Many scientists are now exploring the idea of going to live on Mars. Some o
题型：广东省月考题难度：来源：
MASA AMES Center(美国宇航局) have already started the creation of a "Mars town" and many
others are in fact already experimenting with it. Of course, these experiments are done on Earth itself but
this "Mars town" has an environment practically like that of Mars.
The astronauts working in these towns wear their space suit and also do everything they would really
have to carry out if they ever go to Mars in the future.
But Mars would be like Earth, a temporary(临时的) place for humans. When the Sun starts
swallowing up(吞掉) the planets, Mars will disappear only hours after Earth. So Mars only seems to be
the ideal place to spread the human beings. It is also a good location to send humans if ev
er there is a disaster on Earth. By saying disaster, I mean asteroids(小行星) hitting and things like that.
If we humans do not want to disappear when Earth or Mars gets swallowed up, we will have to go
and live beyond the solar system. But are there any planets outside our solar system prepared to support
life? Astronomers" answer is:
"If Earth can support life, why can"t other planets do the same too? Astronomers have already discovered a Jupiter(木星)- like planet orbiting a Sun-like star, so why not an Earth-like planet orbiting a
Sun-like star?
To achieve this goal though, many other problems have to be taken into consideration. How do we
transform(改造) a dusty planet like Mars into one more or less like our Earth? How should we go on?
There is still a long way to go.
B. an experimental lab built on Earth.
C. a strange place on Mars .
D. a town existing in scientists" imagination
B. there may be an Earth-like planet outside the solar system
C. humans will move to the new-found Jupiter-like planet
D. there"s no need for humans to move beyond the solar system.
B. There would be more disasters like asteroids hitting.
C .It would disappear when Earth disappeared.
D. It would be too hot to live on.
B. getting close to
C. passing by quickly
D. going through
B. Living on Mars
C. The Future of Earth
D. Where to live in the Future
答案
举一反三
switch jobs and focus instead on sound, a new study has found.
The study, by researchers at the University of Montreal, involved 7 adults who could see and
12 adults who had lost their vision when they were children. Each participant sat in a room with
16 loudspeakers at different locations. The room was designed so that there were no echoes(回音).
During the experiment, the speakers irregularly produced sounds. Participants had to point to where
the sounds were coming from. Meanwhile, the researchers monitored blood flow in the brains of the
participants to see which brain structures were working during the task.
The results showed that five of the blind participants were very good at pointing to where sounds
were coming from. In these people, blood flow increased in the visual cortex(大脑皮层)-an area at
the back of the right side of the brain. This part of the brain is usually associated with vision.
The other seven blind participants showed no increase in activity in the visual cortex. These people
didn"t do very well at picking out where sounds were coming from. Now, the researchers are looking
at whether these people have gained an enhanced sense of touch instead of sound to replace their lost
vision.
The scientists say that their study shows how adaptable parts of the brain can be.
B. blind people have a better sense of sound
C. the sense of touch is better among blind people
D. blood flow in the brains of blind people is slower
B. to take down the time each sound lasted
C. to identify the direction the sound came from
D. to detect the number of the loudspeakers
B. look for the way of enhancing hearing ability
C. find which parts of the brain were functioning
D. expose the relationship between seeing and touching
B. People go blind because of the breakdown of their visual cortex.
C. Most blind people have a better sense of sound than normal people.
D. Human brains can adjust themselves after the loss of a certain function.
the earth.
This idea may sound like something from a science fiction, but it is actually being taken seriously by
many researchers.
This suggests the future for the "red planet" will be the main topic for discussion at an international
conference hosted by NASA this Week. Leading researchers as well as science fiction writers will attend
the event. It comes as NASA(美国宇航局) is preparing a multi-billion-dollar Mars research programme.
"Turning Mars into a little earth has long been a topic in science fiction," said Dr. Michael Meyer,
NAS A"s senior scientist. "Now, with scientists exploring the reality, we can ask what are the real
possibilities of changing Mars."
Most scientists agree that Mars could be turned into a little earth, although much time and money
would be needed to achieve this goal. But many experts are shocked by the idea.
"We are destroying our own world at an unbelievable speed and now we are talking about ruining
another planet," said Paul Murdin from the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, UK.
Over the past months, scientists have become increasingly confident they will find Martian life forms.
Europe and America"s robot explorers have found the proof that water, mixed with soil, exists in large
amounts on the planet.
In addition, two different groups of scientists announced on March 28 that they had found signs of
methane(甲烷) in the Martian atmosphere, the gas is a waste product of living creatures and could be
produced by microbes(微生物)living in the red planet"s soil.
But scientists such as Dr. Lisa Pratt, a biologist at Indiana University, say that these microbes will be
put in danger by the little earth project.
