Scientists added a record of 715 more planets to the list known to the world beyond the solar system, astronomers said on Wednesday, in February 2014. The additions include four planets about 0.5-2 times as big as Earth that are the right distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water, which is believed to be fit for life.
The discoveries were made with the NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler space telescope. The telescope, launched in 2009, spent four productive years observing 160,000 target stars for signs of planets passing by, within the telescope’s sight.
The numbers of planets announced at a NASA press conference on Wednesday increased Kepler’s confirmed planets from 246 to 961. Combined with other telescopes’ results, the total number of planets beyond the solar system now is nearly 1,700. “We almost doubled, just today, the number of planets known to humans,” astronomer Douglas Hudgins, head of planet exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington, told reporters on a conference call.
Many planets’ discovery is due to a new technique that analyzes potential planets in batches rather than one at a time. The method was developed after scientists realized that most planets, like those in the solar system, have similar worlds orbiting a common parent star.
The newly found planets strengthen the evidence that small planets, two to three times the size of Earth, are common throughout the galaxy(银河系).
“Generally, wherever (Kepler) can see them, it finds them,” said astronomer Sara Seager, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “That's why we have confidence that there will be planets like Earth in outer space.”
Like the solar system, which has eight planets plus Pluto and other so-called “dwarf planets,” the newly found planets belong to families. But unlike the solar system’s planets, which are about 150 times farther from the sun than Earth. Most of the planets fly nearer to their parent stars than Venus（金星） orbits the sun, a distance of about 67 million miles (108 million km.)
NASA and other space agencies are designing new telescopes to discover planets in so-called “habitable zones” around their parent stars where temperatures would be suitable for liquid surface water. Two papers on the new Kepler research will appear in an upcoming issue of ‘The Astrophysical Journal’.
1.The underlined word ‘batches’ in the fourth paragraph probably means _____ here.
A. continent B. program
C. group D. association
2.Through Kepler, Scientists have found more planets ________ throughout the galaxy.
A. the same size as Earth
B. about 0.5—2 times as big as Earth
C. twice the size of Earth
D. two to three times the size of Earth
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the planets known to the world are believed to be fit for life.
B. There may be liquid surface water on some of the newly found planets.
C. Kepler space telescope spent four years observing 160,000 target planets.
D. The orbits of the newly found planets are just like those of the solar system
4.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?
A. US space telescope discovers more planets
B. Kepler observes many new target stars
C. Scientists believe 715 planets fit for life
D. NASA finds liquid surface water on the planets
Microsoft Windows XP support ends: How to update? If you’re still running Windows XP — what do you do now? This doesn’t mean that computers running the operating system will stop working, but it is likely that the computer will be attacked by hackers as the company stops providing security-updates and technical support for Windows XP.
Generally speaking, you have two new choices: Buy a new computer or update to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. If you’re not ready to make a change, there are things you should do if you’ll still be on XP over the next couple of months.
Firstly, make sure the software you have is as up-to-date as possible. That means having any security fixes you can’t get from Microsoft’s website and make sure that you’ve got some (non-Microsoft) antivirus software installed(安装) from other websites. Of course, if you want to keep really safe then you’d better stay off the web altogether, though for many users this won’t even be a choice. Another choice is to change from using an administrator account to a limited account for tasks, like checking your e-mail. This means that if a hacker attacks your computer, at least they won’t have administrator-level access.
However, we have to stress that these steps are just temporary(临时的) measures and aren’t enough to protect your computer in the long run. Whether you’re buying a new computer or simply updating your present operating system depends on yourself. You’ll have to choose between Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Whichever you go for, you’ll need to check that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for either system. For either Windows 7 or 8.1, you’ll need at least a computer with 1GB of RAM, 1GHz processor and 160GB of hard disk space. However, to run a better operating system, you’ll need a computer with over 4GB of RAM, a 2GHZ processor and 500GB of hard disk space. Buying a new computer with these functions, you may pay more than＄500.
If you’re still planning on updating, Microsoft offers some great guides on their own website, meaning that you can download your new operating system and copy all your old files without leaving your computer. Windows 7 is certainly better than Windows XP, but you should be aware that it is also an ‘old’ operating system. Microsoft Company will add more updates to Windows 8.1 over time, while Windows 7 will also come to an end before long — just like XP.
1.‘Microsoft Windows XP support ends’ means that _________.
A. the operating system of Windows XP will stop working
B. Microsoft stops providing technical support for Windows XP
C. people must install other websites’ antivirus software for Windows 7.
D. people must buy a new computer and update to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1
2.To prevent a hacker from attacking your computer, you’d better NOT_________.
