For hundreds of years humans have dreamt of finding life on distant planets. Now the hope of discovering real evidence of life has greatly increased
NASA’s Mars detector (探测器), Opportunity, succeeded in finding signs that water once existed on the planet. Opportunity landed on Mars in January. Scientists now believe that the planet could once have supported life.
This discovery was chosen by Science, one of the world’s leading magazines, as the most important scientific achievement of 2004 last Friday
“This little, wheeled, one-armed box went around another planet and has done something no human has ever managed,” according to Science. “It has discovered another place in the universe where life could once have existed.”
“Although we still can’t say that life could have existed in this environment, it is now certain that there was water on Mars,” said Steve Squyres, one of the scientists working on the Mars mission. The evidence comes from pictures and chemical readings taken by Opportunity. It includes marks on rocks like those caused by flowing water on Earth and salty chemicals like those found in dried-out sea-beds. Scientists said the new evidence proved beyond doubt that water has been existed on Mars. But it is still unknown whether the water on Mars was like an ocean or just ice.
While Opportunity has not found any signs of life, the presence of water means life is possible. “In everything we know about life on Earth, there is no example without liquid water,” Squyres said. “So water is important for the search for life on Mars.”
Researchers agree that a future mission (任务) should bring back physical samples (样品). But some scientists worry about the risk that this could introduce dangerous foreign creatures to Earth. “The problem here is how to get the samples back,” Squyres replied. “I think it is our responsibility to limit any risk.”
1. ________ prove that water existed on Mars.
A. The physical samples with salty chemicals
B. The marks on rocks and salty chemicals
C. Scientific achievements of 2004
D. Creatures from Mars
2. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. It is now certain that there was water on Mars.
B. The water on Mars was like an ocean.
C. Evidence of life on Mars has been found.
D. Search for life on Mars is a great risk to humans.
3. How did scientists draw the conclusion that there was water on Mars?
A. The world’s leading magazine has announced the fact.
B. Scientists have taken many pictures and chemical readings on the Mars.
C. Astronauts have got some rocks from Mars.
D. Scientists have made a study of the pictures and readings sent back by Mars detector.
4. It can be inferred that, if the creatures from Mars came to Earth, ________.
A. they would be kind to humans
B. they would be cruel to humans
C. they would be a great danger to Earth
D. it would be hard to say whether it would be a good news or bad news
Johnson went to Penquay for the weekend. He arrived there late on Friday evening. The landlady of the guest house, Mrs. Smith, answered the door and showed him to his room. Johnson was very tired and went straight to bed. He slept well and didn’t wake up until nine o’clock the next morning.
Johnson went downstairs for breakfast. Because there were no other guests, Mrs. Smith invited him to have breakfast with her family. Her only daughter, Catherine, about 13, was already sitting in the dining-room. Mrs. Smith went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Johnson noticed there were four places at the table and asked Catherine if there was another guest. Catherine told him that it was an empty place. And it used to be her father’s place. Her father had been a fisherman. Three years before he had gone out in his boat, and had never returned. Her mother always kept that place for him and made his breakfast every morning. Catherine showed him his photo on the wall. Johnson said nothing, but looked very puzzled (迷惑不解). At that moment Mrs. Smith returned. She served four cups of tea, and put one in the empty place. Looking at the empty chair, Johnson was more puzzled.
Suddenly, Johnson heard footsteps outside the door and a tall man with a black beard walked into the room. Johnson looked scared. It was the man in the photo. He jumped up and ran out of the room. The man asked, “What’s the matter?” Catherine said, “I don’t know. He’s a guest from London. He’s here because a tall man with a black beard tried to kill him.” “Catherine,” the man said, “have you been telling stories again?” “Stories, father? Me?” the girl laughed.Why did Mrs. Smith invite Johnson to have breakfast with her family?
| A．He woke up too late for his breakfast. |
| B．There was an empty place at the table. |
| C．He was the only guest on that day. |
| D．Her daughter wanted to talk with him. |
Who was the tall man with a black beard?
| A．Another guest. | B．Catherine’s father. |
| C．A friend of the family. | D．Johnson’s enemy. |
What does the word “scared” probably mean?
| A．Excited. | B．Upset. | C．Frightened. | D．Calm. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Catherine’s father got lost on the sea. |
| B．Mrs. Smith does not love her husband. |
| C．Johnson may be killed by the man. |
| D．Catherine is fond of telling stories. |
In 1985, a lionfish was caught off the coast of Florida. Now they can be found not only in the Atlantic Ocean but also in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. And they are continuing to move south. Lionfish are native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. So how did they end up in the Atlantic? Scientists believe some pet owners abandoned their unwanted lionfish and poured them into the sea. Little did they know the trouble their actions would cause.
