When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he wou
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When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he would go onto the roof outside his window to see the wonders of the sky.
“What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist,” he says. “I decided to try to find planets orbiting other stars like our Sun.”
And he did. “My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995,” Dr. Marcy says. “We worked for ten years without finding anything! But we stuck with it and our patience paid off.”
Since then, the two scientists have discovered 65 of the more than 100 planets found orbiting other stars. Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler also spotted the first “family” of three planets. In June 2002 they announced another discovery: a Jupiter-like planet orbiting star 55Cancri.
At first, the two researchers found only planets that orbit close to stars. Recently, the scientists found planets farther out. The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.
Why is this important ? Scientists think that life on Earth may exist because of two special features in our solar system. The first is Jupiter.
“Because it’s so big, Jupiter pulls comets and asteroids(小行星), or they all come and hit the Earth.” Dr. Marcy explains. “Without Jupiter , life on Earth would likely have been destroyed.”
A second feature is that Earth is a rocky planet where liquid water, which is necessary for life , can exist. Unlike gas planets, rocky planets like Earth have surfaces where water can gather in pools and seas, which may support life. A huge space exists between the Jupiter-like planet and two other planets that lie close to 55Cancri. Is there an Earth-like planet in the space, too small for us to notice? If so, says Dr. Marcy, “We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!”
小题1:What can we learn about Dr. Marcy from the passage?| A．He is fond of watching Jupiter. | | B．He is from a scientist family. | | C．He dislikes working with Paul Butler. | | D．He is interested in finding life in outer space. |
小题2:Which of the following is true of the recent discovery?| A．The planet is not as protective as Jupiter. | | B．The planet is close to star 55Cancri. | | C．The planet proves to be a gas planet. | | D．The planet is as large as Jupiter. |
小题3:Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler began to find new planets in ____.小题4:Dr. Marcy thinks that life may exist in the 55Cancri system because ____.| A．he has found the system similar to the solar system. | | B．he has discovered an Earth-like planet there. | | C．he has discovered a rocky planet there. | | D．he has found signs of life in the system |
小题5:“But we stuck with it”( in Paragraph 3) means ____.| A．they felt discouraged | B．they carried on with it | | C．they failed in their attempt | D．they made some progress |
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答案
小题1:D
小题2:C
小题3:B
小题4:A
小题5:B |
解析
试题分析：文章介绍Geoff Marcy从小就对探索太空中的生命感兴趣，他和同事Paul Butler一起努力探索，发现了66个新的行星而且还发现两个和太阳系很相似的星系，从而证明太空有可能有生命的存在。
小题1:推理判断题。根据第二段的首句“What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist,”可知他对探索太空中的生命感兴趣。选D
小题2:细节题：根据第五段的最后一句The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.可知这个行星是一个气状体的行星。选C
小题3:细节题：从第三段的句子：And he did. “My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995,” Dr. Marcy says. “We worked for ten years without finding anything!可知他们是在1995年发现新的行星的，但是他们努力了10年了，所以是1985年开始寻找新行星的，选B
小题4:推理判断题。根据最后一段的We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!”可推出在太空中可能存在两个类似于太阳系的星系，可能会有生命存在。选A
小题5:词义理解题：从第三段的句子：“We worked for ten years without finding anything! 可知“But we stuck with it”是“继续”的意思，选B |
举一反三
Most animals have little connection with animals of a different kind, unless they hunt them for food. Sometimes, however, two kinds of animals come together in a partnership(伙伴关系) which does good to both of them. You may have noticed some birds sitting on the back of sheep. This is not because they want a ride, but because they find easy food in the parasites(寄生虫）on sheep. The sheep allow the birds to do so because they remove the cause of discomfort. So although they can manage without each other, they do better together.
Sometimes an animal has a plant partner. The relationship develops until the two partners cannot do without each other. This is so in the corals(珊瑚）of the sea. In their skins they have tiny plants which act as “dustman”, taking some of the waste products from the coral and giving in return oxygen which the animal needs to breathe. If the plants are killed, or are even prevented from light so that they cannot live normally, the corals will die.
