球同步轨道), this usually involves sending the item to the out-of-the-way “graveyard” orbit.For objects lower down, it tends instead to involve moving them lower still, so that they will burn up upon reentering the atmosphere.
Active removal of garbage that has failed to get out of the way is technically tricky, but at least for large objects, remediation is possible.
Encouragingly, some countries are beginning to try.No nation, however, can save space on its own.A global convention (协定) to set a 21st century code of conduct for space is in order.
( )8.What does the underlined word “discarded” in Paragraph 2 mean
[A] Collected up.
[B] Thrown away.
[C] Produced.
[D] Ignored.
( )9.Why can’t we reduce the number of satellites launched every year
[A] The satellites benefit our life a lot.
[B] We need new satellites to replace old ones.
[C] Countries are using satellites to occupy space.
[D] We must make a deeper exploration into the universe.
( )10.Which of the following are the measures of stop littering
①Sending satellites to the “graveyard” orbit.
②Moving objects lower still.
③Active removal of debris.
[A] ①② [B] ②③
[C] ①③ [D] ①②③
( )11.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text
[A] To provide solutions to space junk.
[B] To explain the damage of space junk.
[C] To call upon countries to fine companies making space junk.
[D] To appeal to nations for the protection of space environment.
Ⅱ.完形填空(每题1分,共15分)
This was the big game.The boys were 1 and excited.It was a clear night, and my son Andy’s baseball team, which had 2 all year, had shocked the better teams by making it to this championship game.The atmosphere was 3 : The other team’s slugger (强击手), a big kid, was like a snake, dangerous and ready to 4 .
Nervously, I looked out Andy’s way.I was 5 to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky! Obviously he wasn’t 6 on the game.I was horrified that he wouldn’t even know the ball was coming.“Come on, Andy. 7 out there,” I said to myself.However,the big kid made a mistake.We (Andy and I) had been 8 and our team still led by one run.
Andy ran up to me at the 9 .I was about to 10 him when he said loudly, “Did you see that shooting star ” Andy’s eyes were glowing (发光) with 11 .I paused.“Yes,” I said.“Well,one inning (局) to go.Hit a homerun (全垒打)! Okay!” said Andy, and he ran back to his 12 .
I suddenly realised it was nice my son would take timeout to 13 the wonder and beauty in life.You might be surprised by the beauty you can find when you least 14 it.Andy hit a triple (三垒打) in that last inning.But I still wish I had 15 that shooting star, too.
( )1.[A] nervous [B] scared
[C] curious [D] ashamed
( )2.[A] waited [B] struggled
[C] said [D] run
( )3.[A] electric [B] friendly
[C] casual [D] romantic
( )4.[A] escape [B] erupt
[C] jump [D] strike
( )5.[A] amused [B] content
[C] shocked [D] proud
( )6.[A] carrying [B] focusing
[C] commenting [D] reflecting
( )7.[A] Settle down [B] Stand up
[C] Wake up [D] Lie down
( )8.[A] informed [B] punished
[C] warned [D] spared
( )9.[A] meeting [B] break
[C] corner [D] entrance
( )10.[A] blame [B] comfort
[C] entertain [D] threaten
( )11.[A] anger [B] anxiety
[C] excitement [D] confidence
( )12.[A] teammates [B] fans
[C] parents [D] stars
( )13.[A] create [B] research
[C] explain [D] appreciate
( )14.[A] need [B] expect
[C] afford [D] suspect
( )15.[A] become [B] filmed
[C] seen [D] followed
UNIT 4 SPACE EXPLORATION
Ⅰ.阅读理解(每题2.5分,共27.5分)
A
During space missions, astronauts can experience a loss of some of the inner structural support in their bones.For trips in space lasting at least six months, that loss is equal to about 20 years of aging.Luckily, a new study finds a year back on Earth rebuilds half of the strength lost in the affected bones.
Exercise scientist Leigh Gabel was part of a team that tracked 17 astronauts, each of whom had spent four to seven months in space.The team measured the 3-D structure of bones.They focused on the structure of the tibia (胫骨) and the lower-arm bone.The researchers took images of the bones 3 times —before spaceflight and again six months and one year later when the astronauts returned home from space.From these pictures, Gabel’s team calculated an astronaut’s bone strength and density (密度) at each of those times.
