Question

Life may have evolved on at least three planets within a newly discovered solar system 39 light years from Earth. Astronomers at the NASA have discovered no less than seven roughly Earth-sized worlds orbiting a dwarf star in the system. Scientists had previously identified a tiny number of "exoplanets", which are believed to have the qualities needed to support life. However, the new system contains an unprecedented(前所未有) number of Earth-sized, probably rocky planets, and is being acknowledged as an "accelerated leap forward" in the search for  extraterrestrial (外星球的)life.

Three of the new planets are said to be particularly promising because there might exist oceans. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA, told a press conference in Washington: "This gives us a hint that finding a second Earth is not a matter of 'if', but 'when'."

The planets were discovered using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which was able to track how fast each of the planets crossed the star Trappist-l and completed an orbit. From this the  research team calculated how far the planets were from their star, and therefore how likely they are to be habitable.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is already being used to search for atmospheres around the planets. Future telescopes, including the proposed European Extremely Large Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, may be powerful enough to discover markers of life, such as oxygen in the atmospheres of exoplanets.

Astronomers believe there could be as many as 40 billion potentially habitable worlds in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Prof Zurbuchen said that now was a "gold-rush phase" in the search for these exoplanets.

1.What makes the new discovery significant?

A. Ample markers of life.    B. The potential to support life.

C. Great distance from Earth.    D. The search for extraterrestrial life.

2.What helps explore atmospheres around the exoplanets?

A. Spitzer Space Telescope.    B. Hubble Space Telescope.

C. European Extremely Large Telescope.    D. James Webb Space Telescope.

3.What may be the best title for the text?

A. New Solar System Found    B. Second Earth Discovered

C. Why to Explore Outer Space    D. Gold-Rush Stage to Come

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

【解析】本文是一篇科普类文章，介绍了科学家发现了距离地球39光年的新的太阳系，其中的至少三个行星存在生命的可能。

1.细节理解题。根据前两段内容，特别是第二段中的“This gives us a hint that finding a second Earth is not a matter of 'if', but 'when'.”可知，这个发现的意义在于这些星球上有存在生命的可能性，人们发现第二个地球只是时间问题，故B项正确。

2.细节理解题。根据四段中的“NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is already being used to search for atmospheres around the planets.”可知，NASA的哈勃太空望远镜会帮助探索系外行星的大气层，故B项正确。

3.主旨大意题。根据全文内容，特别是文章第一句“Life may have evolved on at least three planets within a newly discovered solar system 39 light years from Earth.”可知，本文主要介绍了科学家发现了距离地球39光年的新的太阳系，其中的至少三个行星存在生命的可能，故A项作文章题目合适。