1、During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were in competition with each other to see who had the better technology in space. After World War both the United States and the Soviet Union realized how important rocket research would be to the military. They each employed the top rocke
2、t scientists from Germany to help with their research. Soon both sides were making progress in rocket technology.The Space Race began in 1955 when both countries announced that they would soon launch satellites into orbit. The Soviets took the US announcement as a challenge and even set up a commiss
3、ion whose goal was to beat the US in putting a satellite into space. On Oct. 4th, 1957 the Russians placed the first successful satellite called Sputnikinto orbit. Thus, the Russians had taken the lead in the Space Race. Four months later, the Americans successfully launched their first satellite ca
4、lled the Explorer. However, the Soviets again won the race for putting the first man into space. On Apr. 12th, 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first man to orbit the Earth in the spacecraft Vostok. Three weeks later, the US launched the Freedom 7 and astronaut Alan Shepherd became the first American in s
5、pace. However, Shepherds craft did not orbit the Earth. It was nearly a year later that the first American, John Glenn, orbited the Earth on the Friendship 7 spacecraft.The Americans were embarrassed at being behind the Space Race. In 1961, President Kennedy announced that he wanted to be the first
6、to put a man on the Moon. He thought this was important for the country and the western world, so the Apollo Moon program was launched.With the Apollo programs launched, the US had taken a huge lead in the Space Race. In July of 1975 with relations between the US and the Soviet Union beginning to th
7、aw (关系缓和), the first USSoviet joint mission occurred with the ApolloSoyez project. The Space Race was effectively over.Section_ Introduction used to5patience Eto explode; to break open or apart6advanced Fto see sth. happen (typically a crime or an accident)16 _答案：16 FEDCBALeadinLook at the following
8、 pictures and say who they are.1 2 3 4 参考答案：1American Neil Armstrong is the first man to set foot on the moon.2Russian Yuri Gagarin is the first man in space.3Yang Liwei is the first Chinese astronaut.4Liu Yang is the first Chinese woman astronaut.WhilereadingFastreadingSkim the passage and match th
9、e parts with their main ideas.1Para.1 AThe start of a new age of space travel.2Para.2 BThe disaster of the Challenger.3Paras.34 CA students recall of the launch of the Challenger.4Para.5 DThe shock of the world at the disaster of the Challenger.5Paras.67 EThe first moon landing by Neil Armstrong.答案：
10、15 EABDCCarefulreadingChoose the best answers according to the passage.1The first man stepped on the moon in _.Aspring BsummerCautumn Dwinter2The start of a new age of space travel is _.Athe success of the ChallengerBthe success of the ColumbiaCthe Apollo 11Dthe Pioneer 103How many people were there
11、 in the Challenger?A3. B6.C7. D9.4Whats the general idea of this text?AThe final frontier.BSpace journey and its enormous cost.CThe shuttle.DThe danger of space journey.5From this passage we can infer that _.Aspace flight was still dangerousBspace flight was safeCno one wanted to travel into space a
12、gainDthe space isnt worth exploring答案：15 BBCBAStudyreadingAnalyze the following difficult sentences in the passage.1Millions of people watched that first moon landing on television, their hearts in their mouths, aware of how difficult and dangerous an adventure it was, and what risks had to be taken
13、.句式分析尝试翻译 数以百万计的人们从电视上观看了首次登月，他们的心提到了嗓子眼，因为他们十分清楚这次冒险是多么艰难多么危险，以及要冒多么大的风险。2All three astronauts made it safely back to Earth, using a spaceship computer that was much less powerful than the ones used by the average school students today.句式分析 本句是一个复合句；主句是 All three astronauts made it safely back to E
14、arth; using a spaceship computer .是现在分词短语作状语，a spaceship computer 后面是 that 引导的定语从句，其中 used by the average school students today 修饰 the ones。尝试翻译 三位宇航员都顺利返回地球，他们当年使用的计算机远不及现在普通学生使用的电脑高级。3When I heard, a few weeks later, that the bodies of the astronauts and even the teachers lesson plans had been fou
15、nd at the bottom of the ocean, I was not so sure it was worth it at all.句式分析 本句是一个复合句。主句是 I was not so sure，其中 sure 后跟宾语从句；when 引导时间状语从句，其中 that 引导的宾语从句作动词 heard 的宾语。尝试翻译 几个星期后，当我听说那几位宇航员的遗体以及那位老师的教案在大洋底部被找到的时候，我不再肯定这一切是值得的。.阅读理解AFrom the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the
16、 setting up of space stations, human beings have been putting great effort into space research.And so far, we have achieved many successes.But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress.The international space station (ISS) is an important step we should
