Terraforming (Earth-forming) other planets, also known as planetary engineering (行星工程), seems like a task still centuries away for mankind to accomplish. However, it is a vigorous topic that attracts both popular and scientific interest. Why should the possibility of terraforming other planets be studied when it may be centuries before we know enough to even decide if it’s a good idea?
Mankind is getting more and more hard facts about other planets. The atmosphere of Venus has been explored; robots have surveyed the surface of Mars; Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn have been studied by spacecraft. Speculations have been answered; new questions have been raised, and enough hard data is right now becoming available to allow us to make the first attempt of planetary engineering.
In the past, people with excellent ideas about terraforming have kept them to themselves, or buried them in a desk drawer because they did not realize that anyone else was interested. But now, a wide circle of people has begun to do this kind of work. For instance, NASA funded a project on transforming Mars.
There are several strong reasons which demand that the possibilities of terraforming be studied carefully. First, it’s an exciting idea of a possible future for human beings. Such thinking has a valuable role in providing options for our future directions. Secondly, the techniques of terraforming will also help contemporary technologies in weather and climate control. Thirdly, such study may assist us in detecting any possible existence of extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, 地外文明搜索) and alien (异己的) civilizations on other planets.
Though the mission is far beyond our reach at the moment, we should at least keep our options open. Through debate and study on this subject, the possibility of rebuilding other planets to make them suitable homes for people may come true some day in the future.
1..
. According to the context, what’s the meaning of the word “speculation” in paragraph 2?
A. The act of discussing something with a group of people.
B. The act of studying and researching.
C. The act of guessing without knowing all the facts about something.
D. The acting of writing letters to a certain organization.
2..
Why did people keep the idea of terraforming to themselves in the past?
A. They thought no one else would show interest in the idea.
B. They gradually came to find the idea crazy.
C. They thought the idea would never come true.
D. They had few resources for further study on this topic.
3..
. Which is NOT the reason to support the study of terraforming?
A. Even if we don’t succeed in terraforming, such study may help us to better understand technologies such as climate and weather control.
B. Such study may explore a new direction of development for human beings.
C. Such study may enable us to find the lives on other planets.
D. As the resources on Earth are being drained, it’s very urgent to study how to migrate (迁移) to other planets。
4..
What’s the main idea of the article?
A. It’s highly possible that terraforming other planets will come true so we should increase investing in this program.
B. Even if the idea of terraforming other planets may take centuries to realize, we have many reasons to support such studies.
C. Terraforming other planets is the best option for human being’s future.
D. More and more people are taking planetary engineering as their occupation.
One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a “sea of technology” rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear – producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will change the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child’s play.
Each of us had a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. “If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment（蚕食）?” asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.
Without having a nature experience, kids can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive（认知的）skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents—and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters（培养）leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three – year – old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.
Kids are not to blame. They are over – protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood rite（仪式）of passage.
Everyone from developers to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement（增强）love, respect and need for the landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.
1..
According to Paragraph 2, the writer thinks that_____.
A. we are the last generation to experience nature.
B. the author of Last Child in the Woods don’t defend parks against encroachment
C. without having a nature experience, kids are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives
D. children should grow up to be protectors of nature
2..
According to the passage, children without experiencing nature will .
A. keep a high sense of wonder
B. be over – protected by their parents
C. be less healthy both physically and mentally
D. change wild places and creatures for the better
3..
. According to the author, children’s breaking an arm is .
A. the fault on the part of their parents
B. the natural experience in their growing up
C. the result of their own carelessness in play
D. the effect of their repetitive stress from computers
4..
In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to .
A. blame children for getting lost in computer games
B. encourage children to protect parks from encroachment
C. show his concern about children’s lack of experience in nature
D. inspire children to keep the sense of wonder about things around
For thousands of years, the most important two buildings in any British village have been the church and the pub. Traditionally, the church and the pub are at the heart of any village or town, where the people gather together to socialize and exchange news.
As a result, British pubs are often old and well preserved. Many of them have become historic sites. The most famous example is the pub in the city of Nottingham called “Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem”, which dates back to the year 1189 AD and is probably the oldest pub in England.
However, British pubs are not just for kings and queens; they welcome people from all classes and parts of society. On a cold night, the pub’s landlord or landlady can always find a warm place for you by the fire. There is always honest and hearty food and plenty of drink available at an affordable price.
That’s how things used to be. Things are beginning to change. It is said that the credit crunch(信贷紧缩) is causing 39 British pubs a week to go out of business. People do not have enough spare money to spend on beer. Recently, the UK government banned smoking in all pubs, and that may also have affected the number of customers going to pubs.
