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Ⅰ. 阅读理解
A
Not too big, not too small. Not too hot, not too cold. A newly discovered planet looks just right for life as we know it, according to an international group of astronomers.
Circling a star about 500 light years away, the planet called Kepler-186f is about the same size as Earth. It goes round its star at the right distance for liquid water on the surface. That is a necessary condition for life. But it is not exactly like Earth, it’s more of an Earth’s cousin. It’s not an Earth’s twin. It shares the same characteristics as Earth, but their parent stars are very different.
Kepler-186f circles a star that is smaller and cooler than our sun. But the planet appears to be a closer relative than most of the hundreds of others discovered so far. Some are huge gas-covered giants with thick atmospheres. Others circle too closely to their stars and are too hot for life. For the first time, we can actually say we now have a planet that is both Earth-sized and circles in its star’s livable zone.
The next step would be to look for signs of life in the atmospheres of these distant world. That would take a more advanced telescope. But budget cuts threaten that task, says University of California at Los Angeles astrophysicist Ben.
“In theory, we could do this in the next couple of decades. But in practice, because there’s no money, it’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen in my lifetime, for example, ”said Ben. However, NASA’s Elisa Quintana believes
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that when the next-generation space telescope is used, it will find that we are not alone in the universe. In the meantime, the search continues for other worlds where life may find a home.
【文章大意】本文介绍了一个新发现的适合生命生存的星球。 1. What do we know about the newly discovered planet? A. It was discovered by chance. B. It has some form of life on it. C. It has suitable conditions for life. D. It is an ordinary planet like others.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第一段A newly discovered planet looks just right for life as we know it. . . 可知, 这个星球适合生命生存。
2. The difference between Earth and Kepler-186f is that______. A. they circle different parent stars B. they came into being at different times C. they move in space at a different speed D. they orbit their stars at a different distance
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第二段It shares the same characteristics as Earth, but their parent stars are very different. 可知它们的不同在于——它们围绕着不同的恒星旋转。
3. The discovery of Kepler-186f is remarkable because______. A. man has discovered a new home
B. it caused people’s interest in the universe C. man has found a familiar planet like Earth D. it can help man know more about Earth
【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据第三段For the first time, we can actually say we now have a planet that is both Earth-sized and circles in its star’s livable zone. 可知这一发现的惊人之处在于这个星球与地球相似。
4. What does Ben worry about in the future research? A. Lack of money. C. His coming old age.
B. No cooperation. D. His weak influence.
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【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据最后一段可知Ben最为担忧的是研究资金的缺乏。
B
Dragons, Unicorns, Yeti, we’ve all heard tales of many such mythical creatures, which people believed in until science proved otherwise. Often, these stories were inspired by folklore, and sometimes by unexplained sightings. One such is the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland, popularly known as Nessie.
On 21st April 1934, a doctor from London saw something strange in Loch Ness(a large lake in the Scottish Highlands)and quickly took a picture. The image evidently contained a mysterious head and neck extending out from the water. Known as the Surgeon’s Photograph, it soon became the most iconic symbol of the Loch Ness Monster, even though it was exposed much later as a practical joke.
A book published in the 7th century related a meeting between an Irish monk and a beast in the nearby River Ness. This is acknowledged to be the first report mentioning such a lake monster in the region. Apart from one sighting recorded in the 19th century, all other reports available today occurred after 1933. Some actually saw an extraordinary creature that was progressively described as a beast and a monster.
Many photographs and footage of Nessie were fiercely disputed—indeed scientists and researchers managed to prove many of them as pranks. Even two sonar images of Nessie have caused a storm of debate. As recently as 2014, Apple’s satellites captured an image in the loch. While some insisted it was a boat, others laughed at that citing the odd shape unlike any sailing vessel.
Loch Ness is the second largest bay by surface area and the largest by volume. Its deepest point is 812 feet below and has actually been named Nessie’s Lair! To top it off, the loch waters are unusually dark owing to high peat content. This simply deepens the mystery.
This year, Google employed a team of local divers and captured underwater footage as well. Curiously, their photos also captured an image of‘something’that has the community buzzing! What could it be? It looks as though the legend of the Loch Ness
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