"Before we have even discovered if there is life on Mars, we are talking about carrying out projects
that would destroy all these native life forms, all the strange microbes that we hope to find buried in the
soil," said Dr. Pratt.
Monica Grady, a planetary scientist at the Natural History Museum, London, shares this view. "We
cannot risk starting a global experiment that would wipe out the precious information we are looking for,"
she said. "This is just wrong".
1. A plan for changing the present state of Mars_________.
A. has been made
B. will be put into practice
C. has been given up
D. is being argued about
2. According to the passage, besides scientists, _____are also interested in the future of Mars.
A. the public
B. science fiction writers
C. the governments of many countries
D. news reporters
3. The signs of methane in the Martian atmosphere greatly support the view
that _______
on Mars.
A. microbes may exist
B. there may be aliens
C. water exists
D. there is soil
4. Those who are against the plan are worried that it will ________________.
A. turn Mars into a little earth
B. not be carried out
C. bring destruction to the planet just as what has happened on the earth
D. cost too much time and money
5. Which of the headlines is the fittest for the passage?
A. Mars Programme-a Disastrous Plan
B. Mars Programme- Each Scientist Has His Own Way
C. Mars Programme-Rising Before Us
D. Mars Programme-Challenge to Mankind
Leading investors have joined the growing chorus of concern about governments and companies
rushing into producing biofuels as a solution for global warming, saying that many involved in the sector
could be jeopardizing future profits if they do not consider the longterm impact of what they are doing
carefully.
It is essential to build sustainability criteria into the supply chain of any green fuel project in order to
ensure that there is no adverse effect on the surrounding environment and social structures.The report
produced by the investors expresses concern that many companies may not be fully aware of the potential pitfalls in the biofuel sector.
Production of corn and soya beans has increased dramatically in the last years as an ecofriendly
alternative to fossil fuels but environmental and human rights campaigners are worried that this will lead to
destruction of rain forests.Food prices could also go up as there is increased competition for crops as both foodstuffs and sources of fuel.Last week, the UN warned that biofuels could have dangerous side effects
and said that steps need to be taken to make sure that land converted to grow biofuels does not damage
the environment or cause civil unrest.There is already great concern about palm oil, which is used in many
foods in addition to being an important biofuel, as rain forests are being cleared in some countries and
people driven from their homes to create palm oil plantations.
An analyst and author of the investors"report says that biofuels are not a cure for climate change but
they can play their part as long as governments and companies manage the social and enviromental
impacts thoroughly.There should also be greater measures taken to increase efficiency and to reduce
demand.
1. What is the best title of this passage?
A. Worries about Global Warming
B. Our World Is Going Green
C. Biofuel and Environment
D. New Energy Resource-Biofuels
2. In the first paragraph there is a concern that________.
A. biofuel industry isn"t booming
B. the quality of biofuels hasn"t improved
C. biofuels aren"t a way for global warming
D. biofuel producers may get less reward
3. As is suggested in the passage, some measures should he taken to________.
A. keep biofuel industry developing soundly
B. prevent biofuel industry developing slowly
C. make people realize climate change
how:
[2]Plan your time carefully.Make a list of your weekly tasks.Then make a schedule of your time.Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments.Of course,studying
shouldn’t occupy all of the free time on the schedule.
[3]Make good use of your time in class.Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work
later. Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says.
[4]Skim before you read.Look over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully.As you preview the material,you get some idea of the content and how it is organized.Later when you begin to
read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions.Skimming helps
double your reading speed and improve you comprehension as well.
[5]_____,Go over your notes as soon as you can after class.Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused.If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day,skim and
read that material,too.If you review your notes and textbook regularly,the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer.Regular review leads to improved performance on tests.
[6]Develop a good attitude towards tests.The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject.The word won’t end if you don’t pass a test,so don’t worry excessively about a single test.
[7]There are other techniques that might help you with your studying.Improving your studying habits will
improve your grades.
1.What’s the main idea of the passage?(no more than 8 words)
____________________________________________________________________
2.What should you do if you fail a test?(no more than 4 words)
____________________________________________________________________
3.Please fill in the blank in the fifth paragraph with proper words.(no more than 4 words)
____________________________________________________________________
4.According to the passage,how can an average student improve his/her grades?(no more than 6 words)
____________________________________________________________________
5.What does the word “it”(line 4,paragraph 5)probably refer to?(no more than 3 words)
____________________________________________________________________
The Scientific Method
Did you ever wonder why the water level in a glass doesn"t change when the ice in the glass melts
(融化)? To find out why, you can use the scientific method. Used by scientists in various situations, the
scientific method is also a clear and logical way to solve many real-world problems, as the procedure
below indicates.
glasses with ice. Then pour water over the ice and fill