Question

After decades of playing catch-up with the U.S. and Russian space programs, China did something neither nation nor any other had done this December: land a spaceship on the dark side of the moon.

Strictly speaking, of course, the moon has no dark side. But because of the way it orbits Earth, our natural satellite shows us only one side － the other is hidden from our view. No one even saw the far side until 1959, when the Soviet Luna 3 spaceship flew around for a look and sent back photos. No astronaut or spaceship went there until this December, when the China National Space Agency (CNSA) launched a 2,500-pound lander called Chang’e-4 to the southern end of the lunar far side.

Chang’e-4 operated a small rover (探测车) to survey the geography there for the first time ever. By examining the geography of its landing area, Chang’e-4 could solve longstanding puzzles about the moon, including how it formed 4.5 billion years ago. Chang’e-4 also carried a very small ―lunar biosphere (生态圈) ‖ containing silkworm eggs and a tiny greenhouse designed to grow potatoes in order to study the growth of the seeds on the moon.

Besides Chang’e-4, China plans to launch Chang’e-5 in 2019. Its mission will be to gather moon rocks using an orbiter, a lander or collector, an ascent stage (上升器) and a capsule that will separate from the orbiter and return the rocks to the earth. ―With these missions, the Chinese will have shown complete mastery of flight in the space between the earth and the moon,‖ said Paul Spudis, an experienced lunar researcher based in Houston.

CNSA has already outlined ideas for Chinese astronauts to follow the robots to the moon. Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of CNSA’s Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center, told that China plans a permanent robotic lunar station in about 10 years and suggested a human presence on the moon another decade or so after that. Spudis said China’s ambitious Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5 missions should send human’s plans for lunar return into rapid development.

1.What do we know about the dark side of the moon from the first two paragraphs?

A. Two western countries have taken its photos.

B. It is hidden from people’s view due to the earth’s orbit.

C. China is the first country to land a spaceship there.

D. It exists because the sun never shines there.

2.Why did Chang’e-4 operate a small rover?

A. To study the geography of the lunar dark side.

B. To grow potatoes on the moon.

C. To examine the growth of eggs and seeds.

D. To survey the lunar biosphere.

3.Which of the following can move apart from the orbiter of Chang’e-5?

A. The lander.    B. The collector.

C. The ascent stage.    D. The capsule.

4.What is Spudis’s attitude to China’s Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5 missions?

A. Cautious.    B. Disapproving.

C. Ambiguous.    D. Favorable.

Answer

1. C

2. A

3. D

4. D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，介绍了中国最新的航天壮举：全世界范围内首次发送宇宙飞船嫦娥 4 号到月球暗黑面，并提及嫦娥 4 号本次的航天任务，同时还介绍了接下来的嫦娥 5 号的航天计划以及接下来近二十年中国国家航天局的探月任务设想。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中的“China did something neither nation nor any other had done this December: land a spaceship on the dark side of the moon.”可知，中国是第一个发射航天器到月球背面的国家，故 C项正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Chang’e-4 operated a small rover to survey the geography there for the first time ever. By examining the geography of its landing area, Chang’e-4 could solve longstanding puzzles about the moon, including how it formed 4.5 billion years ago.”可知，嫦娥四号利用探测车是为了探测月亮暗黑面的地质情况，故 A项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段中的“Its mission will be to gather moon rocks using an orbiter, a lander or collector, an ascent stage and a capsule that will separate from the orbiter and return the rocks to Earth. ”可知，嫦娥五号的任务是利用一个轨道器，一个着陆器或收集器，一个上升器和一个太空舱收集月球岩石，太空舱将于轨道器分离并将岩石送回地球，故D项正确。

4.观点态度题。根据第四段中的“With these missions, the Chinese will have shown complete mastery of flight in the space between the earth and the moon,”可知，通过这些航天任务，中国将证明其完全掌握了地月空间飞行，再根据第五段中的“China’s ambitious Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5 missions should send human’s plans for lunar return into rapid development.”可知，中国的嫦娥四号和嫦娥五号航天任务会使人类重返月球计划高速运转起来，由此可知，Spudis 对嫦娥四号和嫦娥五号飞行任务是非常赞许的，故D项正确。