What did they find through comparison of the pictures Astronauts in space for less than six months regained their preflight bone strength after a year back on Earth.But those who stayed in space longer suffered permanent bone loss in their tibias.That loss was equal to a decade of aging.The lower-arm bones showed almost no loss.That was likely because these aren’t weight-bearing bones on Earth, Gabel explains.In fact, those arms can get a bigger workout in space than on Earth as astronauts use them to move around their craft by pushing off handles and doors.
“Increasing weight-lifting exercises in space could help alleviate (缓解) bone loss in the legs,” says Steven Boyd, also an exercise scientist.
“With longer spaceflights, we can expect bigger bone loss—and probably a bigger problem with recovery,” says physiologist Laurence Vico.“Space agencies should also consider other bone health measures, such as nutrition, to reduce bone loss and increase bone formation.”
【语篇导读】 本文是说明文。文章探讨了太空旅行对航天员骨骼的影响。
( )1.Why did Gabel’s team take pictures at different times
[A] To offer evidence for their predictions.
[B] To show their respect for the astronauts.
[C] To compare the changes in the astronauts’ bones.
[D] To find out the proper length of staying in space for astronauts.
【答案】 C
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第二段最后两句可知,研究人员对航天员不同时间的骨头拍摄了三次照片,进而对航天员每个时间的骨骼强度和密度进行计算,结合第三段中的“What did they find through comparison of the pictures ”可知,研究人员对这些图片进行比对来发现航天员骨骼的变化,由此可知,研究团队在不同时间拍摄照片是为了比较航天员骨骼的变化。故选C。
( )2.Which of the following may Gabel agree with
[A] A spaceflight in less than half a year does no harm to astronauts.
[B] Astronauts coming back from a spaceflight look much older.
[C] Astronauts can avoid bone loss through doing enough exercise.
[D] There is almost no difference in the astronauts’ lower-arm bones.
【答案】 D
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“The lower-arm bones showed ... on Earth, Gabel explains.”可知,Gabel应该同意“航天员的小臂骨几乎没有什么变化”这一观点。故选D。
( )3.What can we conclude from this text
[A] People on Earth never suffer bone loss.
[B] The finding of the new study is good news for astronauts.
[C] The 17 astronauts knew the bone loss before their spaceflights.
[D] Astronauts can regain their bone strength as soon as they return to Earth.
【答案】 B
【解析】 推理判断题。根据第一段中的“Luckily, a new study finds... the affected bones.”可知,一项新的研究发现,航天员们回到地球之后受影响的骨骼有所修复,因此这对航天员来说应该是一个好消息。故选B。
B
Should humans explore space If you ask me,I’ll definitely give a positive answer.
The exploration of space has a direct impact on the lives of humans,as well as the state of our world.Satellites (卫星) moving around Earth enable communication across the world,connecting people of different continents and broadcasting information worldwide.The positioning system can identify our location anywhere.Furthermore,weather satellites can predict harmful weather conditions,which allows humans to prepare for deadly natural disasters and save lives.
Space programmes can also indirectly contribute to the solution to poverty and world hunger.For example,large pieces of land could be used far better if humans applied technologies.The most effective tool is the artificial (人造的) earth satellite.It can screen areas of land within a very short time,indicating useful measures such as the condition of crops,soil,rainfall,and droughts.It can then send this information to ground stations on Earth for better use.
Furthermore,access to better education means better life prospects and opportunities for human beings.Rural (乡村的) communities have disadvantaged access to education and satellite communication technologies are trying to bridge this gap.With the development of technology,students can now access any information and connect with peers and teachers in different parts of the world through video conferences and the creation of virtual classrooms.
Space exploration is something we can do for future generations.Mankind is using the resources provided on the planet,but these will run out one day.Overpopulation can be a threat for all mankind.With the development of space technology,it will be wise to use and explore the vast potential of other planets,such as the availability of mining resources on asteroids (小行星) or other planets.
For the exploration of the universe,perhaps the most advantageous of all is that it will unite us to work together for a common purpose,regardless of our differences.
【语篇导读】 本文是说明文。文章具体介绍了进行太空探索的好处和必要性。
( )4.What can space exploration do according to Paragraph 2
[A] Improve the traffic on Earth.
