For more than twenty years scientists have been searching for signs of life on other planets. Most of these searches have been done over the radio. The hope is that someone in outer space may be trying to get in touch with us. Scientists also have sent radio and television messages on spaceships travelling through space, on the chance that someone may be receptive to such message.
Scientists are using powerful radio telescopes to listen to signals from about 1,000 stars, all within 100 light years of Earth. In addition, they will scan the entire sky to "listen" for radio messages from more distant stars. Using a computer, they will be able to monitor more than eight channels at one time. Scientists are looking for any signal that stands out from the background noise.
Of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, scientists find that five percent are like our sun. Perhaps half of them have a planet like Earth. Such a planet would be a reasonable distance from the star for temperatures to be right for the evolution (进化) of life. Based on the inhabitable (可居住的) planets in our galaxy, most scientists agree that chances are likely that one or more of these planets support some life.
However, many scientists wonder whether intelligent life exists on other planets. Some believe that twenty years of searching without any intelligible messages shows that no one is out there. They say that the evolution of intelligence comparable to ours is unlikely.
Other scientists believe that our search hasn’t been long enough to rule out the possibility that intelligent life exists in our galaxy. Although our sun family is only about five billion years old, our galaxy is about 20 billion years old. In that time, some scientists think it is likely that civilization much more advanced than ours have developed. Perhaps these civilizations send us no signals; perhaps we have not recognized the signals they have sent us. If we hope to find intelligent life, these scientists believe that we have to keep looking.
1.According to the passage, how many planets in our galaxy might be inhabitable?
A. 5 billion B. 10 billion C. 15 billion D. 200 billion
2.The first paragraph in this passage is mainly about __________.
A. how scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
B. why scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
C. where scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
D. When scientists are looking for signs of life on other planets
3.The underlined word “monitor” in Paragraph two means “__________”.
A. find B. follow C. check D. form
4.Which of the following is TRUE based on the information in the passage?
A. The earth is the oldest planet in our galaxy.
B. All scientists believe that there is intelligent life on other planets.
C. Scientists are trying different ways to find signs of life on other planets.
D. Scientists will give up the search for signs of life on other planets.
How the iron of tomorrow (the first Self Cleaning Iron) can change your lifestyle today?
General Electric introduces the iron of tomorrow. The iron can clean itself every time you empty it. How? With a push of a magic blue button.
The magic blue button
The first thing you’ll notice that’s different about this iron is the blue button on the side. It’s marked “Self Clean”. Push this blue button, and you can wash out loose mineral deposits(沉淀物) that remain and block up inside. Push this button, and you’ve made life a lot easier.
Less chance of brown spots
Sure, the Self Cleaning Iron is going to cut down on brown spots (those ugly spots that happen on nice, cleanly pressed clothes) because a Self Cleaning Iron becomes clean quickly each time you press that magic blue button.
Steam better longer
Common sense tells you that if you’ve got an iron that blocks less often it has to stay younger for a long, period of time. In other words, it steams better longer. That’s another joy of owning General Electric’s Self Cleaning Iron.
What does it mean to you
Today you are doing so much more than just running a house and running after the kids. You’re working. You’re going to school. It’s all part of your lifestyle. The iron can change that lifestyle by giving you less trouble before you iron. If we can make it easier for you to be a better wife, a better mother, a better homemaker, we want to. The new Self Cleaning Iron is another one of Home-Makers from General Electric.
1.This passage is mainly about __________.
A. an introduction to the General Electric
B. an operating instruction of the Self Cleaning Iron
C. an advertisement of the Self Cleaning Iron
D. a description of the change of lifestyle
2.This iron can clean itself by __________.
A. emptying itself B. washing out mineral deposits
C. blocking up mineral deposits D. giving off more steam
3.According to the passage, what is most likely to attract the customers?
A. It is made by General Electric.
B. The iron will not produce mineral deposits.
C. Their clothes will be cleaned at the same time.
D. There will be fewer brown spots on pressed clothes.
4.The Self Cleaning Iron can help change your lifestyle because __________.
A. you can run your house better B. you don’t have to run after the kids
C. you can use it while you are working D. we want you to be a better house maker
When Joe Bates was twelve years old, he lost interest in school. He stopped listening in his classes. Some of his teachers began to consider him a problem.
