Which is sillier: denying we ever went to the moon or trying to convince the true non-believers?
Once upon a time—July 20, 1969, to be specific – two men got out of their little spaceship and wandered around on the moon for a while. Ten more men walked on the moon over the next three and a half years. The end.
Unfortunately, not quite. A fair number of Americans think that this whole business of moon landings really is a fairy tale. They believe that the landings were a big hoax (骗局) staged in the Mojave Desert, to convince everyone that U.S. technology was the “best” in the whole wide world.
Which is the harder thing to do: Send men to the moon or make believe we did? The fact is that the physics behind sending people to the moon is simple. You can do it with computers whose entire memory capacities can now fit on chips the size of postage stamps and that cost about as much as, well, a postage stamp. I know you can because we did.
However, last fall NASA considered spending $15,000 on a public-relations campaign to convince the unimpressed that Americans had in fact gone to the moon. That idea was mostly a reaction to a Fox television program, first aired in February 2001, that claimed to expose the hoax. The show’s creator is a publicity hound (猎狗) who has lived up to the name in more ways than one by hounding Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon. Mr. X (as I will call him, thereby denying him the joyous sight of his name in print) recently followed Buzz Aldrin around and called him “a thief, liar and coward” until the 72-year-old astronaut finally lost it and hit the 37-year-old Mr. X in the face.
Anyway, NASA’s publicity campaign began to slow down. The nonbelievers took the campaign as NASA’s effort to hide something while the believers said that $15,000 to convince people that the world was round — I mean, that we had gone to the moon — was simply a waste of money. (Actually, the $15,000 was supposed to pay for an article by James E. Oberg, an astronomy writer who, with Aldrin, has contributed to Scientific American.)
If NASA’s not paying Oberg, perhaps it could put the money to good use by hiring two big guys to drag Neil Armstrong out of the house. Armstrong is an extremely private man, but he is also the first man on the moon, so maybe he has a duty to be a bit more outspoken about the experience. Or NASA could just buy Aldrin a commemorate plaque (纪念匾) for his recent touch on the face of Mr. X.We can learn from Paragraphs 2 and 3 that some Americans believe _______.
| A．moon landings were invented |
| B．U.S. technology was the best |
| C．moon landing ended successfully |
| D．the Mojave Desert was the launching base |
According to the writer, which of the following is to blame for the story about the hoax?
| A．NASA’s publicity campaign. | B．The Fox television program. |
| C．Buzz Aldrin. | D．James E. Oberg. |
The believers think that NASA’s publicity campaign is ________.
| A．proof to hide the truth |
| B．stupid and unnecessary |
| C．needed to convince the non-believers |
| D．important to develop space technology |
What is implied in the last paragraph?
| A．NASA should not bother with the non-believers. |
| B．Armstrong was a very private and determined person. |
| C．Armstrong should be as outspoken as Buzz Aldrin. |
| D．NASA should send more astronauts to outer space. |
The Chinese Antarctica(南极洲)expedition(探险队)returned to Shanghai on March 20 following a month living on the ice. It was the first time Chinese scientists had visited the Amery Ice Shelf—the longest ice shelf in the world.
The team collected ice samples and data on temperatures, which are necessary for research on global warming.
So far, about 27 countries have visited Antarctica for scientific research. Although the living conditions are very hard, many scientists have to stay there for long periods of time. So, how do they manage their lives on the ice?
Well, during the summer, the temperature in Antarctica reaches about-20℃. It falls to about-60℃in winter. So, even if there are 24 hours of sunshine, scientists must keep wearing all the correct clothes to protect them from the cold. These clothes include jeans, running shoes, jackets, long underwears, boots and woolen socks.
Although highly technical clothing provides much protection against the extreme cold, scientists often need to go outside when there is an icy wind blowing and the temperature is-30℃. Natural protection such as facial hair can also help.
“That’s why many researchers wear a beard. It really does keep you warm，”says German explorer Arved Fuchs.
Usually, the polar researchers have good meals. Some even have feasts(盛宴)on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. Vegetables are always welcome and usually finished the quickest.