[B] Promote travel between countries.
[C] Help prevent deadly natural disasters.
[D] Help humans communicate and exchange information.
【答案】 D
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第二段的第二句可知,太空探索可以帮助人类沟通和交换信息。故选D。
( )5.How can space programmes help with poverty and world hunger
[A] By benefiting crop production with artificial earth satellites.
[B] By transporting food worldwide more easily.
[C] By creating job opportunities for the poor.
[D] By protecting available land resources.
【答案】 A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段内容可知,太空项目通过利用人造地球卫星快速筛查大片土地的各种条件,并将这些信息发送给地面站以便人们更好地利用,即对作物生产有益。故选A。
( )6.What does the author think of mining resources on other planets
[A] Time-wasting.
[B] Arguable.
[C] Necessary.
[D] Educational.
【答案】 C
【解析】 推理判断题。根据倒数第二段内容可知,地球上的资源是有限的,利用太空技术去使用和探索其他行星的巨大潜力是明智之举。由此可知,作者认为在其他星球上开采资源是必要的。故选C。
( )7.What would be a suitable title for the text
[A] Why Is Space Exploration Important
[B] Why Should Humankind Keep Exploring
[C] Why Should We Improve Space Technology
[D] Why Should Humans Keep Developing Technologies
【答案】 A
【解析】 标题归纳题。通读全文,并结合第一段内容可知,文章认为人类应该进行太空探索,具体介绍了探索太空的好处和必要性。因此,A项符合文章主旨,适合作标题。故选A。
C
The Federal Communications Commission of the US issued the fine for space junk.The satellite television company failed to properly deal with one of its satellites, leaving it at a lower orbit than it promised when securing its license.
Some space junk was discarded during missions—maybe an astronaut dropped his lucky penny, or released an instrument’s camera cover after it was no longer needed.Other junk, however, is the result of collisions: Even that lucky penny, traveling at 15 times the speed of a bullet, can cause huge damage—ending a satellite’s mission or, worse, breaking that satellite into pieces.
That’s obviously bad news for satellites.The solution isn’t to demand the launch of fewer satellites; these bring real benefits to people on the Earth.
And while traffic management is certainly necessary, pieces of garbage are never going to be able to follow even the most sensible rules of the orbital road.That means two things need to happen: People need to stop littering, and they need to take out some trash.
The professionals, unsurprisingly, have more carefully considered names for these processes—mitigation (减轻) and remediation (补救).Any time a company wants to put a satellite in the sky, it should have a clear plan for the instrument’s end of life.For objects in very high geostationary orbit (地球同步轨道), this usually involves sending the item to the out-of-the-way “graveyard” orbit.For objects lower down, it tends instead to involve moving them lower still, so that they will burn up upon reentering the atmosphere.
Active removal of garbage that has failed to get out of the way is technically tricky, but at least for large objects, remediation is possible.
Encouragingly, some countries are beginning to try.No nation, however, can save space on its own.A global convention (协定) to set a 21st century code of conduct for space is in order.
【语篇导读】 本文是说明文。主要介绍的是应该如何处理在人类探索太空的过程中产生的太空垃圾。
( )8.What does the underlined word “discarded” in Paragraph 2 mean
[A] Collected up.
[B] Thrown away.
[C] Produced.
[D] Ignored.
【答案】 B
【解析】 猜测词义题。根据第二段中的“maybe an astronaut dropped ... no longer needed”可知,此处解释的是太空垃圾的来源,可能是航天员掉落的幸运币,也可能是被丢弃的相机盖子,诸如此类都是在执行太空任务中被扔掉的事物。由此可知,discarded的意思与“thrown away”的意义相近。故选B。
( )9.Why can’t we reduce the number of satellites launched every year
[A] The satellites benefit our life a lot.
[B] We need new satellites to replace old ones.
[C] Countries are using satellites to occupy space.
[D] We must make a deeper exploration into the universe.
【答案】 A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“The solution isn’t to demand ...benefits to people on the Earth.”可知,对于卫星会被太空垃圾摧毁,我们的解决办法不是减少发射卫星,因为这些卫星会给地球上的人带来实实在在的好处。故选A。
( )10.Which of the following are the measures of stop littering
①Sending satellites to the “graveyard” orbit.