The Atlantic Ocean turned out to be a comfortable home for lionfish. Their venomous spines (毒刺) protect them from sharks and other fish. Female lionfish can spawn (产卵) every few days, producing as many as 2 million eggs per year. Other big fish would have competed with lionfish for food. Bet overfishing has removed many of these large fish. As a result, the fish have eaten so much that they have grown to be more then three times the size of their cousins in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. “They eat mostly fish,” says Stephanie Green, a scientist at Oregon State University.
All that eating has caused great changes. Scientists have found that when lionfish are present somewhere, many other fish, which are small enough for them to eat, disappear. Some of the fish they eat are greatly missed in their habitats. For example, parrotfish eat certain plants off corals(珊瑚), which allows corals to grow better. But they are now disappearing due to lionfish.
Scientists say lionfish are here to stay. But there are ways to deal with the problem. The key, says Green, is to keep lionfish numbers in check. In Florida, drivers can now go though a special training program and get certified(授予合格证书) to catch lionfish in areas where fishing is not usually allowed. And a number of restaurants have added the fish to the menu. “It’s going to be a long-term battle, but the missing sea species will come back someday,” says Green.What can we learn about lionfish?
| A．Its population is growing very quickly. |
| B．All of them are almost the same size. |
| C．They eat other big fish and even sharks |
| D．Most of them have gathered in the Atlantic. |
Parrotfish were mentioned to show lionfish’s _____.
| A．loneliness | B．carelessness |
| C．weakness | D．harmfulness |
What is Stephanie Green’s attitude to the battle against lionfish?
| A．She doubts it. |
| B．She is hopeful of it. |
| C．She is worried about it. |
| D．She thinks it is against the law. |
By 1938, Europe had been experiencing an increased number of attacks on Jews. With no end in sight, Jewish refugee(难民) agencies requested the British government to allow them to bring in only Jewish children under17 years of age. This was to be only temporary, until the situation in their home countries was improved.
Kindertransport, meaning “children transport” in German, was then born. Children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and other Nazi-occupied regions were transported to the United Kingdom. There they were either placed with other families or in hostels. Later, it was found that many of these children were the only survivors of their families. Nicholas Winton was among those people who helped to save Jewish children. He managed to rescue 669 children from Czechoslovakia and bring them safely to England. In 1938 around Christmas, 29-year-old Nicky was about to leave for a skiing holiday. Suddenly, Martin Blake, one of his good friends, contacted(联络) him from Czechoslovakia, asking him to travel there to help political refugees on the run from the Nazis. And Nicholas agreed.
Nicky spent his entire holiday of 3 weeks in the capital city of Prague where he saw the situation first-hand. Once back in England, he immediately started organizing the evacuation(撤离) of children from the Czech region. From advertising for the necessary permits, Nicky worked tirelessly. By August 1939, 669 children had been helped by Nicky and his friends. Haplessly, the last group of children due to leave Prague in the beginning of September could not do so— World War Ⅱ broke out, and swallowed them up.
Nicky did not discuss his particular task with his wife, Grete. It was only when she found a scrapbook in 1988, with names of the rescued children, their (lost) parents and the foster families that had taken them in, that his heroism came to light. Nicky has received several awards in Britain and the Czech Republic.Kindertransport aimed to_____.
| A．help the homeless |
| B．transfer the affected |
| C．stop German attacks |
| D．save Jewish children |
We can learn from the text that Nicholas Winton_____.
| A．knew nothing about what happened in Prague |
| B．did a lot to help Jewish children out of danger |
| C．always told his wife what he was doing |
| D．saved 669 children and their parents |
The underlined word “Haplessly” in Paragraph 4 can best be replaced by “___”.
| A．Unfortunately | B．Hopefully |
| C．Strangely | D．Importantly |
Which of the following can best describe Nicholas Winton?
| A．Strict but caring |
| B．Proud but patient |
| C．Warm-hearted and cautious |
| D．Hard-working and humorous |
The Kinema, Lincolnshire
It’s a wooden building on the outside and a two-screen cinema on the inside, all nesting among pine trees in a tiny village. The Kinema showed its first film in 1922 and the first six rows were deckchair (折叠帆布躺椅). Today, it’s more richly decorated.