This decline is happening despite the fact that in 2005 the UK government started to allow pubs to stay open after 1l pm. Previously, with 1l pm as closing time, customers would have to drink quite quickly, meaning they sometimes got more drunk than they would if allowed to drink slowly. The British habit of drinking a lot very quickly is known as “binge drinking”, and it causes long-term health problems for people and problems with violent crime for communities.
In order to save their businesses, pubs are trying to change with the market. British pubs now offer something for everyone. A lot of pubs used to be “Working Men's Clubs”, meaning that women could not usually enter. Today, however, women can freely enter 99% of pubs without experiencing any problems. Perhaps things are changing for the better after all.
1.. The passage mainly tells us something about
A. the past and present of British pubs B. the decline of British pubs
C. the long history of British pubs D. the importance of British pubs
2.. Which may not be the cause of the decline of British pubs?
A. The credit crunch. B. The present closing time.
C. The ban of smoking. D. Having no spare money.
3... We can infer from the passage that
A. British people used to like drinking slowly
B. closing the pubs early will reduce social problems
C. binge drinking means drinking less beer
D. British government aims to discourage people from binge drinking
4.. We can see from the last paragraph that the author ________
A. is against the admission of too many women to the pubs
B. holds an optimistic attitude towards the British pubs
C. thinks that women in the pubs will cause less social problems
D. thinks that British pubs should offer everything you need
For Senior 3 students, choosing which college to attend can be the most exciting and thrilling time in their entire school lives. This is also true for an American girl 26 Melanie.
Melanie’s dad, James Porter, who is the chief of police for a Chicago suburb, wants Melanie to 27 nearby Northwestern University, where she’s 28 been accepted. But Melanie, 17, really wants to go to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, where she’s been wait-listed.
When she gets an unexpected 29 from Georgetown University, she decides to 30 a road trip with a few 31 female friends. Melanie believes it is her first step 32 adulthood. But 33 the fact that this trip is “girls only”, James isn’t 34 with the prospect(期望) of his little princess 35 the world without him. He wants to protect her, so he joins the girls and hopes he can convince Melanie to go to Northwestern. 36 Melanie’s father only has the best of 37 , his presence 38 an endless series of comic encounters（遭遇）.
After following their faulty device 39 into the backwoods (偏远地区), James and Melanie 40 Melanie’s little brother and his pet pig have been hiding in the spare compartment (隔间). What should be a simple tyre change 41 the expensive car rolling down a mountain, forcing them to hike to a nearby hotel…. All these disasters add spice(额外的趣味) to their trip while along the way a father and a daughter 42 get the chance to really 43 each other.
All parents, 44 they have college students or not, can relate to the bittersweet realization that their kids are growing up. 45 what Melanie and James have done, we all can find the delicate (脆弱的) balance between staying connected and letting go.
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1.. . A．named |
B．naming |
C．name |
D．names |
|
2.. . A．join |
B．send |
C．attend |
D．pass |
|
3.. . A．still |
B．always |
C．yet |
D．already |
|
4.. . A．appointment |
B．interview |
C．visit |
D．meeting |
|
5.. . A．provide |
B．offer |
C．take |
D．hold |
|
6.. . A．closing |
B．close |
C．closed |
D．closely |
|
7.. . A．toward |
B．for |
C．during |
D．with |
|
8.. A．though |
B．while |
C．once |
D．despite |
|
9.. A．satisfying |
B．successful |
C．comfortable |
D．meaningful |
|
10.. . A．seeking |
B．examining |
C．searching |
D．exploring |
|
11.. . A．Since |
B．Because |
C．While |
D．When |
|
12.. A．intentions |
B．attempts |
C．efforts |
D．planning |
|
13.. . A．comes about |
B．leads to |
C．calls in |
D．turns out |
|
14.. . A．lately |
B．late |
C．deeply |
D．deep |
|
15.. A．discover |
B．invent |
C．recognize |
D．realize |
|
16.. . A．succeeds in |
B．brings in |
C．results from |
D．results in |
|
17.. A．hopefully |
B．finally |
C．firstly |
D．certainly |
|
18.. . A．agree to |
B．speak to |
C．talk to |
D．turn to |
|
19.. . A．whether |
B．if |
C．what |
D．why |
|
20.. . A．As |
B．Like |
C．For |
D．Except |
This ____ girl is Mary’s cousin, who is very lovely.
A. pretty little Spanish B. Spanish little pretty
C. Spanish pretty little D. little pretty Spanish
---Look at these tracks. It _____ be a wolf.”
---Don’t be so sure. I think it _____ be a fox.
A. must; could B. may; might C. need; must D. could; need