②Moving objects lower still.
③Active removal of debris.
[A] ①② [B] ②③
[C] ①③ [D] ①②③
【答案】 A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第五段中的“For objects in very... reentering the atmosphere.”可知,该部分讲述的是处理太空垃圾的方法,对于在非常高的地球同步轨道上的卫星,可以将其送到远离地球同步轨道的“墓地”轨道;对于较低轨道上的卫星,可以将它们移动到更低的轨道。故选A。
( )11.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text
[A] To provide solutions to space junk.
[B] To explain the damage of space junk.
[C] To call upon countries to fine companies making space junk.
[D] To appeal to nations for the protection of space environment.
【答案】 D
【解析】 推理判断题。根据最后一段以及上文中讲述的太空垃圾的危害和我们应该如何处理太空垃圾可知,一些国家已经开始着手处理太空垃圾,但没有一个国家能独自拯救太空,需要制定一项全球公约来维护太空。由此可知,作者旨在呼吁各个国家制定21世纪太空行为准则,共同保护太空环境。故选D。
Ⅱ.完形填空(每题1分,共15分)
This was the big game.The boys were 1 and excited.It was a clear night, and my son Andy’s baseball team, which had 2 all year, had shocked the better teams by making it to this championship game.The atmosphere was 3 : The other team’s slugger (强击手), a big kid, was like a snake, dangerous and ready to 4 .
Nervously, I looked out Andy’s way.I was 5 to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky! Obviously he wasn’t 6 on the game.I was horrified that he wouldn’t even know the ball was coming.“Come on, Andy. 7 out there,” I said to myself.However,the big kid made a mistake.We (Andy and I) had been 8 and our team still led by one run.
Andy ran up to me at the 9 .I was about to 10 him when he said loudly, “Did you see that shooting star ” Andy’s eyes were glowing (发光) with 11 .I paused.“Yes,” I said.“Well,one inning (局) to go.Hit a homerun (全垒打)! Okay!” said Andy, and he ran back to his 12 .
I suddenly realised it was nice my son would take timeout to 13 the wonder and beauty in life.You might be surprised by the beauty you can find when you least 14 it.Andy hit a triple (三垒打) in that last inning.But I still wish I had 15 that shooting star, too.
【语篇导读】 本文是记叙文。文章主要讲述了儿子的棒球队进行重要比赛的时候,作者却发现儿子在盯着夜空看,休息的时候儿子过来询问作者是否看到了夜空中的流星,作者意识到儿子能发现生活中的奇迹和美好是一件好事。
( )1.[A] nervous [B] scared
[C] curious [D] ashamed
【答案】 A
【解析】 根据上文的“This was the big game.”可知,这是一场重要的比赛,所以男孩们既紧张(nervous)又兴奋。故选A。
( )2.[A] waited [B] struggled
[C] said [D] run
【答案】 B
【解析】 根据后文“had shocked the better teams”可知,让其他优秀的球队震惊说明之前的表现出乎意料,所以作者儿子的棒球队一整年都在努力拼搏(struggled)。故选B。
( )3.[A] electric [B] friendly
[C] casual [D] romantic
【答案】 A
【解析】 根据后文“the other team’s slugger(强击手), a big kid, was like a snake, dangerous and ready to”可知,对手准备出击,所以气氛很激烈(electric)。故选A。
( )4.[A] escape [B] erupt
[C] jump [D] strike
【答案】 D
【解析】 根据上文的“like a snake, dangerous and ready to”可知,对手准备出击(strike)。故选D。
( )5.[A] amused [B] content
[C] shocked [D] proud
【答案】 C
【解析】 根据后文的“to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky”可知,这么重要的比赛作者的儿子却在看夜空,作者感到震惊(shocked)。故选C。
( )6.[A] carrying [B] focusing
[C] commenting [D] reflecting
【答案】 B
【解析】 根据上文的“to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky”可知,儿子没有集中注意力于(focusing)比赛。故选B。
( )7.[A] Settle down [B] Stand up
[C] Wake up [D] Lie down
【答案】 C
【解析】 根据上文的“I was horrified that he wouldn’t even know the ball was coming.”可知,作者在心里默念儿子赶紧回过神(wake up)进行比赛。故选C。
( )8.[A] informed [B] punished
[C] warned [D] spared
【答案】 D
【解析】 根据上文的“However,the big kid made a mistake.”可知,因为对方犯错,所以Andy暂时没有被对方打败,即幸免一次。故选D。
( )9.[A] meeting [B] break
[C] corner [D] entrance
【答案】 B
【解析】 根据上文的“Andy ran up to me ”可知,儿子跑向作者说明是在休息期间(break)。故选B。
( )10.[A] blame [B] comfort
