Next Stop: Planet Mars
Fly me to the moon? That’s not far enough. On September 14, 2011, NASA released designs for a superrocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). This time the final destination will be Mars.
The SLS is a huge, liquid-fuelled rocket. If it is fully developed, it will be the most powerful rocket ever built. Its lift capability will be much bigger than that of the space shuttle of Saturn 5, the rocket that sent the Apollo missions to the moon.
NASA is planning to launch its first unmanned test flight in 2017. It is hoped that the first crew will fly in 2021 and astronauts will make it to a nearby asteroid(小行星) in 2025. NASA hopes to send the rocket and astronauts to Mars from the asteroid by the 2030s, according to the Associated Press (AP).
NASA used liquid rockets to send Apollo, Gemini and Mercury into space, but later changed to solid rockets boosters(助推火箭) because they were cheaper. Tragically, however, a booster flaw(缺陷) caused the space shuttle Challenger to crash in 1986. The new project plans to return to liquid fuel.
According to AP, the rockets will at first be able to carry 77 to 110 tons of payload(净载重量). Eventually they will be able to carry 143 tons into space, maybe even as many as 165 tons, NASA officials said. By comparison, the Saturn 5 booster could lift 130 tons and the space shuttle just 27 tons.
However, unlike reusable shuttles, these powerful rockets are mostly one use only. New ones have to be built for every launch. This will be very costly.
NASA estimates that it will cost about $3 billion (19 billion yuan) per year, or $18 billion until the first test flight in 2017. NASA hopes to make money by allowing private companies to send astronauts to the International Space Station like giant taxi services, so that the program can be “sustainable”.
“This is perhaps the biggest thing for space exploration in decades,” said Senator Bill Nelson, a former astronaut. “The goal is to fly humans safely beyond low-Earth orbit(轨道) and deep into outer space where we cannot only survive, but one day also live.”What is the outstanding feature of the SLS?
| A．It’s equipped with an advanced control system. |
| B．It’s the first unmanned space shuttle in the world. |
| C．It’s the only vehicle that can fly astronauts to the moon. |
| D．It can send a lot more goods and passengers into space. |
What is Saturn 5?
| A．An aircraft that had a deadly flaw and crashed in 1986. |
| B．A series of rockets that once sent astronauts to the moon. |
| C．An unmanned space shuttle that was once famous in the world. |
| D．A kind of launch vehicle that will be used to carry astronauts to Mars. |
NASA plans to use liquid fuel in the new project because ______ than solid rockets boosters.
| A．it is less costly |
| B．it is much safer |
| C．it can last longer |
| D．it is more environmentally friendly |
According to NASA’s schedule, it will take ______ years to fully complete the SLS program.
| A．about 6 | B．about 10 |
| C．less than 14 | D．more than 19 |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
| A．the SLS program is planning to make reusable rockets |
| B．the goal of the SLS program is to enable humans to live on the moon |
| C．the US government may not have provided enough money for the SLS program |
| D．NASA will use SLS as a space taxi between the Earth and Mars |
Twelve years age I flew from my home in Minnesota to spend Father’s Day with my father in California. This wasn’t a typical Father’s Day visit, but to say goodbye to my father as his cancer rapidly advanced. We hadn’t had much of a relationship up to that day and never did much talking. He wasn’t verbal (善用言词辞的) or demonstrative (易流露感情的) nor was I. I knew he loved me simply because fathers love their children. He never told me he loved me and I never told him. That’s the way we did things in our house.
My father told me a bit about his career growth from a poor boy to a very successful businessman. He had got a lot through his hard work. He had reasons to be proud of what he had done and I had the benefit of his success. “Maybe I didn’t do things right. I never really knew you or your brothers. I did what I thought was right.” This visit didn’t change our ways. We shook hands and said goodbye as I left. Our relationship ended as we lived it.
As a father for more than 14 years I look back and understand why I am staying at home full-time with my children. I tell my children I love them every day, I hug them and I talk with them and let them know how important they are to me. However, as much as we would like to believe that we are all ideal fathers but we are not. We all made mistakes and hopefully we learned from them, just as I learned from my father.
56.Why did the author visit his father?
