（This selection was originally published in 1992. Pluto （冥王星） is no longer classified as a planet.）
Pluto is in many ways the strangest of the planets. It is small and has a large moon（called Charon）. Its orbit（轨道） is unusual, which may cause it to have seasons in the sense that when it is close to the sun, the liquid （液体）methane（甲烷）on its surface boils to form a kind of atmospheric haze（烟雾）. When the planet moves farther away from the sun, it starts to snow solid（固体） methane.
Pluto is not dark. Despite its great distance from the sun, the surface of Pluto is probably as bright as a moonlit night on Earth. The reason is all that methane, which is as white as newly fallen snow.
The discovery of Pluto was more accident than design. The American astronomer Percival Lowell had predicted the existence of a ninth planet（he called it Planet X）based on what he took to be irregularities in the orbit of Neptune. Today astronomers argue that these "irregularities" weren't real, but the result of instrumental error. Nevertheless, Lowell produced predictions about where Planet X ought to be（although, to be honest, the predictions changed occasionally when he redid the calculations）.In any case, in 1930 Clyde Tombaugh, doing a systemic sky survey that would have found the planet no matter where it was, discovered the planet we now call Pluto. By coincidence, its position was pretty close to where Lowell's last prediction said it should be. Was it just luck? We'll never know．On Pluto's surface, liquid methane boils to form an atmospheric haze, which would be most similar to ____.
| A．light | B． darkness |
| C．liquid | D．steam（水蒸气） |
What effect is produced by including the question "Was it just luck?" at the end of the text?
| A．The question encourages the reader to think about why Pluto is a strange planet． |
| B．The question encourages the reader to think about how planets are discovered． |
| C．The question suggests that all discoveries are luck, not just design． |
| D．The question suggests that other planets were found in different ways． |
What contributes to the brightness of Pluto?
| A．Methane on its surface. | B．Its great distance from the sun. |
| C．Light from its moon, Charon. | D．Its closeness to the sun. |
The text mainly wants to ____．
| A．give a brief introduction of Pluto |
| B．talk about the discovery of Pluto |
| C．prove the exact position of Pluto |
| D．describe the strangeness of Pluto |
Age has its special advantage in America. And one of the more impressive of them is the senior citizen discount. Anyone who has reached a certain age—in some cases as low as 55－is automatically entitled to plenty of price reductions at nearly every level of commercial life. Eligibility（资格）is determined not by one’s need but by the date on one’s birth certificate. Practically the discounts have become a routine part of many businesses-as common as color televisions in motel rooms and free coffee on airliners.
People with gray hair often are given the discounts without even asking for them；yet, millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent（有支付能力的）. Businesses that would never dare offer discounts to college students or anyone under 30 freely offer them to older Americans. The practice is acceptable because of the widespread belief that “elderly” and “needy” are synonymous（同义的）. Perhaps that once was true, but today, to be sure, there is economic variety within the elderly, and most of them aren’t poor.
It is impossible to determine the effect of the discounts on individual companies. For many firms, they are a stimulus to income. But in other cases the discounts are given at the expense, directly or indirectly, of younger Americans. Moreover, they directly annoy some politicians and scholars who consider it a coming conflict between the generations.
Generational tensions are being fueled by continuing debate over Social Security benefits, which mostly involves a transfer of resources from the young to the old. Employment is another point. Supported by laws and court decisions, more and more older Americans are refusing the retirement dinner in favor of staying on the job-thereby lessening employment and promotion opportunities for younger workers. Far from a kind of charity they once were, senior citizen discounts have become a powerful economic privilege（特权）to a group with millions of members who don’t need them.
It no longer makes sense to treat the elderly as a single group whose economic needs deserve priority over those of others. Senior citizen discounts only enrich the myth that older people can’t take care of themselves and need special treatment；and they threaten the creation of a new myth, that the elderly ale ungrateful and taking for themselves at the expense of children and other age groups. Senior citizen discounts are the heart of the very thing older Americans are fighting against－discrimination by age. We learn from the first paragraph that .
| A．offering senior citizen discounts has become routine commercial practice |
| B．senior citizen discounts have enabled many old people to live a good life |
| C．giving senior citizen discounts has increased the market for the elderly |
| D．senior citizens have to show their birth certificates to get a discount |
The reason to give the senior citizen discount is that .
| A．the elderly need humane help from society |
| B．businesses should do something for society in return |
| C．old people are entitled to special treatment for their contribution to society |
| D．the senior discounts can make up for the lack of the Social Security system |
What does the author think of the Social Security system?
| A．It encourages elderly people to retire in time. |
| B．It opens up broad career chances for young people. |
| C．It benefits the old at the expense of the young. |
| D．It should be strengthened by laws and court decisions. |
What does the author mainly argue in the passage?
| A．Senior citizens should fight hard against age discrimination. |
| B．The elderly are selfish and taking senior discounts for granted. |
| C．Senior citizen discounts may well be a type of age discrimination. |
| D．Discount should be given to the economic needs of senior citizens. |
Picking tomatoes
For as long as I can remember, Grandma’s plentiful tomato garden has been a sign of summer’s end. Each September, just as the decreased heat of the sun suggests cooler days, Grandma requests my help in her tomato garden. She convinces me she cannot pick tomatoes without my youthful eyes and quick mind. She says we need to examine each tomato and agree on its readiness for picking. While Grandma’s request for my help in the tomato garden is always the same, her desire for my help seems to increase each year.
Grandma has eyes for finding even the tomatoes hidden by undergrowth and other tomatoes. I, however, just turn circles looking for the ones I think Grandma will like. I spot what looks like a ripe tomato, head in its direction, and then get sidetracked by another that appears to be equally ripe. I usually end up watching Grandma and trying to stay out of her way, which seems the only way my eyes and mind ale useful.