[C] entertain [D] threaten
【答案】 A
【解析】 根据上文的“Obviously he wasn’t 6 on the game.”可知,儿子在比赛的时候走神了,所以作者想要责备(blame)他。故选A。
( )11.[A] anger [B] anxiety
[C] excitement [D] confidence
【答案】 C
【解析】 根据上文的“Did you see that shooting star ”可知,此处指Andy看到流星因兴奋(excitement)而眼睛发光。故选C。
( )12.[A] teammates [B] fans
[C] parents [D] stars
【答案】 A
【解析】 根据上文可知,儿子答应了作者以后,回到了队友(teammates)身边。故选A。
( )13.[A] create [B] research
[C] explain [D] appreciate
【答案】 D
【解析】 根据后文的“the wonder and beauty in life”以及儿子看到流星可知,儿子愿意去欣赏(appreciate)生活中的奇迹和美好。故选D。
( )14.[A] need [B] expect
[C] afford [D] suspect
【答案】 B
【解析】 根据上文的“You might be surprised by the beauty you can find”可知,此处指在最预料(expect)不到的时候发现了生活的美好。故选B。
( )15.[A] become [B] filmed
[C] seen [D] followed
【答案】 C
【解析】 呼应上文“Did you see that shooting star ”可知,作者希望自己当时看到了(seen)流星。故选C。
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UNIT 4 SPACE EXPLORATION
题组训练
(限时:35分钟 总分:42.5分)
Ⅰ.阅读理解(每题2.5分,共27.5分)
A
During space missions, astronauts can experience a loss of some of the inner structural support in their bones.For trips in space lasting at least six months, that loss is equal to about 20 years of aging.Luckily, a new study finds a year back on Earth rebuilds half of the strength lost in the affected bones.
Exercise scientist Leigh Gabel was part of a team that tracked 17 astronauts, each of whom had spent four to seven months in space.The team measured the 3-D structure of bones.They focused on the structure of the tibia (胫骨) and the lower-arm bone.The researchers took images of the bones 3 times —before spaceflight and again six months and one year later when the astronauts returned home from space.From these pictures, Gabel’s team calculated an astronaut’s bone strength and density (密度) at each of those times.
What did they find through comparison of the pictures Astronauts in space for less than six months regained their preflight bone strength after a year back on Earth.But those who stayed in space longer suffered permanent bone loss in their tibias.That loss was equal to a decade of aging.The lower-arm bones showed almost no loss.That was likely because these aren’t weight-bearing bones on Earth, Gabel explains.In fact, those arms can get a bigger workout in space than on Earth as astronauts use them to move around their craft by pushing off handles and doors.
“Increasing weight-lifting exercises in space could help alleviate (缓解) bone loss in the legs,” says Steven Boyd, also an exercise scientist.
“With longer spaceflights, we can expect bigger bone loss—and probably a bigger problem with recovery,” says physiologist Laurence Vico.“Space agencies should also consider other bone health measures, such as nutrition, to reduce bone loss and increase bone formation.”
【语篇导读】本文是说明文。文章探讨了太空旅行对航天员骨骼的影响。
( )1.Why did Gabel’s team take pictures at different times
[A] To offer evidence for their predictions.
[B] To show their respect for the astronauts.
[C] To compare the changes in the astronauts’ bones.
[D] To find out the proper length of staying in space for astronauts.
C
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第二段最后两句可知,研究人员对航天员不同时间的骨头拍摄了三次照片,进而对航天员每个时间的骨骼强度和密度进行计算,结合第三段中的“What did they find through comparison of the pictures ”可知,研究人员对这些图片进行比对来发现航天员骨骼的变化,由此可知,研究团队在不同时间拍摄照片是为了比较航天员骨骼的变化。故选C。
( )2.Which of the following may Gabel agree with
[A] A spaceflight in less than half a year does no harm to astronauts.