But a few of Joe’s teachers thought that Joe might have lost interest in schoolwork because he already understood it. They proposed that Joe try taking a university class in computer science. Joe did. He was the best student in the class. Later tests showed that his intelligence and knowledge were far greater than most children of his age. He entered university when he was thirteen, about four years earlier than most children. And by the time he was in his early twenties, Joe was teaching computer science at a university.
Joe’s story shows what can happen when a child’s unusual ability is recognized. Sadly, however, not all gifted children get this recognition. And educational experts say unusually gifted children may waste their abilities if they do not get help to develop them.
Studies show that almost twenty percent of students who fail to complete high school in the United States are gifted children.This is because gifted children can have special problems as well as special abilities. Teachers may not recognize their abilities or may not know how to keep them interested. Or they may consider such students to be troublemakers or rebels.
Gifted children may feel lonely or different because they do not know other children who share their interests.
Educators say there are more than two million gifted children in the United States today. But they say fewer than half are taking part in special education programs designed for them.
One of the most successful programs is held every summer at John Hopkins University in the state of Maryland, where Joe Bates went to school. It started in 1980 when educators saw that there must be many children like Joe.
At first, only 100 children took part in it, and now more than 1,000 children between the ages of nine and sixteen are students in the summer program.
The John Hopkins program provides studies in math and science. It also has classes for children with unusual ability in language and writing. The children study the same subject every day for several weeks. It could be biology, or history, or literature. In those few weeks, they learn as much as in a normal nine-month school year.
William Durden, the director says the program succeeds because it permits children to make progress more quickly than in a traditional program. And the children get to meet others like themselves.
1.Joe Bates stopped listening in his classes because __________.
A. he lost interest in school
B. he hated those teachers who considered him a problem
C. he had already understood what he was taught
D. he wanted to take a university class
2.When a child’s unusual ability is recognized, __________.
A. he can do whatever he likes
B. he will no longer be considered to be a troublemaker or rebel
C. he may have more success than most children of his age
D. he will certainly take part in a special education program
3.According to the passage, the most important thing is to __________.
A. recognize and develop gifted children’s unusual abilities
B. design and support special education programs for gifted children
C. help gifted children get to meet others who share their interests
D. encourage gifted children instead of treating them as a problem
4.Many gifted students fail to complete high school in the United States because _________.
A. they take part in traditional education programs
B. their unusual abilities are not recognized
C. their teachers don’t know how to keep them interested in schoolwork
D. they have special problems as well as special abilities.
In China he’s known as “the Flying Fish”; in America they call him ‘the Baltimore Bullet’.
Whatever you call him, American swimmer Michael Phelps looks destined (命中注定) to become a household name across the world after breaking the Olympic record for most gold medals in a single Games.
Phelps’s total of eight gold medals in Beijing put him one ahead of Mark Spitz’s previous record set in 1972.
Now people are already calling him the greatest Olympian of all time. But whether he is or not, what is it that makes Michael Phelps so good?
A good place to start might be his physique. Phelps has the perfect body shape for a swimmer: his arm span is longer than his height, he has very flexible joints, huge lungs, and his incredibly large feet (size 14 in the US, size 49 in China) act like flippers in the water.
To feed his huge swimmer’s body, Phelps eats an astonishing 12,000 calories a day, six times the average for a man of his age.
He then owes it to a swimsuit which has been making waves in the world of swimming. Designed by NASA, the American space agency, the suit is made of a special material which is said to help athletes swim 2% faster.
Michael Phelps should spare a thought for his mum, who first pushed him into swimming as a way of making friends, and who believed in him when one teacher said he would never be a success.
Whatever the reason for his success, Phelps admits there was perhaps also a bit of luck involved in winning his eight medals.
“I guess eight is a lucky number for me, too, now. The opening ceremony started on 8/8/08. Maybe it was meant to be.” he said.
1.How many gold medals did Mark Spitz's won?
A. 6 B. 7 C. 8 D. 9
2.What makes Michael Phelps so popular?
A. He has broken the Olympic record for most gold medals in a single Games.
B. He is equipped with the best swimsuit which is said to help athletes swim 2% faster.
C. He is a very lucky person and he has the perfect body shape for a swimmer.
D. He has a very good appetiteand he eats an astonishing 12,000 calories a day.
3.According to the passage, how many calories does a man need a day on average?
