While astronauts in space get to do many exciting things, they miss out on ordinary things that we all take for granted-being able to walk on firm ground, hanging out with family and digging into a slice of hot steaming pizza. Though not much can be done about the first two things, there may soon be a solution to the third one, thanks to this cool 3-D pizza printer!
About a year ago, NASA offered $125,000 to Anjan Contractor, a 3-D technology expert, to build a device（设备）that would allow astronauts to make pizza on demand. The mechanical engineer promised that his invention would produce pies in large quantities that looked, tasted and even smelled like pizza made in common ovens.
Late last year, the engineer presented a video of his first prototype（原型）that begins by creating a single slice of dough（面团）that is cooked and printed at the same time. Then comes the tomato “sauce” —a mix of tomato powder, oil and water and finally, a protein slice that resembles cheese. While the video doesn’t show the baking process, the inventor says that once the pizza is printed, it can be ready to be consumed in 7 seconds.
While the pie in the video looks delicious enough to attract any pizza lover, Anjan Contractor is far from ready for astronauts. That’s because he still has to find a solution to make the food container in the printer last for 30 years. Though that may sound unrealistic, actually it is not.
Anjan Contractor believes that the only way that is possible is that the water is removed from all the ingredients（配料）and then they are reduced to the powder form. This, as you can imagine, will not be so easy. But, while the printer may not be ready for space, it certainly looks ready enough for people on earth. Hopefully, NASA and Contractor will consider selling it to those not fortunate enough to go to Mars!Why does the author mention the things that astronauts in space cannot do?
| A．To ask us not to take common things for granted. |
| B．To show they live a difficult life there. |
| C．To show their life is boring in space. |
| D．To introduce the topic of the text. |
NASA offered $125,000 to Anjan Contractor mainly to __________.
| A．create some new type of 3-D printer |
| B．attract more companies to work for NASA |
| C．help astronauts in space enjoy fresh pizza one day |
| D．produce pizza in large quantities to earn great profits |
The biggest challenge that Anjan Contractor is faced with now is probably that __________.
| A．he has no money left to go on with his research |
| B．the pizza doesn’t seem appetizing to pizza lovers |
| C．he has no way to make pizza that can last for thirty years |
| D．he cannot make the food container last for decades |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．NASA is trying its best to help astronauts eat better |
| B．Astronauts may soon be able to enjoy steaming hot pizza |
| C．NASA is working on making pizza for common people |
| D．A 3-D pizza printer has been used to make pizza |
C
The world’s first plastic magnet (磁性) to work at room temperature has passed the elementary test of magnetism. Its creators at the University of Durham in the UK have used it to pick iron filings (铁屑) from a laboratory bench.
In 2001, chemists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln claimed to have created the world’s first plastic magnet, but it only worked below 10 Kelvin (开氏温度). Other researchers have made plastic magnets, but generally they only function at extremely low temperatures, or their magnetism at room temperature is too weak to be business use.
So the Durham team can claim to have made the first plastic magnet that could be used in everyday products. One of the most likely applications is in the magnetic coating of computer hard discs, which could lead to a new generation of high-capacity discs.
Jerry Torrance, a material scientist who is an adviser to some of the world’s largest electronics and engineering companies, including IBM, describes the work as “a great scientific breakthrough”. However, he says that practical applications are probably still a long way off.
At first the new polymer (聚合物) showed little sign of magnetism, and after three months the researchers had reached the point where they felt that trying to induce (诱发) magnetism in this polymer was a waste of time. “Just as we were about to give up and try a different way, we decided to check the samples for a last time,” says Sean Giblin.
It was a fortunate decision, because over the months the original polymer had developed magnetic characteristics. Further groups of polymer proved its magnetism and ruled out the possibility that the magnetism had been caused by pollution. In addition, X-ray diffraction data (衍射数据) showed an increase in the straight line of the polymer chains over three months, which probably accounts for the increase in magnetism.