[B] Astronauts coming back from a spaceflight look much older.
[C] Astronauts can avoid bone loss through doing enough exercise.
[D] There is almost no difference in the astronauts’ lower-arm bones.
D
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“The lower-arm bones showed ... on Earth, Gabel explains.”可知,Gabel应该同意“航天员的小臂骨几乎没有什么变化”这一观点。故选D。
( )3.What can we conclude from this text
[A] People on Earth never suffer bone loss.
[B] The finding of the new study is good news for astronauts.
[C] The 17 astronauts knew the bone loss before their spaceflights.
[D] Astronauts can regain their bone strength as soon as they return to Earth.
B
【解析】 推理判断题。根据第一段中的“Luckily, a new study finds... the affected bones.”可知,一项新的研究发现,航天员们回到地球之后受影响的骨骼有所修复,因此这对航天员来说应该是一个好消息。故选B。
B
Should humans explore space If you ask me,I’ll definitely give a positive answer.
The exploration of space has a direct impact on the lives of humans,as well as the state of our world.Satellites (卫星) moving around Earth enable communication across the world,connecting people of different continents and broadcasting information worldwide.The positioning system can identify our location anywhere.Furthermore,weather satellites can predict harmful weather conditions,which allows humans to prepare for deadly natural disasters and save lives.
Space programmes can also indirectly contribute to the solution to poverty and world hunger.For example,large pieces of land could be used far better if humans applied technologies.The most effective tool is the artificial
(人造的) earth satellite.It can screen areas of land within a very short time,indicating useful measures such as the condition of crops,soil,rainfall,
and droughts.It can then send this information to ground stations on Earth for better use.
Furthermore,access to better education means better life prospects and opportunities for human beings.Rural (乡村的) communities have disadvantaged access to education and satellite communication technologies are trying to bridge this gap.With the development of technology,students can now access any information and connect with peers and teachers in different parts of the world through video conferences and the creation of virtual classrooms.
Space exploration is something we can do for future generations.Mankind is using the resources provided on the planet,but these will run out one day.Overpopulation can be a threat for all mankind.With the development of space technology,it will be wise to use and explore the vast potential of other planets,such as the availability of mining resources on asteroids (小行星) or other planets.
For the exploration of the universe,perhaps the most advantageous of all is that it will unite us to work together for a common purpose,regardless of our differences.
【语篇导读】 本文是说明文。文章具体介绍了进行太空探索的好处和必要性。
( )4.What can space exploration do according to Paragraph 2
[A] Improve the traffic on Earth.
[B] Promote travel between countries.
[C] Help prevent deadly natural disasters.
[D] Help humans communicate and exchange information.
D
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第二段的第二句可知,太空探索可以帮助人类沟通和交换信息。故选D。
( )5.How can space programmes help with poverty and world hunger
[A] By benefiting crop production with artificial earth satellites.
[B] By transporting food worldwide more easily.
[C] By creating job opportunities for the poor.
[D] By protecting available land resources.
A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段内容可知,太空项目通过利用人造地球卫星快速筛查大片土地的各种条件,并将这些信息发送给地面站以便人们更好地利用,即对作物生产有益。故选A。
( )6.What does the author think of mining resources on other planets
[A] Time-wasting.
[B] Arguable.
[C] Necessary.
[D] Educational.
C
【解析】 推理判断题。根据倒数第二段内容可知,地球上的资源是有限的,利用太空技术去使用和探索其他行星的巨大潜力是明智之举。由此可知,作者认为在其他星球上开采资源是必要的。故选C。
( )7.What would be a suitable title for the text
[A] Why Is Space Exploration Important
[B] Why Should Humankind Keep Exploring
[C] Why Should We Improve Space Technology
[D] Why Should Humans Keep Developing Technologies
A
【解析】 标题归纳题。通读全文,并结合第一段内容可知,文章认为人类应该进行太空探索,具体介绍了探索太空的好处和必要性。因此,A项符合文章主旨,适合作标题。故选A。
C
The Federal Communications Commission of the US issued the fine for space junk.The satellite television company failed to properly deal with one of its satellites, leaving it at a lower orbit than it promised when securing its license.