17、take in space exploration.It is not only helpful but also essential.It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time.It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe.It could also be an important base for later travel to the mo
18、on and Mars.In a word, if we want to explore space more, the first thing we should do is set up a space station.As the space station costs a lot of money, it is hard for one country alone to establish one.The USA seems to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone, and i
19、t has tried to do so, but not very successful.So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together.Though it is still extremely expensive, it is much cheaper than doing it alone.It is really a job that needs everyones effort and will benefit everyone.Led by the US.and Russia, the ISS is a jo
20、int project between six space agencies involving 16 countries.Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation, the ISS has come to the end of ten years hard work in construction.China has applied for participation in (taking part in) the project many times.Unfortunately all the applications wer
21、e rejected, which drove China onto the path of independent development.As the Long March F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off (leave the ground) and successfully carried the Tiangong1 into space on September 29, 2011, China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era.Some West media suggested that the
22、successful launch of Tiangong1 would disturb the balance of global space power, raising concerns about “China threat”Chinas space project is not designed for military purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankinds wellbeing.语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文，介绍了世
23、界各国建立国际空间站，探索太空奥秘的情况。中国致力于和平发展空间技术，并取得了较大的进步和突破。1From Paragraph 2 we learn that _.Athe necessity of building the international space station is not realized nowBmany experiments have been done in the international space stationCthe international space station is necessary for people to explore space
24、 moreDpeople have traveled to Mars from the international space station解析：选 C 推理判断题。根据第二段中的 “In a word, if we want to explore space more, the first thing we should do is set up a space station.”可知，人类要更好地研究宇宙，首先要建空间站。故选 C。2Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries cooperation in building t
25、he international space station?AThat it is too far away from the earth.BThat it requires a lot of money.CThat it needs everyones effort.DThat it will benefit every participating country.解析：选 A 细节理解题。根据第三段可知，各国合作建立国际空间站的原因有：需要大量资金、需要每个参与的国家全力以赴和各国将受益于空间站。故选 A。3The underlined word “aggregated” in Para
26、graph 3 can be replaced by “_”Aunited BscoldedCallowed Dforbade解析：选 A 词义猜测题。根据下文 “work on it together”可知，aggregate 意为“集合，凝聚”，故选 A。4China wants to build its space station in order to _.Ashow that China can build space station aloneBraise international concerns about “China threat”Cmake use of space p
27、eacefully for mankinds wellbeingDbreak the balance of global space power解析：选 C 细节理解题。根据文章最后一句 “.but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankinds wellbeing.”可知，中国建立空间站的目的是和平利用空间资源来造福人类，故选 C。BAstronomers (天文学家) say they are on the point of finding planet
28、s like Earth orbiting other stars, which is a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe.A top NASA official and other leading scientists say that within four or five years they should discover the first Earthlike planet where life could develop, or may have already. A planet close to t
29、he size of Earth could even be found sometime this year.At the annual American Astronomical Society conference this week, each discovery involving socalled “exoplanets” those outside our solar system pointed to the same conclusion: Quiet planets like Earth where life could develop probably are plent
30、iful.NASAs new Kepler telescope and a lot of new research from the suddenly hot and competitive exoplanet field caused noticeable buzz at the meeting. Scientists are talking about being at “an incredible special place in history” and closer to answering a question that has dogged humanity since the
31、beginning of civilization. “Are we alone? For the first time, theres an optimism that sometime in our lifetimes were going to get_to_the_bottom_of that，” said Simon Worden, an astronomer who heads NASAs Ames Research Center. “If I were a betting man, which I am, I would bet were not alone.”“These ar
32、e big questions that reflect upon the meaning of the human race in the universe，” the director of the Vatican Observatory, the Rev. Jose Funes, said on Wednesday in an interview at this weeks conference.Worden told The Associated Press: “I would certainly expect in the next four or five years wed ha
