Question

The surface of Venus（金星）has never seemed very hospitable. Temperatures change around 470°C（900°F）, the result of a runway greenhouse effect，and the pressure of its atmosphere, thick with carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid, is some 90 times that of Earth’s. Lead（铅）would flow like water on Venus, and water cannot have existed in liquid form for perhaps a billion years.

Now NASA’S Magellan spacecraft seems to have found one more horror in the nasty landscape: active volcanoes. Last week the space agency released the first detailed map of Venus and the most dramatic images ever made of its surface. The picture offer the best evidence to date that a planet once assumed dead is actually a lively pot of geological change.

The most amazing image is of Venus’s second tallest mountain, Maat Mons, which rises 8km（5 miles） . Most of the planet’s many peaks, including 9.5-km-（6-mile-） high Maxwell Montes, look bright in the radar pictures Magellan takes from its orbit above the permanent could cover. That means they are strong reflectors of radar waves. But Maat Mons is dark; like the Stealth bomber, it absorbs much of the radar falling on it.

This interesting fact, say project scientists, is a strong hint that the mountains has recently been covered with lava（^§S）. Rock that sits on the surface of mountaintops appears to weather quickly in the hot，chemically reactive atmosphere, creating a soil that is rich in iron sulfide（硫 化铁）• It is this mineral, the scientists believe, that can easily be seen on radar. If Maat Mons doesn’t have any, it has probably been resurfaced, perhaps within the past few years.

Such resurfacing has undoubtedly taken place in Venus lowlands: earlier images of the planet showed vast areas that are remarkably free of craters（火山坑）.That would be easy to explain on a Planet like Earth, where cratering from meteor strikes is erased by steady erosion. But while there is some evidence of wind erosion on Venus, the best explanation for the lack of cratering is periodic lava flow. Magellan has found direct evidence of such flows, including domelike upwellings and hardened streamed of rock trailing down the sides of Venusian peaks. There are also signs of other geologic activities, including dramatic faulting and several distinct incidents of mountain building. But the evidence can’t indicate whether they really occurred millions of years ago. The case for active Venusian volcanoes is not yet proved, but Magellan, which is now well into its second complete survey of the planet’s surface, may eventually settle the issue.

1.Which of the following can not be possibly found on Venus now?

A. Carbon dioxide    B. Sulfuric acid

C. Liquid water    D. Active volcanoes

2.The scientists believe that    shows up easily on radar.

A. geological change    B. iron sulfide

C. mountain mineral    D. lava flow

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The resurfacing has changed the images of the vast areas in Venus lowlands.

B. The wind erosion on Venus is caused by periodic lava flows

C. Streams of rock trailing down the side of Venusian peaks can be seen on Earth

D. Other geologic activities have caused dramatic and unbelievable climate phenomena.

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A. NASA’S Magallan spacecraft fails to stand the environment of Venus.

B. There is clear and confirmed evidence for the active Venusian volcanoes on Venus.

C. Some evidence of periodic lava flows has been found by NASA astronauts.

D. Magellan will conduct a follow-up complete survey of the Venus，surface.

Answer

1. C

2. B

3. A

4. D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。介绍了金星地表的结构以及这种结构产生的原因。

1.推理判断题题。由第一段“ water cannot have existed in liquid form for perhaps a billion years.”可知，在金星上水不可能以液体的形式存在了十亿年。所以判断出液态水现在不可能在金星上被发现。故C选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第四段“... creating a soil that is rich in iron sulfide(硫化铁). It is this mineral, the scientists believe, that can easily be seen on radar”可知，坐落在山顶表面的岩石在高温、化学反应性大气中迅速风化，形成了富含硫化铁的土壤。科学家们相信，正是这种矿物，在雷达上很容易看到。所以，科学家认为硫化铁很容易出现在雷达上。故B选项正确。

3.推理判断题。由最后一段“Such resurfacing has undoubtedly taken place in Venus lowlands: earlier images of the planet showed vast areas that are remarkably free of craters(火山坑) …he best explanation for the lack of cratering is periodic lava flow. ”可知，毫无疑问，金星低地已经出现了这样的表面修复:早期的地球图像显示，大片地区没有陨石坑。……但是没有陨石坑的最好解释是周期性的熔岩流。通过对表面修复的原因的解释，可以判断出表面修复改变了金星低地广大地区的地貌。故A选项正确。

4.推理判断题。由最后一段“The case for active Venusian volcanoes is not yet proved, but Magellan, which is now well into its second complete survey of the planet’s surface, may eventually settle the issue.”可知，金星活跃火山的情况还没有得到证实，但是 Magellan可能最终解决这个问题，Magellan进入了对金星表面的第二次全面调查。所以能判断出，Magellan将对金星表面进行后续的全面调查。故D选项正确。