Some space junk was discarded during missions—maybe an astronaut dropped his lucky penny, or released an instrument’s camera cover after it was no longer needed.Other junk, however, is the result of collisions: Even that lucky penny, traveling at 15 times the speed of a bullet, can cause huge damage—ending a satellite’s mission or, worse, breaking that satellite into pieces.
That’s obviously bad news for satellites.The solution isn’t to demand the launch of fewer satellites; these bring real benefits to people on the Earth.
And while traffic management is certainly necessary, pieces of garbage are never going to be able to follow even the most sensible rules of the orbital road.That means two things need to happen: People need to stop littering, and they need to take out some trash.
The professionals, unsurprisingly, have more carefully considered names for these processes—mitigation (减轻) and remediation (补救).Any time a company wants to put a satellite in the sky, it should have a clear plan for the instrument’s end of life.For objects in very high geostationary orbit (地球同步轨道), this usually involves sending the item to the out-of-the-way “graveyard” orbit.For objects lower down, it tends instead to involve moving them lower still, so that they will burn up upon reentering the atmosphere.
Active removal of garbage that has failed to get out of the way is technically tricky, but at least for large objects, remediation is possible.
Encouragingly, some countries are beginning to try.No nation, however, can save space on its own.A global convention (协定) to set a 21st century code of conduct for space is in order.
【语篇导读】 本文是说明文。主要介绍的是应该如何处理在人类探索太空的过程中产生的太空垃圾。
( )8.What does the underlined word “discarded” in Paragraph 2 mean
[A] Collected up.
[B] Thrown away.
[C] Produced.
[D] Ignored.
B
【解析】 猜测词义题。根据第二段中的“maybe an astronaut dropped ... no longer needed”可知,此处解释的是太空垃圾的来源,可能是航天员掉落的幸运币,也可能是被丢弃的相机盖子,诸如此类都是在执行太空任务中被扔掉的事物。由此可知,discarded的意思与“thrown away”的意义相近。故选B。
( )9.Why can’t we reduce the number of satellites launched every year
[A] The satellites benefit our life a lot.
[B] We need new satellites to replace old ones.
[C] Countries are using satellites to occupy space.
[D] We must make a deeper exploration into the universe.
A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“The solution isn’t to demand ...
benefits to people on the Earth.”可知,对于卫星会被太空垃圾摧毁,我们的解决办法不是减少发射卫星,因为这些卫星会给地球上的人带来实实在在的好处。故选A。
( )10.Which of the following are the measures of stop littering
①Sending satellites to the “graveyard” orbit.
②Moving objects lower still.
③Active removal of debris.
[A] ①② [B] ②③
[C] ①③ [D] ①②③
A
【解析】 细节理解题。根据第五段中的“For objects in very... reentering the atmosphere.”可知,该部分讲述的是处理太空垃圾的方法,对于在非常高的地球同步轨道上的卫星,可以将其送到远离地球同步轨道的“墓地”轨道;对于较低轨道上的卫星,可以将它们移动到更低的轨道。故选A。
( )11.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text
[A] To provide solutions to space junk.
[B] To explain the damage of space junk.
[C] To call upon countries to fine companies making space junk.
[D] To appeal to nations for the protection of space environment.
D
【解析】 推理判断题。根据最后一段以及上文中讲述的太空垃圾的危害和我们应该如何处理太空垃圾可知,一些国家已经开始着手处理太空垃圾,但没有一个国家能独自拯救太空,需要制定一项全球公约来维护太空。由此可知,作者旨在呼吁各个国家制定21世纪太空行为准则,共同保护太空环境。故选D。
Ⅱ.完形填空(每题1分,共15分)
This was the big game.The boys were 1 and excited.It was a clear night, and my son Andy’s baseball team, which had 2 all year, had shocked the better teams by making it to this championship game.The atmosphere was 3 : The other team’s slugger (强击手), a big kid, was like a snake, dangerous and ready to 4 .
Nervously, I looked out Andy’s way.I was 5 to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky! Obviously he wasn’t 6 on the game.I was horrified that he wouldn’t even know the ball was coming.“Come on, Andy. 7 out there,” I said to myself.However,the big kid made a mistake.We (Andy and I) had been 8 and our team still led by one run.