Although the polymer’s magnetism is weak compared with metal magnets, the researchers are confident that they can improve it. And in addition to computer hard discs, the team thinks that plastic magnets could have important medical applications because organic magnetic materials are less likely to be rejected by the body.
64. The plastic magnets made by the chemists from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other researchers couldn’t be used in everyday products because .
A. they didn’t pass the elementary test of magnetism
B. they couldn’t pick up iron filings from a laboratory bench
C. they wouldn’t work at room temperature
D. they could only be used at high temperature
65. The increase in magnetism over the months is probably caused by .
A. checking the samples B. a wise decision
C. pollution
D. the increase in the straight line of the polymer chains
66. The plastic magnets could be used .
A. to compare with the metal magnets
B. to coat computer hard discs
C. to produce medicine
D. to lower the temperature
67. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Birth of Practical Plastic Magnet
B. The World’s First Plastic Magnet
C. A Fortunate Decision
D. The Applications of Plastic Magnets
B
Because he wrote his name so that it could be read easily, John Hancock has a place in the dictionary.
John Hancock was a wealthy man who helped the patriots in the American Revolution. He was president of the Continental Congress. He was also governor of Massachusetts and one of the first men of sign the Declaration of Independence. Yet he is remembered best for his large signature.
The story is told that when Hancock sat down to sign the Declaration of Independence, he said that he would write his signature large enough for John Bull to read without his glasses. Hancock’s signature on the Declaration is four the three-quarter inches long—an inch longer than his usual signature.
Today John Hancock can be used to mean any person’s signature.
60. The passage is mainly about .
A. the American Revolution B. John Hancock’s handwriting
C. how an American expression began
D. signing the Declaration of Independence
61. Hancock is remembered best because he .
A. was governor of Massachusetts
B. helped the patriots in the Revolution
C. signed his name in large letters
D. was president of the Continental Congress
62. John Bull is .
A. another name for Uncle Sam B. England’s Uncle Sam
C. a name that stands for England D. both B and C
63. According to the dictionary, a John Hancock is a .
A. governor B. man who sign petitions
C. strong patriot D. person’s signature
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
A
The desire to make exploration is born with man. Wherever his imagination goes, man also has a strong wish to go. A large part of human history is connected with the exploration of the world in which we live. Again and angina people have set out with surprising courage and patience to look into unknown regions and lands to see what had not yet been seen, to make known the unknown. With kites, balloons and aircraft they left the ground to pass through the lower atmosphere. Now the outer space receives their attention.
Why should man take the trouble of conquering space? It is hard to list the specific practical benefits that will result in. But one knows, form past experience in other areas, that man will surely see and discover new thing s in space that will increase or scientific knowledge, and this new knowledge will find its way into valuable practical uses. What we learn about man himself, from his experience in space, and from the effects of space and the space flight environment on him, will be extremely valuable. The new techniques developed to carry out the exploration of space, and to keep man alive in space, will certainly find practical uses in everyday life in some way. The areas that will benefit are manifold. They include communication, generation of power, transportation and travel, food production, materials, fuels and many others. But to say definitely just what the practical results will be is almost impossible.
56. The main idea of the first paragraph is that .
A. man desire to explore what is unknown
B. man often goes wherever his dreams to go
C. man is no longer interested in the study of the land and sea now
D. man’s history is his exploration of the world
57. The underlined word “manifold” in the second paragraph probably means .
A. vast B. various C. valuable D. practical
58. The author seems to be in favor of .
A. doubting the necessity of the space exploration
B. the exploration of space
C. exploring more in space than in sea
D. his experience in space
59. The underlined phrase “practical results” refers to the results .
A. that are obtained from experience
B. that can be learned as knowledge
C. that can be made use of
D. helping us make further exploration
D
Every August on the island of Heimaey, young people often take a walk along the street throughout the night. Why their parents allow them to stay out ? The children of Heimaey are going to save young puffins ---- small black-and-white seabirds.