A. He wanted to wish his father a happy Father’s Day.
B. He planned to look after his sick father.
C. He wanted to express his love to his father.
D. He came to see his father for the last time.
57. What did the author think of his father?
A. He didn’t talk much but was a good father. B. He didn’t do anything right.
C. He just did what a father should do. D. He didn’t like his children at all.
58. Which of the following statements about the author’s father is TRUE?
A. His father had been away from their home for a long time.
B. His father gained great success through hard work.
C. His father quite understand his children.
D. His father was sorry for his mistake.
59. The author believes that fathers should________.
A. set good example to their children through actions
B. stay at home with their children all the time
C. tell their children what is right
D. express their love to their children
Poetry is an interesting form of writing. It is very free, has few restrictions and can be a great way to express feelings. Writing a poem is all about observing the world within you or around you.
To write a poem, first you should begin with an idea or inspiration(灵感). Inspiration may come at any time unexpectedly. It may be a specific person, place or thing that causes some sort of strong emotion. It may be more of an abstract idea or release of emotion.
After getting the idea, you can write down everything that comes to mind. Don’t think much and let all feelings pour out. Remember everything can be thrown out later.
Then you can think about its form and begin to organize thoughts. Poetry comes in any forms, from epic (叙事的) poetry that has a story to dramatic poetry intended to be performed. Try them all out. One will come naturally. Maybe different poems fit different forms. When you write a poem, think about both meter (韵律) and rhythm carefully, which are equally important in poetry. Meter is the fixed pattern of the poem, while rhythm refers to the sound when it is spoken. It is also important to use a lot of descriptive words. Create imagery (意向) with words, trying to make them attractive to all the senses. For auditory (听觉的) interest, try repeating of similar sounds in a sentence or phrase. All of this adds life and interest to a poem.
After you finish your work, don’t be afraid to share your work with others. When others point out your weakness, accept and grow from it.
60. What does the underlined word “restriction” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Change B. Order C. Limitation D. Organization
61. When you begin to write a poem, you should first _____.
A. begin with some specific persons B. come up with ideas
C. describe a famous place D. organize your thoughts
62. We can infer from the text that_________.
A. writing poems needs imagination and the ability to use language well
B. people can get more ideas if they often share their poems with others
C. people should first learn to write epic poetry, then dramatic poetry
D. people need to write down every feeling they want to release at a time
63. What’s the purpose of the text?
A. To tell readers how to write a poem.
B. To encourage more people to write poems.
C. To show what quality a good poem should have.
D. To teach people how to appreciate poems.
Art is for everyone. Parents can help kids appreciate art by making it available for them. Unfortunately, many adults do not enjoy art simply because they do not understand the stories or context (背景). Actually, children can appreciate art as well as any adult. Here are some simple ways to encourage children to appreciate art.
Find art that will allow children to easily make a connection with their lives. Choose the material according to their ages. Pictures and sculptures of children, for example, or dogs and cats are easily understood, and it is easy to start a conversation about how the themes in the art are connected with familiar people and animals in kids’ lives. Music and dance are very important to children and should also be used.
Explore the stories behind famous, and not so famous, art. Encourage children to make up their own stories about paintings and then research the real story behind the paintings.
Create art with children. Teach them that art is not something that they must only observe but something that they can create. Discuss art with children. Encourage them to express their views on art. Let them know that it is okay to dislike something, and listen to their preferences when planning events.
Visit museums and performances. Explore the artwork in local museums that will interest them. Most cities have children’s theaters and music groups, and often free performances are offered. Many art museums have special tours for children.
Through a variety of artistic experiences, kids will learn how to appreciate art and will enjoy it.
64. When choosing art for children, parents should________.
A. take their children’s ages and experiences into consideration
B. pay close attention to their children’s ability to understand
C. ask professional artists for some useful advice
D. try to find some art beyond their imagination
65. Which of the following should not be down in creating art with children?
A. Allowing children to speak out their own opinions on art.
B. Allowing children to have their own likes and dislikes.
C. Making children interested in everything about art.
D. Talking with children about something on art.
66. We can learn from the text that helping children appreciate art_________.
A. is highly necessary for their growth
B. will improve their school performance
C. can help them make more friends at school
D. needs parents’ encouragement and instruction
Devra Davis was an American epidemiologist (流行病学家) and writer. In When Smoke Ran Like Water, Devra Davis takes the reader from killer smoke to the serious problems of the present including breast cancer and climate change. Davis has been devoted to decreasing illness and loss of life from environmental pollution for decades. She is determined not to let figures and numbers hide the people whose lives are in danger.