Andy ran up to me at the 9 .I was about to 10 him when he said loudly, “Did you see that shooting star ” Andy’s eyes were glowing (发光) with 11 .I paused.“Yes,” I said.“Well,one inning
(局) to go.Hit a homerun (全垒打)! Okay!” said Andy, and he ran back to his 12 .
I suddenly realised it was nice my son would take timeout to 13 the wonder and beauty in life.You might be surprised by the beauty you can find when you least 14 it.Andy hit a triple (三垒打) in that last inning.But I still wish I had 15 that shooting star, too.
【语篇导读】 本文是记叙文。文章主要讲述了儿子的棒球队进行重要比赛的时候,作者却发现儿子在盯着夜空看,休息的时候儿子过来询问作者是否看到了夜空中的流星,作者意识到儿子能发现生活中的奇迹和美好是一件好事。
( )1.[A] nervous [B] scared
[C] curious [D] ashamed
A
【解析】 根据上文的“This was the big game.”可知,这是一场重要的比赛,所以男孩们既紧张(nervous)又兴奋。故选A。
( )2.[A] waited [B] struggled
[C] said [D] run
A
【解析】 根据后文“had shocked the better teams”可知,让其他优秀的球队震惊说明之前的表现出乎意料,所以作者儿子的棒球队一整年都在努力拼搏(struggled)。故选B。
( )3.[A] electric [B] friendly
[C] casual [D] romantic
A
【解析】 根据后文“the other team’s slugger(强击手), a big kid, was like a snake, dangerous and ready to”可知,对手准备出击,所以气氛很激烈(electric)。故选A。
( )4.[A] escape [B] erupt
[C] jump [D] strike
D
【解析】 根据上文的“like a snake, dangerous and ready to”可知,对手准备出击(strike)。故选D。
( )5.[A] amused [B] content
[C] shocked [D] proud
C
【解析】 根据后文的“to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky”可知,这么重要的比赛作者的儿子却在看夜空,作者感到震惊(shocked)。故选C。
( )6.[A] carrying [B] focusing
[C] commenting [D] reflecting
B
【解析】 根据上文的“to see Andy looking straight up at the night sky”可知,儿子没有集中注意力于(focusing)比赛。故选B。
( )7.[A] Settle down [B] Stand up
[C] Wake up [D] Lie down
C
【解析】 根据上文的“I was horrified that he wouldn’t even know the ball was coming.”可知,作者在心里默念儿子赶紧回过神(wake up)进行比赛。故选C。
( )8.[A] informed [B] punished
[C] warned [D] spared
D
【解析】 根据上文的“However,the big kid made a mistake.”可知,因为对方犯错,所以Andy暂时没有被对方打败,即幸免一次。故选D。
( )9.[A] meeting [B] break
[C] corner [D] entrance
B
【解析】 根据上文的“Andy ran up to me ”可知,儿子跑向作者说明是在休息期间(break)。故选B。
( )10.[A] blame [B] comfort
[C] entertain [D] threaten
A
【解析】 根据上文的“Obviously he wasn’t 6 on the game.”可知,儿子在比赛的时候走神了,所以作者想要责备(blame)他。故选A。
( )11.[A] anger [B] anxiety
[C] excitement [D] confidence
C
【解析】 根据上文的“Did you see that shooting star ”可知,此处指Andy看到流星因兴奋(excitement)而眼睛发光。故选C。
( )12.[A] teammates [B] fans
[C] parents [D] stars
A
【解析】 根据上文可知,儿子答应了作者以后,回到了队友(teammates)身边。故选A。
( )13.[A] create [B] research
[C] explain [D] appreciate
D
【解析】 根据后文的“the wonder and beauty in life”以及儿子看到流星可知,儿子愿意去欣赏(appreciate)生活中的奇迹和美好。故选D。
( )14.[A] need [B] expect
[C] afford [D] suspect
B
【解析】 根据上文的“You might be surprised by the beauty you can find”可知,此处指在最预料(expect)不到的时候发现了生活的美好。故选B。
( )15.[A] become [B] filmed
[C] seen [D] followed
C
【解析】 呼应上文“Did you see that shooting star ”可知,作者希望自己当时看到了(seen)流星。故选C。