小题1:Some birds like to sit on a sheep because _________.| A．they can eat its parasites | | B．they consider the sheep as their shelter | | C．they enjoy traveling with the sheep | | D．they find the position most comfortable |
小题2:The underlined word “they” in the first paragraph refers to _______.| A．birds and parasites | B．sheep, birds and parasites | | C．parasites and sheep | D．birds and sheep |
小题3:It can be learnt from the text that the coral depends on the plants for ________.| A．comfort | B．light | C．oxygen | D．food |
小题4:What does the second paragraph mainly discuss?| A．Some plants depend on each other for food. | | B．Some animals and plants develop their relationship easily. | | C．Some animals and plants depend on each other for existence. | | D．Some animals live better together. |
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Last week, President Barack Obama gave a back- to-school speech to students at the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students in schools across the country also tuned in to watch the President"s speech on TV. He stressed the importance of trying new things, working hard and believing in yourself.
While admitting that times are tough for families across the country, Obama reminded students that hard work now can mean big success later. “Nobody gets to write your destiny(命运）but you,” he said. “Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing—absolutely nothing—is beyond your reach."
Obama spoke about his own life, and lessons he learned from his mother, who had to remind him to stay focused on his studies. He told students the recipe (诀窍) for success: “Showing up to school on time. Paying attention in class. Doing your homework. Studying for exams. Staying out of trouble. ”
Obama encouraged students to embrace(欣然接受)what makes them different. “We shouldn"t be embarrassed by the things that make us different,” he said. “We should be proud of them.”
He also suggested taking advantage of all of the opportunities at your school, and always being open to trying new things. “Just because you’re not the best at something today doesn"t mean you can"t be tomorrow,” he said. “Even if you don"t think of yourself as a math person or as a science person—you can still excel in those subjects if you"re willing to make the effort. And you may find out you have talents you’d never dreamed of.”
小题1:What does Obama mainly want to tell the students in Paragraph 2?| A．Some families are experiencing a hard time. | | B．Different people have different destinies. | | C．They can create their own future. | | D．Those who don"t study hard will achieve nothing. |
小题2:In Paragraph 3, Obama tried to encourage the students by _______.| A．telling an interesting story | | B．sharing the secret to success | | C．telling his own life experience | | D．referring to some famous people |
小题3:Obama suggested the students should _________ .| A．not study hard for high marks | | B．accept things that make them different | | C．do what they are really interested in | | D．not do things which are difficult for them |
小题4:The underlined phrase “excel in” in the last paragraph means “_________”.| A．be careful with | B．be attracted to | | C．be interested in | D．be good at |
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Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in order to cut he greenhouse gases they send out, which are thought to be responsible for global warming.
Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence(肠胃气胀)contains no methane(甲烷)and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who produce large quantities of the harmful gas.
While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack (烟囱) pushing out carbon dioxide, farm animals’ passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions (排放物)in some countries.
“Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia are from enteric methane from cattle and sheep,” said Athol Kleve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government.
“And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they"re actually up around 50 percent, ” he said.
Researchers say the bacteria also make the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers.
But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate (分离) the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep.
Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos.
The idea is controversial (有争议的), but about 20 percent of health-conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already.
“It"s low in fat, it’s got high protein levels and it"s very clean in the sense that basically it"s the free-range (放养的) animal,” said Peter Amp of the University of New South Wales"s institute of environmental studies.
小题1:Scientists intend to put bacteria into cattle and sheep _________.| A．so that they can make full use of special bacteria | | B．to help Australian farmers to earn more money | | C．so that they can protect Australian ecosystem | | D．to prevent them from sending out harmful gases |
小题2:Athol Kleve seems to believe that ________.| A．cattle and sheep produce more carbon dioxide | | B．less cattle and sheep are raised in New Zealand | | C．farm animals are responsible for greenhouse gases | | D．New Zealand has the most animals in the world |
小题3:What do the underlined words “the idea” in paragraph 9 refer to?| A．Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. | | B．The bacteria could make the digestive process much more efficient. | | C．Australians should give kangaroo - style stomachs to cattle and sheep. | | D．The bacteria could save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. |
小题4:Which of the statements is the advantage Peter Amp lists about kangaroo?| A．it is rich in protein | B．it is cheaper than beef | | C．it is high in fat | D．it is more delicious than sheep |
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There has been a dramatic increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is assumed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in the future. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.