There we are, lost in the tomato vines（藤）. Grandma’s eyes are always knowing, and they are no different in the vegetable garden. From afar she spots what looks like a ripe tomato. As she walks toward the garden, she evaluates the tomato for a second time. but from a different angle. I already know it will end up in the basket with the pile of others Grandma has carefully chosen. However, Grandma acts as if she needs a final look to be sure. She calls me to her side, kneels beside the vine while enjoying the warmth of the fading sunlight on her face, and grasps the tomato in her hand. She turns each round, red ball toward the sunlight before disconnecting it from thevine with a half-hearted smile.
She then looks at me. I nod my head and smile. Grandma assumes I smile in agreement with her tomato selection. I know I smile, instead, at her.Why does Grandma ask the author to go to the tomato garden with her?
| A．He can help pick more tomatoes. |
| B．He can learn the hardship of labor. |
| C．She enjoys staying with him while working. |
| D．She tries to share the happiness of harvest with him. |
The second paragraph shows that the author .
| A．is an inefficient tomato picker |
| B．really has youthful eyes and quick mind |
| C．has spent a lot of time gardening with Grandma |
| D．is a naughty child trying to be out of Grandma’s sight |
In the last paragraph, the author smiled to Grandma because he .
| A．realizes her true intentions |
| B．feels very happy to pick tomatoes for her |
| C．confirms that her choice of tomato is great |
| D．appreciates her skill in finding ripe tomatoes |
What can we infer from the story?
| A．The grandchild will become more skillful at gardening than Grandma. |
| B．Grandma will develop more patience in working with the grandchild. |
| C．The grandchild will gradually become more independent of Grandma. |
| D．Grandma’s need for the grandchild's company will grow over time. |
认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡相应题号的横线上。
You probably have lists of remember and steps to follow in order to have the best pet-friendly trip. There are, however, a few things that are best left at home. Here are a few things to forget when you’re traveling with pets. Forgetting them will make your trip run more smoothly and more effectively.
Time
Traveling with pets will take longer and will have unexpected turns. In reality, forgetting about time means leaving impatience behind. Don’t be in a rush. Your pets will require more extra stops than you will, and they’ll often surprise you with unpredictable delays. Plan on leaving early and arriving later and you’ll be right on time.
Anger
Getting angry at the delay will only make matters worse. Your feelings can add unnecessary stresses to you and your pets’ travel experience. If you feel yourself becoming out of control, stop and take a deep breath. Your pets have little control over their emotions, bowel movements, or motion sickness when traveling. Remember to be kind and understanding at all times, especially when under pressure.
Work Attitude
This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you are traveling, leave your work attitude behind. Traveling is not a task to be accomplished; it can be an enjoyable and memorable experience for both you and your pets as long as you have the right attitude.
Control
Part of the joy of traveling with pets is dealing with the unexpected. You can’t control everything and trying to do so will only end in frustration and anger. Knowing that things will happen beyond your control will bring great relief to you and your pets. Messes happen; accidents happen. Once you accept that, traveling with your pets will be far easier to manage.
Selfishness
Traveling with pets often requires an extreme amount of selflessness. Your pets rely on you to take care of their needs, and sometimes you will need to put their needs before your own. Leave your selfish ambitions behind when traveling with your pets. They need your attention and care more than anything else because of the stresses and strains of traveling.
Traveling with pets can and will be a joy if you remember to leave these five items behind. It can be difficult at times to handle, but the traveling will go well if you can manage to do so.
Traveling with pets
| Benefit |
You’ll have a(n) 2 and more effective trip by following the tips. |
|
| Five things to 1 |
Time |
* Traveling with pets will take longer and have unexpected turns. * Plan on 3 early to be on time. |
| Anger |
* Anger will only make matters worse when you are 4 . * Your pets can 5 control themselves during the trip. |
|
| Work Attitude |
* Leave your work attitude behind. * Right attitude can 6 you an enjoyable and memorable traveling experience. |
|
| Control |
* Dealing with the unexpected can be 7 . * Once you accept that, you will find traveling is not that 8 to manage. |
|
| Selfishness |
* Traveling with pets often requires you to be 9 . * Your pets rely on you to take care of their needs. * At times you should put your needs behind theirs. |
|
| 10 |
Traveling with pets can be a joy and your trip will be successful. |
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 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.”________ 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 |
Which of the following is TURE 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. |
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. |
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 new |
Maybe it is true that we do not know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives.
It takes an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Do not expect love in return; but if it does not, be content it has grown in yours. Do not rely on one’s appearance; it can trick you. Do not rely on wealth; even that fades away. Rely on someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You cannot go on well in life until you let your past failures and heartaches go off. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness waits for those who cry, those appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Always put yourself in others’ shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.In this passage, the writer wants to tell us ______.
| A．what to do in our life |
| B．where to go with other persons |
| C．how to treat our life |
| D．how to get on well with other persons |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．If you give someone your love, you are sure to receive love in return. |
| B．We often don’t know what we have lost until it happens someday. |
| C．It is wise not to rely on anybody because you are likely to be cheated. |
| D．If it takes you a short time to love someone, you will easily forget the person. |
If you put yourself in another person’s position, ______.
| A．you shouldn’t do what will hurt other people |
| B．you should put on other people’s shoes |
| C．you should believe in other people |
| D．you should depend on your imagination |
In the last paragraph the writer is actually telling us that a person in the world should be one who ______.
| A．can accept the suggestions made by others |
| B．can live happily and forget the past |
| C．does good to other people and is respected and loved by them |
| D．has made a lot of money for himself before he dies |
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