A. update your computer
B. stay off the web altogether
C. use an administrator account
D. install some antivirus soft wares
3.From the fourth paragraph, ___________ is a better choice in the long run.
A. buying a new computer as Windows XP support ends
B. updating your present operating system to protect your computer
C. having a new computer with at least 1GB of RAM, 1GHz of hard disk space
D. choosing a new computer with over 4GB of RAM and 500GB of hard disk space
4.From the passage we can conclude that __________.
A. hacker attacks will happen more often in the future
B. an operating system develops quickly as time goes by
C. a new computer will be more expensive than it used to be
D. people tend to use security fixes except Microsoft Company’s
Classified Ads SEEK is the trademark of Classless.com, a site registered in Singapore. You can buy, sell, trade, rent, deal, find and advertise almost anything here. Common categories(种类) include house, parking, camera, computer, mobile phones, bags, shoes, clothing, jewelry, car, private teacher, car rental, hotels, business, pets, food, restaurants, sports, music and others. The site is also available in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Philippines plus a global site which is open to all countries worldwide. Here, you can advertise your things for free. Ads may contain video for better product presentation.
What are you waiting for? Explore the site and advertise for free! The following are some of the Ads in Australia.
1.The reason for Dr. Johnson’s giving the puppies out is that he _______.
A. dislikes little puppies
B. wants to make more money
C. is busy and going abroad
D. finds loving homes for the puppies
2.If you want to hire the bus for half a year, you will have to pay _______.
A. 2,520US＄ B. 4,200 US＄
C. 25,200 CN￥ D. 33,000CN￥
3.In the Ads we can learn that ______.
A. classified Ads SEEK is a site registered in Malaysia
B. you should pay some money for advertising your products.
C. you can add video to your ads to present your products better.
D. Dr. Johnson was too busy and poor to raise the three little dogs.
The Sewol ferry (渡船) was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing.
On Tuesday, one ordinary diver(潜水员）died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard.
The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said.
Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation(调查), 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice(玩忽职守) related to company finances.
Improper stowage(载货) and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn.
The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations.
1.We learn from the passage that the number of survivors except the crew members is ______.
A. 145 B. 152 C. 174 D. 260
2.According to the investigation, the main causes of the ferry's sinking are ______.
A. malpractice and wrong operations.
B. wrong direction and sharp turning around
C. too many students and crew members
D. improper stowage and overloading of cargo
3.Because of the national sadness, various events were canceled except ________.
A. activities on Children's Day
B. celebrating Buddha's Birthday
C. enjoying a national holiday
D. paying respects at the memorial sites
4.You can find this passage on the __________ section of a newspaper.
A. sports B. business C. news D. entertainment
Once there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree and the tree loved to with him.
Time went by --- the boy had grown up and he played around the tree. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked .“Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I’m no longer a kid. I play around the tree any more.”the boy . “I want toys. I need to buy them.” “Sorry, I don’t have money. But you can all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left . The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
After that the boy returned and asked the tree for again and again. First, he asked the tree for a house, and the tree gave the boy all its . Second, he told the tree he needed a to go sailing, the tree offered its trunk. , the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have for you any more. The only thing left is my dying ,” the tree said with tears.
“Good! Old tree root is the place to lean on and rest”. The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were ，we loved to play with Mom and Dad… When we grow up，we them，and come to them when we need something or when we are . No matter what，parents will always give everything they could to make us happy. We may think that the boy is to the tree but that's how all of us are treating our parents.
1.A. live B. chat C. fight D. play
2.A. not longer B. often C. always D. no longer
3.A. sad B. sorry C. delighted D. happy
4.A. can't B. wouldn't C. didn't D. mustn't
5.A. asked B. told C. replied D. required
6.A. apple B. money C. toys D. help
7.A. buy B. at C. cut D. pick
8.A. easily B. happily C. sadly D. peacefully
9.A. help B. house C. meal D. life
10.A. trunks B. leaves C. branches D. apples
11.A. car B. boat C. ticket D. sails
12.A. Then B. Finally C. Soon D. Last
13.A. all B. something C. anything D. what
14.A. root B. foot C. body D. tree
15.A. old B. worst C. best D. new
16.A. young B. old C. dying D. born
17.A. love B. leave C. know D.hate
18.A. always B. often C. only D. seldom
19.A. in condition B. in return C. in red D. in trouble
20.A. kindly B. commonly C. cruel D. justly
—I'm sorry I made a spelling mistake in my composition!
— _________. Nobody is perfect.
A. Take your time B. You're right
C. Take it easy D. That’s all right