One of the things that makes When Smoke Ran Like Water, her book on the battle against pollution, so powerful is that she hasn’t just only studied the statistics (数字统计), but she’s lived them. As a child in the Monongahela River town, she survived the 1948 smog (烟雾) pollution that was reported to have killed 20 people. She writes, “The 50 people who died in the month following decade are nowhere counted. And there is no counting of the thousands called the non-killed － all those who went on to suffer in various poorly understood ways.”
For Davis, counting counts. She focuses on epidemiology, the science which is rooted in numbers. Her book is a series of related stories, which uses a convincing (具有说服力的) method to support her conclusions. For anyone interested in the future of human health, When Smoke Ran Like Water also provides a valuable basis for understanding and action.
67. We can learn from the text that Davis cares most about_____.
A. the measures taken by governments to fight environmental pollution
B. the lasting damage to health caused by environmental pollution
C. the number of people died in environmental pollution
D. the environmental pollution caused by the smog in 1948
68.The author thinks that When Smoke Ran Like Water is a powerful book because_______.
A. Davis was an expert in the study of pollution
B. Davis used real numbers to study pollution
C. Davis was good at writing interesting stories
D. Davis put her real-life experience into the book
69. What kind of method is used by Davis to support the conclusion?
A. The reasoning method B. The storytelling method
C. The statistic method D. The experiment method
70. The purpose of the text is to________.
A. show the damage caused by pollution
B. explain why When Smoke Ran Like Water is popular
C. introduce When Smoke Ran Like Water to readers
D. tell the life of the American writer Devra Davis
I'll be the first to admit that I am a technophobe(对技术有恐惧感的人）.Who would have guessed that a website would help repay a 20-year-old loan?
I'1l always remember my last day at school. My best friend, Jenny, had organized a party in the Sixth
Form Common Room;
Jenny asked me to go to the supermarket with her to buy all the snacks. "I'm really looking forward to this party, Stingy," she said. Everyone called me Stingy instead of Debbie because they thought I didn't like to spend money. Actually, it was true.
"There's lots of money in the kitty(零星凑起的一笔钱）. Let's go crazy!" Going crazy meant buying enough snacks to feed an army. It came to ￡ 19.90,which was a lot of money in 1982.
Jenny gave me a guilty( 内疚的) look. "I've left-the kitty money in the common room. Can you pay and I'll give you back the money?"
"Sure," I replied, trying to look relaxed. ' Neither a lender or a borrower be' was my motto but I didn't want to look stingy(小气). I gave ￡20 to the impatient shop assistant.
Well, the Party was a great success. So great that I completely forgot about my loan until I was flying to America the next day. I was going to live with my uncle's family until I started university.
I tried to get in touch with Jenny but her family had moved. My ￡20 was lost. Until...
I'd heard about a website called Friends Reunited which helped people contact old school friends. My husband helped me log on and find my school. There she was,Jenny Frost.
I'm now married with a beautiful daughter called Debbie. Does anyone know how to get in touch with Debbie 'Stingy' Jones? I still owe her ￡20!
We met two months later and the ￡20 was returned, plus interest(利息)of course. After all, I'm a bank manager now, so loans are my business.Why did Jenny spend a lot of money on the snacks?
| A．Debbie had money. | B．There was money she could use. |
| C．She wanted Debbie to stop being stingy. | D．She wanted to be crazy. |
How did Debbie get her money at last?
| A．Her husband found Jenny. | B．Jenny had a website on the Internet. |
| C．Debbie met Jenny. | D．Debbie put a message on the Friends Reunited website. |
We know from the passage that Jenny .
| A．liked parties at school and felt guilty about borrowing money |
| B．had fun at school but soon forgot about her school friends |
| C．forgot her best friend at school until she saw the Friends Reunited website |
| D．was forgetful about the money |
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