The cliffs（悬崖）above the town are home to a large group of puffins . The birds dig holes all around the cliffs . These holes are their homes. The young stay in the holes for about seven weeks. Then they begin to leave . Some move slowly on their undeveloped wings and feet down to the sea around Heimaey. There they swim, which they can do naturally , and learn to dive for fish . Others, however, may lose their way at night and find themselves in the town instead. On the ground, the young birds are in trouble. Because their wings are fully developed, they cannot take off quickly to sea and safety. The birds then become a good meal for cats and other animals .
For many years, islanders have help the young puffins. At night in late August, children carrying thick paper boxes and lights hurry out to catch puffins . They spend most of the night running after the birds. They put the birds they've caught into boxes and take good care of them .
The next morning the children take the puffins to the sea and set them free. The bird will live at sea until they are at least two years old. Then they will return to the cliffs to build homes of their own.
The children of Heimaey look forward to August !
16．Every August the children of Heimaey are allowed to stay out all night.
A．to catch puffins and take them home B．to save puffins from danger
C．to drive puffins away D．to run after puffins for pleasure
17．The young puffins that lose their way are in the danger of ______.
A．being killed by hunters B．knowing nothing about the sea
C．being eaten by animals D．having no fish to eat
18．The children put the seabirds into boxes and ______.
A．look after them carefully for several days, then set them free
B．set them free when they grow bigger and can take off to sea and safety
C．carry them to the sea right away to set them free
D．they don' t set them free until the next morning
19．The children look forward to August because ______.
A．they enjoy playing the game of running after seabirds
B．it' s time for them to go out at night to save puffins
C．it' s time for them to catch seabirds
D．they like to stay out at night to catch puffins
20．According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A．Once a year the children are allowed to stay out at night to have a good time .
B．The earlier home for the young puffins is in the cliffs, not in the sand of shores .
C．Young puffins make their way down to the sea when they are about seven weeks old.
D．The young birds that get to the sea will stay there for at least two years before they return to the cliffs .
C
People have sailed （航行）the world in quite small boats . It is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes the weather gets bad. That can be the end of everyone in it. Accidents can happen easily and quickly .
One family once had an accident with some big fish. The fish swam under their boat and bit（咬）holes in it. Sea water came in, of course , and the boat soon sank （下沉）. However, these people had another smaller boat----a life-boat, and they all got into that. They lived and hoped for many days. They ate and slept, and they always hoped…At last a ship found them .
How do people live in a very small life-boat? Perhaps for weeks or months? They must be strong in every way . They must have hope----they must want to live: But you cannot eat and drink hope.
You cannot drink sea water: Drink a lot of sea water and you will quickly die . Sailors （水手）can drink rain water. They must catch rain water in their boat. They must also catch fish and birds for food . Life-boats do not often carry a cooker, so the sailors cannot cook their food. Raw （生的）fish and bird-meat is not very nice . But in a life-boat the sailors must eat raw food, or they will die.
What do people think about in a life-boat? They think about land , a warm bed, dry clothes , fresh water and food , food , food .
11．When sailors' boat sinks, their life-boat gives them ______.
A．food B．beds C．rain water D．hope
12．One family once had an accident at sea, because ______
A．their boat was caught in bad weather
B．the boat knocked against a rock and sea water came in
C．some fish bit through the bottom（底部）of their boat
D．none of them knew how to sail the sea
13．Sailors can catch ______ for food and drink at sea in a life-boat .
A．rain water B．fish and birds
C．both sea water and rain water D．both A and B
14．Life-boats do not often carry a cooker, which is ______.
A．something used for cooking B．food for cooking
C．a large basin D．a person who cooks food
15．Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A．Sailing around the world in quite small boats is not easy.
B．All the food sailors have in a life-boat is cooked fish and bird-meat.
C．Anyone who drinks a lot of sea water will die .
D．No one can live for weeks in a life-boat unless he is strong and wants to live .