London
London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier(水闸)has protected the city from the threat of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 26 years later the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not addressed.
There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.
Paris
Over a six week period in July and August 2003, more than 1 1,400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration(脱水)and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity(强度)are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?
One solution is to have air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes. But this is considered a short-term solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions(排放).
In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower,” which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural air-conditioner.
Shanghai
Shanghai is the fastest growing city on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.
An estimated 250，000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption. China relies heavily on coal—fired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.
小题1:What problem should be settled now in London?| A．How to protect the city’s property | | B．Where to build its flood defences | | C．How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city | | D．How to improve the function of the old flood defences |
小题2:Which of the following measures can’t solve the heat wave disaster in Paris?| A．Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo | | B．Having air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes | | C．Forbidding the city to build“Flower Tower” | | D．Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings |
小题3:The major threats to Shanghai are ．| A．increasing population and coal-fired power stations | | B．rising sea levels and typhoons | | C．extremely high temperature and rising sea levels | | D．extra demands on energy consumption and typhoons |
小题4:The purpose of the passage is ．| A．to tell us how to protect the big cities | | B．to give advice on how to defend natural disasters | | C．to explain what causes flood and heat waves | | D．to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities |
小题5:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?| A．Big Cities Facing Big Disasters | | B．Big Disasters in the Future | | C．The Increase of Natural Disasters | | D．Solutions to Natural Disasters |
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If the eyes are the romantic’s window into the soul, then the teeth are an anthropologist’s ( 人类学家 ) door to the stomach.
In a study published last month in the journal Science, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas and his partner, Matt Sponheimer of the University of Colorado, US, examined the teeth of our early human ancestors to find out what they were really eating.
They already knew that different foods cause different marks on teeth. Some cause scratches, while others cause pits (坑).The carbon left on teeth by different foods is also different. Tropical grasses, for example, leave one kind of carbon, but trees leave another kind because they photosynthesized ( 光合作用 ) differently.
Traditionally, scientists had looked at the size and shape of teeth and skulls ( 头骨 ) to figure out what early humans ate. Big flat teeth were taken to be signs that they ate nuts and seeds, while hard and sharp teeth seemed good for cutting meat and leaves. But this was proven wrong.
The best example was the Paranthropus (傍人), one of our close cousins, some of which lived in eastern Africa. Scientists used to believe Paranthropus ate nuts and seeds because they had big crests(突起)on their skulls, suggesting they had large chewing muscles and big teeth. If this had been true, their teeth should have been covered with pits like the surface of the moon. They would also have had a particular type of carbon on their teeth that typically comes from tree products, such as nuts and seeds.
However, when the two scientists studied the Paranthroupus, it turned out to have none of these characteristics. The teeth had a different kind of carbon, and were covered with scratches, not pits. This suggests they probably ate grass, not nuts and fruit stones. It was the exact opposite of what people had expected to find.
Carbon “foodprints” give us a completely new and different insight into what different species ate and the different environments they lived in. If a certain species had the kind of carbon on its teeth that came from grasses, it probably lived in a tropical grassland, for example.
小题1:The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 probably means that _____.| A．anthropologists can study the structure of human stomachs by studying their teeth. | | B．anthropologists can study the diet of early humans by studying their teeth | | C．anthropologists can learn whether humans were healthy by looking at their teeth | | D．anthropologists can get the most useful information about humans from their teeth |
小题2:According to Paragraph 3 to 5, which of the following statements is TRUE?| A．Scratches on teeth are caused by eating nuts or seeds. | | B．Pits on teeth are caused by eating grass or leaves. | | C．Early humans with hard and sharp teeth ate meat and leaves. | | D．Different foods leave different marks and carbon on teeth. |
小题3:The example of the Paranthropus was mentioned in the article in order to _____.| A．tell readers that they are one of our close cousins living in eastern Africa | | B．tell readers they had different eating habits from modern humans | | C．prove that size and shape of skulls does not show accurately what early humans ate | | D．tell readers that living environment makes a difference to skull structure |
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