Does it make sense for countries to invest billions of dollars in space programs when millions of people in their country are living below the poverty line? Many people ask this question and I almost tire of answering it.
Let's talk about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) first. This is a terrible disease in which the victims progressively lose the ability to control their body. It affects almost only boys and shows itself when the boys are around age 5. They're wheelchair-bound by age 12, and will be dead before their 30th birthday. There is no cure. However, there are treatments. They're based on crystalline (晶体) protein structures, whose formation is adversely (不利地) affected by the presence of Earth's constant unidirectional (单一方向的) gravitational field. However, according to a study conducted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on the International Space Station (ISS), crystalline protein structures form regularly in microgravity conditions, which allows for targeted drugs designed to "double these boys' life spans (寿命)".
And you want to talk about feeding the hungry? We have space lettuce (生菜).And it's structurally and nutritionally equivalent to Earth lettuce. Space is pretty much everything there is, which means you can make a lot of lettuce in space. In fact, one of the potential growth markets in lunar colonization (月球殖民) is food trade. Food can be mass produced and sent to Earth to feed the hungry. By the way, as far as I am concerned, as for feeding the hungry, food distribution is the issue rather than food supply.
Space exploration is one of the best things that humanity has ever done.
1.What do people want to know by asking the question in Paragraph 1?
A.Whether there is a cure for DMD.
B.How many people live below the poverty line.
C.How much money is spent on space programs.
D.Whether space programs benefit people on Earth.
2.What can be learned about DMD?
A.It seems to spare girls.
B.Its cure lies in the ISS.
C.It gets serious in microgravity conditions.
D.Its patients need wheelchairs their entire life.
3.What is the author's attitude to growing food in space?
A.Doubtful. B.Positive.
C.Disapproving. D.Uncaring.
4.The text is most probably taken from a ________.
A.website to buy and sell the newest space products
B.website to ask questions and get quality answers
C.legal document
D.science fiction
The text from my friend Lorraine said simply: Fancy a family picnic this weekend? My hands began to sweat; my heart beat hard. I wanted to yell, "No! Why would you suggest that? I thought we were friends!"
I hated picnics. My hatred of them began as a child. I always got car-sick and it was hot all the way. Air conditioning in vehicles was pretty much unheard of in 1980s Birmingham, and my mother insisted on having all the windows closed because of the unpleasant smell of gas. We would arrive at some faraway destination, usually a car park with a field attached next to a plant, and unpack tasteless sandwiches, nearly cold sausage rolls and disgusting salads. There were never any toilets, so we had to "go" behind a bush; the memory of being discovered by a random dog-walker still embarrasses me from time to time. My mother sat in a relaxed way on a rug (小毯子) while we girls were playing nearby or maybe lying next to her. But for me this was a time when I suffered a lot. It was frightening to be attacked by ants or spot a dead rabbit in the grass.
As an adult I'd avoided all picnics, but this time I couldn't. I just said yes, without letting Lorraine sense my true feeling about them. She is my best friend and sometimes you must make sacrifices for people you like a lot. "I'll bring the food, and you bring the drink," she said.
My ridiculously enthusiastic family and I arrived at the picnic site. My expectations were low. Lorraine and her husband Dave unloaded folding tables, chairs, a table cloth and a cool box of delicious food mostly purchased from a local deli (熟食店), which does all manner of pre-prepared salads and cold cuts. There was fresh bread, olives, even candles to keep away insects, music, and wine. It was completely delightful. There may have been children playing around too, even if one of them did find a dead bird (told you!).
I am now a picnic enthusiast and we're planning another. I'm even reading up on picnic recipes for it!
1.How did the author feel about Lorraine's suggestion?
A.Excited. B.Ashamed.
C.Frightened. D.Embarrassed.
2.What did the author say about her childhood picnics?
A.The food was unpleasant.
B.She could play with rabbits.
C.The destination was crowded.
D.She could talk with her mother alone.
3.What can we infer about Lorraine and her husband?
A.They are great cooks.
B.They have good manners.
C.They are animal-friendly people.
D.They made careful preparations for the picnic.
4.Why did the author write the text?
A.To remember an unforgettable trip.
B.To record her memories of family picnics.
C.To describe her changed attitude to picnics.
D.To express her thanks to her friend Lorraine.
Hillcrest Museum
Enjoy an experience of digging up the past. Handle pieces of ancient tools and other objects from many countries. Learn to date them and see what they tell us about how people lived then. School groups should book in advance.
Open daily July 1 until Labour Day weekend.
Admission fees are $5.00 per adult, $3.00 per student; children under 5 are free.
Red House
Travel back to the time of the novelist Charlotte Bronte and find out about her friends and local connections. Discover the comforts and discomforts of the 1830s country home where Charlotte sometimes stayed as a guest of Joshua Taylor's family and got ideas for her novel Shirley.
Admission by guided tour only at 11 am. Last admission 45 minutes before closing.
Admission fees are $8.00 per adult, $4.00 per child.
Castle Museum
The castle was built looking down on the valley of the River Dean. It is now a museum, where you can learn how the valley has changed over millions of years. There is a collection of interesting rocks found in the area, and pictures showing how the valley probably looked in prehistoric times.
Hours & Admission
Tuesday-Saturday: 10 am-4:30 pm
Adults: $1
Children: 50 cents
1.How much should a couple with their 4-year-old kid pay to visit Hillcrest Museum?
A.$10.00. B.$13.00.
C.$15.00. D.$20.00.
2.Which museum can help you know about Charlotte Bronte?
A.Hillcrest Museum. B.Red House.
C.Castle Museum. D.Shandy Hall.
3.What can you find in Castle Museum?
A.A variety of rocks.
B.World-famous pictures.
C.A large beautiful garden.
D.Old tools from many countries.
The doctor shares his phone number with the patients ________ they need medical assistance.
A.if only B.as if C.even though D.in case
What a pity! You missed the sightseeing, or we ________ a good time together.
A.had B.will have C.would have had D.had had
The headmaster wanted to know _______ at the entrance of the school.
A.who were you waiting for B.who are you waiting for
C.who you were waiting for D.who you are waiting for