Life on the ice means living with other researchers in tight living space. Most people sleep in dorm(宿舍)style rooms. More remote field camps use separate tents. So, at least some researchers don’t have to put up with annoying snorers(打鼾者)．
But what do they do for fun in their spare time? There are actually a lot of things they can do. They watch movies, read tons of books, listen to music, have saunas(桑拿浴)，paint and ski. Some female researchers might even do some knitting.
It is important for a polar researcher to be in good physical condition. They can be required to climb to heights of more than 3, 000 meters. And the Antarctic atmosphere has less oxygen than that of any other continent.Why do some polar researchers wear beards? Because _______.
| A．they have no time to shave(刮脸)their beards |
| B．beards are helpful to keep warm |
| C．beards will come out soon when they are shaved |
| D．they think beards will make them look handsome |
The underlined phrase “put up with” probably means _______.
| A．hear |
| B．turn down |
| C．let out |
| D．suffer from |
Which of the following do you think is the most important one to a polar researcher?
| A．Clothes. |
| B．Meals. |
| C．Tents. |
| D．Health. |
The best title of the passage is _______.
| A．The Antarctica |
| B．The Chinese Antarctica Expedition Explored the Antarctica |
| C．Life in Antarctica |
| D．The Exploration of Antarctica |
There are many ways of defining success. It is accurate to say that each of us has our own ideas of success to the extent that each of us is responsible for setting our own goals and determining whether we have met these goals satisfactorily. Because each of us possesses unique differences in genetic ability and favorable environments in which to express these abilities, it is necessarily true that we must define success broadly.
For some people，simply being able to live their life with the least misery and sufferings is considered a success. Think of the peace of mind of the poor shepherd who tends his sheep, enjoys his simple life with his family in the beauty of nature, and who is respected because he does a good job of achieving the goals expected of him and accepted by his family and his society. On the other hand, it seems that even though some people appear to be rich in material possessions, many of them seem to be miserable and consider themselves unsuccessful when judged by their own standards of success. Because not all ventures can be successful, one should not set unrealistic goals for achieving success, but if one has self-confidence it would be unfortunate to set one's goals at too low a level of achievement.
A wise man once said to a young man who was experiencing frustration(挫折）with his own professional success, “You do not have to set your goal to reach the moon in order to have success in traveling. Sometimes one can be very successful merely by taking a walk in the park or riding the subway downtown,” The man added, "You have not really failed and spoiled your chances for success until you have been unsuccessful at something you really like，and to which you have given your best effort. ”Some rich people consider themselves unsuccessful because______.
| A．their life is busy and miserable |
| B．they haven't reached their own standards |
| C．they set their goals at too low a level |
| D．they are not rich in material possessions |
From the last paragraph we can tell that______.
| A．success means efforts and favorites pay off |
| B．success comes from great goal setting |
| C．success means achieving great goals |
| D．success has nothing to do with the distance of your travel |
The purpose of the passage is______.
| A．to give us a clear definition of what success is |
| B．to talk about how to achieve success |
| C．to state what our life goal is |
| D．to discuss the importance of goals |
A Bite of China, made by CCTV’s Documentary Channel, sparked discussion not only on Chinese food, but also on locally made documentary programs.
When you think of documentaries, you may think of them as long, boring programs. But documentaries can be wonderful and bring stories from the real world into our homes. With fascinating footage（影片片段）and stories, documentaries encourage us to think about interesting issues we wouldn’t necessarily know about.
So, what makes a good documentary, and what should we pay attention to when we watch one? Here, we offer a few easy strategies to help you get the most out of watching documentaries.
Pay attention to the themes
While watching a documentary, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the themes people talk about and what ideas they focus on. Is it meant to be informative or raise a certain emotional response?
Think critically
Listen to what the people in the documentary are saying and ask yourself the following questions: If you were debating with someone or introducing a new concept, would you say the things the people in the documentary are saying? Do the arguments make sense?
Check the sources
If you’re sitting at the computer and can’t think of anything to do, why not look up the points the documentary made and see if they are accurate? You could even read more about what is presented in the documentary.
Who are the creators?