A. 4,000 B. 3,000 C. 2,000 D. 6,000
4.Which of the following is the reason for his success, in Phelps’ opinion?
a. his physique b. the swimsuit designed by NASA
c. his mother’s encouragement d. good luck e. his confidence
A. a, c, d, e B. a, b, c, e C. a, b, d, e D. a, b, c, d
Nate suffered a hard blow when he lost his job. His boss had spoken rudely, “Your services are no longer needed.”Nate left the building filled with despair. By the time he reached home, he was in deep sadness. When he entered his house, he blurted out to his wife Sophia,“I lost my job. I am a complete, utter failure.”A tense silence followed. Then a smile crept across Sophia’s face.“What great news!”she responded.“Now you can write the book you have always wanted to write.”
“But I have no job and no prospect of a job,”he objected, completely without hope. “If I struggle to be an author, then what will we live on? Where will the money come from?”
Sophia took her husband by the hand and led him to the kitchen. Opening a drawer, she took out a box that was full of cash.“Where on earth did you get this?” Nate gasped.“To whom does it belong?”
“It’s ours!” Sophia replied.“I always knew that one day you would become a great writer if only you were given the chance. From the money you gave me for housekeeping every week, I have saved as much as I could so you would have your chance. Now there is enough to last us a whole year.”
What a surprise! What encouragement! What a wife! The unemployed husband did concentrate on writing that year, and the novel he wrote became a literary masterpiece（文学名著）. The book is The Scarlet Letter. Sophia had an even greater achievement, and she turned Nathaniel Hawthorne from a poor clerk into a world famous master.
1.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Sophia’s achievement B. A great writer’s struggle to success
C. Great encouragement in hard times D. Failure is the mother of success
2.The underlined sentence in the first paragraph seems to tell us that __________.
A. Sophia was very disappointed to hear the news
B. Nate was too sad to speak any more
C. Sophia was thinking of how to encourage Nate
D. both husband and wife had no idea what to do
3.Sophia saved money because __________.
A. she knew her husband would lose his job one day
B. she knew their life would be in difficulty
C. she was very careful with money
D. she was trying to help her husband in every possible way
4.From the passage we learn that Sophia was __________.
A. kind and brave B. careful and encouraging
C. helpful and warm-hearted D. clever and determined
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给题目的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years I would 1at the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought 2very important to us, so I said, “My ears, mum.” She said, “No, many people are 3. But think about it and I’ll ask you again.”
Since making my first 4, I had often thought over the question. So the next time I told her, “Mum, it must be our eyes.” She said, “You are 5fast, but the answer isn’t correct because there are blind people.”
6the years, mother asked me a couple more 7and always her response was, “No, but you are getting 8, dear.” Last year, my Grandpa 9. Everybody was heartbroken, crying. When it was our __10to say our final good-bye to Grandpa, Mum asked me, “Do you know the important body part yet, my dear?”
I was 11when she was asking me. I always thought this was a 12__ between us. She saw the __13look on my face and told me “This question’s very important. It shows you have really 14your life.” I saw her eyes full of tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your 15.” I asked, “Is it because they hold up your head?” she replied, “No, it is 16on them a crying friend or a loved one can __17their head. I hope you’ll have a shoulder to cry 18when you need it.”
Then and there I understood the most important body part is not a 19one. It is being sympathetic(同情的) to the pain of 20.
1.A. guess B. believe C. doubt D. notice
2.A. love B. health C. sight D. sound
3.A. blind B. invisible C. deaf D. thoughtful
4.A. discovery B. decision C. advice D. attempt
5.A. thinking B. learning C. growing D. changing
6.A. Over B. Till C. Beyond D. Before
7.A. times B. things C. questions D. ways
8.A. stronger B. taller C. nicer D. smarter
9.A. left out B. got ill C. passed away D. got wounded
10.A. turn B. duty C. pity D. chance
11.A. satisfied B. shocked C. interested D. excited
12.A. test B. secret C. match D. game
13.A. worried B. regretted C. puzzled D. pained
14.A. lived B. found C. disliked D. enjoyed
15.A. feet B. shoulders C. hands D. hair
16.A. how B. why C. because D. whether
17.A. put B. carry C. leave D. rest
18.A. on B. by C. above D. for
19.A. valuable B. selfish C. useful D. precious
20.A. Grandpa B. the deaf C. others D. the blind
