Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period.
The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars.
Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity.
Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences.
Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth.
There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection.What is the main idea of the passage？
| A．Long periods in space will affect the health of astronauts. |
| B．Scientists are trying to find out how to protect astronauts. |
| C．Space is dangerous to human beings. |
| D．People shouldn’t explore space. |
What will happen to human bodies in space？
| A．Arms and legs grow stronger at what is called zero gravity |
| B．Blood moves up toward the head. |
| C．Pressure in the skull will be raised. |
| D．All of the above. |
The following are problems mentioned in the passage Except________.
| A．bone loss | B．loss of water | C．eyesight | D．exposure to radiation |
Why did scientists design exercise machines to use on the space station?
| A．To make sure that their crews return home in good health. |
| B．To help astronauts keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth. |
| C．To help astronauts get ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars. |
| D．To let astronauts adapt to the environment of space. |
What is true according to the passage?
| A．The biggest health issue is exposure to Sunshine. |
| B．Research showed a change in the size of their eyes. |
| C．The right eye was affected less than the left. |
| D．Men were more affected than women. |
Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I’d be twins!” He was a natural motivator.
One day I went up to Michael and asked him, “I don’t get it. You can’t be positive all the time. How do you do it?”
Michael replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself ‘Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood.’ I choose the first. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.” Michael continued, “Life is all about choices. The bottom line is: It’s your choice how you live life.”
Several years later, Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling off 60 feet from a communications tower. I saw him about six months after the accident. I asked him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
He said, “I first thought of my soon-to-born daughter and then remembered I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live. I knew I needed to take action. So when a nurse kept shouting questions at me asking if I was allergic to anything, I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘Gravity’. Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I’m choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead’.”
Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Michael is a person whom people don’t like very much. |
| B．Michael knows how to learn from bad things in life. |
| C．Doctors thought Michael was dead. |
| D．The author didn’t think Michael was a happy person. |
According to Michael, when someone complains to you, you should ____________.
| A．share your own experiences with him |
| B．just listen to what the person says and feel sorry for him |
| C．tell the person to look at the happy side of life instead of just listening |
| D．discuss with the person and tell him to reflect on the complaints |
The author quotes Michael’s words “If I were any better, I’d be twins!” to tell us ____________.
| A．Michael wants to have a twin brother |
| B．Michael is not satisfied with his present life |
| C．Michael is always optimistic |
| D．Michael likes to change his mood |
Which of the following best summarizes the main idea?
| A．Accidents will happen. |
| B．When God shuts a door, he opens another. |
| C．Nothing ventured, nothing gained. |
| D．Attitude is everything. |
A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present．On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office，a street urchin was walking around the shining car．“Is this your
car，Paul？”he asked．
Paul answered，“Yes，my brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised．“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything？Boy，I wish…” He hesitated．
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for．He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish,” the boy went on，“that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in surprise, then he said again, “Would you like to take a ride in my car？”
“Oh yes，I'd love that．”
After a short ride，the boy turned and with his eyes shining，said，“Paul，would you mind driving in front of my house？”
Paul smiled a little．He thought he knew what the boy wanted．He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are？” the boy asked．
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There he is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.
注：urchin 顽童 hesitate 犹豫 crippled 残疾 cent 美分The street urchin was very surprised when ________．
| A．Paul received an expensive car |
| B．Paul told him about the car |
| C．he saw the shining car |
| D．he was walking around the car |
From the story we can see the urchin ________．
| A．wished to give his brother a car |
| B．wanted Paul’s brother to give him a car |
| C．wished he could have a brother like Paul's |
| D．wished Paul could be a brother like that |
The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ________．
| A．to show his neighbors the big car |
B．to show he had a rich friend |
| C．to let his brother ride in the car |
| D．to tell his brother about his wish |
We can infer（推断）from the story that ________．
| A．Paul couldn't understand the urchin |
| B．the urchin had a deep love for his brother |
| C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother |
| D．the urchin's wish came true in the end |
Now satellites are helping to forecast（预报）the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere（大气）, because this is where the weather forms（形成）. They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists（气象学家）can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.
Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare（比较）them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.
So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead（提前）.Satellites travel _____________.
| A．in space | B．in the atmosphere |
| C．above the ground | D．above space |
Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because __________.
| A．the weather satellites can do it easily |
| B．clouds form there |
| C．the weather forms there |
| D．the pictures can forecast the weather |
Meteorologists forecast the weather __________.
| A．when they have received satellite pictures |
| B．after they have compared new satellite pictures with earlier ones |
| C．before they received satellite pictures |
| D．during they study satellite pictures |
The main（主要的）idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in _________.
| A．taking pictures of the atmosphere |
| B．receiving pictures of the atmosphere |
| C．doing other work in many ways |
| D．weather forecasting |
“Cool”is a word with many meanings．Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold．As the world has changed，the word has had many different meaning．
“Cool”can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything．
When you see a famous car in the street，maybe you will say，“It’s cool．”You may think，“He’s so cool，”when you see your favorite footballer．
We all maximize（扩大） the meaning of“cool”．You can use it instead of many words such as “new” or “surprising”．Here’s an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used．A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall（瀑布）they had visited．On one student’s paper was Just the one sentence，“It’s so cool．Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt．
But the story also shows a scarcity（缺乏）of words．Without “cool”，some people have no words to show the same meaning．So it is quite important to keep some credibility（可信性）．Can you think of many other words that make your life as colourful as the word “cool”？ I can．And I think they are also very cool．We know that the word "cool" has had ________.
| A．only one meaning | B．no meanings |
| C．many different meanings | D．the same meaning |
In the passage，the word“express” means“________”.
| A．see | B．show | C．know | D．feel |
If you are _______ something，you may say，“It’s cool.”
| A．interested in | B．angry about |
| C．afraid of | D．unhappy with |
In the passage，the writer suggests（暗示）that the word “cool”________．
| A．can be used instead of many words |
| B．usually means something interesting |
| C．can make your life colorful |
| D．may not be as cool as it seems |
Mr Brown was going away for a week. Before he left, he said to his son, "if anyone asks for me, you can tell him that your father has been out for doing something, and will be back in a week, then be sure to ask him to sit down for a cup of tea."
"OK, Dad," said his son. But he was afraid his son couldn’t remember this, he wrote these words down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. His son put it into his small pocket, took it out and looked at it now and then.
Four days passed, but no one came to see his father. The boy thought that there was no man to come and that the piece of paper was of no more use for him, so he burnt it that evening.
The next afternoon, someone knocked at the door. The boy opened it. A man was standing at the door and said, "Where is your father?" The boy put his hand into his pocket at once and looked for the piece of paper. He could not find it. He suddenly remembered he had burnt it, so he shouted, "No more."
The man was very surprised. He asked, "No more? I met your father last week. When did it happen?"
"Burnt yesterday evening."Mr Brown told his son that _____.
| A．he would be away from home for four days |
| B．he would be back in seven days |
| C．he would be back in a month |
| D．he liked a cup of tea |
Mr Brown wrote the words down on ________.
| A．the wall | B．the door |
| C．a piece of paper | D．his son’s pocket |
A man came to visit the boy’s father on ________.
| A．the second day | B．the third day | C．the fourth day | D．the fifth day |
What was burnt? ___________.
The piece of paper B. Mr Smith C. The visitor D. The boy