The creators or financial backers of a film will usually be involved with how the subject matter is presented. For instance, as the documentary 2016: Obama’s America was directed in large part by a conservative writer, it’s not surprising that it’s critical of President Obama from the beginning.Which of the following is the most proper to describe documentaries?
| A．non-fictional | B．controversial |
| C．subjective | D．thoughtful |
The passage is mainly written to ______.
| A．inform us of factors of good documentaries. |
| B．help us enjoy documentaries better. |
| C．introduce ways of making documentaries. |
| D．help us figure out themes of documentaries. |
Why is 2016: Obama’s America mentioned in the article?
| A．Because the author dislikes Obama. |
| B．Because it is a persuasive example. |
| C．Because it is quite popular in China. |
| D．Because it is directed by a writer. |
According to the passage, ______.
| A．it’s better to think twice about what is in documentaries. |
| B．financial backers often appear in documentaries. |
| C．it is always difficult to get the themes of documentaries. |
| D．many points of documentaries are not accurate. |
Europe is home to a variety of cultural treasures. Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guide publisher, has offered pairs of cities for culturehungry but timepoor travelers.
London and Paris
It takes you about two hours to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, a high-speed railway service. The two capital cities have been competing in fashion, art and nightlife for decades－but each secretly looks up to the other.
No one can doubt the grand and impressive beauty of Paris' Louvre Museum, but if you want to save money, you cannot skip the British Museum free to visit. Compared with London, Paris has more outdoor attractions such as the beautiful green walkway La Promenade Plantee.
In Paris, you'll see diners linger over red wine. While in London, you can try some afternoon tea, eat fish and chips or salted cake.
Vienna and Bratislava
Austrian capital Vienna and Slovakia city Bratislava are an hour apart by train. But since they are linked by the Danube River, the best way to travel is by ship. A tour of the two cities is the perfect way to experience everything from 17th century’s Habsburg dynasty splendor to scifi restaurants.
Vienna is famous for Mozart and imperial palaces. You can appreciate the perfect blending of architecture and nature in the grand Schonbrunn Palace, and reward yourself with a cup of Vienna coffee, which has made its way to the world's cultural heritage list.
Bratislava is best known for its fine dining－the remarkable UFO restaurant. You can enjoy a meatladen dinner here in an amazing setting.What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “looks up to”?
| A．helps | B．admires | C．attacks | D．dislikes |
What are the advantages of Paris mentioned in the article?
a. The Louvre Museum
b. Free access to museums
c. More outdoor attractions
d. Better wines and perfumes
| A．acd | B．cd | C．ac | D．bcd |
Which of the cities should you choose if you are interested in scifi restaurants?
| A．London. | B．Paris. |
| C．Glasgow. | D．Bratislava. |
Lonely Planet recommends these two pairs of cities because ________.
| A．they are not expensive to visit |
| B．they are best known to the world |
| C．they are always enemies between each other |
| D．they are close but different in many aspects |
As a good mother to three children, I have tried never to let my passion stand in the way of being a good parent．
I no longer consider myself the center of the universe．I show up．I listen．I try to laugh．I am a good friend to my husband．I have tried to make marriage vows （誓言）mean what they say．I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me．Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today．
So here's what I want to tell you today: Get a life．A real life, not a desire of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house．
Get a life in which you are not alone．Find people you love, and who love you．And remember that love is not leisure; it is work．Pick up the phone．Send an e-mail．Write a letter．And realize that life is the best thing and that you have no business taking it for granted．
It's so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours and our minutes．It's so easy to exist instead of to live．I learned to live many years ago．Something really, really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had my choice, it would never have been changed at all．And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all．
I learned to love the journey, not the destination．I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and totally．And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned．
By telling them this: Read in the backyard with the sun on your face．Learn to be happy．If you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived．It can be inferred from the passage that．
| A．the author doesn’t try her best to work well |
| B．the author spends all her time caring for her children |
| C．the author is a success in personal life |
| D．the author likes traveling very much |
How did the author form her view of life?
| A．Through social experience． |
| B．By learning from her friends． |
| C．From her children and husband． |
| D．Through an unfortunate experience． |
By the underlined sentence “It's so easy to exist instead of to live" in the fifth paragraph, the author really means that people tend to．
| A．work rather than enjoy life |
| B．make a living rather than live a real life |
| C．waste a lot in life |
| D．forget the most important lessons in life |
What's the author's attitude toward work?
| A．Don't let it affect your real life． |
| B．Earn enough money to make life better． |
| C．Do it well to serve others． |
| D．Try your best to get a higher position and a pay raise． |