“People come here because it’s a fantastic experience,” says manager Philip Jones. “Many rooms in the Kinema are simple and not attractive, but we try to remain everything that makes it special.”
The Cube, Bristol
It’s not really a cinema. It is a not-for-profit cooperative run by volunteers, which has been operating for the last 15 years.
They are “unique for what we do, which is to operate seven nights a week and with no funding.” They make many things themselves, such as cola and yogurt.
The Broadway, Nottingham
A cinema has been here since the 1960s, when local fashion designer Paul Smith would come to see arty foreign films, which heavily influenced his career choice. Later, he designed the stripy(条纹的) sofas.
The Broadway was previously used as a church, but locals love it for its independent, art house, and DIY spirit. The Broadway also has a right-on restaurant, with locally sourced vegetables and salads, and even serves its own beer.
The Rex, Hertfordshire
It opened to the public in 1938 and has been named the most beautiful cinema in the UK. There’s a varied program with different films every night. Hot dogs and popcorn are banned. And a real person answers the phone when you call.
People speak very highly of the Rex. So do go, if only once, to see just how a cinema should be run.In Philip Jones’ opinion, the Kinema may attract people who_____.
| A．live in the nearby villages |
| B．are fond of rich decorations |
| C．are interested in wooden structures |
| D．want to experience something special |
We know from the text that the Broadway_____.
| A．was built in 1960 |
| B．owns a restaurant |
| C．is next to a church |
| D．was designed by Paul Smith |
The Cube and the Broadway are similar in the way that both_____.
| A．are non-profit cooperatives |
| B．show arty foreign films |
| C．offer homemade drinks |
| D．use stripy sofas |
Which of the following has the longest history?
| A．The Kinema. | B．The Cube. |
| C．The Broadway. | D．The Rex. |
It was raining as I ran out of the church, eager to get home and play with the gifts Father Christmas sent me. Across the street was a gas station, which was closed for Christmas, but I noticed a family standing under the narrow overhang to keep dry. I wondered briefly why they were there but then forgot about them as I couldn’t wait to see my gifts.
Once I got home, there was hardly any time to enjoy my gifts. My grandparents were still waiting for us to have Christmas dinner together at their house. As we drove down the highway, I noticed that the family was still there.
The closer we got to my grandparents’ house, the slower the car went. Suddenly, my father U-turned and said, “I can’t stand it!” “What?” asked my mother. “It’s those people back there at the gas station, standing in the rain.”
When my father pulled into the station, I saw there were five of them: the parents and three children—two girls and a small boy. Then we learned that the family was waiting for the bus to Birmingham, where the man planned to find a job.
“Well, that bus won’t come along for several hours. Winborn’s just a few miles away, and there is a shed(棚) with a cover there,” my father advised. “I will run you up there.”
Then they climbed into our car,. My father looked back and asked the children if Father Christmas had found them. Three sad faces gave him his answer.
“Well, Father Christmas said he was having trouble finding you, so he just left your toys at my house this morning. Let’s go to get them first,” my father said. All at once, the three children’s faces lit up.
When we arrived at our house, one girl spied a lovely doll, that little boy took a ball, and the other girl picked up something else. That was the Christmas when I learned the joy of making others happy.At the gas station the family might feel______.
| A．anxious | B．disappointed |
| C．frightened | D．ashamed |
The three children received Christmas gifts thanks to_______.
| A．the author | B．the author’s father |
| C．their parents | D．their grandparents |
We can learn from the text that the author’s father_____.
| A．knew that family very well |
| B．got lost on the way to Winborn |
| C．sent that family to Birmingham |
| D．was happy to help those in trouble |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Father Christmas saved us |
| B．My father never gives up. |
| C．Special Christmas gifts |
| D．A hard-working family |
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