33、ve an Earthsized planet in the habitable (可居住的) zone. ”语篇解读：天文学家说，他们即将在其他恒星周围找到类似地球的行星，在那里生命可以形成，或者可能已经形成。到那时候就可以回答人类在宇宙中是否孤单这一问题了。5From the first two paragraphs we can learn _.Aastronomers has found planets like Earth orbiting other starsBfinding other stars is a key step in determining if we are a
34、loneCits possible that a planet like Earth will be found this yearDscientists say that life have developed on the first Earthlike planet解析：选 C 细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句 “A planet close to the size of Earth could even be found sometime this year.”一颗类似地球的行星可能在今年的某个时候被发现。故答案为 C。6According to the passage an exopl
35、anet is a planet _.Alike EarthBoutside our solar systemCorbiting the sunDwhere life have developed解析：选 B 细节理解题。根据第三段 “exoplanets those outside our solar system”可得出答案。7The underlined words “get to the bottom of” in Paragraph 4 probably mean “_”. Aunderstand fully Bmake full use ofCsearch for Ddo more
36、 research on解析：选 A 词义猜测题。西蒙这句话的意思是：我们第一次有了乐观的看法，在我们的有生之年，我们将能弄清这个问题的真相。get to the bottom of“弄清真相，彻底弄明白”。8From the passage we can learn _.Aan Earthlike planet has been foundBits been proved we are not alone in the universeCJose Funes has found the meaning of the human race in the universeDthe discove
37、ry of an Earthlike planet could happen in the near future解析：选 D 推理判断题。通读全文可知，天文学家们认为在不久的将来，他们将在其他恒星周围找到类似地球的行星，证明人类在宇宙中并不孤单。CElon Musk says Space X is developing a plan for trips to Mars (火星) that will eventually cost just D|S500,000 per seat. Musk founded Space X 10 years ago and space travel has a
38、lways been one of his goals for the company. Few details were provided about the Martian voyage, but Musk did say we can expect to hear more about the plan in less than a year.The price for a trip to Mars also highlights (突出) Musks main effort behind Space X, to bring down the cost of delivering a h
39、uman into space. In an interview with the BBC, Musk admitted that the first seats wont be selling for D|S500,000. It will take a while to get down to that price. But Musk says the halfmillion dollar ticket could happen a decade after trips begin. “Land on Mars, a roundtrip ticket half a million doll
40、ars. It can be done，” he told the BBC.Musk did say that one of the keys to lowcost trips to the red planet would be the ability to not only fuel there, but also to reuse the entire spaceship on the return trip. In the BBC interview Musk said by reusing the spaceship, you end up with the same sorts o
41、f costs airlines face. Musk compared it to flying today where a 747 isnt simply thrown away after a flight to London. Like the airplane, the cost of the spaceship could be spread out over many flights rather than just a single trip. The D|S500,000 price is around one percent of the cost NASA is now
42、paying to send a person to the space station on a Russian rocket.The talk of Martian travel came with Space Xs most recent development news of its Dragon capsule. As the California company prepares to send a Dragon to the International Space Station next month, it completed the first crew trial with
43、 NASA. The event gave NASA astronauts a chance to test out the 7seat capsule that is being developed to carry human passengers as well as goods.语篇解读：“Space X”公司宣称，火星旅行开始后的十年内，一张往返票仅需 50 万美元。火星游客所乘坐的“龙”式太空舱现在正在研发和试验中。9According to the passage, Elon Musk _.Awill go to Mars at the cost of D|S500,000Bis
44、 the leader of the Space X companyCis an American astronaut from NASADwill send people to Mars in less than a year解析：选 B 细节理解题。根据第一段可知，埃隆 马斯克于十年前成立了“Space X”公司。故答案为 B。10What makes the trip to Mars at such a low cost possible?ATaking enough fuel.BReusing the spaceship.CUsing the airplane again.DBuild
45、ing the space station.解析：选 B 细节理解题。根据第三段可知，通过反复使用飞船，它们就能像飞机一样，宇宙飞船的成本不是由单次飞行承担，而可以通过多次飞行被平摊。故答案为 B。11From the passage we can infer _.Aits Dragon capsule has taken the first passengers to MarsBNASA pays D|S5,000,000 for Russia to take one astronaut into spaceCthe Dragon capsule is a spaceship made by
46、 NASA astronautsDSpace X will use a Dragon capsule for passengers to make a trip to Mars解析：选 D 推理判断题。根据最后一段可知， “Space X”公司与 NASA(美国国家航空航天局) 合作完成了首次机组试验，这一事件为 NASA 宇航员提供了试验七座式太空舱的机会，这种七座式飞船仍处于研发中，以实现运送旅客和货物的目的。故答案为 D。12The main idea of the passage is _.Athe ticket to Mars will cost just D|S500,000BSp
47、ace X is working together with NASACthe Dragon capsule is a cheap spaceshipDthe travel to Mars is becoming popular解析：选 A 主旨大意题。本文第一段第一句就点明了文章的主旨：埃隆 马斯克称“Space X”公司正在开发火星旅行计划，每个座位最终会仅售 50 万美元。后面内容是对这一主旨的详细说明。故答案为 A。.阅读七选五If youre thinking about going to a new country, or are looking to learn how to speak a foreign language while you are in a different country, the tips in this article will help you to find the support you need.Carry a pocket dictionary with you.This is o